Analysis of Nietzsche’s Homer’s contest
Nietzsche writes, “Without competing ambition the Hellenic State like the Hellenic man degenerates. He becomes bad and cruel, thirsting for revenge, and godless; in short, he becomes “pre-Homeric” — and then it needs only a panic in order to bring about his fall and to crush him”.
Nietzsche praises the Greeks for establishing an invisible behavioural system based on competition. Whereby individuals fanatically compete in all facets of life be it athletics, art, war, debating, poetry with the goal of bringing glory and fame upon themselves, their families and cities and reaping the material and spiritual rewards this glory and fame results in. This competition between each other leads to the individuals actively attempting to better themselves and thus strengthening the society as a whole. The participants in this invisible system aren’t aware their individual actions are resulting in the strengthening and purifying of the group whereby the greatest men are elevated to positions of power, attract the highest quality women and are used by the younger generation as sources of inspiration leading to an even stronger second generation. The system is not authoritarian as it does not impose standards on men however through placing emphasis on certain forms of competition it seeks to select for and produce the ideal characters which Greek society desires namely the charismatic, intelligent, artistic warrior philosopher. Through selfishly pursuing their own goals of glory by competing with one another the Greeks are creating an environment where each man is elevated through their own action resulting in a stronger collective.
Nietzsche puts forth the concept that envy and jealousy are a foundation of Greek society and a necessary condition for effective competition. Nietzsche quotes Hesiod to highlight that the Greeks viewed envy and jealousy which were espoused by the Goddess Eris to be good ethics and to fuel competition; “Eris urges even the unskilled man to work, and if one who lacks property beholds another who is rich, then he hastens to sow in similar fashion and to plant and to put his house in order; the neighbour vies with the neighbour who strives after fortune.. The potter also has a grudge against the potter, and the carpenter against the carpenter; the beggar envies the beggar, and the singer the singer. Good is this Eris to men”.
Envy and jealousy are framed as motivators which incite men to competition. Each Greek is possessed by an “ambitious flame” fueled by envy and jealousy. This flame is what leads to a man relentlessly throwing his opponent in a wrestling match or masterfully crafting an argument in a debate. This ancient envy is exemplified by Julius Caesar who after viewing Alexander The Great’s statue burst into tears. After being asked to explain his actions he responded, “I have not just cause to weep, when I consider that Alexander at my age had conquered so many nations, and I have all this time done nothing that is memorable?” Caesar clearly felt this envy on a deep spiritual level and harnessed its power leading him to heroic action. The fact that moderns view envy and jealousy as negative traits is evidence to Nietzsche of how far moderns are disconnected from the Greek ideal and attempting to understand them through a modern lens is futile. Nietzche writes, “I am afraid, we do not understand them enough in “Greek fashion,” and that we should even shudder, if for once we did understand them thus”.
“When a great personality was, owing to an enormously brilliant deed, suddenly withdrawn from the competition and became hors de concours according to his, and his fellow-citizens’ judgment. Almost without exception the effect is awful”.
Nietzsche argues that rivalry is a condition for effective condition and when an individual raises himself above rivalry through great achievement a savage uncivilised nature emerges. This savagery is a displayed by Alexander the Great when following the sacking of Gaza Alexander ties the eunuch leader Batis while still alive to his chariot and drag him around the walls of the city which Nietzsche calls a “sickening caricature of Achilles”, who defiled Hector’s body in the same fashion. Nietzsche writes Alexander’s actions, “gives us a peep into the abysses of hatred”. Without competition and worthy competitors a man becomes cruel and thirsts for revenge. A man without a rival turns his once good driving force, envy towards the gods. However once envy is directed towards the gods the man who achieved so much through their aide now finds the gods turning against him, leading to degeneration and ruin. A man who places himself too high above others is destined to fall because as Nietzsche explains he has “given up the noblest Hellenic fundamental thought, the competition”.
Nietzsche argues that the purpose of ostracism was to keep the competitive impulse alive and well in every Greek. Nietzsche highlights that the true form of ostracism was in fact to banish Greeks who had achieved too much rather than too little as their achievements were viewed to be discouraging to their peers. Nietzsche highlights this form of ostracism by quoting Heraklitus who refers to the Ephesians’ banishment of their best man, Hermodor,
“Among us nobody shall be the best; if however someone is the best, then let him be so elsewhere and among others”. A man who has achieved too much was viewed as a morale impediment, discouraging men from competing as the goal of matching or exceeding the great man’s achievements felt out of reach.
Nietzsche believes that the use of ostracism to prevent tyrannical politicians from harming the collective was a corruption of the institution, “the original sense of this peculiar institution however is not that of a safety-valve but that of a stimulant. The all-excelling individual was to be removed in order that the competition of forces might re-awaken”. While the Greeks did despise autocracy and fear its dangers, Nietzsche views this threat to be from an accomplished genius rather than a politician. The Greeks used ostracism to establish a natural order where competition produced several geniuses who inspired and moderated each other. The use of ostracism was a “preventive against the genius — a second genius”. To reinvigorate the competitive spirit among the Greeks ostracism was used as a quasi reset in the hunt for glory, giving men hope that through their disciplined efforts they could raise their names to lofty heights.
Nietzsche has identified that through promoting certain forms of competition the Greeks were able to synthesise individual and collective goals resulting in a heightened culture.
