The Heroes We Need

Look closely. They may be in our midst right now.

The Muses - Clio, Euterpe and Thalia by Eustache Le Sueur, between 1652 and 1655 (public domain - Wikimedia Commons)

“I would much rather have men ask why I have no monument than why I have one.” — Cato the Elder, c. 184 BC

We’ve been talking about inspiration this week, and I’m a firm believer in finding inspiration wherever you look.

When Michel de Montaigne wrote his Essays, he considered those whom he most admired.

“If I should be asked my choice among all the men who have come to my knowledge, I should make answer, that methinks I find three more excellent than all the rest.”

He then goes on to list each of the three, giving his reasons. First, Homer for his ability to pen an epic with names that still resonate throughout history.

Next, Alexander the Great, first for his extraordinary accomplishments at such a young age and in a relatively short life. But more importantly, for his “many excellent virtues,” including “justice, temperance, liberality, truth in his word, love towards his own people, and humanity toward those he overcame.”

But it’s the third that’s a little curious.