Flashcards for Enuma Elish, Epic of Gilgamesh, Aristotle, and Machiavelli Concepts

A set of 60 vocabulary flashcards covering significant concepts from the Enuma Elish, Epic of Gilgamesh, Aristotle's political theories, and Machiavelli's works.

Enuma Elish

The Babylonian creation myth meaning 'When on high'.

qingu

A being from whose blood humans were created in the Enuma Elish.

Theocratic monarchy

A political order supporting a king as the earthly administrator of divine labor.

Demi-god

A being with partial divine status, exemplified by Gilgamesh.

Civic achievement

A life rewarded in Babylonian society focused on contributions to the civilization.

Genesis

A term meaning 'Origin' or 'in the beginning,' associated with the Hebrew creation myth.

Formless void

The state of existence before creation in Genesis.

Stewards

Humans created in the image of God with the duty to rule over the earth.

Moral figures

Main characters of Genesis, characterized by ethical choices and covenants.

The covenant

The agreement that shapes the moral and ethical expectations of Hebrew society.

Political community

A collective formed for purposes like survival and the good life.

Speech (logos)

A human quality that enables the perception of justice, according to Aristotle.

Living tool

How Aristotle defines a slave, needed for the master to achieve leisure for virtue.

Natural wealth acquisition

Includes farming, herding, and hunting, limited by their definitions.

Superiority of men

Aristotle's argument for male authority based on perceived fit for leadership.

Civil strife remedies

Education, moderation of desires, and enhanced civic engagement.

Hippodamus

An innovator whose ideas are critiqued for diminishing the strength of established laws.

Military importance

The recognition of military needs as paramount for the security and survival of the city.

Unqualified citizen

Anyone in political power, as per Aristotle's definitions.

Laborers as citizens

Debated inclusion due to their lack of leisure and education for effective governance.

Survival in communities

Focus on safety can conflict with the pursuit of a virtuous, good life.

Sovereign power

The defining principle of a regime, divided into common good vs private interest.

Democracy concerns

Fear of majority seizing wealth from the elite, as Aristotle points out.

Political claims

Determined by wealth, birth, and virtue, necessitating careful philosophical scrutiny.

Kingship challenges

It fails when citizens grow equal in virtue, rejecting singular rule.

Best regime

The polity or middle class rule, viewed as stable yet hard to achieve.

Virtuous life options

Political (active) life versus philosophic (contemplative) life, debated for superiority.

Self-sufficiency

City must balance population size and territory for effective governance.

Greek superiority

Claimed by Aristotle, suggesting Greeks are fit to rule over other 'inferior' nations.

City layout

Must consider military defense to maintain self-sufficiency.

Leisure purpose

Politics and war exist to enable conditions conducive to a virtuous life.

Gospel

Translates to 'Good news' in the context of Christian theology.

Messianic secret

Theme in Gospels where Jesus limits knowledge of his divine identity.

Social loyalty shift

Jesus prioritizes spiritual over biological family ties.

Radical community

Early followers of Jesus formed a communal society with shared possessions and care for one another.

Pagan virtues criticism

Augustine labels them as 'splendid vices' due to lack of true piety.

Theology and philosophy

Augustine views theology as the perfection rather than a substitute for philosophy.

Human glory vs God's glory

Augustine distinguishes earthly 'virtues' from true virtues aligned with God.

Political problems observed

Machiavelli learns from the failures of past leaders while in exile.

Machiavelli's government types

Divides states into Republics and Principalities, differing from Aristotle's focus.

Turkish conquest strategy

Unified command under the Sultan makes conquest and maintenance easier.

French conquest failures

Failures attributed to poor military strategy and ineffective leadership.

Conquest model concerns

Machiavelli illustrates possibilities and strategies for conquering diverse states.

Difficulties of founding states

Involves risking enemies of the old order versus lukewarm defenders of the new.

Papal power legitimacy

Pope Alexander VI's actions are seen as serving secular ambitions.

Order restoration methods

Cesare's use of cruelty reflects the complex relationship between force and law.

Cruelty classification

Machiavelli distinguishes 'well-used' from 'badly used' cruelties.

Support without crime

Describes the challenges for a prince to gain power legitimately.

Siege resistance preparation

Importance of fortifying cities for successful defense strategy.

Mercenary arms dangers

Reliability issues result from lack of loyalty and discipline in hired troops.

Auxiliary arms threat

More dangerous than mercenaries due to their existing loyalty to another leader.

Prince's military skill

Gained through both practical action and historical study.

Princely parsimony

Emphasizes careful resource management to maintain power.

Chiron's representation

Shows the necessity for a leader to balance force and cunning.

Fear vs love in leadership

Fear is a more effective control means, provided it's balanced.

Forgiving successful rulers

People favor success over morality based on outcomes.

Counteracting conspiracies

Gaining popular support prevents conspiracies from succeeding.

Prince as balancer

Machiavelli's shift to suggest a role that maintains harmony between factions.