Paul Valery once said that:"
all people and all lands which were in turn Romanized, Christianized and subjected-at least mentally-to Greek discipline, are thoroughly European…Everywhere where the names of Caesar, Caius, Trajan, and Virgil, everywhere where the names of Aristotle, Plato and Euclid have simultaneously held meaning and authority, that is Europe.”
When people, both inside and outside Europe, talk about the features of Europe, the most characteristic words must be the ones used above,” that is Europe.” Greek civilization played and plays such an important role in Europe history and even today, that it can be considered as one of the pillars of building up the European identity.
“Europe is a world of historical references and memories shared by all Europeans who draw sustenance from these teachings.” I think this is partly why the Greek heritages are still important for the formation of European identity.
Europe is heading forward from past with her great diversities: different languages, various traditions, opposing opinions. Conflicts are everywhere, so Europe needs a tie that can bound all Europeans together,not all maybe most people together. And the Greek heritage is the tie that Europeans are looking for. The heritages are crucial, without them, the foundation of Europe can not be the same, without them, people in the future Europe will not regard Aristotle, Plato and humanity as their social and mental foundation.
Greek legacies shaped and are shaping the various aspects of Europe.
Long time ago, Europeans already considered themselves as independent and intellectual entities, like the Greek ancestors, who carried out the Persian war against the despotism, they were free man on the earth. The ancient Greeks had the desire of being equal and free, for them, this was the basic condition to live in a society. When compared the arts from ancient Greece to these from despotism countries at that time, distinctive differences can be found. The figures from ancient Greece have their own characteristics, they are not the same and not systematic. Instead, they have various expressions, recognizable gestures. The style of ancient Greece reflects the basic idea of being individual and having its own characteristics. Today, not only the style of this art is inherited by Europeans, everywhere in Europe can people find painting and statues in Greek style, but also, more importantly, the fundamental ideas of freedom which will continue be the basis of all Europeans.
Maybe because of this free atmosphere in ancient Athens, people wanted the political equality. This gave birth to the democracy. Although, democracy at that time can not be considered ideal and also can not be compared to modern day democracy. But it was the Greeks who were the primary mover of the democracy. Later Europeans learnt the idea of Greek democracy and also the rule of law. And today, all Europeans regard this political system as the most basic feature of Europe.
The most dazzling treasure from ancient Greece is her philosophy. Although in history, Plato and Aristotle held the opposite views, it was the fact that they laid the foundation of modern day western philosophy. It is this treasure that teaches people in Europe to be rational, to be social responsible, to find a way that can both fuse the body and soul, and it is their philosophy inherited by Europeans that unified the way of thinking and doing things. The power of philosophy can not be ignored; it was and is the forceful means to build up the European identity. Like the doctrines created by ancient Chinese scholar called Confucius, his ideas were taught throughout history countless times, therefore, Chinese partly tend to solve problem using similar ways and thinking. And people see others doing things the same way then they will feel that: oh, we are the same.
The same way, the philosophy from ancient Greece was taught and is teaching in school, Europeans will certainly consider they are in the same group.
The treasury of ancient Greece has more to be explored and inherited.
It istheir idea of beauty: representing human beings and even Gods individually and naturally, that spread all around the Europe, it is their literature: Iliad and Odyssey that form the foundation of European literature, it is their dramas which are still hot on the stages of Europe.
In short, the powerful civilization created by the ancient was and is inherited by Europeans. And the ideas have already penetrated into the aspects of life in Europe, without them, the looking of Europe must be very different.
Ancient Greece was the past, but in Europe, the past comes alive.
