A Contest of Praise – A Very Small Insight
In gradate school, one of the most difficult courses that I took was on hellenistic poetry, largely due to the difficulty of the Greek. In retrospect, however, it was one of the best courses. During that seminar, I grew to admire the poet, Theocritus, who wrote about rustic themes. For example, his poems are filled with shepherds, singing, and on one occasion, a young Polyphemus who consoles himself with poetry. In one memorable episode, there was a contest of praise between two characters. Who could praise the other better was the point.
If one takes a step back and considers the dynamic, it is pretty remarkable. In this type of contest there can be no losers. One person wins by praising better; the other one wins by being praised. I think this is what happens when people seek to outdo one another in love. Both win – paradoxical, but true. I think this is why true community is so encouraging. Everyone stands to gain.
Praising seems to be a very natural act of love. We praise those we love (However, I wonder if the opposite is always the case). Also, something I wrestle with is defining the line between praise and flattery. The line seems to blur sometimes (though I know it doesn’t). Any thoughts on how to differentiate the two would be helpful…I generally understand praising as genuine declaration of good qualities and lifting up of a person without expecting anything in return. On the other hand, I think flattery is bad because you expect something in return. To tht extent, it is not praise.
As always, very thought provoking article.