(Originally Written October 14, 2008 in the Journal)
Helen's Exile (1948) by Albert Camus
Despair can be known through the stifling effect of Beauty. Tragedy reaches its fulfillment in stifling beauty.
Greek thought negated nothing, but practiced balance. It never went to extremes. Modern thought negates whatever it does not glorify. It is extreme. It glorifies one thing and leads to the eventual total ruin of reason.
The execution of God has left man only to think of power and history. It has left man to not think of nature, but only what man can or has built.
The artist wishes to remake the world. He aims at freedom. Beauty cannot exist apart from men nor can man exist apart from beauty.
We cannot live hating ourselves. We may dislike our era, but this is our only time.
Admit of ignorance, reject fanaticism, accept the limits of this world and of man, this is the Greek reasoning.
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