of the most excellent men

according to Montaigne.

If you are thinking Jeebus made the cut, too bad, he didn’t even get a mention.

The first is Homer, not Homer Simpson. He says he is the father of poetry. There was none greater before him and none has imitated him since. In the words of Montaigne

And for this reason he may be called the first and the last of the poets, according to the fine testimony antiquity has left us of him, “that as there was none before him whom he could imitate, so there has been none since that could imitate him.”

Alexander the Great for his achievements starting from such a very young age.

The third and in my opinion the most excellent, is Epaminondas. Montaigne says The Greeks have done him the honour, without contradiction, to pronounce him the greatest man of their nation; and to be the first of Greece, is easily to be the first of the world. He elsewhere says

Antiquity has judged that in thoroughly sifting all the other great captains, there is found in every one some peculiar quality that illustrates his name: in this man only there is a full and equal virtue throughout, that leaves nothing to be wished for in him, whether in private or public employment, whether in peace or war; whether to live gloriously and grandly, and to die: I do not know any form or fortune of man that I so much honour and love.

I know each of you knows some excellent man.

Have a great day/ evening one and all