Montaigne makes reference to the extent of which our imagination plagues us. He describes how various people he’s encountered, all facing a kind of bodily alignment, was at the mercy of their imagination. In reality, they were not truly sick but their physical conditions were a direct reflection of their mental states. I think Montaigne’s discussion of the relationship between mind and body is thought provoking. It begs the thought of the true capabilities of our minds. If completely tapped into, how much of our physical world can we alter with our thoughts. It sounds like the plot of the movie, Lucy, but realistically i think that the connection between mind and body is a realm humans have yet to completely understand.

Within The Symposium, there is evidence that argues that the love shared between two men is the most lucrative kind of relationship. More specifically, the nurturing of a older man to a younger man is argued to cultivate the social aspects most important to male development. Phaedrus asserts that the purer nature of a male-male relationship implies that the love is more natural,  therefore stronger, and more ingrained within the mind and body. It is clear that during these times, the idea of being gay is not a characteristic of one’s character unlike our society today.

In the Aeneid, having a birthplace or sense of geological association appears to be a crucial piece in identifying one’s worth. A lack thereof represents  instability and lack of self-awareness. Due to this cultural context, I believe this is why Virgil focuses so closely on the founding of cities. Cities represent an idea supported by the great importance placed on the values of loyalty and belonging associated with this time. Throughout the book, the obsession of Aeneas and the Trojans to resurrect the fallen city of Troy serves as a channel in which Virgil highlights cities as a remedy for the eventful and unpredictable voyages of wanderers, men who lack a place to call home. A well built city filled with fortified structures and accented banners represents a sense of unclaimed prowess and clout for Aeneas and his men.

-Kevon