"Dreaded and Dared": Courage as a Virtue.

This paper analyzes the idea of courage in ancient Greek and Jewish thought in order to find a contemporary meaning. Does courage exist, what is its relation to fear, and does a courageous soul struggle for self-mastery or achieve harmony? I examine Plato and Aristotle for Greek thought, the Hebrew Bible and some rabbis for Jewish thought, and Maimonides who combined both traditions. The courage of the citizen and member, of the philosopher and prophet, and public arenas for courage, are compared. The key theme is the question of fear and courage—the role of courage in encountering fear and the role of fear in engendering courage. Whereas Greek thought sought to overcome fear with a higher love, Jewish thought overcame earthly fear with a higher fear. The place of such awe or devotion in modern secular life is explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]