DOES HISTORY ALWAYS REPEAT ITSELF?
PRIDE GOES BEFORE DESTRUCTION AND AN ARROGANT SPIRIT BEFORE A FALL
IRAN HAS MADE IT CLEAR THIS TIME AROUND IT WILL GO FOR THE WELLAIMED STRATEGIC KNOCK OUT OF ISRAEL, US MILITARY USING ITS THOUSANDS OF MISSILES AND DRONES
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn9z497g4vvo
Trump, the USA and Israel are heading for a castrophic defeat against Iran which has parallels to the failed expedition of 413 BC to Sicily which destroyed Athens, and for the same reasons.
Plato saw the defeat of Athens as the logical result of a leadership driven by arrogance, vanity and ambition, with Alcibiades representing the apex of hubrs.
bout 2,500 years later, Alasistar Crooke criticised what he called arrogance in Washington and Israel by people who continued to downplay Iran’s capabilities by describing Iranian missiles as outdated and ineffective despite the evidence of the 12 day war as the US and Israel steer towards a catastrphic defeat.
Cooke described the US and Israeli s elite s attitude as “emotional thinking”, not grounded in objective fact (wishful thinking)
The overwhelming cockiness of Netanyahu was dented during the 12 day war when he had flee to Greece for safety as bombs rained down on Tel Aviv and Haifa. But it seems his capacity for wishful thinking is elastic despite his playing dice with his own life.
The main, decisive defeat of Athens in the 413 BC Sicilian Expedition occurrd when its naval fleet was trapped in the Great Harbor of Syracuse.
Syracusan and Spartan forces blocked the entrance to the Great Harbor of Syracuse, confining the superior Athenian navy in a small space where they could not maneuver. Athenian ships were relentlessly rammed, boarded, and destroyed, about 40,000 sailors and soldiers killed or captured, drained its Treasury.
US navy trapped in the Straits of Hormuz and relenetly bombared by drones and missiles like US bases and cities inside tiny Israel....
US dollar collapse sending gold soaring...
The ensuing disaster saw the near-total destruction of the Athenian navy and army in 413 BC, and it spelled the end of Athens as a super power.
The defeat shattered Athenian military power, led to internal political chaos, and encouraged subjects to revolt, leading to the final defeat of Athens in the Peloponnesian War.
A defeat against Iran, now on the cards, will spell the end of any claim America may make to being a super power in the future. It could sink to the status of country like Madagascar.
AI Overview
Thucydides portrays the 413 BC Sicilian Expedition as the turning point in the Peloponnesian War, describing it as a self-inflicted, total catastrophe driven by Athenian overreach, internal political squabbling, and poor leadership. The failure resulted from a fatal delay due to a lunar eclipse, strategic errors, and the loss of almost 10,000 elite troops and 200 ships.
Key Reasons for Failure According to Thucydides:
Misjudgment and Hubris: Athens overestimated its power and underestimated the size and strength of Syracuse, acting on "naked imperialism" rather than sound strategy.
Internal Political Discord: The recall of Alcibiades, a main instigator, left command to the reluctant and ill-fated Nicias, leading to fractured leadership.
The Lunar Eclipse Delay (413 BC): When the Athenian fleet was ready to withdraw to safety, a lunar eclipse (which occurred during a full moon) caused Nicias to halt the retreat for "three times nine days" based on superstitious fear, giving Syracuse time to blockade and destroy them.
Strategic Miscalculation: The expedition failed to take Syracuse immediately, allowing the city to fortify and, bolstered by Spartan aid under Gylippus, turn the tide against the invaders.
Ineffective Leadership: Nicias failed to act decisively, fearing the Athenian Assembly's reaction to failure more than the destruction of his own army.
Thucydides notes that, while Athens suffered massive material losses, the profound psychological impact and the destruction of its manpower were the true, insurmountable blows that, although it took another decade, sealed its eventual downfall in 404 BC.
AI Overview
Misplaced Aggression: The Athenian Defeat at Syracuse ...
The main, decisive defeat of Athens in the 413 BC Sicilian Expedition was the total destruction of their naval fleet in the Great Harbor of Syracuse, followed by the annihilation or capture of their land army attempting to retreat. This catastrophe was caused by a blockade, a failed night assault on Epipolae, and a final, trapped naval battle that destroyed over 200 ships and thousands of troops.
Key details of the final defeat include:
The Trap in the Harbor: Syracusan and Spartan forces blocked the entrance to the Great Harbor of Syracuse, confining the superior Athenian navy in a small space where they could not maneuver.
Destruction of the Fleet (September 413 BC): Athenian triremes were relentlessly rammed, boarded, and destroyed, ending their maritime supremacy.
Failed Overland Retreat: The remaining army (approx. 40,000 men) attempted a desperate retreat by land but was pursued, starved, and forced to surrender.
Aftermath: Survivors were imprisoned and died in the stone quarries of Syracuse, a massive blow to Athenian manpower and morale.
This loss signaled the beginning of the end for the Athenian empire in the Peloponnesian War.
AI Overview
After the failed Sicilian Expedition (413 BC), Athens suffered a catastrophic loss of ships and manpower, leading to a severe crisis of confidence, internal political chaos, and the loss of its status as the dominant Greek power. Sparta, aided by Persia, launched the final "Decelean War," leading to Athens' ultimate surrender in 404 BC.
Key Consequences for Athens:
Military & Economic Devastation: Over 200 ships and thousands of soldiers were lost, ruining the Athenian navy and treasury.
Revolts of Allies: Subject cities in the Delian League, witnessing Athens' weakness, began to revolt, fracturing the empire.
Spartan-Persian Alliance: Sparta secured funding from Persia to build a fleet, challenging Athens' maritime supremacy.
Internal Political Turmoil: The disaster triggered a crisis of confidence, enabling oligarchic coups, most notably the short-lived, tyrannical rule of the "Four Hundred" and later the "Thirty Tyrants".
Final Defeat (404 BC): After being besieged and starving, Athens was forced to surrender, destroy its Long Walls, and surrender its remaining fleet, ending the Peloponnesian War.
Although Athens recovered economically to some extent and continued to fight for another decade, the Sicilian failure fundamentally broke their power, turning them from the dominant, democratic leader of Greece into a subject state for a period.
AI Overview
Plato, primarily through his portrayal in the Alcibiades I dialogue, indicates that Alcibiades' biggest flaws were his excessive hubris (pride), unbridled ambition, and lack of self-knowledge, which fostered reckless overconfidence. This led to his pursuit of the disastrous Sicilian Expedition.
Key Aspects of Alcibiades' Flaws According to the Tradition (Reflecting Platonic themes):
Excessive Ambition and Hubris: Alcibiades was driven by a desire for extreme fame and power, which made him push for the Sicilian expedition, viewing it as a way to expand his personal glory and Athenian dominion, rather than a necessary strategic move.
Lack of Knowledge/Wisdom: While intelligent, Plato portrays him as lacking true wisdom and political knowledge, relying instead on popularity and personal charm, which resulted in bad decision-making.
Lack of Restraint and Recklessness: His inability to control his impulses and his arrogant nature meant he failed to properly evaluate risks, leading to the overextension of Athenian resources.
Betrayal and Instability: His tendency to act in his own self-interest, such as fleeing to Sparta after being recalled for impiety, ultimately severely damaged the Athenian war effort.
These traits, combined with the political machinations in Athens, turned the ambitious expedition into a catastrophic failure.
AI Overview
"Hubris comes before a fall" means that extreme arrogance, overconfidence, or excessive pride often leads to a person's sudden downfall, failure, or ruin. Derived from Ancient Greek, it suggests that when someone believes they are infallible or above the rules, they invite destruction.
Key details regarding this concept:
Definition of Hubris: It is not just pride, but excessive pride or cockiness that makes one overstep human limitations.
Origin: The phrase stems from Greek tragedy, where heroes with hubris were punished by the gods. It is also linked to the biblical proverb, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall".
The "Fall": It implies that arrogance blinds people to dangers, causing mistakes, rash actions, or overestimation of their own abilities, which ultimately causes them to fail.
Modern Context: It is often used to describe leaders or individuals who become too confident, stop listening to advice, and subsequently face a major disaster.
Examples:
Literature/Mythology: Icarus flying too close to the sun due to overconfidence.
Real Life: A CEO who believes their company is invincible and ignores market risks, leading to bankruptcy.
AI Overview
Plato presents Alcibiades as a brilliant but deeply flawed, ambitious, and corrupting force in Athenian politics, rather than focusing specifically on his military failure in 413 BC. Through the Symposium and the Alcibiades I dialogue, Plato portrays him as Socrates' beloved who failed to embrace philosophy, ultimately becoming a dangerous, arrogant, and self-serving politician who contributed to Athens' downfall.
Key aspects of Plato’s portrayal of Alcibiades in relation to his career include:
Failed Philosopher: In Symposium, Alcibiades is shown drunk, admitting his deep attraction to Socrates, yet ultimately choosing the superficiality of political power over philosophical truth, highlighting a missed opportunity for virtue.
Dangerous Ambition: Plato emphasizes Alcibiades' reckless pursuit of glory, which align with his push for the Sicilian expedition, viewed by critics as a move to increase his own wealth and reputation, notes this Ancient World Magazine article.
Political Corruption: While not detailing the 413 BC military defeat directly, Plato depicts him as a figure whose personality politics threatened Athenian democracy.
Connection to Socrates: Plato highlights that despite their closeness, Alcibiades was unable to be guided by Socrates, demonstrating how talent without virtue leads to ruin, according to TheCollector's article.
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