Slavish pursuit of truth at the expense of beauty is a classical mistake

NEWTON'S OPTIC:Murmurings about my presidential credentials completely miss point

IN THE past week certain dark and shadowy forces have conspired to raise a dishonest question. Can Ireland have a president who supports slavery?

However, the references to slavery attributed to me were misleading and do not convey the context in which they were made.

I was engaged in a hypothetical, intellectual and academic discussion about classical Greece. I haven’t the slightest interest in owning slaves myself.

I cannot understand how anyone could find slaves attractive, considering how much they would cost to feed, clothe, insure and so on.

But in terms of classical slavery, as practised by the Greeks for example, where a wealthy older man introduces a younger man to his household, possibly in chains and a loincloth after being captured in a particularly sweaty battle, there is something to be said for it.

In terms of west African experience this is endemic. The Romans did it too, of course, which is ironic considering who’s behind this smear campaign. The Romans were an instrument of evil, as far as I’m concerned, because of their constant, unremitting and ignorant attacks on the ancient Greek community.

Now again slavery is not something that appeals to me, although when I was younger I would have greatly relished the prospect of a mature man taking me under his wing, lovingly introducing me to historical realities, treating me with affection and branding me quickly and exquisitely with a hot iron. Yes, I think that would be lovely. I would have enjoyed that.

You must remember that slaves were not just used for labour in the ancient world. Some even became poets, which was a Greek speciality. The only things they couldn’t enter were gyms, bathhouses and politics, which was a Greek tragedy.

But I think there is complete and utter hysteria over this subject and there is also confusion between slavery and servitude. The Athenians kept slaves but the Spartans treated theirs more like serfs. There was a degree of mutual consent involved, with laws entirely appropriate for the age. I realise it was foolish to engage in an academic discussion about this with a restaurant critic. A business correspondent might have understood it better.

In my opinion, there is a range of slavery. When the State puts its hand in your pocket to pay a teacher, for instance, that is one end of the spectrum.

But then there is another, when you are seized by foreigners and forced to work for nothing for the rest of you life. So I suppose it’s pretty ironic to be talking about Greece here as well.

But the way things are presented it’s almost as if all kinds of slavery were the same and I don’t think they are. I have to tell you this. I think the more the State puts its hand in your pocket the better. In fact, in some instances people are more damaged by the condemnation than by the actual experience. It’s for your own good, you know, and after a while you might even start to like it.

But none of this means I have ever endorsed slavery, even at dinner parties. People should judge me on my record as a public servant, and let me put my hand in your pocket for €325,000 a year.