God forbade...must reading!

Honor




    To be famous is to be widely spoken of, though not necessarily well spoken of by peers, now and later. The man who stands above the herd, whose outlines are clear, whose deeds are memorable takes his place among the famous of his time or of all time. Plutarch, the moralist, doesn’t regard the men whose lives he writes as paragons of virtue. On the other hand, indications are many are examples of extraordinary depravity. Plutarch says they are famous by historical fact, not moral judgment. Good or bad they were known as great men, leaders, figures of eminent proportions, engaged in momentous exploits. They were not all victorious. Few, if any, were successful in all they attempted or were able to preserve the successes they achieved. But each ventured beyond the pale of ordinary men and each succeeded in becoming a symbol of great deeds, a monument in human memory.



   There can be no separation between what a community considers honorable and what it considers virtuous or excellent in mind or character. But it doesn’t always follow the virtuous man will get the honor due. Public honor can be misplaced- undeservedly given or unjustly withheld. The virtuous should be ready for this.



Marcus Aurelius