Our Golden Age

Friends, Americans, classmates, lend me your eyes!  I come, with the aid of the Muse, to sing of things that were.  I sing of a Golden Age, of peace and prosperity for all.

In the Golden Age, war is a thing of the past; at least, even if you are obliged to conquer others, at least nobody dares attack you.  There is plenty meat and drink for everyone, and the problems of war have been solved by a divine ruler.  This ruler and all his (for sake of convenience, the Muse suggests I use the male pronoun) line are without question the sole heirs to the position; he is without rivals, and to whom the people are unquestioningly loyal.  Though with a great deal of power, the ruler is a fair person, understanding the benefits of justice.  He makes the punishment fit the crime, but can afford the luxury of mercy.

Romans praised Caesar Augustus's reign as a Golden Age.  Having found peace in him, after the civil wars of Julius Caesar ended, the populus Romanus swore to follow him in all he did, finally united in their self-interests.  Augustus took great pains to glorify himself, but also to create the pax romana, so that the country of Rome was at the "zenith" of empire.  The empire had grown, and with Augustus as first citizen, became rich beyond its dreams.  The sculptures began to express ideals more than truths, to glorify Augustus, and give the people someone to look up to.  Seeing someone strong and capable, with a good countenance and images of the gods on his armor, inspired the populace.

Augustus used whoever he could to improve his image: Horace and Vergil wrote for him (see the Carmen Saeculare and Aeneid), sculptors redesigned him (Augustus of the Prima Porta and The Portland Vase), and architects created obelisks and buildings that idolized him (Ara Pacis, Augustan Forum, Basilica Julia, Curia Julia, and the horologium).

There are few other countries who can claim such a similar level of peace.  The only ages comparable, to my mind, include the beginning of time, when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, living the age of innocence.  Or perhaps, just after the Garden, when they were beginning to raise their family.  Back then, there was peace, and learning to survive.  They were so busy with these activities, they had no time for fighting.

America in the 1950's and early '60s at least pretended to be a Golden Age: the days of Camelot and John F. Kennedy, when the men were the breadwinners, the women the homemakers, and every house had a white picket fence, at least two children and a dog.  There was an appearance of perfection and happiness, though there could be many skeletons lurking in the closets.  Similarly to Augustus's time, the people pretended everything was perfect, despite the problems and imperfections they hid.  Also similarly, America was very prosperous, compared to most of the rest of the world.

America is still prosperous, but we are definitely not in a Golden Age.  There's war, recession, hostility towards our leaders and general contention every time we turn around.  We can only work and wish to gain that ideal era.  The Muse has finished her song again; though this time, there was less beauty in her words.  I apologize.