Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Free Essays on Latin American History

Latin American History A brief description of the political structures of the Aztecs and Incas. Also describe the local and national level of politics. The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had a population estimated to be between 150, 000 and 200,000. The majority of the population consisted of artisans, priests, civil servants, soldiers and entertainers. Other members of the population where the calpulli leaders, merchants and nobles. Their whole education system was based on the foundations that male children would follow in their fathers’ footsteps and have the best education depending on what their position in society is. In a society with such a complex economic, political and social life, a hierarchy of courts was compromised with two high tribunals. The Aztec priesthood was the main integrating force in the whole society. The priesthood was called on to intervene in every private political crisis of the Aztec community. The priesthood shared power with the nobility a class that had gained power through war and political centralization. The Aztec political system was a mixture of royal disposition and theocracy. Political power was centralized in a ruling class of priests and nobles, over which presided an absolute ruler resembling an oriental despot. The Inca state also promoted self-sufficiency by allowing members of a given community to exploit the resources of different levels of the Andian â€Å"vertical† economy. The Incas had a strong strategic situation in the valley of cuzco and some cultural superiority over their neighbors. This provided the Incas with instructive precedents for conquest and consolidation of conquest through a variety of political and socioeconomic techniques. The Incas maintained their authority with an arsenal of devices that included the spread of their quechua language as the official language of the empire. The Aztec and Incas first contact with the Span... Free Essays on Latin American History Free Essays on Latin American History Latin American History A brief description of the political structures of the Aztecs and Incas. Also describe the local and national level of politics. The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had a population estimated to be between 150, 000 and 200,000. The majority of the population consisted of artisans, priests, civil servants, soldiers and entertainers. Other members of the population where the calpulli leaders, merchants and nobles. Their whole education system was based on the foundations that male children would follow in their fathers’ footsteps and have the best education depending on what their position in society is. In a society with such a complex economic, political and social life, a hierarchy of courts was compromised with two high tribunals. The Aztec priesthood was the main integrating force in the whole society. The priesthood was called on to intervene in every private political crisis of the Aztec community. The priesthood shared power with the nobility a class that had gained power through war and political centralization. The Aztec political system was a mixture of royal disposition and theocracy. Political power was centralized in a ruling class of priests and nobles, over which presided an absolute ruler resembling an oriental despot. The Inca state also promoted self-sufficiency by allowing members of a given community to exploit the resources of different levels of the Andian â€Å"vertical† economy. The Incas had a strong strategic situation in the valley of cuzco and some cultural superiority over their neighbors. This provided the Incas with instructive precedents for conquest and consolidation of conquest through a variety of political and socioeconomic techniques. The Incas maintained their authority with an arsenal of devices that included the spread of their quechua language as the official language of the empire. The Aztec and Incas first contact with the Span...

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Iliad Book XXII - Achilles Kills Hector

Iliad Book XXII - Achilles Kills Hector Iliad - Public domain English translationExcept for Hector, the Trojans are inside the walls of Troy. Apollo turns to Achilles to tell him he is wasting his time pursuing a god since he cant kill him. Achilles is angry but turns around to return to Troy where Priam is the first to spot him. He tells Hector he will be killed since Achilles is much stronger. If not killed he will be sold into slavery as has already happened to others of Priams sons. Priam cant dissuade Hector, even when his wife Hecuba joins the effort. Hector gives some thought to going inside but fears the ridicule of Polydamas, who had given sage advice the day before. Since Hector wants to die in glory, he has a better chance of facing Achilles. He thinks about giving Achilles Helen and the treasure and adding to it an even split of the treasure of Troy, but Hector rejects these ideas realizing Achilles will just cut him down, and there would be no glory in that. As Achilles bears down on Hector, Hector begins to lose his nerve. Hector runs towards the Scamander River (Xanthus). The two warriors race three times around Troy. Zeus looks down and feels sorry for Hector, but tells Athena to go down and do what she wants without restraint. Achilles is chasing Hector with no chance of reprieve unless Apollo steps in (which he does not do). Athena tells Achilles to stop running and face Hector. She adds that she will persuade Hector to do the same. Athena disguises herself as Deiphobus and tells Hector the two of them should go fight Achilles together. Hector is thrilled to see his brother has dared to come out of Troy to help him. Athena uses the cunning of disguise until Hector addresses Achilles to say its time to end the chase. Hector requests a pact that they will return each others body whoever dies. Achilles says there are no binding oaths between lions and men. He adds that Athena will kill Hector in just a moment. Achilles hurls his spear, but Hector ducks and it flies past. Hector does not see Athena retrieve the spear and return it to Achilles. Hector taunts Achilles that he didnt know the future after all. Then Hector says its his turn. He throws his spear, which hits, but glances off the shield. He calls to Deiphobus to bring his lance, but, of course, there is no Deiphobus. Hector realizes he has been tricked by Athena and that his end is near. Hector wants a glorious death, so he draws his sword and swoops down on Achilles, who charges with his spear. Achilles knows the armor Hector is wearing and puts that knowledge to use, finding the weak point at the collarbone. He pierces Hectors neck, but not his windpipe. Hector falls down while Achilles taunts him with the fact that his body will be mutilated by dogs and birds. Hector begs him not to, but to let Priam ransom him. Achilles tells him to stop begging, that if he could, he would eat the corpse himself, but since he cant, hell let the dogs do it, instead. Hector curses him, telling him Paris will kill him at the Scaean Gates with the help of Apollo. Then Hector dies. Achilles pokes holes in Hectors ankles, ties a strap through them and attaches them to the chariot so he can drag the body in the dust. Hecuba and Priam cry while Andromache is asking her attendants to draw a bath for her husband. Then she hears a piercing wail from Hecuba, suspects what has happened, emerges, looks down from the rampart where she witnesses her husbands corpse being dragged and faints. She laments that her son Astyanax will have neither land nor family and so will be despised. She has the women burn the store of Hectors clothing in his honor. Next: Major Characters in Book XXII Read a public domain translation of Homers Iliad Book XXII. Hector - champion of the Trojans and son of Priam.Priam - King of the Trojans and father of Hector, Paris, Cassandra, and Helenus, among others.Achilles - best warrior and most heroic of the Greeks. After Agamemnon stole his war prize, Briseis, Achilles sat out the war until his beloved comrade Patroclus was killed. Although he knows his death is imminent, Achilles is determined to kill as many Trojans as possible, including Hector whom he blames for Patroclus death.Xanthus - a river near Troy known to mortals as Scamander.Zeus - king of the gods. Zeus attempts neutrality.Known as Jupiter or Jove among the Romans and in some translations of the Iliad.Athena - favors the Greeks. Also known by the Romans as Minerva.Apollo - god of many attributes. Favors the Trojans.Deiphobus - brother of Paris.Andromache - wife of Hector and mother of Astyanax. Profiles of Some of the Major Olympian Gods Involved in the Trojan War HermesZeusAphroditeArtemisApolloAthenaHeraAres Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book I Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book II Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book III Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book IV Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book V Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book VI Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book VII Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book VIII Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book IX Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book X Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XI Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XII Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XIII Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XIV Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XV Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XVI Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XVII Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XVIII Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XIX Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XX Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XXI Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XXII Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XXIII Summary and Main Characters of the Iliad Book XXIV