Homer and Hesiod, who encapsulated human desires and ideals, as well as human limitations and imagination, highlight humanity through their mythological elements. Unlike Bulfinch, who viewed myths as tools for Enlightenment teachings, Homer and Hesiod prioritize human values such as honor, courage, and labor. For them, the Greek human is a curious being, questioning everything and exploring to understand, embodying a fantastical race.
They challenge the authority of the gods by integrating the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences into a systematic conception of knowledge. Stripping away the myths shrouded in clouds, they reveal the clarity of all concepts under the bright Mediterranean sunlight. Dutch historian Johan Huizinga also illuminated the dark ages with his work "The Autumn of the Middle Ages" (1919), encouraging a deeper perspective on life through the living humanities.
Through humanistic thought grounded in history, we come to understand and engage with the world. By probing into humanistic questions and answers, we uncover symbols of play embedded in the twilight and moonlight, filling life with fantasy. The quality of fantasy is determined by the accumulated knowledge and intellectual capacity of individuals. When the journey of fantasy is beneficial and enjoyable, it transforms into genuine play, yielding riches for oneself and others.
I dedicate this book to Margarete, who is like Beatrice.
On October 29, 2024, in Woohakjae by Nomadsirius.
Table of contents.
Prologue.
Publication Right.
1. The reason the Western Jin Dynasty of Emperor Sima Yan disappeared from history after only 50 years.
2. The Reasons for the Fall of the Sui Dynasty.
3. The reason for the rampant Wokou (Japanese pirates) during the Ming Dynasty.
4. Reasons for the Decline of the Tang Dynasty.
5. The reason why the Jin Dynasty took Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong of the Northern Song Dynasty as prisoners.
6. Who is the figure that brought spring to the English language?
7. Contrasting Perspectives in Greek Mythology: Thomas Bulfinch vs. Homer and Hesiod.
8. Why did Elishka of the Bohemian royal family have political conflicts with her husband?
9. Beauty for Thomas Aquinas.
10. The differences between Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus.
11. Will Korea be swept away again by the currents of the global cartel?
12. Who is the wisest strategist in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms?
13. Why did Wagner target Mendelssohn?
14. Was the power of the Holy Roman Emperor strong?
15. How did Charles Martel suppress the Islamic cavalry of Abd al-Rahman at the Battle of Tours and Poitiers?
16. Why did Hellenism begin to coexist independently with Hebraism?
17. Why Wittgenstein Focused on Linguistic Confusion.
18. What is the Difference Between Kandinsky and Mondrian?
19. Why Did Hegel Fall into a Fatal Error?
20. Why did the Post-Impressionists Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cézanne express such different forms?
21. Why were the aims of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso different?
22. The reason why Morris Weitz, Arthur Danto, and George Dickie, proponents of analytical aesthetics, missed the essence of art lies in their approach.
23. Why did Marie Antoinette enjoy Haydn's symphonies?
24. Why did Philippe Jean Pelletan secretly take the heart of Louis XVII?
25. Why did Diego Simeone adhere to the 4-4-2 formation?
26. What could be considered the prototype of Britain’s Brexit?
27. Why didn’t Milan Kundera heed Nietzsche’s words?
28. Why did Descartes' rationalism become an extreme monster?
29. What did the Slavs conceal within their elegant sensibilities?
30. Why did Dostoevsky write Crime and Punishment?
31. Why was Alexander II targeted in a bomb attack?
32. What are the limits of Marxist aesthetics?
33. Why were the Renaissance masters antagonistic?
34. The question posed to the world by Zorba the Greek centers on a profound philosophy of life.
35. Why couldn’t Dante return to his hometown of Florence?
36. Why wasn’t Berlioz swept up in the July Revolution?
37. Why did Mozart spark the French Revolution?
38. Does time exist in the universe and on Earth?
39. What are Chronos space and Kairos space?
40. What is the ultimate goal of a pitcher?
41. What triggered the fragmentation of the Mongol Empire?
42. Reasons for Carthage's Defeat in the Punic Wars.
43. Israel's Objectives.
44. Differences in Historical Perspectives of Sima Qian and Sima Guang.
45. Destructive Power of the Hyunmoo-5 Missile.
46. How did Zhang Yi Undermine the Alliance Strategy?
47. Why Did Pope Urban II Call for the Crusades?
48. Why Did the Crusaders and the Byzantine Empire Distrust Each Other?.
49. Reasons for the Crusaders' Failure to Retake Jerusalem.
50. Key Reasons for Spain's Victory in the Battle of Lepanto.
51. The reason the Eastern Roman Empire began its path to decline.
52. Why did the Crusaders target Egypt?
53. The Power of Story.
54. How the Crusaders Retook Jerusalem Without War.
55. Why was Louis IX taken captive?
Author 'NomadSirius' Introduction.
'Sirius' is the brightest star in the night sky.
Its name is derived from the Greek word "Seirios," meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching.'
Imagining Sirius rising just before sunrise, I embark on the classic and humanities-inspired 'Nomad' journey.
With the aim of introducing the essence of Oriental culture to the West, I am planning to publish a series of 333 eBooks, an English Oriental Humanities Glossary, and an aesthetically pleasing English Fantasy novel.
