Western thought and culture were born from Greek ideals. Since “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9), many of the ideals expressed by Homer, Sophocles, and Hesiod ring true for Westerners today. Part of the myth of a tragic hero includes a position of leadership of some sort: often of noble birth, royalty, or military leadership. Tragic plays like Oedipus the King, Antigone, and the Iliad served as worship, entertainment, examples of virtue, and edifying stories. Modern Americans can look back on such works and apply these ideas to select and serve as leaders at the national, community, or family level. Some of the desirable qualities exemplified in archaic and classical Greek works include self-control, fairness, respect for moral law, service to one's community, courage, and honor. “The Greek maxim ‘Nothing in excess’” (Hollister 131) illustrates the need for self-control. Every tragic hero eventually committed an act of hubris based on his own fatal flaw. Many of these fatal flaws could have served the man and his country if tempered by self-control. “In the realm of ethics, [Aristotle] advocated moderation in all behavior, arguing that emotions and actions (anger and love, eating and drinking) are in themselves neither good nor bad and must be neither repressed nor pushed to excess: virtue is avoidance. extremes, the “golden mean”” (Hollister 130). In the Iliad, many characters lack self-control, leading to war, conflict, and death. The Parisians' lack of self-control towards Helen sparked the Trojan War which kept the soldiers away from their homes for years. Achilles' lack of self-control in his rage added to the loss and pain of the Greeks and Trojans. The Iliad begins:Rage:Sing, Goddess, Achil... middle of paper ......the inability to remember the past allowed him to sin against the gods and cost him both his position and his sight. Creon possessed many good qualities, but exceeded his limits and, through pride, found his decree in contradiction with the laws of the gods. Antigone inherited her father's rashness and lack of self-control, as evidenced by her suicide which she committed so quickly that even Creon's change of heart could not save her. Some decisions simply cannot be corrected. In choosing modern leaders, one can learn a lesson from the Greeks about how a person's character can affect their leadership abilities and their constituents. Even positive traits without self-control can lead to devastating ends. The words of Hesiod remain true throughout the ages: “He who follows the good advice of others is also good. But he who does not think for himself and learn from others is a failed man. (Works, 68)