Cave Gymnasium

You may have already noticed that we do more than read the best of ancient Greek literature in the Cave. In addition to reading, we actively work out with or do literature to become better human beings. This means we consider it on a deep level, engage in exercises relative to its major points, and, most importantly, practice something relevant to what we’ve read. We do this to obtain knowledge and grow in wisdom toward the ends of acquiring excellence or virtue (aretē) and forming good habits and character.

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The goal of practice comes from the ancient Greeks themselves.

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The Cynic Crates of Thebes, for instance, assures us that “long is the path that leads to happiness through words alone [reading or talking]. But the path that leads to happiness through daily deeds is short.”

The Stoic philosopher Epictetus points out the absurdity of reading or mastering knowledge without practice.  “Suppose, for example,” he says, “that in talking to a boxer, I said, ‘Show me the muscles of your arms and shoulders,’ and in reply, the man said, ‘Look at my weights.’ ‘No,’ I would say, ‘I want to see the effects of the weights.’ So, when you say, ‘I’ve read this work and mastered it,’ my response is, ‘Slavish fellow! I’m not asking about this work, but how it is that you exercise the powers of choice and refusal, desire and aversion. Do you do so in accord with nature or not? If so, then give me evidence of it, and I will declare that you are making progress.’“

(See below here for more ancient Greek testimonies regarding practice.)

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More recently, the philosopher and historian of philosophy Pierre Hadot has argued that, in the ancient world, philosophy was a “way of life”; it was about doing “exercises … intended to generate a transformation in the subject practicing them.”

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In the Cave, we generalize “philosophy” to all ancient Greek literature (poetry, drama, history, dialogues, prose, etc.). Therefore, literature itself can be or is a way of life and can be or is about practice, the application of literature to our own lives—something the ancient Greeks promoted and did.

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To give one example from the late fifth century BC, Niceratus, the son of the famous general Nicias of Athens, says the following about his practice of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey: "My father had me learn every word of Homer … to see me develop into a good man." This "development" surely requires practice.

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So, what can we do? Let’s hit the workout machines (as it were) in the Cave Gymnasium. What’s the purpose of each? They prompt us to consider and apply significant points from whatever we’ve read to our own lives. They challenge us to evaluate our lives in terms of a topic or idea from the same. Finally, they encourage us to act—to do something concrete and specific with what we’ve learned.

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With this in mind, enjoy all the workouts! You’ll find them well worth your effort!

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*The word gymnasium comes from the Greek word for “naked” or “unclad” (gymnos). Bare yourself, then, in doing the workouts.