Greece: Week Two

A second week of riots has ensued in Greece after the shooting of the 15 year old boy. Thousands of young protesters have done considerable damage financially in multiple cities, and the government is now saying that they cannot contain the situation. The police of Greece are continually repelling the fuel bombs and other devices thrown at them with tear gas. The main cause of this uproar is starting to surface, as more and more of the protesters are starting to speak out more against the government than the shooting with the police. Elections are being held Monday and the officer who shot the boy is charged with murder pending a trial.

QUINTILIAN PRAISES THE ORATORY OF CICERO

The Roman orator's speaking ability is able to make Latin like Greek.; for Cicero can match anyone, even Demosthenes. Of these I reckon are similar to manliness: his council, order of ideas, reason, and finally his discoveries which are everywhere. In his eloquence there is some diversity: that thick, this rich, that he always fights with cunning, this weight, more anxiety in that I, in nature more than this. Marcus Tulius however sees to express Demosthenes in me, supplied by Plato, the pleasure of Isocrates. But now what he teaches more carefully, he moves more emphatically with power? In which so much of his charm is able to move even every serious judgment? Now in every which he says he has so much authority when within he shamefully disagrees and trust is not an advocate but the eye-witness sees that he holds it. Therefore do not unjustly reign in a law court in an age of man when Cicero is speaking, and posterity only is given now to Cicero that his glorious name is not human, but has eloquence. Therefore look at this; he is an example of peace and prosperity; that he himself makes progress of knowledge, who is told to be diligent by Cicero.

Greece Riots

The recent riots in Greece have rocked the people and Parliament of the small country. The shooting of 15 year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos on December 6 by a Greek police officer was the spark that set fire to the powder keg of anger that had been building over the vast amount of corruption the Greek Parliament. The amount of violence that has ensued over the shooting, though, has no excuse. The protesters that are using violent actions to protest the violent action that took place in the shooting make no sense. By using violence in their protests, they are provoking an imminent threat of another death. I agree that they should be upset over this whole situation of the shooting, since they are very rare in Europe unlike here in the U.S., but they should use other peaceful tactics to get their point across and oust the leader. Sometimes, though, as trials in the past have shown (such as in their own ancient history), violence is sometimes needed for a change in a corrput regime.

New Places In Google Earth

In the new Roman City addition to Google Earth I found a few places that had not been found in V-Roma or discussed about. Here are some of the places:

1. Vicus Jugarius- This road went from the crowded Roman Forum to the Port of Carmentalis near the Tiber River.
2. Tabularium- A public building built by Catulus in 78 B.C. and served as state archive to improve the view of the Roman Forum.
3. Lacus Juturnae- This spring was the location where Pollux and Caestor were seen watering their horses after the Battle of Lake Regillus. This spring was then decorated with statues of the two men, fragment of which still remain today.