Greek perfection is a concept that has always caused the curiosity and wonder of humanity, when discovering that this civilization perceived the beauty, the style, and the physiognomy of each living being. The Greeks believed themselves to be descendants of the gods, they always wanted the best, placing their expectations at the top of each milestone and always showing it through different artistic expressions, as well as in their social dynamics.
During the classical period, the artistic peak was reached in ancient Greece. The works of Phidias and Myron are renowned, even today, as icons of the most exquisite expressions of beauty and perfection of western society. Playing with the perception of the human eye, these two sculptors didn’t lose their objective, achieving sculptures that didn’t miss any single detail.
For them, Greek perfection represented the reflection of balance that characterizes the human physiognomy, employing bronze and marble to represent gods, heroes and renowned figures of their society, along with a unique halo of idealization and a specific proportional canon, which was achieved only in their time, so every single piece represents a treasure of unmeasurable value.
After their decay during the dark times, also called Homeric, the Greek civilization rose again regarding the manner in which the harmony of each structure was valued, whether it was animated or notflooding the conversations in temples, schools, and about each artistic feature, regarding the long perfection.
In fact, the necessary search for perfection was linked with the Greek word of ‘Earring’an ambiguous reference, according to Professor charles schrader, when saying that “it is a vague concept which implies a number of civic, moral and intellectual qualities.” However, in the history of Ancient Greece, it is shown to be fervently a crucial idea that signals providence, excellence and achievement.
The sophist Hippias of Elide, a representative figure of education in Ancient Greece, expressed on its moment that ‘Arete’ means learning of success, both in the way of thinking, talking and in every action executed. In fact, Ancient Greece is valued not only because of the physical ideas of perfection, but also for the lines of thought, where somebody who was considered a citizen was expected to be brave, moderate and just, virtues which relieved them as beings, gave them utility, categorizing them with the highest achievement of perfection.
The tales of Perseus, who was able to defeat the dreadful Medusa; of the greatest warrior of greek mythology, Hercules; or the leader of the trojan war, Achilles, were the connecting tread between the execution of each action as predisposition to be done as if it was a great feat. The best, the ideal, the perfect, Greeks always demanded themselves a 100%, in order to achieve with success the pre-established social statute, a thought that should be reconsidered to be implemented in the current dynamics to improve the social stability of the modern world.