The crown jewels of American politics rests in the United States Constitution. Following the tradition of such formidable scholars as Alexander Meiklejohn, Harry Kalven, W. W. Crosskey, and Philip Kurland, and drawing heavily on great thinkers from Homer to Aristotle and from Hobbes to Kojève and Strauss, George Anastaplo in his Reflections series discloses the many riches of our founding document (and of the great books). He discovers new treasures and thrusts old nuggets of wisdom into a fascinating, novel light. This volume is a gold mine for explorers into the meaning of prudence regarding war and peace.

J. Harvey Lomax, University of Memphis

This culminating volume of a final series of essays is in many ways the culmination of George Anastaplo’s life’s work. The relevance of the Greek example to the quandaries of our present wars, including the Iraq war, is clearer than ever here, and the plea for reason in moments of passion is stronger than ever. On Sir Christopher Wren’s tomb in St. Paul’s, one of his greatest designs, is a plaque that simply says, Si monumentum requires, circumspice—If you seek a monument, look around you. This book says that about George Anastaplo’s entire life, and also about our own need to rethink our involvement in war and peace and the Constitution.

Wendy Doniger, University of Chicago