Modern Scholars Research Articles

The Cicero-Appius reconciliation and Pompey’s pivotal role as mediator

Abstract The intricacies of the relationships between Roman aristocrats in the age of Cicero has been one of the most popular topics of discussion in modern scholarship. Cicero’s letters have drawn considerable attention as an invaluable source for the study of amicitiae in the late Roman republic. Nevertheless, the methods that Cicero and his contemporaries used to reconcile with their former enemies is an area that remains rather unexplored. This paper aims to shed light on the significance of letter writing as a medium for the reconciliation between Romans with an active public life and to underscore the role that mediators played in the conciliatory efforts that both parties made to restore their relationship chiefly in the public eye. The investigation focuses on Cicero’s well-attested reconciliation with Appius Claudius Pulcher. It argues that, while it was not the first instance in which Pompey instigated a reconciliation between two of his allies, its uniqueness lies in the ingenious and complex use of letter writing to effect and maintain their renewed relationship as well as in the combination of frankness and tactful manoeuvring in Cicero’s letters to him.

Essays of Chokan Valikhanov as a Reflection of the History of Central Asia in the Second Half of the 19th Century

Provides a comprehensive examination of the personal documents of Chokan Valikhanov, reflecting the rich history of Central Asia during the second half of the 19th century. Valikhanov, a prominent Kazakh scholar and explorer, significantly contributed to the understanding of this region through his extensive research and numerous expeditions. The article delves into Valikhanov's biography, highlighting the milestones of his academic journey and the critical impact of his work. Special emphasis is placed on the value of his personal documents in unveiling the ethnographic, geographic, and socio-historical nuances of Central Asia. These documents offer unique insights into the cultural and historical context of the time, providing a deeper understanding of the region’s development. The analysis underscores the scholarly importance of Valikhanov’s findings and their enduring relevance in contemporary studies of Central Asia. Furthermore, the article discusses the methodological approaches used by Valikhanov in his work, noting their innovation and relevance. In conclusion, the significance of Valikhanov's contributions to the historical narrative of Central Asia is affirmed, alongside the potential avenues for future research that his legacy opens up. The enduring value of his personal documents continues to influence modern scholarship, inviting renewed interest and further exploration in the field.

Overcoming the problems of translating vedic literature in indonesian language through sri aurobindo's vedic interpretation method

Background: The Vedas are the earliest texts known to humanity. Given their status as an ancient text, as well as the loss of Vedic knowledge over the centuries, it is unsurprising that understanding them presents a significant challenge to modern readers, particularly in terms of their use of archaic language, symbols, and parables. As a result, there is a significant discrepancy between the interpretation of the Vedas by the Vedic people and by modern scholars. Meanwhile, in the modern era, Western scholars engage in research and translation of the Vedas without fully grasping their significance as perceived by the Rishis. This presents a challenge in attempting to comprehend the Vedic texts. Accordingly, the objective of any translation of sacred literature must be to bridge this interpretive gap and to retain the significance of the original words. Methods: In Hinduism, as some of the archaic words, some of which only appear once and constitute around 25% of the Vedas, disappeared from common usage, the method of translation and interpretation of these words was first developed by Yāska, and added on to by Sāyaṇa. It is therefore crucial to gain an understanding of, and to develop the skills of, these three individuals. Focusing on more recent times, Sri Aurobindo (who died in 1950) provided more practical and accessible guidance for the present era. His method of Vedic interpretation is a synthesis of linguistic proficiency as delineated in Nirukta, an appreciation for symbolism, and an understanding of psychological principles, thereby ensuring that the words of the Vedas retain their capacity to resonate with individuals on a personal level. Findings: This entails a comprehensive examination that encompasses a profound grasp of the symbolism, philosophy, and spiritual intent enshrined in the Vedas. Sri Aurobindo's approach integrates symbolic interpretation with a broad cosmic vision, thereby enabling the translator to capture the spiritual core of the sacred text while remaining faithful to its original context. Conclusion: Furthermore, this method considers the relevance and applicability of Vedic teachings in contemporary Indonesian culture.

Research Progress on the Pharmacological Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine Danshen in the Treatment of Cerebral Ischemic Stroke

Cerebral ischemic stroke (CIS) is an acute cerebrovascular disease characterized by focal neurological deficits. Many modern scholars believe that the pathogenesis of CIS is related to factors such as endothelial injury, oxidative stress imbalance, neuroinflammation, cell apoptosis and autophagy, calcium overload, and excessive accumulation of oxygen free radicals. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the pathogenesis of CIS is obstructed meridians, phlegm and blood stasis, and obstruction of the brain and orifices. Danshen, as a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine in clinical practice, has the effects of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, unblocking meridians and relieving pain, clearing the heart and eliminating restlessness, cooling blood and eliminating carbuncle. In addition, modern pharmacological research has found that the specific pharmacological components of Salvia miltiorrhiza include tanshinone, salvianolic acid, shikimic acid, danshensu, protocatechualdehyde, etc. It has antioxidant stress, regulation of cell autophagy, anti-inflammatory factors, antiplatelet aggregation, and protection of vascular endothelium. This article aims to analyze and summarize the pharmacological mechanism of salvia miltiorrhiza in treating CIS, providing scientific basis for clinical application of salvia miltiorrhiza in treating CIS.

Reichenauiensis. Ein verlorener Reichenauer Codex und seine Bedeutung für die Textkonstitution der Chronik Prospers, der Chronik Cassiodors, der Continuatio Reichenauiensis und des Laterculus Vandalorum mitsamt einer Neuedition der Fasti Augustani

Abstract At the end of antiquity and the onset of the Middle Ages the genre of chronicles flourished as a lively and non-central practice of continuing, compiling and combining chronographic material. Any given manuscript could thus become its own “work” containing a singular combination of different texts, often reworked, or linked in some manner to form a unified whole. One of those “chains of chronicles” (Ian Wood) is preserved in two different forms by Paris BN Lat. 4860 and Augsburg, SuStb 2° 223, both of which Theodor Mommsen assumed to be copies of a lost Reichenau codex (“Reichenauiensis”) described in the catalogue of Reginbert of Reichenau between 835 and 842 AD. More recent research has instead tried to interpret the later Augsburg copy as a descriptus of the Paris manuscript, which would have (and in some cases has already had) some consequences for the textual criticism of many works also, only, or primarily attested by this chronographic compilation. By analyzing and comparing the individual ways in which each manuscript reflects the same common tradition (or diverts from it), this paper demonstrates that, indeed, Mommsen’s analysis is correct: Both manuscripts attest to a single lost archetype, Mommsen’s “Reichenauiensis”. The reaffirmation of this position along with a more profound understanding of the ways the texts were obviously reworked especially by the Carolingian compiler(s) of the Paris manuscript sheds new light on some discussions of the chronicle of Prosper and especially its so-called “Reichenau continuation”, the chronicle of Cassiodorus, the Laterculus Vandalorum, and the often misunderstood so-called “Fasti Augustani”, the first complete edition of which is presented as an appendix. The paper also serves as a case study of the many ways late antique chronographic texts were used, continued, (re‐)combined and appropriated in late antiquity by medieval or early modern scholars and, finally, modern critical editors.

How Did Early Modern Scholars Study Early Maps?

The two standard Anglophone historiographies of the history of cartography (Skelton 1972, Harley 1987) situated the field’s origins in the early modern era, or even in the later Middle Ages. Yet “history” and “cartography” are both products of the profound changes in the intellectual foundations and institutions of European knowledge practices in the decades to either side of 1800. By contrast, this essay explores how early modern scholars variously engaged with maps from the past in terms of contemporary knowledge practices. [Part 1] It first outlines the early modern meanings of “history” and “geography” and then reviews how early modern scholars engaged with early maps in three distinct ways. Classical scholars used the Peutinger map and Ptolemy’s Geography to identify locations of ancient places in order to improve their comprehension of Classical texts. [Part 2] Some geographers wrote histories of voyages and travels that related past routes to contemporary maps, and others wrote historical narratives of the compilation of encyclopedic texts and maps of regional and world knowledge. [Part 3] Antiquaries opportunistically described and at times reproduced a variety of maps, charts, and plans that came to their attention, but without active searches for early maps. Overall, I demonstrate that before 1775 there was neither a systematic approach taken to the study of maps from the past nor any hint of the core methodology that would be adopted by the first historiographical mode of map history as it developed after 1830.

Land and Identity in Afrikan Tradition: The Origins of the Ancestral Land Complex

The Afrikan traditional attitude to land is marked by the understanding that land is inalienable and owned by the community, not by any individual. This essay aims to recover, explain and analyze the presence of the Afrikan Ancestral Land Complex, a specific behavioral complex that is rooted in the land. The focus is the ancient Hapi [Nile] Valley, primarily at Kemet. Approaches derived mainly from history and language and linguistics are used to interrogate the sacred and secular texts of Kemet, Ancient Egypt, as well as the texts generated by modern scholarship on this area of Afrika. The results show that the ritual insertion of placentas, navel strings and dead bodies of ancestors into the land was fundamental to its transformation and maintenance as Ancestral Land. Furthermore, Kemet oriented itself by its Ancestral Land, which the people knew to be their birthplace in the sacred south, in the heart of the continent. It was a powerful spiritual, psychological, and cultural reference point, the very foundations of their collective self. It is a reservoir of knowledge that is deeper than memory.

Chinese primers along the north-western frontier

Abstract By the second half of the first millennium CE, a substantial body of texts written in Literary Sinitic developed into a shared repertoire of writings throughout Central and East Asia. In no small part, this was the result of the spread of Buddhism, which, in many regions, was adopted in its Sinitic form and relied on Chinese versions of the scriptures. As part of the means to cope with Sinitic Buddhist texts, most states also adopted a range of auxiliary texts, including primers and dictionaries. While modern scholarship has directed substantial attention at the participation of Japan, Korea, and Vietnam in the world of Sinitic texts, it has placed much less emphasis on the western and north-western regions of what is now China. This article attempts to redress the imbalance and demonstrate not only that, at one point, Inner Asian states actively participated in the Sinographic world, but also that they did this through a similar process of adaptation to that documented elsewhere. Primers played a special role in this, in that they had a more immediate connection with the core competency of reading and writing.

Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s Views of Modern Science: An Evaluation

This paper focuses on Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s views of modern science. By focusing on Nasr’s opinion of modern science this paper explores how and why he rejects mechanical and positivist views of modern scholars. This research examines why he accepts the theory of creation and appreciates the spiritual and religious worldviews of science. In so doing, this article contributes to the ongoing discourse on the issue of modern science and eternal wisdom. By reviewing the relevant literary sources, some required data are collected and then used in the analysis hereafter. In this discussion Nasr talked about practicing science while keeping religious beliefs integrated. That is why, the existence of the creator of the world has been acknowledged. Whereas he excelled in the knowledge of science. As a result, the limitations of science arise in his mind. The philosophical problems he faced in his youth were not solved by modern science or western philosophy but were solved by the holy Qur’an. He accepts Tawheed or the oneness of God. Although he accepts modern science, he criticizes the resulting secularism. Nasr said that science should be practiced while maintaining religious values. His response to modern Science was to subordinate it to the systems and principles of the Islamic worldview. Moreover, to him, Modern Science was the largest framework of Knowledge (Ilm). This Modern science does not violate the core values of Islamic knowledge but inspires it with divine inspiration. In this case, the method came to be known as the Islamization of knowledge. Philosophy and Progress, Vol#73-74; No#1-2; Jan-Dec 2023 P 215-240

What is in a tale title? Togail na Tebe as an editorial construction

George Calder’s 1922 edition of the Middle Irish translation of Statius’ Latin epic the Thebaid was published under the title Togail na Tebe: The Thebaid of Statius. The Irish Text . This article examines manuscripts, manuscript catalogues, and the reviews of Calder’s edition to demonstrate that the title Togail na Tebe (‘The Destruction of Thebes’) was the editor’s own creation. The reasons behind Calder’s choice of a title are explored, and an argument is put forward as to how this title has informed approaches to the Middle Irish version of the Thebaid in modern literary criticism; in particular, in making connections to the medieval Irish literary genre togla (‘destructions’) evidenced in the medieval Irish Tale-Lists A and B. Other possibilities for a tale-title to this narrative are considered before it is recommended that modern scholars refer instead to this text as the Middle Irish Thebaid .

Linear, Cyclical, and Spiral? History in Fourth-Century Greek Catechists

This article delves into the previously underexplored conceptualizations of history articulated in the initiatory homilies of late fourth-century Greek catechists Cyril of Jerusalem and John Chrysostom. Grounded in their interpretation of the (Judeo-)Christian tradition, both authors conceive history as a divine narrative, constituting a coherent “history of salvation”. Metaphorically, their historical understanding can be illustrated as a spatial entity characterized through geometric imagery. A systematic analysis of their catecheses reveals that, fundamentally, both authors maintain a linear perspective on history, emphasizing divine beginning in creation and continuing through the present toward an eschatological consummation. Nonetheless, Cyril introduces more nuanced models, including cyclical depictions, notably a four-staged vision of paradise intertwined with a spiral-like conception of history. Owing seemingly to their primary objective of guiding audiences toward robust engagement with the Christian tradition and ecclesial participation, both authors refrain from addressing themes that might provoke unwarranted speculation. By presenting these insights, this article offers a novel contribution to the scholarship on late fourth-century theology of history, concurrently paving the way for historiographical exploration in modern scholarship of late antique Christian sources.

Prayojana and Phala: Reception of the Mahābhārata Through Its Commentaries

Abstract This paper aims to explicate the hermeneutic engagement of the commentators with the epic. The engagement is better revealed in the opening of the commentaries, particularly while commenting upon the maṅgala of the epic. This paper offers a comparison of insights on maṅgala and anubandhacatuṣṭaya in the three commentaries: Devabodha (11 ce), Vādirāja (16 ce) and Nīlakaṇṭha (17 ce). The singularity of this engagement is that it deals with the text as one meaningful whole. While doing so they not only analyse the text, but also renew the text by offering it its own due textuality. The due textuality is understood in contrast to the view of modern scholars who have dealt with the epic text as a conglomerate of several parts. The contexts and departures that commentators have with the text of the epic are obviously different from ours and are therefore of significance to us. The antiquity, grandeur and complexity of the epic are the obvious challenges before us as we attempt to comprehend the text. The commentaries come through as a resource as they offer their reading and comprehension of the epic. The very names of the commentaries illuminate the specific hermeneutic engagement of the commentators with the epic. Thus, Devabodha’s commentary is called Jñānadīpikā or the Lamp of Knowledge, whereas Nīlakaṇṭha’s commentary has been named as Bhāratabhāvadīpa, or the Lamp Illuminating Inner Meaning (of the Mahābhārata).

The Semantic Constellation of Byzantine asteiotēs

Abstract Modern scholars have emphasized the importance of the study of asteiotēs ( literally, ‘urbanity’ ) for a better understanding of the socio-cultural history of Byzantium. This multifaceted concept is generally described as a canon of urbane refinement, increasingly linked to the notion of wit. But does this definition apply to all the sources dealing with asteiotēs? While not claiming to provide a definitive answer, this paper illustrates a methodological approach that may help to address this and other questions in a more comprehensive way than has been attempted so far. Relying on the combination of hermeneutic approach to the sources and quantitative investigation that is the hallmark of historical semantics, this study traces a provisional semantic constellation of asteiotēs. The latter, in turn, is instrumental in locating some relevant case studies ( eleventh to fourteenth centuries ). A comparative analysis of these texts reveals some significant trends in the diachronic evolution of asteiotēs, which are already sufficient to nuance previous scholarly assumptions and to point to new avenues of research.

Representation Of Woman Leader In The Qur'an (Power-Knowledge Relations In The Discourse On Surah An-Naml 20-44)

The presentation of the story of Queen Bilqis in the Qur’an has sparked debate among Muslim scholars regarding women's public leadership. The majority of classical and modern scholars argue that the positive portrayal of Bilqis in the Qur’an cannot be used as evidence of women’s suitability for leadership roles, as this tradition is associated with non-believers. Only a few scholars use the positive image of Bilqis as an argument for women’s leadership capabilities, asserting that it is inconceivable for the Qur’an to depict something forbidden in a positive light. This study aims to reveal the Qur’anic ideology on women’s leadership, the pro and con responses of scholars to this ideology, and the factors that have led to the dominance of interpretations that prohibit women’s leadership. This research is a literature review with a feminist approach. Data were collected through bibliographic searches of Qur’anic exegesis from the classical to the modern era. The study shows that the Qur’an fully and unconditionally recognizes women’s public leadership. However, this gender-egalitarian Qur’anic ideology has not developed from the classical to the modern era due to power-knowledge relations that regulate, limit, and control the discourse surrounding women’s agency in the Islamic public sphere. The study recommends providing equal access to women in public leadership spaces

В.А. Базаров: от технологического эмпиризма к бергсонизму

The article presents an analysis of epistemology and philosophy of science of the Russian marxist philosopher V.A. Bazarov. In the first part of the work, two stages of the philosopher’s evolution are distinguished and analyzed: empiriocritical and voluntarist. First stage of Bazarov’s thought is characterized by anti-metaphysical and empiricist attitudes. What separates him from other representatives of empiriocriticism is his emphasis on the activeness of the cognizing instance. It is shown that around 1910 Bazarov’s views underwent a final shift towards voluntarism, considered as the second stage of his philosophical evolution. It is demonstrated that although Bazarov’s thought developed in this direction independently, the reception of H. Bergson’s philosophy played an important role in the transition between the two stages. Ultimately, the evolution of Bazarov’s views leads him to abandonment of the key commitements of positivism and to adoption of the Bergsonian “philosophy of action”. The second part of the work is devoted to an attempt to actualize Bazarov’s views in their development through their consideration in the context of “technological empiricism”, i.e. a position in the philosophy of science reconstructed by modern scholars that unites such thinkers as A.A. Bogdanov, O. Neurath and N. Cartwright. All of them stress technical, social and physical side of scientific experience, emphasizing the richness of reality under study and ways of its representation, as well as opposing fundamentalism about high-level theoretical constructions in science. The validity of Bazarov’s characterization at the first stage of his evolution as a representative of this position is substantiated. Then, Bazarov’s philosophical evolution is considered once again, but now through the optics of technological empiricism, which allows to draw conclusions about the internal tendency of this theoretical position towards voluntarism and relativism

Theory of Origin, Administration and Decline of the Great Vijayanagar Kingdom in South Asia

The Vijayanagar Empire is one of the most prominent and well-known empires of South Asia. The empire had arisen in the times of the Delhi Sultanate and sustained for more than a period of three Centuries. It saw four dynasties and its share wars and conflicts with neighboring Muslim forces. Vijayanagar Empire also had an admirable administration system, in the sense that it is counted as highly centralized, just and elaborate. This research paper seeks to examine the administrative and political structure of the Vijayanagar Empire and various nuances related to the same. In this research explores various facets of Vijayanagar’s grand history by critically examining various historical interpretations, including nationalist, colonial, and postcolonial perspectives. The approach seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of the complex factors that influenced its ascent and subsequent decline. It seeks to examine the view foreign travelers like Ibn Batuta, Fernao Nuniz and Dominigos Paes and accounts of prominent historians Ferishta that lived during the time of Vijayanagar like to the modern Scholars like Robert Sewell and Nilakanta Sastri in order to present comprehensive historiographical understanding on the Vijaynagar empire. The Vijayanagara Empire’s profound and enduring impact on the historical and cultural milieu of South India has left an indelible imprint across various domains, including art, architecture, literature, and societal practices. Through a meticulous examination of the ascendance and decline of this ancient civilization, one can glean invaluable insights into the intricate processes underpinning the formation and disintegration of polities in premodern South Asian contexts This research paper uses a variety of sources to shed light on the administrative and political conditions of the Vijayanagar Empire. It also sheds light on the changes in State Structure across the four dynasties, the impact of the administrative system on Justice, the impact of religion on State Politics and finally, the political factors that ultimately led to the end of the Greatest South Indian Empire in the Country.

Konsep wali nikah dalam perspektif ulama klasik dan modern

This paper explores the concept of marriage guardian in Islamic jurisprudence by examining its interpretation and application by scholars from classical schools such as Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali, and comparing it with the views of contemporary scholars. The role of the marriage guardian is very important in the Islamic marriage contract, especially as it usually involves a male guardian consenting to a girl's marriage. The study also examines the perspectives of modern scholars who consider the evolving context of society, gender equality and women's autonomy. By comparing classical and modern interpretations, this study highlights the dynamic nature of Islamic legal thought as well as the ongoing discourse regarding the balance between traditional values and modern principles of individual rights and freedoms. The analysis aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of marriage guardians, its historical roots and its relevance in today's socio-legal landscape.

A Polish Patriot in Paris: Albert Sowiński, Essayist, Anthologist and Lexicographer

If there was one musician in mid-nineteenth-century Paris who diligently promoted Polish accomplishments, it was Albert Sowinski (Wojciech Sowiński). From his arrival in France in 1828 until his death in 1880, he championed the Polish cause as a performer, composer and scholar. Sowinski was a prolific writer, but with the exception of his Les musiciens polonais et slaves, anciens et modernes, Dictionnaire (1857), his studies of Polish repertoire rarely receive more than passing attention in modern scholarship. In this essay, I investigate Sowinski’s developing paradigms of Polish nationalism and Polish identity across the entirety of his major writings about and collections of Polish music: Chants polonais nationaux et populaires (1830), Chants de la révolution du 29 novembre 1830 (1830), Mélodies polonaises album lyrique (1833), ‘Chants populaires de l’Ukraine’ (1842), ‘De l’état actuel de la musique en Pologne’ (1842), Dictionnaire (1857) and Chants religieux de la Pologne, Op. 93 (1859). The four works from the 1830s, which focused on Polish folk music and revolutionary songs, were closely tied to Sowinski’s work with Léonard Chodzko (Leonard Chodźko) and his circle in Paris. Especially in the Chants polonais, Sowinski followed Chodzko and Joachim Lelewel in emphasising the exceptional geographic, linguistic and even ethnic diversity of the old Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, viewing this diversity as the basis for a glorious musical and political future. By contrast, in his critical writings of the 1840s, Sowinski interpreted Ukraine’s folk traditions as speaking largely to regional experience; he cast Warsaw and its musical institutions as the basis for a modern Polish musical identity. By the time of his Dictionnaire and Chants religieux de la Pologne, Sowinski de-emphasised Poland’s musical exceptionality in favour of delineating its long tradition of exchange with Western Europe, facilitated particularly through courts and the Roman Catholic Church.

The Tournament at Saint-Inglevert (1390): Chivalry, Diplomacy and Pas d’armes

ABSTRACT In March and April 1390, three French knights jousted against over one hundred knights and squires who had travelled from across Europe to challenge them, but above all from England. This great tournament was held at Saint-Inglevert near to Calais, the English outpost on the northern coastline of France. Modern scholars have viewed the event through the lens of the on-going Hundred Years War. But rather than seeing this chivalric competition as an extension of the war between the two sides, it should rather be understood as part of the diplomatic engagement between Charles VI and Richard II during the 1390s, an informal opportunity for the elites to meet and form bonds that shaped the rapprochement between the two sides. Saint-Inglevert also marked an important stage on the path towards the great theatrical tournaments of the fifteenth century, helping to explain the rise in popularity of the famous pas d’armes.

Nietzsche’s holy jest: the ambivalence of laughter in thus spoke zarathustra

ABSTRACT This paper offers an interpretation of Thus Spoke Zarathustra as Nietzsche’s attempt to write a ‘holy book’ that sanctifies laughter. I compare two important scenes, that of the jester and ropedancer from the Prologue, and that of the ‘ass festival’ from part IV, to show the progressive incorporation of laughter into Zarathustra’s teaching. Throughout, I show that laughter in Zarathustra is ambivalent, possessing both critical and constructive elements. As such, the laughter that is celebrated by the end of the Fourth Part is not merely ironic and self-parodying, but also constitutes a teaching with positive content. In other words, laughter itself represents the heart of Nietzsche’s new revelation of ‘holiness,’ one that challenges regnant expressions of religion and piety while resisting serious, doctrinal formulation. I defend this interpretation against readings that recruit laughter toward a modest philosophical ideal of self-ironization. While laughter does parody and destabilize Zarathustra’s own teachings, it also animates a teaching of holiness that can be helpfully illuminated by Bakhtin’s theory of the carnivalesque. In closing, I suggest that scholars should respect the ‘religion-like’ ambitions of Nietzsche’s work rather than assimilating them to the more modest projects typical of modern scholarship.