The defilement of a nation’s cultural heritage is among the most odious of crimes. But the offense is especially noxious, and finally unforgivable, when committed by national leaders for their own personal aggrandizement. The past is always vulnerable to the malicious exigencies of the present. An illustrative example is found in the pages of Roman history.
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During a recent panel discussion at the World Economic Forum on Green Energy, former American Secretary of State John Kerry made the following rather disconcerting statement:
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Some people think that as they become wealthier and more successful, their lives will resemble that of an idle aristocrat. They believe they will finally reach a point of perfect comfort. The reality is very different. With more success come more work, and more responsibilities, not less. You will have to develop a whole new set of skills to adapt to these changed circumstances. But you can do it.
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The student of classical antiquity’s literary monuments may find himself perplexed by the relative paucity of its surviving examples. How could it be, we may wonder, that such a large corpus of celebrated works slipped, nearly unnoticed in the passage of centuries, into oblivion? Why is it that so many writings held in universally high regard exist today only in fragmentary or mutilated form? How could these tragedies of indifference and neglect have been permitted? By what processes are classics “lost”? These are worthy and difficult questions. They can be answered; but the answers are unsettling, and carry implications very modern in their relevance.
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In the past I’ve resisted the idea of making lists of recommended books. One gets the sense that the instant something is committed to a list, many will assume that the list is exclusive, and that other options should not be considered. There is also a personal feeling of distaste I have towards the “listicle” writing format: it seems trite, simplistic, and geared towards the lowest attention span reader.
In response to some questions I’ve been getting since the release of Sallust, I’ve decided to offer the cover art for all of my books in a variety of products. The website can be found by clicking here. Once there, click on the “Products” tab to see all the different merchandise available.
Imagine having the high-resolution image above (or images from any of my book covers) on your cell phone case, coffee mug, or t-shirt. The list of available items is impressive:
Quintus Curtius 
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