I have not fallen far – yet I hope far enough

to grasp its beauty despite the slander which has defaced the surface.

A blade has sharpened my burned extremities and so

I learned to scribble charcoal words,

Not all my own,

To mark the oscillations of my heart.

Ion Creanga – MEMORIES OF MY BOYHOOD (Childhood Memories)

Part I; Part II; Part III

The book is a guide to politics, the art of governing, and the proper conduct of a sovereign, on par with Machiavelli’s The Prince, albeit not nearly as popular. That is not to say that the two works agree – quite the contrary. The Prince stands almost unchallenged in popular culture, but in the off-chance you’ve wondered who took up the counter-argument to Machiavelli back in the 15oo’s, you should look up two names: Erasmus of Rotterdam and Neagoe Basarab.

So far I have been unable to find an English or French translation to the book – probably a reason why it is so little known. But there is a Wikipedia note about him (yes, in English): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neagoe_Basarab.

As a general guide, here are a few dates and notes to give some context and perspective on the book.

~ During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Renaissance had enveloped Western Europe.

~ Machiavelli wrote his famous book, The Prince, in 1513 (to be published only after the author’s death in 1532), as a practical political guide for Lorenzo Di Medici.

~ In 1518, Erasmus of Rotterdam wrote a rebuttal to Machiavelli’s The Prince, The Education of a Christian Prince. This was also, in part, an instruction manual for the future King Charles X of Sweden.

~ The sum of their works singled out Erasmus and Machiavelli as the faces of two opposite but equally influential schools of thought: humanism and pragmatism. For a detailed comparison between the two, see: Machiavelli and Erasmus Compared.

~ Circa 1518 <19> to 1521, Neagoe Basarab writes the Teachings. He reigned for approx. 10 years over a region of present-day Romania called the Romanian Country (the country was split into three regions, the other two being Transylvania, and Moldova).  He was a deeply spiritual man. His reign was peaceful, though his ascension to the throne was far from it. He was recognized as a great diplomat and a protector of the arts. His writings reflect the Christian Orthodox faith and stand in deep contrast to Machiavelli’s philosophy.

~ For an overview analysis of Neagoe Basarab’s reign and his influence on culture and politics follow the link below. The article is in Romanian: Neagoe Basarab – principe isihast.

~ About authorship and authenticity of “The Teachings…” :

1895-Theodor Codrescu is the first to question the authenticity of the book;

1906 – D. Russo argues that the book was actually written in the 17th century by a monk who copied the byzantine literary style; Russo also characterizes the book as a chaotic amalgamation of religious texts and, overall, a plagiarized text.

Those who support the initial thesis that Neagoe is indeed the author, that the work was written in 1518-1521 and has not been plagiarized, have brought several arguments to the table: the many references to his personal life that the author uses to exemplify ethical or political dilemmas, the usage by subsequent voivodes and princes of passages from the book, the usage of metaphors and similes which are incongruent with ecclesiastic texts of the time.

Cat mai valoreaza viata unui om?

Impactul este atat de puternic incat tanara este aruncata pe scuarul din mijlocul soselei. Ramane acolo, horcaind si plina de sange, fara sa-i impresioneze insa pe politistii care se concentrau pe fluenta traficului pe culoarul unic, pregatit cu grija pentru oficialii de la summitul NATO.

La numai cativa metri, doi politisti dirijau impasibili circulatia, iar un al treilea supraveghea traficul de pe o motocicleta. Ce era mai important decat omul care tragea sa moara pe pamantul proaspat plantat cu panselute in culorile NATO? Urma sa treaca insasi coloana oficiala a premierului Calin Popescu Tariceanu. Si tocmai incepuse marcarea culoarului unic pentru summit-ul NATO.

Lucruri care contau mai mult decat viata unui om. Trecatorii, infuriati de nepasarea politistilor, incep sa tipe la ei: “Moare, mai nenorocitilor! Faceti ceva!” “Salvarea e pe drum”, arunca, din varful buzelor, unul dintre politisti. La insistentele oamenilor, se enerveaza: “Ce? Eu sunt salvare? Eu sunt politie!”.

La cateva sute de metri de accident este spitalul CFR. Si ce daca? Asteptam Salvarea chemata la numarul de urgenta 112. Trebuind sa strabata arterele in permanenta reconstructie ale Bucurestiului, sa-si faca loc in traficul infernal, Salvarea PULS a ajuns in 20 de minute. Fata incetase insa sa respire.

“Nu mai are puls!”, zic medicii sositi la fata locului cu intarzierea care a costat viata unui om. Prea tarziu. Oamenii legii, platiti sa ne apere si sa ne protejeze, care teoretic fac cursuri de prim ajutor, nu au miscat un deget.

Nici macar pentru a opri, de exemplu, ambulanta care face parte obligatoriu din coloana oficiala a premierului, care e posibil sa fi trecut la cativa centimetri de locul unde un om se zbatea intre viata si moarte. Iar moartea n-a stat prea mult pe ganduri si a profitat de un sistem necrozat, de indolenta si obedienta care bate umanul in Romania.

Marsul Tacerii, in memoria studentei ucise pe Kiseleff

Joi 17 aprlie 2008

Zeci de oameni s-au adunat joi dimineata in Piata Victoriei din Bucuresti, pentru a participa la un Mars al Tacerii, in memoriam Tatiana Duplei, tanara ucisa pe 27 martie intr-un accident de masina.

Tanara studenta a fost accidentata mortal pe o trecere de pietoni de pe Soseaua Kiseleff, in prezenta politistilor care se pregateau pentru summit-ul NATO. In timp ce victima se zbatea intre viata si moarte pe scuarul din mijlocul drumului, agentii au continuat sa dirijeze circulatia, spre disperarea celor prezenti.

Nimeni nu a intervenit, desi la doi pasi de locul accidentului se afla Spitalul CFR. Mai importanta decat viata unui om a fost coloana oficiala a lui Tariceanu, care a trecut in tromba pe langa victima. Politia nu a oprit salvarea care face parte obligatoriu din coloana oficiala a premierului. Tanara a murit inainte de sosirea Ambulantei PULS, care a ajuns dupa 20 de minute.

Cazul a revoltat intreaga opinie publica si ne-a facut sa ne intrebam cat mai conteaza in Romania viata unui om, intr-un sistem necrozat care a inabusit umanul din unii.