Since the Accounting: A Chronicle of the Roman Khanate

Chapter 678 The Republican Era and the Presidential Era Cannot Negate Each Other

Although he often talked about this with Tuohuan and others, Guo Kang was not sure how much they could do. Moreover, the situation in Egypt was too different from that in the Central Plains. At present, they could only keep trying.

After discussing these, Guo Kang went back to prepare for other things. As he claimed, Da Lama Wang had already informed the church and arranged the following tasks in an orderly manner: While Guo Kang was completing the preliminary arrangements in Cairo, his assistant Wu Han and the church representative Father Peter and others finished the finishing work in Syria and arrived in Alexandria. The visiting envoys of other religious sects and the accompanying guests also arrived one after another.

So the next day, Guo Kang handed over the civil affairs to Tuohuan and others, and took Joanna and representatives of the two knights to Alexandria.

In addition to the visitors, many follow-up personnel sent from China have also arrived and are now gathering at the dock area. Guo Kang plans to go there first to meet them.

Outside the city, they met people who came to greet them. In addition to people from their church and several officials who managed the city's government affairs, Qiao Feng and Sun Shiwan also appeared here.

After everyone exchanged greetings, Guo Kang saw a large group of people following Qiao Feng, so he took the initiative to ask, "Are these all the scholars who are going to participate in the meeting?"

"Some are our scholars, and some are businessmen and bankers." Qiao Feng introduced them, and first walked to the side of an old man who was leading the group: "This is Professor Breton, you should know him too, right?"

"Yes. We met before in Mystras, and later I went to the University of Constantine to listen to his lectures." Guo Kang took the initiative to extend his hand and shook his hand: "Nice to meet you, are you doing well in Florence?"

"Thanks to your care, the lectures there went smoothly." Breton replied politely: "Mr. Medici invited us to help here this time, hoping to promote cooperation between the two churches, so we came to help."

"Thank you. I would like to invite you to come back to my hometown and visit me when you have time." Guo Kang said with a smile.

"Alas, I don't get along well with those 'Spartans', so I'd better not trouble you." Breton shook his head: "I will be satisfied if I can help you."

Guo Kang didn't force it and nodded.

Breton is a very experienced philosopher. He was born in the 14s and is now in his sixties. He is one of the leading figures in Platonic philosophy today.

He believed that the Aristotelian philosophy that was popular today had become outdated and needed to be reformed. Therefore, he opposed the mainstream scholastic philosophy theory and praised Plato's works. His real name was actually "Gemistos", and the name Breton was deliberately chosen because of his admiration for Plato.

His teachings had a great influence on Western Europe. Later, he was invited by Joanna's elder brother Cosimo to go to Florence to give lectures. Because Breton and his followers admired Plato, they specially opened an academy, imitated Plato's teaching, and translated a large number of Greek works to give lectures to students.

Before him, Western Europe had only a few works imported from Greece and Arabia, most of which were theology and mathematics works obtained by the church itself. However, he and his disciples brought a large number of literary and philosophical works to the secular society of Italy, and finally spread them throughout Western Europe. Therefore, it had a great impact on the ideological changes in the Renaissance.

In the history that Guo Kang knew, Breton had served as an official in the Eastern Roman Empire. In practice, he gradually began to question the existing religion. In his opinion, Christianity was defeated and even the Roman Empire was about to end, so there must be something wrong. And the Ottomans' Muslim religion obviously didn't look very good either.

Therefore, he turned his attention to the ancient times, hoping to establish a system with the polytheistic color of the classical era as described by Plato and Pythagoras, and realize the revival of the country. To this end, he began to study the beliefs of ancient Greece, and even the works of Zoroaster and Indian mythology. This idea was very popular among Italian humanists. He imitated Plato and created a series of works that were widely circulated. It is said that "Utopia" and subsequent ideas were also influenced by him.

In addition, due to the continued decline of the Eastern Roman Empire, under the impact of Western Europeans and Turkmen, the original universal concept began to disintegrate, and the locals began to wonder "what exactly are Greeks". Before this, this concept was quite vague and not taken seriously.

Breton was one of the first scholars to try to define this, and is therefore considered by later generations to be the source of Greek nationalism. Many people believe that he promoted Greek culture and religion in the classical era and emphasized that the Peloponnese and other places were the ancient homeland of the Greeks in order to prepare for the crisis and unite the Greeks.

Similarly, although he did not agree with the Catholic Church's theological views, he still actively worked to seek support and save the country, using his influence in Italy to promote the merger of the two churches, but ultimately failed.

Historically, Breton lived a long life. In 1441, at the invitation of Constantine XI, he left Italy and returned to the crisis-ridden Morea to help Constantine repair the Corinthian Wall. However, a few years later, the Ottoman army destroyed the wall with a huge cannon. Finally, he died in 1454, living one year longer than the empire he had been trying to revive all his life. I don't know whether it was lucky or unfortunate...

In this world, the old man may have been hit even harder. When Guo Kang was in school, he often saw him debating with people from all walks of life. Later, when the great lama Wang called together scholars to compile books, he saw him come back several times, so they knew each other before.

Behind him, there was a group of young people, all of whom were his disciples recruited in Greece and Italy. Qiao Feng said that before the expedition, after he learned about Guo Kang's idea, he began to prepare for the conference between various sects. As a school with connections on both sides, Breton and others should be able to help a lot, so they were all invited. "This is my friend Antonio, Antonio Salutati." Qiao Feng pulled over a young man in gorgeous clothes in front of the crowd: "His grandfather is the most outstanding politician and scholar in our city-state, Mr. Coluccio Salutati."

"I've heard about your grandfather's deeds. The Milanese said that one of his letters was worth a thousand Florentine cavalrymen." Guo Kang shook hands with the other party and said, "You can definitely be like him and use your wisdom to benefit everyone."

"Thank you, thank you." The other party kept saying, "What we can really rely on is everyone's help. The Visconti family controlled most of the areas north of Naples back then. Apart from the Pope and Venice, we were the only ones resisting. If we only rely on our own mouths, we will never be able to reverse such a huge gap in strength. Without the support of your country and other friends, I'm afraid we wouldn't be where we are today."

"The greatest contribution of their family is not in the political field, but in the academic world. His grandfather was the leader of the humanists and democrats here." Qiao Feng seemed to have a good relationship with him and praised him for a while: "He studied with Petrarch and Boccaccio, and later returned to work here. Our college and translation agency were established under his leadership."

"What is humanism?" Sir John, who was following Guo Kang, couldn't help but ask curiously.

"It's an ancient term that means a study that is no longer entirely focused on religion but rather on the human being. It was first proposed by Cicero," Antonio explained. "My grandfather dug up the term and used it as the motto of their school."

"Who is this Cicero..." Sir John was a little dumbfounded.

"He was a figure from the ancient Roman era. He was highly accomplished in literature, oratory, and rhetoric, and he is a model for us to learn from classical culture." Antonio still answered politely: "He and Cato the Younger and others were also actively involved in the world when the crisis came, defending freedom and the republican system, so the republicans here have always regarded them as idols."

"But the legal system of our Rome comes from Caesar and Augustus." Wu Han interrupted, "I wonder what your grandfather thinks about this?"

"This issue was clearly discussed in his paper." Although Wu Han's words sounded like a warning, Antonio said calmly, "When Duke Visconti of Milan besieged us, my grandfather published On Tyrants, detailing his views. He was only against tyrants like Visconti. In fact, although he was a republican, he still supported Dante's theory of universal monarchy."

"Ah?" Wu Han didn't react for a moment.

"You can read Dante's On the World Empire. This is also one of the sources of our basic views." Antonio said, "Dante believes that mankind needs a unified earthly political system to ensure world peace and the happiness of all people. Only the Roman Empire has achieved such unity and peace, and all gods obey the decrees of Rome, which shows that the power of the empire is granted by God the Father."

"Therefore, the power of the Roman Empire is higher than that of the church, and it is not subject to the church's constraints. Even if the 'Donation of Constantine' is true, it cannot be used as the basis for the church's power, because the ruling power of the empire comes directly from the will of God the Father and cannot be transferred by mortals."

"For a long time, this theory has been widely accepted by us. Therefore, we are not opposed to the rule of the Roman Empire and excellent monarchs - but I can understand your opinion. In fact, you are not the first person to express doubts." He also specifically gave an example:

"Back then, my grandfather persuaded the citizens of Ancona to oppose the dictatorial governor appointed by the Pope, and called on everyone to take action to defend freedom. Because of his harsh words, the King of France questioned him. He explained at the time that he was not against the king, and the French side accepted it."

"Is that so? We don't actually have too many requirements. It's enough for you to recognize Rome." Wu Han and Guo Kang looked at each other and answered.

"We are all Romans in a sense, how could we not agree?" Antonio said immediately: "We have always believed that Caesar was not only not a tyrant, but also the best choice at the time."

"Then why do you still admire Cicero and Cato?" Wu Han asked curiously.

"Their spirit is commendable, but under the conditions at the time, the Senate, the rich, and the common people were no longer able to stabilize the situation. If there was no Caesar, the Republicans would have fought among themselves, and the civil war would have been endless. I don't know how many people would have claimed to be dictators and how many would have marched into Rome." Antonio explained: "This is why we can't say that Caesar was a tyrant."

"Is this also the theory your grandfather taught us?" Guo Kang asked.

"Yes. This has always been his view. Just because the republic is good, we cannot deny the legitimacy of the principal system. Of course, the same is true in reverse." Antonio said: "He has been practicing this in the process of his political career."

"Then he is indeed a mature politician." Guo Kang nodded in agreement.

(End of this chapter)