ABSTRACT
For many nineteenth-century Germans, the classical Greeks held a position of honour and were inspirational. The Hellenic tradition represented a moral vision and thus had relevance for the whole of German society. The attraction was the clarity to view life in terms of an idealism that could be attained within an established tradition. Thus, the revival of classical Greek antiquity was viewed as part of a developmental process. The progress of the nation was seen as a transformation only possible along essentially classical lines. Among those who promoted this view was Karl Otfried Müller.
