The Greks had a word, ARISTEIA, which they defined as noble excellence that was seen only in men of good breeding who made themselves first in war and counsel.
Noble excellence was best shown in a man’s moment of Aristeia. The moment where he would earn undying fame. The moment he would make himself remembered. Where he would leave his mark on the world.
The shining example of this moment of Aristeia was Achilles’ rampage across the plains of Troy after the death of this friend, Patroclus.
Now I call it a rampage, but it was less like a warrior going berserk, like that animal-like rage we remember from the Norse berserkers and more like controlled, measured violence.
Achilles was a chief and general. The first and best among the Greks and Trojans. He was known as the sacker of cities and the great runner.
You could not do the things Achilles did without having superior physical prowess and being first in the counsel of armed men. Achilles was wise, as well as, powerful.
When he returned to the war, he did so with all that wrath focused into a singular purity of purpose. What does it do to a man to know he is first and best among his frens and his enemies!
What confidence does it put into his heart as he rampages before the walls of Troy, turning the river red with Trojan blood. His speed unmatched. His prowess unmatched.
Achilles short life was devoted to excellence. An excellence almost all men could only dream of. He underwent the fiercest training under the trainer of heroes, Cheiron, who would take his disciples away from civilization and show them how to tame the wilderness.
I want you to sear into your mind the image of the Trojan army fleeing the field, in a mad dash back to safety behind the walls of Troy. Fleeing because Achilles returned to the fight.
REMEMBER the great sprinter chasing down Trojans by the river Scamander. Driving his spear through his helpless opponents as he seeks out Hector. Seeks out righteous vengeance.
The blood of the fallen Trojans so great that it turns the river Scamander red. So much blood that it angers the river’s God who sees the waters choking.
What would it take to get yourself to the level Achilles operated at? Maybe you could never reach it, but how close could you get?
What would it take for you to sear that mindset into your bloodline? What would it take to sear it into not only yourself, but your children and their children?
Our kin have lost that vital fire that burns through all things. We have become meek. We have become weak. Our brethren put forth nothing but excuses, nothing but cowardice.
They tell you the game is rigged. It’s not fair. The worms have risen to the top and they don’t want to risk their supposed principles to compete with the enemy.
They would resolve themselves to obscurity. Put the future of their bloodlines in the hands of their enemies. Leave their children to deal with the problems at hand. What has happened to our noble excellence?
Our race has showed it’s capable of Achilles’ noble excellence. Driven by Manifest Destiny, our ancestors claimed a landmass the size of Russia or China. The most well-positioned country in the world for an empire.
And our kin would leave it to our enemies to manage!
ARISTEIA. Noble excellence. THIS, I would have you embody. THIS, I would have you make your Great Work. HOW do you want to be remembered?
Do you want to be remembered as the generation that gave up our race’s inheritance? Do you want to be remembered as the point where your race failed?
The type of men we are surrounded by now would try to convince you Achilles was gay. That he was great because he was a demigod, despite that they themselves are atheists.
They would have you believe all the Greks were gay, despite the fact that they had laws that prevented any man sodomized from holding citizenship. You could not trust such men. Ancient truths they try to deny.
Achilles loved Patroclus as a brother. In a way that only the soldier could understand today, for our rites of brotherhood have been imposed upon by the worms.
Too many aren’t made to understand the world as Achilles understood it. As all Greks did. That to get what you want, you have to take, and to take, you have to be first. You have to be the best.
To be the best, you have to devote yourself to this noble excellence. While good breeding plays a part, what matters is your devotion to this purpose. Devotion to your Great Work.
You cannot fall prey to the lies and slander of meek men.
The quality of the hero is defined by the challenge. A hero's character and true strength are revealed and judged based on the magnitude and nature of the obstacles they face and overcome, implying that a significant challenge is what truly tests and showcases a hero's capabilities. A hero's qualities like courage, resilience, and determination are most evident when they confront difficult situations. Overcoming complex challenges allows a hero to develop and demonstrate their full potential. A hero isn't defined solely by their strength or abilities, but by how they utilize them in the face of adversity. A warrior who easily defeats minor enemies might not be considered a true hero, but if they face a seemingly insurmountable obstacle and find a way to triumph, their heroism is highlighted.
The challenge we are facing is greater than anything ever before encountered. This means that your work here is of the utmost importance and value.
I imagine that we are in the mead hall and I stand and raise my cup to you, “To Barbaric Disciple, HAIL!!!”
Meekness is not weakness. You misunderstand the virtue. Its strength and prowess under rational control, exercised in the right measure for the right reason.