Greek Ideals of Excellence

In Plato’s Apology, Socrates draws a comparison between himself and Achilles, the great hero of the Trojan War. He explains that his actions are compelled by morality - by what is right - despite knowing that they will ultimately bring his own death. He claims to be following the example set by Achilles, whose decision to fight and die was spurred by his own conception of what is right, and how a man should live. Both men were driven by the concept of arete, which means excellence or virtue; the concept of living up to one’s full and highest potential. Socrates made this famous analogy because it succinctly highlighted his point, and because Achilles’ tale was so widely known. Did Socrates indeed model himself after Achilles, or are his words merely a comparison of convenience? To see if the analogy can be extended further will require a closer examination of ancient Hellenic conceptions of arête, civic duty, and hubris in relation to the lives of these two seminal icons of Western Civilization.

Death of Socrates, Jacques Louis David; Public Domain.

To the heroes of Homer’s Iliad, the pursuit of individual excellence was a driving factor. Achieving a lasting fame by individual accomplishment was crucial to leading a good life, and provided a sense of purpose to the mythical Achaeans. The ideals of arête, as set down by Homer and the epic poets, would blossom into a sacred principle for the classical Greek world to come, and no less for Socrates himself. For Socrates, however the principles of individual excellence had matured into something far removed from the primitive arête pursued by Achilles and his cohorts. For the ancient heroes, greatness consists in besting other men, be it comrades in sport, or enemies on the battlefield. However, this greatness was not exactly based on personal achievement; a man was great because it was the will of the gods. A man who won a horse race or single combat on his own merit was not as great as the man who won because the gods intervened on his behalf. Achilles followed his path not because he wanted to, or because he thought it was the right thing to do, but because such was the will of the gods. His rewards were possessions, prestige, and even eternal fame, yet these things ultimately gain him nothing, as his shade laments in the underworld.

Arete, sometimes personified as a goddess, Sarah Ferguson. flickr

For Socrates, arête was a far “higher,” more refined concept. It meant being the best you can be, at all times and in all doings. Socrates held himself up to a standard of excellence that spanned his entire life. Excellence had to begin and end with the individual, and not just in the realm of physical feats. Living a good life meant subjecting all beliefs and actions to the analysis of reason and intellect. He sought to remove myth and and superstition from daily life, not to honor and live by them, as did his mythic forebears. Living a life in this way was the ultimate reward for Socrates, for he believed that prestige, fame, and wealth were meaningless and empty without personal integrity. This attitude allowed him to live and die like a man, without fear or regrets. The example he set is a far cry from the petty, childish manner in which Achilles behaves all throughout the Iliad.

Read Part 2 here.