Cordoba Summary and Analysis

Cordoba was the capital of the Muslim occupation. The narrator chose to go here first because it held onto its Muslim heritage long after the moors were expelled from Granada. It lies on the right bank of the Guadalquivir River. One of Spain's most famous orators and philosophers was from the area. His name was Lucius Seneca and was a Roman and the "foremost Spaniard that ever lived." He was one of the first to realize that Spaniards have a problem with government in that they don't know how to govern themselves. The narrator finds it amazing that this problem was seen so long ago, and yet nothing has really been done about it. Spain considers itself the leading Catholic nation, and places a lot of pride in Seneca because he seemingly embraced Christianity, though this is not completely accepted or...