Realpolitik (part II)

How do you know when to stand and when to evade?

Someone once told me: “in matters of tactics you negotiate, in matters of Principle-NEVER!”…

Nothing implies better the spirit of Political Realism.

King Leonidas was facing a matter of Principle: he wanted to make sure that the Persians would get so frustrated so that even if some Greeks (and yes, old Leonidas knew which were the ones) wanted to negotiate, the Persians wouldn’t!

Ironic as it may seem, Leonidas decision is NOT a romantic, chivalric flavored gesture by a Byronian character (as classroom taught History wants us to think) or Hollywood like blockbuster story!

Thermopylae is the ultimate Political Realism act. It is cold calculated, pragmatic and true. It is true to the Spartan Spirit, and Sparta was not a place for philology, believe me! Contrary to popular belief Spartans valued Life more than anyone else, that is why the gave it away only after dead-serious consideration.

This is exactly why that Spirit is significant. In reality there is not a bipolar axis
Heroism←→Pragmatism , this is our perception from the Western Civilization point of view. It is exactly the same case with samurai seppuku (“hara-kiri”): we will never grasp it. What we interpret with our emotions, was done by cold calculation.

There is one point and only one: Imagine their Training!

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As a matter of fact, returning in this post’s initial question, the answer is: “how do you stand and evade at the same time?”

N.