Being a new Virginian I am learning more about this state besides its stunning scenery and friendly conversation. Recently my cousin posted that the Virginia Flag was banned from schools in Texas. Knowing that no such ban ever happened for any other flags some of which sported controversial points of view from the past and sadly into the present. I must admit I had no idea what my state flag even looked like so I went on my investigation. I found out wonderous things about our Virginia State Flag and our seal.
According to Wikipedia the woman depicted on the Flag is the personification of Virtue having killed tyranny. She is shown as an Amazon warrior with one breast exposed. In ancient Greek literature the breast being exposed allowed the Amazon warrior greater freedom of movement while in battle especially in operating a bow and arrow.
Young children associate women’s breast with mother’s milk. Feeding their younger siblings should be a common sight. Why would they care about this flag. My opinion is that she, a female, is standing over a fallen tyrant. I got so excited when I learned this was my flag. Imagine Virtue overcoming a tyrant.
Texas wants to ban Virtue in the name of virtue, Wow.
This symbol is also on the state seal. The reverse side of the seal depicts three other women, Libertas: goddess of liberty, Ceres: goddess of agriculture and Alternates: goddess of eternity with the word Perseverando on the bottom. Put this altogether and we get Liberty, agriculture for ever and eternity through persevering.
This is the time to remember who we are and how we all got here. One of my ancestors was George Washington Saddle Bearer who saw him through wars and the founding of this country. George Washington laid down his power willingly so that we would be a free country. A new thing the world had never seen before. He was born and raised right here in Virginia as was Thomas Jefferson who wrote our Declaration of Independence and contributed to our
Constitution.
A Christian may say. “Shouldn’t we get rid of all these Roman god’s anyway since they are pagan Gods? The Roman gods were the same as the Greek gods just translated into Latin. But all the gods originated with the Greeks as did philosophy, science and mathematics. The Greeks were the first in the western world to think beyond survival. They developed a unique and beautiful language that expressed complex concepts such a virtue, liberty, and several kinds of love such as eros, philia, storge, and agape. Today we use these “gods” as personifications of these ideals like blind justice we see at court houses and the Statue of Liberty.
As a history major with a classics minor (that means ancient Greece and Roman studies). I was in classes with two different kinds of kids. The ones expected those fascinated by the pantheon of the Greek gods and those who wanted to study the New Testament in its original language, ancient Greek.
This ancient Greek language was so special that all of the ancient western world knew it. It was the universal language during the time of Christ. Paul was a Jew who was a Roman citizen who lived in Asia Minor. He most likely would have spoken at least Aramaic(the common language around Jerusalem), Hebrew, Latin and Greek. The original language of the New Testament was written in Greek. As time went on Latin became the dominate language and the concepts as gods and goddesses translated into Latin. This is the most common form we see them in today. Our planets are named after Latinized names of the ancient Gods. Mars, Jupiter, Venus and so on were all Greek gods but now they are just names of planets. The Greeks had established the first democracy. They had the first idea of freedom and philosophy and a new way to govern. That we should govern ourselves. They believed that the philosophers should be in charge. They believed that they would make the best decisions.
In the Old Testament, which predates the Greeks, God gave the Hebrews a government of Judges. After several generations they wanted a king because everyone else had a King. God told them that he had given them a good system, a fair system. Yet they insisted God give them a king. So he chose King Saul. The power went to his head and he turned to evil and destruction. Then David became king. Even though David was overall a good king the power went to his head too. Soloman was a good king but then they had centuries of bad kings.
As Christians I believe that we should have no king except for Jesus Christ. No one else can handle the power trip. So as a new Virginian I stand with our bad ass virtue standing over the symbol of all defeated tyrants. Sic Semper Tyrannis which is Latin for “Thus Always to Tyrants”. You go girl!
