In the world of the Middle East at the moment, the debates are shrill. But ... the wisest voice of all of them may well be the voice of this mute thing, the Cyrus cylinder.
Neil MacgregorRead
Google the name Prometheus, and see how often it has been given to innovations in many different fields, notably science, medicine and space exploration. The fire he stole can be seen, too, as the spark generating all artistic creativity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Prometheus symbolizes creativity and innovation, inspiring advancements across various fields.
The quote emphasizes the enduring legacy of Prometheus as a figure representing innovation and the human drive for progress. By 'stealing fire,' he is seen as a catalyst for creativity, not only within the realms of science and medicine but also in the arts, suggesting that all forms of human expression are ignited by this spark of inspiration.
Themes
PrometheusInnovationCreativityScienceArt
In practice
Example use cases
In a presentation on technological advancements, I could use this quote to highlight the creative inspirations behind innovations.
More from Neil Macgregor
All quotes →The deciphering of ancient scripts changed forever the way Europeans were able to imagine the story of humanity, destroying centuries of received authority about the past with repercussions as important for our understanding of time and history as the geological studies of the same period.
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There's the constant concern with what happens to you when you die. Every society thinks about that and makes things to deal with that.
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The distinction between a gallery and a museum is enormous. The gallery is about looking at a thing of beauty; the purpose of the activity is an aesthetic response. The museum is actually about the object that lets you get into somebody else's life.
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