Peter Jones

Socrates, Aristophanes and Charlie Hebdo

How the ancients handled mockery of the sacred

issue 24 January 2015

What would the ancients have made of Charlie Hebdo? The First Amendment tolerates the expression of opinions, however offensive, but not behaviour that can be construed as an outright threat. It is a distinction that Greeks and Romans might have applauded.

The comedies of Aristophanes (5th century bc) dealt with the issues of the day.

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