Esoteric Roman v. Greek Ranting (was Philosophers)

[Mind Elemental]

On the other hand, sloth will cut down on your recruitment of myrmidons. I guess you could still use chariots, if you had an order scale.

[Sombre]

I think sloth scale just points to a lack of backbreaking mind numbing labour. Philosophers are more numerous and free to pursue their thoughts when there isn't a constant need to labour and put their minds/resources to physical production.

[thejeff]

I've never quite figured out how to use philosophers. They're great researchers, sure, but they're capital only. For a long way into the game I want potentially useful mages, not just researchers. Especially since I'm trying to get the good combinations of randoms.

I guess the strategy is to get other castles up early to recruit mages and concentrate on philosophers at home?

[noname]

Perhaps... anyway, the whole sloth thing is probably reflective of some Western European attitude towards work, one that is unseen in the United States of America, where I live. Our political philosophers generally worked hard, even if some of the earlier ones were slave owners in the late 1700's (Benjamin Franklin was a scientist, Jefferson was the founder of the University of Virginia and third president, plus the writer of much of the constitution, etc.) Anyway, as I said before, Socrates was a stone mason, so it's hard to see how the philosophers themselves could be lazy, unless you are talking about the Sophists, who charged exorbitant fees for lessons on how to manipulate others using false logic and verbal trickery.

[Meglobob]

All my best ideas come well lazing around with nothing to do and all my worst well under stress and pressure.

So does that mean I should have been a philsopher?

[Halancar]

noname said:
Perhaps... anyway, the whole sloth thing is probably reflective of some Western European attitude towards work, one that is unseen in the United States of America, where I live. Our political philosophers generally worked hard, even if some of the earlier ones were slave owners in the late 1700's (Benjamin Franklin was a scientist, Jefferson was the founder of the University of Virginia and third president, plus the writer of much of the constitution, etc.) Anyway, as I said before, Socrates was a stone mason, so it's hard to see how the philosophers themselves could be lazy, unless you are talking about the Sophists, who charged exorbitant fees for lessons on how to manipulate others using false logic and verbal trickery.

I think it must go back to that old Greece vs Rome thing. While the Greeks were busy thinking deep thoughts, pondering the secret of the universe and the meaning of beauty, the romans came along and conquered them.

An exageration perhaps, but there is no doubt that the Romans as a nation had a far more practical (and therefore productive) turn of mind that the Greeks. And conquered them. Which is just what might happen to a sloth-3 arcoscephale, particularly if it's full of philosophers but no real mages, if a production-3 ermor is next door


Now if you really want a "slothful" philosopher, go look at the stereotype of the Eastern Asia guru, living as a hermit in some mountain cave, disdaining mortal possessions and unravelling the mysteries of the univers.

[SelfishGene]

Ack you guys are overthinking things!
It even explains the logic in the nation's flavor text.

Think of EA Arco closer to Sparta/Athens combined.

[Ironhawk]

Hey, speaking of EA arco: what do you all know about Seduction?

I started messing around with it using the EA Arco top mage - the Oriead or something? And I'm finding it very strange that she is able to seduce undead commanders??