"The writings in this volume are the fruit of a lifetime devoted to the study of 'ancients' and 'moderns, ' both poetic and philosophic. Full of insights into foundational texts ranging from Aristotle's Poetics to the Declaration of Independence, they are marked by an admirable clarity of thought and expression and a persistent effort to engage the reader as a fellow thinker. I rejoice that the writings of Laurence Berns are now available in a single volume."--Peter Kalkavage, Tutor, St. John's College and author of The Logic of Desire: An Introduction to Hegel's Phenomenology of SpiritThe essays in Politics, Nature, and Piety take upthe central question of political philosophy: What is the good life, and whatplace do nature, politics, and piety have in that life? "The unity of theessays," Alex Priou writes in his introduction, "lies in the various tensionsexplored: between ancients and moderns, religion and philosophy, magnanimityand prudence, justice and friendship, and, most fundamentally, spiritedness andthe intellect." Laurence Berns proves an excellent guide for beginning one'sstudy of the great books of political philosophy, from Plato to the present.