Cahills How The Irish Saved Civilization Essay - 737 Words

Cahills How the Irish Saved Civilization Thomas Cahill opens his story describing Romes fall, â€Å"For as the Roman Empire fell, as all through Europe matted, unwashed barbarians descended on the Roman cities, looting artifacts and burning books, the Irish who were just learning to read and write, took up the just labor of copying all of western literature - everything they could get their hands on. These scribes then served as conduits through which Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian cultures were transmitted to the tribes of Europe, newly settled amid the rubble and ruined vineyards of the civilization they had overwhelmed.† (Cahill, p.3) The theme of this book is that the scribes did something unique, they saved civilization, not the†¦show more content†¦(Cahill, pp. 171- 184) Growth continues as Columbanus establishes the first Italo-Irish monastery where monks continue to pray and copy. Between these two men Irish monasteries were established in England, Scotland, Italy, France and beyond. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Historically the Irish are not credited with a major role in this time period and Cahill attempts to prove the society/culture of this time has its roots in Ireland. He states, â€Å"Ireland, at peace and copying, stood in the position to become Europes publisher.† The Saxons had blocked routes to the English mainland. A new, illiterate Europe was rising from Roman ruins... Ireland would reconnect Europe with its own past by way of Irelands scribal hands. (Cahill, 183) These monasteries become centers for learning, presumable the predecessor of modern universities. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;I have two favorite parts to this book, first, the contrast Cahill makes between Augustine and Patrick. I am catholic, from birth, and I never really thought of Augustine in the manner Cahill portrays him, the dark versus bright side of Chrisitanity. Augustine becomes self-conscious, â€Å"the man who cried I...† (Cahill, p/ 39) He wanted truth. We see the classical world through him. Patrick on the otherhand is a Christian convert, an escaped slave, who returns to Ireland to save it. He brings the Roman alphabet and Roman literature with him. He alsoShow MoreRelated Cahill Essay705 Words   |  3 Pageswould be no civil rights movement, democracy or even history. Thats the central, sweeping premise of The Gifts of the Jews, the latest book by Roman Catholic scholar and best-selling author Thomas Cahill. The Jews gave us the Outside and the Inside -- our outlook and our inner life, writes Cahill, who will be at Temple Judea in Coral Gables tonight to talk about the book. We can hardly get up in the morning or cross the street without being Jewish. We dream Jewish dreams and hope JewishRead MoreRule of St. Benedict1160 Words   |  5 Pagesconstitution and rule of law for most monasteries, policies could be seen as harsh by some but the overall message is built around a positive spirit of reconciliation. The Rule of St. Benedict most significant role for the development of European civilization was education. The beginning of Christian monasticism can be divided into two main types, the eremitical or solitary and the coenobitical or family type. St. Anthony may be called the founder of the purely eremitical system or hermit life styleRead More Editorial: Ireland’s Past? Essay2614 Words   |  11 Pagesby a variety of perspectives. Emigration has made such a huge impact on Irish history that the Irish diaspora and its descendants far outnumbered the inhabitants of the Ireland of Ireland itself, and many of those outside Ireland who claim Irish descent remain emotionally attached to a conception of the â€Å"old country,† whose image in their minds is strongly associated with the distant experiences of their ancestors. The Irish tourist industry, conscious of the lucrative market linked to such conceptions