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selenakA good while ago, mildred_of_midgard had asked me for a write up of two works by noted 18th century writer and philosopher Montesquieu which were relevant to our interests, to wit, My travels in Germany 1728–1729, edited and published in German by Jürgen Overhoff, and a very particular edition of Considerations on the Causes of the Greatness of the Romans and their Decline, 1734, which was owned by Frederick the Great and which he intensively commented on by scribling marginalia on the pages; said edition complete with its comments was available as a German paperback to me.
( How not to travel through Germany in the first half of the 18th Century )
On to the Romans. This book, which was partly triggered by Montesquieu visiting Italy on the same journey, is way more fun, and not just because of the Fritz notes. In both cases, though, it's worth constantly keeping in mind Montesquieu is writing from the pov of a conservative French aristocrat, who despite all the compliments paid to Louis XIV regrets Louis' declawing of the French nobility to no end. (Louis revoking the Edict of Nantes and persecuting Protestants, otoh, is A plus.) All the observations on Roman decadence thus also have the subtext of criticism of current day France without getting censored for it. (Which, btw, isn't that different from Roman historians putting their present day criticism into the mouth of "barbarian" leaders and/or waxing on on how much better the ancestors did it.) Thus, Rome was doing well when the wise Patrician Senate was in charge, creating the Tribunes was already a step in the wrong direction, and naturally once the Empire came to be and the Senate devolved into a rubber stamp for imperial decisions, while the Emperors were except for five of them no good luxury loving parasites, everything went down the toilet.
( Roman Greatness and Decadence according to Montesquieu, with added Fritz commentary on clemency, courage, fame and suicide )
( Montsequieu and Fritz on tyrants, their successors and the ultimate horror: women in Politics )
These are just some of the lines and quotes. It's a truly interesting document, and I'm glad to have bought it.
mildred_of_midgard had asked me for a write up of two works by noted 18th century writer and philosopher Montesquieu which were relevant to our interests, to wit, My travels in Germany 1728–1729, edited and published in German by Jürgen Overhoff, and a very particular edition of Considerations on the Causes of the Greatness of the Romans and their Decline, 1734, which was owned by Frederick the Great and which he intensively commented on by scribling marginalia on the pages; said edition complete with its comments was available as a German paperback to me. ( How not to travel through Germany in the first half of the 18th Century )
On to the Romans. This book, which was partly triggered by Montesquieu visiting Italy on the same journey, is way more fun, and not just because of the Fritz notes. In both cases, though, it's worth constantly keeping in mind Montesquieu is writing from the pov of a conservative French aristocrat, who despite all the compliments paid to Louis XIV regrets Louis' declawing of the French nobility to no end. (Louis revoking the Edict of Nantes and persecuting Protestants, otoh, is A plus.) All the observations on Roman decadence thus also have the subtext of criticism of current day France without getting censored for it. (Which, btw, isn't that different from Roman historians putting their present day criticism into the mouth of "barbarian" leaders and/or waxing on on how much better the ancestors did it.) Thus, Rome was doing well when the wise Patrician Senate was in charge, creating the Tribunes was already a step in the wrong direction, and naturally once the Empire came to be and the Senate devolved into a rubber stamp for imperial decisions, while the Emperors were except for five of them no good luxury loving parasites, everything went down the toilet.
( Roman Greatness and Decadence according to Montesquieu, with added Fritz commentary on clemency, courage, fame and suicide )
( Montsequieu and Fritz on tyrants, their successors and the ultimate horror: women in Politics )
These are just some of the lines and quotes. It's a truly interesting document, and I'm glad to have bought it.
