What Thucydides Knew
I couldn’t listen. Last night after our philosophy discussion ended I departed for home. Tuning to NPR on the radio a few minutes after 9PM, the voice of President Trump filled the space around me. His labored reading of lines, halting enunciation of words, caused me to cringe inwardly. Feeling my disgust I changed to a music station.
Trump is to be acquitted by the Senate of the crime of extorting an ally to influence our election. He admits his behavior, which was attested to by witnesses. But never mind. A majority of the Senate hold membership within his party. His belabored speech, his faux sincerity are consistent with his distorted perception of our society, the state of our “union” according to Trump.
Having just read and pondered passages from the account of the Peloponnesian war written by Thucydides I was reminded of a poem 
written by W.H. Auden entitled September 1, 1939. Auden writing on the cusp of another dictators rise to power in Europe references Thucydides words.
Finally, about the President’s speech last night. At conclusion of the oration, by ripping into pieces her copy of the speech, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi showed the conviction of resistance which many us feel toward this man and his administration.
Exiled Thucydides knew
All that a speech can say
About Democracy,
And what dictators do,
The elderly rubbish they talk
To an apathetic grave;
Analysed all in his book,
The enlightenment driven away,
The habit-forming pain,
Mismanagement and grief:
We must suffer them all again.
If you’d like to experience the entire poem CLICK HERE.
