Dec 27 2008
On Courage and Justice
Courage is of no value unless accompanied by justice; yet if all men became just, there would be no need for courage.
–Agesilaus the Second
(Swan is symbol for Courage, Balance is symbol for justice)
What a complex lot we are as human beings. This king of Sparta, a Greek City-state known for its austerity and military dedication, spoke of courage that was expected of his soldiers. Yet, be spoke too of justice. The difficulty arises in the individual perception of justice. As king of Sparta, he surely must have thought the Athenians unjust, therefore he expected his warriors to have courage and fight against them.
Courage was one of the hallmarks of the Spartan soldier. One wonders if justice was one of the goals of the Spartan king.
At any rate, when this quote is applied to our ouwn lives today, it speaks a relevant truth. If we as individuals have courage to speak out for what we believe in, then this courage is commendable. But it must be done in justice and kindness. If true justice exists, we would not even need this courage to speak our truth.
