Gregory of Tours Harsh

(A) I believe that them of both stories are that they both have a ruler in common who has no sypmathy for how they treat the slaves and serfs. In the first storie Rauching is a man of great pride who treated his slave with physical abuse and no human kindness. In the second story King Chilperic was a greedy man out to opress the people with tax rolls and imposed taxes. It is clear to me that both of the rulers in these stories are abusing their high power. (B) "...and straightway ordered a tree to be cut down. Then he ordered the trunk to be opened with wedges and hollowed out, and a hole to be made in the ground to the depth of three or four feet, and the trunk to be placed therein." This part stood out to me because as soon as i read it I had a feeling that the tree that was being cut down was going to be used for something bad. I find it sad that these slaves basically dug their own grave and not knowing that what they were doing was preparing them for their death. (B) I feel that in generated my idea of how sometimes we do not realize that what we are told to do and do often leads to no good. For example something as simple as my supervisor asking me to do something that is out of and then my manager seeing me not to the job that i am supposed to and being fired for it. (C) Some of the modern parallels that I see with both of these stories is that even know we have different authoritys with different powers who do have the ability to make us do what they want. It may not be as cruel as how it used to be but there are still many who abuse their power of athourity. For example there are many cops today who think that just because they are cops they have the power to make you do what they please for example baning someone from the mall because of something sillly like being abnoxiously loud (talking from experience). (D) Both stories can relate to this because they both are about those with high power treating the others with no respect or kindness and thinking that there is nothing wrong with it because they are rulers, no one stands above them is what they think so therefore there is no one to fear.

Lycurgos and the Spartans

A.) The theme of the story is how Lycurgos had chosen one guardian to have complete authority of the Spartans. The Spartans were trained to be tough strong warriors. The paidonomos was given a bearing whip to inflict punishment when necessary. This was only one of the many painful things the Spartans had to deal with. B.) “Again, as regards food, according to his regulation, the eiren, or head of the flock, must see that his messmates gather to the club meal with such moderate food as to avoid bloating and yet not remain unacquainted with the pains of starvation. His belief was that by such training in boyhood they would be better able when occasion demanded to continue toiling on an empty stomach.” This stood out to me because it reminded me of my friend Ashley who is in the navy. She wrote me a letter one time explaining that in the navy they only had 5 minutes to eat their meals. It also stands out to me because I believe it was a good way to train the appetite of the Spartants and even though it doesn’t seem reasonable it is was a good technique to prepare them for the worst. B) I believe something like this has generated some of the ideas that we have in training those in the army, just not as cruel. It has also generated the idea of giving one the authority to train others. I am sure that if Lycurgos had given many men the authority to train the Spartans, the Spartans would have not been respected the authority as much as they did. C./D.) The army trains soldiers to be tough and strong just as the Spartans were. Today they must go through boot camp which prepares them mentally and physically so that they are ready for whatever comes their way. Just like the Spartans were trained to eat my friend Ashley was too. I find it interesting that even this form of training that was used hundreds of years ago is still somewhat used today.

Saragon

(A) Saragon is a man who never knew his father and was sent down the river by his mother and ended up being raised by a man who gave him the life of a ruler. The theme goes into discription of how his life became the life of a ruler. (B) "My mother was lowly; my father I did not know;" This stood out to me because I think it is the reason for alot of the events that happened in his life. For example his mother sending him down the river in a basket, and him being raised by a man other than his father. If he would have known him father it is possible that his mother would not have sent him down the river and that we would not have lived life the way he did. (C)Saragon was raised by Akki who is not his father paralells to modern life. (D) Many of todays people are not all raised by their biological father but by another person who takes that father role. Alot of people who were raised without a father seem to struggle alot more in life, but luckly Akki gave him the opportunity for a better life.