Blog 2 - Corrupted Morals

Even though “Rome wasn’t built in a day” a lot can change in 100 years. Roman architecture stood the test of time, but other things were not as enduring. For this analysis, we will be analyzing the changes in Roman morals during the time of Polybius and Vergil compared to those morals in the time of Juvenal. More specifically, we will analyze the moral changes in loyalty, funerals, and politics between these two times.

Lacking Loyalty

The first major transition in Roman morals is the altered dedication individuals have toward the gods. Vergil exemplifies the loyalty and absolute obedience individuals showed toward the gods in the Aeneid. When telling the story of Aeneas and Dido, Vergil depicts the sacrifice Aeneas makes for the gods. Vergil describes, “although great love has shaken his soul, he obeys the gods’ will and returns to the fleet,” (Lombardo). Despite the overwhelming love that Aeneas and Dido share, Aeneas sacrifices this love because the gods had something else in store for him. This dedication to the gods drastically changes from Vergil’s time to Juvenal’s time.

Juvenal explained what dedication to the gods looked like. He depicts this concept by describing the religious dedications of a “poor man”. He says, “Though he swear by all the altars of Samothrace or of Rome, the poor man is believed to care naught for Gods and thunderbolts, the Gods themselves forgiving him” (Juvenal). Individuals transitioned from absolute loyalty toward the gods to superficial dedication that didn’t honor them. According to Juvenal, if the gods were to ask the “poor man” to sacrifice as Aeneas did, they would be ignored. 

Lacking Respect

The second major transition we will discuss is the lack of respect later Romans have for the dead. During the time of Polybius, “Whenever one of their illustrious men dies, in the course of his funeral the body is carried with every kind of honour into the Forum” (Finley). The funeral was an incredibly high honor and relations would sacrifice much to have their relative properly and respectfully buried. This procession was a highly important part of every Roman family and was found throughout Roman culture. As with the trend of our discussion, this respect was lost over time.

Juvenal describes that loss emphasizing, “The poor man’s crushed corpse wholly disappears, just like his soul. At home meanwhile the folk, unwitting, are washing the dishes…” (Juvenal). On one side you have crushed lifeless bodies. On the other side, people continue with their lives as if nothing had happened. The value of proper burial is clearly lost in Roman culture during Juvenal’s time. This lack of respect for the dead marks a historical turn in Roman culture. 

Lacking Honesty

The last major transition that we will discuss relates to the honesty and integrity of elected Roman officials. During Polybius’s time, it was expected that individuals be honest and trustworthy. In the Portable Greek Historians, Polybius mentions that “nothing is more disgraceful than to receive bribes and to make profit by improper means. The Carthaginians obtain office by open bribery, but among the Romans the penalty for it is death,” (Finley). Polybius emphasizes that Romans were honest whether by their own means or by force. The passage above illustrates this concept. In Rome, individuals were expected to be “model citizens”. Juvenal sheds a very different light on the subsequent morals of Roman society.

In his analysis, Juvenal characterizes politicians as corrupt thieves. In his Satire 3, he says, “No man will get my help in robbery, and therefore no governor will take me on his staff” (Juvenal). According to Juvenal, bribes and lies were a part of the political game. He personally viewed these dealings as corrupt. During this time, one could not be successful without wealth and influence. Wealth was attained through dishonest dealings and power was attained through copious bribes.

Changing Morals

In conclusion, it is clear to see how drastically the morals of Roman society changed within a century. The enduring records and stories created by Polybius, Vergil, and Juvenal paint a detailed picture on what it was like living during these periods. The drastic change in Roman morals could be due to the changing wants of Roman citizens. The altering morals are a testament to how easily people and cultures evolve. This relationship between the two contrasting times parallels with the pendulum concept representing human nature. We will swing one direction to a time of honesty and goodness just to swing back to a time of corruption and turmoil.

Works Cited

• Vergil, and Lombardo, S. (2006). The Essential Aeneid. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co., pp. 64. 
• Finley, M. I. The Greek Historians: The Essence of Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Polybius. Penguin Books, pp. 496-499. 
• Juvenal, Ramsay, G. G. Juvenal: Satire 3. Harvard University Press, pp. 126, 249, 41. Available at: https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/juv-sat3eng.asp [Accessed 4 June 2018].