Working
is a duty,”
the Prime Minister has just declared, recalling the very etymology of the word “work”, the tripalium, an instrument of torture from Roman times.
Can man limit his existence to work?
The Ancients believed precisely the opposite.
They praised leisure, otium
,
which was not synonymous with the vulgar vacations of the contemporary era, but a time freed from emergencies and calculations, allowing man to refocus on his inner self.
The end of ancient societies, opposing otium
to
negotium
(
the famous trade), may have led us to believe that this ideal, the ancient
skholè
of the Greeks, was reserved for aristocratic and slave-owning societies allowing a privileged few to enjoy wisdom. while slaves and metics devoted themselves to providing for the needs of the city.
To discover
Crosswords, Sudoku, 7 Letters... Keep your mind alert with Le Figaro Games
The very convincing bet of Jean-Miguel Pire, researcher at the École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), is to affirm that this ideal of life is not reserved…
This article is reserved for subscribers.
You have 59% left to discover.
Flash sale
-70% on digital subscription
I ENJOY IT
Already subscribed?
Log in