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advantageous；　—　yes；　even　indispensable　and　necessary。　These　contingencies　realise　themselves　in

History：　they　involve　a　general　principle　of　a　different　order　from　that　on　which　depends　the

permanence　of　a　people　or　a　State。　This　principle　is　an　essential　phase　in　the　development　of　the

creating　Idea；　of　Truth　striving　and　urging　towards　＇consciousness　of＇　itself。　Historical　men　…

World…Historical　Individuals　…　are　those　in　whose　aims　such　a　general　principle　lies。

§　32

Caesar；　in　danger　of　losing　a　position；　not　perhaps　at　that　time　of　superiority；　yet　at　least　of

equality　with　the　others　who　were　at　the　head　of　the　State；　and　of　succumbing　to　those　who　were

just　on　the　point　of　being　his　enemies；　…　belongs　essentially　to　this　category。　These　enemies　—

who　were　at　the　same　time　pursuing　their　personal　aims　—　had　the　form　of　the　constitution；　and

the　power　conferred　by　an　appearance　of　justice；　on　their　side。　Caesar　was　contending　for　the

maintenance　of　his　position；　honour；　and　safety；　and；　since　the　power　of　his　opponents　included

the　sovereignty　over　the　provinces　of　the　Roman　Empire；　his　victory　secured　for　him　the　conquest

of　that　entire　Empire：　and　he　thus　became　—　though　leaving　the　form　of　the　constitution　—　the

Autocrat　of　the　State。　That　which　secured　for　him　the　execution　of　a　design；　which　in　the　first

instance　was　of　negative　import　—　the　Autocracy　of　Rome；　—　was；　however；　at　the　same　time　an

independently　necessary　feature　in　the　history　of　Rome　and　of　the　world。　It　was　not；　then；　his

private　gain　merely；　but　an　unconscious　impulse　that　occasioned　the　acplishment　of　that　for

which　the　time　was　ripe。　Such　are　all　great　historical　men　—　whose　own　particular　aims　involve

those　large　issues　which　are　the　will　of　the　World…Spirit。　They　may　be　called　Heroes；　inasmuch　as

they　have　derived　their　purposes　and　their　vocation；　not　from　the　calm；　regular　course　of　things；

sanctioned　by　the　existing　order；　but　from　a　concealed　fount　—　one　which　has　not　attained　to

phenomenal；　present　existence；　—　from　that　inner　Spirit；　still　hidden　beneath　the　surface；　which；

impinging　on　the　outer　world　as　on　a　shell；　bursts　it　in　pieces；　because　it　is　another　kernel　than　that

which　belonged　to　the　shell　in　question。　They　are　men；　therefore；　who　appear　to　draw　the　impulse

of　their　life　from　themselves；　and　whose　deeds　have　produced　a　condition　of　things　and　a　plex

of　historical　relations　which　appear　to　be　only　their　interest；　and　their　work。

§　33

Such　individuals　had　no　consciousness　of　the　general　Idea　they　were　unfolding；　while　prosecuting

those　aims　of　theirs；　on　the　contrary；　they　were　practical；　political　men。　But　at　the　same　time　they

were　thinking　men；　who　had　an　insight　into　the　requirements　of　the　time　—　what　was　ripe　for

development。　This　was　the　very　Truth　for　their　age；　for　their　world；　the　species　next　in　order；　so

to　speak；　and　which　was　already　formed　in　the　womb　of　time。　It　was　theirs　to　know　this　nascent

principle；　the　necessary；　directly　sequent　step　in　progress；　which　their　world　was　to　take；　to　make

this　their　aim；　and　to　expend　their　energy　in　promoting　it。　World…historical　men　—　the　Heroes　of　an

epoch　—　must；　therefore；　be　recognised　as　its　clear…sighted　ones；　their　deeds；　their　words　are

the　best　of　that　time。　Great　men　have　formed　purposes　to　satisfy　themselves；　not　others。　Whatever

prudent　designs　and　counsels　they　might　have　learned　from　others；　would　be　the　more　limited　and

inconsistent　features　in　their　career；　for　it　was　they　who　best　understood　affairs；　from　whom

others　lea