The Heroic Ideal
Heroic qualities have always been debatable but historians tend to agree that the qualities of a hero are a reflection of the values of the society. Augustus and Beowulf are two individuals revered as heroes during their own time. Both sustained their share of criticism but still managed to come out on top. Augustus was responsible for uniting Rome and creating a society that influenced every single society that followed. Beowulf's success was in keeping the peace for the Geats with the surrounding kingdoms. Through comparing the ideals and values of Rome in the first century and Britain in the eighth, a definite parallel can be drawn connecting these values with how the people viewed the heroes of the time: Beowulf and Augustus.Despite criticism that Augustus used bribery and intimidation to force his way into power, his successful leadership of Rome during the first century B.C. made him one of the greatest leaders of all time. Augustus was thought of as a powerful man and he always had the good of Rome in mind and never took his power for granted. Obviously, Augustus was proud of his leadership and even said as much in his Res Gestae Divi Augusti. His tone did not seem to be bragging, but merely stated the facts of
Although he died as a result of his pride and greed, he had the good intentions of obtaining the treasure for the good of his people. Augustus's main success in his Roman empire was leaving behind a legacy that every society since then has been influenced by. He also portrayed himself as a compassionate man because he "spared all citizens who sought pardon" (WRW 56). In addition to his brilliant military mind, Augustus was also known as a great politician. Beowulf relied on the immense strength he was given by God to defeat his enemies and protect his kinsman. One might say that Rome placed more emphasis on learning and intelligence than Germanic society. A common theme he repeats in his statement is how much of his own money was invested in building the Roman empire. That was just one insignificant aspect of Roman society when most of their society was based upon tradition. After he ended the Roman civil wars, the senate voted him the name Augustus, which means "exalted. He typically left his troops behind and fought his foes alone. He also emphasized that he repaired Rome without inscribing his name on the buildings and he often gave shows in other people's names to show that he was not motivated by glory. By looking at their accomplishments and how they were described, it is possible to interpret Roman culture and Germanic society and what they value. Augustus continually promised to restore the traditions of their Roman ancestors when he was just using it as a ploy to gain support from the people. The Romans even came to view him as a God.
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Acceptance Essays
