In the world of letters, we know that the creative process does not always end in the genius mind of a writer capable of generating a world completely free from the reality that surrounds him. More and more, scholars are detecting that several novels, short stories, poems and songs are richly contaminated by the values of their time. In some cases, it is still possible to see that the creative process also embraces historical references that are quite remote in relation to the time in which the author lives.
When we say that “navigating is necessary, living is not necessary”, some immediately cite the genius of the Portuguese writer, Fernando Pessoa. Going a little further on the study of this phrase, this one points out that the poet at the same time launched a sentence on the condition of man, dialogued richly with the historical tradition of the Portuguese in the exploration of seas. However, we must know that this interpretation is far from tracing the origins of the famous phrase.
In century I a. C., the Romans actively lived their process of economic and territorial expansion. As Rome turned into an empire of gigantic dimensions, the need to explore the seas, was a fundamental element for the strengthening of one of the most important powers of the whole Antique. It was in this context that general Pompeu, around 70 BC. a., was entrusted with the mission to transport the wheat from the provinces to the city of Rome.
In those times, navigation risks were great, due to technological limitations and the various pirate attacks that occurred relatively frequently. Thus, the crew of that trip lived a serious dilemma: to save the city of Rome from the serious crisis of supply caused by a slave rebellion, or escaping the risks of travel by staying comfortable in the city of Sicily. It was then that, according to the historian Plutarch, General Pompey uttered this legendary phrase.
In fact, General Pompey's claim bore good fruit. The trip was successful and the military rose to the rank of consul with broad support from the Roman popular classes. Shortly thereafter, this same prestige made him one of the members of the First Triumvirate that ruled the entire Roman territory. After all, was it the victory of Pompey's story that led the legendary Portuguese writer to borrow this thought-provoking sentence? Who knows!
By Rainer Sousa
Graduated in History
Brazil School Team
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Curiosities - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SOUSA, Rainer Gonçalves. "Navigating is necessary, living is not necessary"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/curiosidades/navegar-preciso-viver-nao-preciso.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
