hiker said:Peterson said that he had been wondering about the meaning of the biblical saying "the meek shall inherit the earth", as it didn't ring true to him. He discovered that the source word of "meek" originally meant "those who have swords and know how to use them, but choose not to use them". Then it made sense, as he has found that a person should pull in the (Jungian) shadow part of oneself, incorporate it and acknowledge the "monster" side of oneself. Everyone can do horrible things, but should choose not to do them.
Interesting factoid. The word he's talking about (praotes) is a synonym for another Greek word (epieikeia). Praotes is more in reference to the mental attitude, epieikeia is more in reference to actual behavior or conduct. In other words the virtue or mindset, and the act or practice. And guess what the word means? Clemency. That's right, Julius Caesar's most revered feature.
Epieikeia basically means having the right to justice, but choosing not to take it.
https://www.studylight.org/lexicons/trench/meekness.html
In Aristotle's words, epieikeia is "a correction of law where law falls short on account of generalities," and he contrasted the man who stands up for the last tittle of his legal rights with the epieikes.
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God does not strictly assert his rights against men. He gives their imperfect righteousness a value it would not have if rigorously judged. He refuses to exact extreme penalties. He remembers our natures and deals with us accordingly.
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Among other distinctions, Aquinas emphasized two. First, epieikeia always refers to the condescension of a superior to an inferior, something not necessarily implied by praotes. Second, praotes is more passive, and epieikeia is more active; or at least the seat of the praotes is the inner spirit, and the epieikeia necessarily embodies itself in outward acts. According to Aquinas: "They differ from each other inasmuch as epieikeia is a moderation of outward punishment; praotes strictly speaking diminishes the passion of anger."
Caesar certainly had every "right" and ability to kill his enemies: a masterful warrior, a man at the top of every possible dominance hierarchy, the attraction of flocks of women. But he made mercy and gentleness (clemency) his rallying cry, his "new method of conquering". He sacrificed his earthly rights to condescend to the level of those below him (not in a self-important way, but in the way of lowering himself to their level, that he may raise them up). He was pretty much the definition of the hero as presented in that interview. And incidentally, that's probably how "clemency" made its way into the Bible.