Podcasts about Iliad

Today's poem comes from Graves' verse/prose rendering of Homer's Iliad, The Anger of Achilles, and highlights the inglorious causes of the Trojan War's glorious climax. Happy reading. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dailypoempod.substack.com/subscribe

Ahead of her new book What's So Great About the Great Books? coming out in April, Naomi Kanakia and I talked about literature from Herodotus to Tony Tulathimutte. We touched on Chaucer, Anglo-Saxon poetry, Scott Alexander, Shakespeare, William James, Helen deWitt, Marx and Engels, Walter Scott, Les Miserables, Jhootha Sach, the Mahabharata, and more. Naomi also talked about some of her working habits and the history and future of the Great Books movement. Naomi, of course, writes Woman of Letters here on Substack.TranscriptHenry Oliver: Today, I am talking with Naomi Kanakia. Naomi is a novelist, a literary critic, and most importantly she writes a Substack called Woman of Letters, and she has a new book coming out, What's So Great About the Great Books? Naomi, welcome.Naomi Kanakia: Thanks for having me on.Oliver: How is the internet changing the way that literature gets discussed and criticized, and what is that going to mean for the future of the Great Books?Kanakia: How is the internet changing it? I can really speak to only how it has changed it for me. I started off as a writer of young adult novels and science fiction, and there's these very active online fan cultures for those two things.I was reading the Great Books all through that time. I started in 2010 through today. In the 2010s, it really felt like there was not a lot of online discussion of classic literature. Maybe that was just me and I wasn't finding it, but it didn't necessarily feel like there was that community.I think because there are so many strong, public-facing institutions that discuss classic literature, like the NYRB, London Review of Books, a lot of journals, and universities, too. But now on Substack, there are a number of blogs—yours, mine, a number of other ones—that are devoted to classic literature. All of those have these commenters, a community of commenters. I also follow bloggers who have relatively small followings who are reading Tolstoy, reading Middlemarch, reading even much more esoteric things.I know that for me, becoming involved in this online culture has given me much more of an awareness that there are many people who are reading the classics on their own. I think that was always true, but now it does feel like it's more of a community.Oliver: We are recording this the day after the Washington Post book section has been removed. You don't see some sort of relationship between the way these literary institutions are changing online and the way the Great Books are going to be conceived of in the future? Because the Great Books came out of a an old-fashioned, saving-the-institutions kind of radical approach to university education. We're now moving into a world where all those old things seem to be going.Kanakia: Yes. I agree. The Great Books began in the University of Chicago and Columbia University. If you look into the history of the movement, it really was about university education and the idea that you would have a common core and all undergraduates would read these books. The idea that the Great Books were for the ordinary person was really an afterthought, at least for Mortimer Adler and those original Great Books guys. Now, the Great Books in the university have had a resurgence that we can discuss, but I do think there's a lot more life and vitality in the kind of public-facing humanities than there has been.I talked to Irina Dumitrescu, who writes for TLS (The Times Literary Supplement), LRB (The London Review of Books), a lot of these places, and she also said the same thing—that a lot of these journals are going into podcasts, and they're noticing a huge interest in the humanities and in the classics even at the same time as big institutions are really scaling back on those things. Humanities majors are dropping, classics majors are getting cut, book coverage at major periodicals is going down. It does seem like there are signals that are conflicting. I don't really know totally what to make of it. I do think there is some relation between those two things.Ted Gioia on Substack is always talking about how culture is stagnant, basically, and one of the symptoms of that is that “back list” really outsells “front list” for books. Even in 2010, 50 percent of the books that were sold were front-list titles, books that had been released in the last 18 months. Now it's something like only 35 percent of books or something like that are front-list titles. These could be completely wrong, but there's been a trend.I think the decrease in interest in front-list books is really what drives the loss of these book-review pages because they mostly review front-list books. So, I think that does imply that there's a lot of interest in old books. That's what our stagnant culture means.Oliver: Why do you think your own blog is popular with the rationalists?Kanakia: I don't know for certain. There was a story I wrote that was a joke. There are all these pop nonfiction books that aim to prove something that seems counterintuitive, so I wrote a parody of one of those where I aim to prove that reading is bad for you. This book has many scientific studies that show the more you read, the worse it is because it makes you very rigid.Scott Alexander, who is the archrationalist, really liked that, and he added me to his blog roll. Because of that, I got a thousand rationalist subscribers. I have found that rationalists at least somewhat interested in the classics. I think they are definitely interested in enduring sources of value. I've observed a fair amount of interest.Oliver: How much of a lay reader are you really? Because you read scholarship and critics and you can just quote John Gilroy in the middle of a piece or something.Kanakia: Yeah. That is a good question. I have definitely gotten more interested in secondary literature. In my book, I really talk about being a lay reader and personally having a nonacademic approach to literature. I do think that, over 15 years of being a lay reader, I have developed a lot of knowledge.I've also learned the kind of secondary literature that is really important. I think having historical context adds a lot and is invaluable. Right now I'm rereading Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. When I first read it in 2010, I hardly knew anything about French history. I was even talking online with someone about how most people who read Les Miserables think it's set in the French Revolution. That's basically because Americans don't really know anything about French history.Everything makes just a lot more sense the more you know about the time because it was written for people in it. For people in 1860s France, who knew everything about their own recent history, that really adds a lot to it. I still don't tend to go that much into interpretive literature, literature that tries to do readings of the stories or tell me the meaning of the stories. I feel like I haven't really gotten that much out of that.Oliver: How long have you been learning Anglo-Saxon?Kanakia: I went through a big Anglo-Saxon phase. That was in 2010. It started because I started reading The Canterbury Tales in Middle English. There is a great app online called General Prologue created by one of your countrymen, Terry Richardson [NB it is Terry Jones], who loved Middle English. In this app, he recites the Middle English of the General Prologue. I started listening to this app, and I thought, I just really love the rhythms and the sounds of Middle English. And it's quite easy to learn. So then, I got really into that.And then I thought, but what about Anglo-Saxon? I'm very bad at languages. I studied Latin for seven years in middle school and high school. I never really got very far, but I thought, Anglo-Saxon has to be the easiest foreign language you can learn, right? So, I got into it.I cannot sight read Anglo-Saxon, but I really got into Anglo-Saxon poetry. I really liked the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Most people probably would not like the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle because it's very repetitive, but that makes it great if you're a language learner because every entry is in this very repetitive structure. I just felt such a connection. I get in trouble when I say this kind of stuff, because I'm never quiet sure if it's 100 percent true. But it's certainly one of the oldest vernacular literatures in Europe. It's just so much older than most of the other medieval literature I've read. And it just was such a window into a different part of history I never knew about.Oliver: And you particularly like “The Dream of the Rood”?Kanakia: Yeah, “The Dream of the Rood” is my favorite Anglo-Saxon poem. “The Dream of the Rood” is a poem that is told from the point of view of Christ's cross. A man is having a dream. In this dream he encounters Christ's cross, and Christ's cross starts reciting to him basically the story of the crucifixion. At the end, the cross is buried. I don't know, it was just so haunting and powerful. Yeah, it was one of my favorites.Oliver: Why do you think Byron is a better poet than Alexander Pope?Kanakia: This is an argument I cannot get into. I think this is coming up because T. S. Eliot felt that Alexander Pope was a great poet because he really exemplified the spirit of the age. I don't know. I've tried to read Pope. It just doesn't do it for me. Whereas with Byron, I read Don Juan and found it entertaining. I enjoyed it. Then, his lyric poetry is just more entertaining to read. With Alexander Pope, I'm learning a lot about what kind of poetry people wrote in the 18th century, but the joy is not there.Oliver: Okay. Can we do a quick fire round where I say the name of a book and you just say what you think of it, whatever you think of it?Kanakia: Sure.Oliver: Okay. The Odyssey.Kanakia: The Odyssey. Oh, I love The Odyssey. It has a very strange structure, where it starts with Telemachus and then there's this flashback in the middle of it. It is much more readable than The Iliad; I'll say that.Oliver: Herodotus.Kanakia: Herodotus is wild. Going into Herodotus, I really thought it was about the Persian war, which it is, but it's mostly a general overview of everything that Herodotus knew, about anything. It's been a long time since I read it. I really appreciate the voice of Herodotus, how human it is, and the accumulation of facts. It was great.Oliver: I love the first half actually. The bit about the Persian war I'm less interested in, but the first half I think is fantastic. I particularly love the Egypt book.Kanakia: Oh yeah, the Egypt book is really good.Oliver: All those like giant beetles that are made of fire or whatever; I can't remember the details, but it's completely…Kanakia: The Greeks are also so fascinated by Egypt. They go down there like what is going on out there? Then, most of what we know about Egypt comes from this Hellenistic period, when the Greeks went to Egypt. Our Egyptian kings list comes from the Hellenistic period where some scholar decided to sort out what everybody was up to and put it all into order. That's why we have such an orderly story about Egypt. That's the story that the Greeks tried to tell themselves.Oliver: Marcus Aurelius.Kanakia: Marcus Aurelius. When I first read The Meditations, which I loved, obviously, I thought, “being the Roman emperor cannot be this hard.” It really was a black pill moment because I thought, “if the emperor of Rome is so unhappy, maybe human power really doesn't do it.”Knowing more about Marcus Aurelius, he did have quite a difficult life. He was at war for most of his—just stuck in the region in Germany for ages. He had various troubles, but yeah, it really was very stoic. It was, oh, I just have to do my duty. Very “heavy is the head that wears the crown” kind of stuff. I thought, “okay, I guess being Roman emperor is not so great.”Oliver: Omar Khayyam.Kanakia: Omar Khayyam. Okay, I've only read The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam by Edward Fitzgerald, which I loved, but I cannot formulate a strong opinion right now.Oliver: As You Like It.Kanakia: No opinions.Oliver: Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson.Kanakia: Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson. I do have an opinion about this, which is that they should make a redacted version of Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson. I normally am not a big believer in abridgements because I feel like whatever is there is there. But, Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson, first of all, has a long portion before Boswell even meets Johnson. That portion drags; it's not that great. Then it has all these like letters that Johnson wrote, which also are not that great. What's really good is when Boswell just reports everything Johnson ever said, which is about half the book. You get a sense of Johnson's conversation and his personality, and that is very gripping. I've definitely thought that with a different presentation, this could still be popular. People would still read this.Oliver: The Communist Manifesto.Kanakia: The Communist Manifesto. It's very stirring. I love The Communist Manifesto. It has very haunting, powerful lines. I won't try to quote from it because I'll misquote them.Oliver: But it is remarkably well written.Kanakia: Oh yeah, it is a great work of literature.Oliver: Yeah.Kanakia: I read Capital [Das Kapital], which is not a great work of literature, and I would venture to say that it is not necessarily worth reading. It really feels like Marx's reputation is built on other political writings like The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte and works like that, which really seem to have a lot more meat on the bone than Capital.Oliver: Pragmatism by William James.Kanakia: Pragmatism. I mean, I've mentioned that in my book. I love William James in general. I think William James was writing in this 19th-century environment where it seemed like some form of skepticism was the only rational solution. You couldn't have any source of value, and he really tried to cut through that with Pragmatism and was like, let's just believe the things that are good to believe. It is definitely at least useful to think, although someone else can always argue with you about what is useful to believe. But, as a personal guide for belief, I think it is still useful.Oliver: Major Barbara by George Bernard Shaw.Kanakia: No strong opinions. It was a long time ago that I read Major Barbara.Oliver: Tell me what you like about James Fenimore Cooper.Kanakia: James Fenimore Cooper. Oh, this is great. I have basically a list of Great Books that I want to read, but four or five years ago, I thought, “what's in all the other books that I know the names of but that are not reputed, are not the kind of books you still read?”That was when I read Walter Scott, who I really love. And I just started reading all kinds of books that were kind of well known but have kind of fallen into literary disfavor. In almost every case, I felt like I got a lot out of these books. So, nowadays when I approach any realm of literature, I always look for those books.In 19th-century American literature, the biggest no-longer-read book is The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper, which was America's first bestseller. He was the first American novelist that had a high reputation in Europe. The Last of the Mohicans is kind of a historical romance, à la Walter Scott, but much more tightly written and much more tightly plotted.Cooper has written five novels, the Leatherstocking Tales, that are all centered around this very virtuous, rough-hewn frontiersman, Natty Bumppo. He has his best friend, Chingachgook, who is the last of the Mohicans. He's the last of his tribe. And the two of these guys are basically very sad and stoic. Chingachgook is distanced from his tribe. Chingachgook has a tribe of Native Americans that he hates—I want to say it's the Huron. He's always like, “they're the bad ones,” and he's always fighting them. Then, Natty Bumppo doesn't really love settled civilization. He's not precisely at war with it, but he does not like the settlers. They're kind of stuck in the middle. They have various adventures, and I just thought it was so haunting and powerful.I've been reading a lot of other 19th-century American literature, and virtually none of it treats Native Americans with this kind of respect. There's a lot of diversity in the Native American characters; there's really an attempt to show how their society works and the various ways that leadership and chiefship works among them. There's this very haunting moment in The Last of the Mohicans, where this aged chief, Tamenund, comes out and starts speaking. This is a chief who, in American mythology, was famous for being a friend to the white people. But, James Fenimore Cooper writing in the 1820s has Tamenund come out at 80 years old and say, “we have to fight; we have to fight the white people. That's our only option.” It was just such a powerful moment and such a powerful book.I was really, really enthused. I read all of these Leatherstocking Tales. It was also a very strange experience to read these books that are generally supposed to be very turgid and boring, and then I read them and was like, “I understand. I'm so transported.” I understand exactly why readers in the 1820s loved this.Oliver: Which Walter Scott books do you like?Kanakia: I love all the Walter Scott books I've read, but the one I liked best was Kenilworth. Have you ever read Kenilworth?Oliver: I don't know that one.Kanakia: Yeah, it's about Elizabeth I, who had a romantic relationship with one of her courtiers.Oliver: The Earl of Essex?Kanakia: Yeah. She really thought they were going to get married, but then it turned out he was secretly married. Basically, I guess the implication is that he killed his wife in order to marry Queen Elizabeth I. It's a novel all about him and that situation, and it just felt very tightly plotted. I really enjoyed it.Oliver: What did you think of Rejection?Kanakia: Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte? Initially when I read this book, I enjoyed it, but I was like, “life cannot possibly be this sad.” It's five or six stories about these people who just have nothing going on. Their lives are so miserable, they can't find anyone to sleep with, and they're just doomed to be alone forever. I was like, “life can't be this bad.” But now thinking back over it, it is one of the most memorable books I've read in the last year. It really sticks with you. I feel like my opinion of this book has gone up a lot in retrospect.Oliver: How antisemitic is the House of Mirth?Kanakia: That is a hotly debated question, which I mentioned in my book. I think there has been a good case made that Edith Wharton, the author of House of Mirth, who was from an old New York family, was herself fairly antisemitic and did not personally like Jewish people. What she portrays in this book is that this old New York society also was highly suspicious of Jewish people and was organized to keep Jewish people out.In this book there is a rich Jewish man, Simon Rosedale, and there's a poor woman, Lily Bart. Lily Bart's main thing is whether she's going to marry the poor guy, Lawrence Selden, or the rich guy, Percy Gryce. She can't choose. She doesn't want to be poor, but she also is always bored by the rich guys. Meanwhile, through the whole book, there's Simon Rosedale, who's always like, “you should marry me.” He's the rich Jewish guy. He's like, “you should marry me. I will give you lots of money. You can do whatever you want.”Everybody else kind of just sees her as a woman and as a wife; he really sees her as an ally in his social climbing. That's his main motivation. The book is relatively clear that he has a kind of respect for her that nobody else does. Then, over the course of the book, she also gains a lot more respect for him. Basically, late in the book, she decides to marry him, but she has fallen a lot in the world. He's like, “that particular deal is not available anymore,” but he does offer her another deal that—although she finds it not to her taste—is still pretty good.He basically is like, “I'll give you some money, you'll figure out how to rehabilitate your reputation, and later down the line, we can figure something out.” So, I think with a great author like Edith Wharton, there's power in these portrayals. I felt it hard to come away from it feeling like the book is like a really antisemitic book.Oliver: Now, you note that the Great Books movement started out as something quite socially aspirational. Do you think it's still like that?Kanakia: I do think so. Yeah. For me, that's 100 percent what it was because I majored in econ. I always felt kind of inadequate as a writer against people who had majored in English. Then I started off as a science fiction writer, young adult writer, and I was like, “I'm going to read all these Great Books and then I'll have read the books that everybody else has read.” In my mind, that's also what it was—that there was some upper crust or literary society that was reading all these Great Books.That's really what did it. I do think there's still an element of aspiration to it because it's a club that you can join, that anyone can join. It's very straightforward to be a Great Books reader, and so I think there's still something there. I think because the Great Books movement has such a democratic quality to it, it actually doesn't get you to the top socially, which has always been the true, always been the case. But, that's okay. As long as you end up higher than where you started, that's fine.Oliver: What makes a book great?Kanakia: I talk about it this in the book, and I go through many different authors' conceptions of what makes a book great or what constitutes a classic. I don't know that anyone has come up with a really satisfying answer. The Horatian formulation from Horace—that a book is great or an author is great if it has lasted for a hundred years—is the one that seems to be the most accurate. Like, any book that's still being read a hundred years after it was written has a greatness.I do think that T. S. Eliott's formulation—that a civilization at its height produces certain literature and that literature partakes of the greatness of the civilization and summarizes the greatness of the civilization—does seem to have some kind of truth to it.But it's hard, right? Because the greatest French novel is In Search of Lost Time, but I don't know that anyone would say that the France in the 1920s was at its height. It's not a prescriptive thing, but it does seem like the way we read many of these Great Books, like Moby Dick, it feels like you're like communing with the entire society that produced it. So, maybe there's something there.Oliver: Now, you've used a list from Clifton Fadiman.Kanakia: Yes.Oliver: Rather than from Mortimer Adler or Harold Bloom or several others. Why this list?Kanakia: Well, the best reason is that it's actually the list I've just been using for the last 15 years. I went to a science fiction convention in 2009, Readercon, and at this science fiction convention was Michael Dirda, who was a Washington Post book critic. He had recently come out with his book, Classics for Pleasure, which I also bought and liked. But he said that the list he had always used was this Clifton Fadiman book. And so when I decided to start reading the Great Books, I went and got that book. I have perused many other lists over time, but that was always the list that seemed best to me.It seemed to have like the best mix. There's considerable variation amongst these lists, but there's also a lot of overlap. So any of these lists is going to have Dickens on it, and Tolstoy, and stuff like that. So really, you're just thinking about, “aside from Dickens and Tolstoy and George Eliot and Walt Whitman and all these people, who are the other 50 authors that you're going be reading?”The Mortimer Adler list is very heavy on philosophy. It has Plotinus on it. It has all these scientific works. I don't know, it didn't speak to me as much. Whereas, this Clifton Fadiman and John Major list has all these Eastern works on it. It has The Tale of Genji, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Story of the Stone, and that just spoke to me a little bit more.Oliver: What modern books will be on a future Great Books list, whether it's from someone alive or someone since the war.Kanakia: Have you ever heard of Robert Caro?Oliver: Sure.Kanakia: Yeah. I think his Lyndon Johnson books are great books. They have changed the field of biography. They're so complete, they seem to summarize an entire era, epoch. They're highly rated, but I feel like they're underrated as literature.What else? I was actually a little bit surprised in this Clifton Fadiman-John Major book, which came out in 1999, that there are not more African Americans in their list. Like, Invisible Man definitely seemed like a huge missed work. You know, it's hard. You would definitely want a book that has undergone enough critical evaluation that people are pretty certain that it is great. A lot of things that are more recent have not undergone that evaluation yet, but Invisible Man has, as have some works by Martin Luther King.Oliver: What about The Autobiography of Malcolm X?Kanakia: I would have to reread. I feel like it hasn't been evaluated much as a literary document.Oliver: Helen DeWitt?Kanakia: It's hard to say. It's so idiosyncratic, The Last Samurai, but it is certainly one of the best novels of the last 25 years.Oliver: Yeah.Kanakia: It is hard to say, because there's nothing else quite like it. But I would love if The Last Samurai was on a list like this; that would be amazing.Oliver: If someone wants to try the Great Books, but they think that those sort of classic 19th-century novels are too difficult—because they're long and the sentences are weird or whatever—what else should they do? Where else should they start?Kanakia: Well, it depends on what they're into, or it depends on their personality type. I think like there are people who like very, very difficult literature. There are people who are very into James Joyce and Proust. I think for some people the cost-benefit is better. If they're going to be pouring over some book for a long time, they would prefer if it was overtly difficult.If they're not like that, then I would say, there are many Great Books that are more accessible. Hemingway is a good one and Grapes of Wrath is wonderful. The 19th-century American books tend to be written in a very different register than the English books. If you read Moby Dick, it feels like it's written in a completely different language than Charles Dickens, even though they're writing essentially at the same time.Oliver: Is there too much Freud on the list that you've used?Kanakia: Maybe. I know that Interpretation of Dreams is on that list, which I've tried to read and have decided life is too short. I didn't really buy it, but I have read a fair amount of Freud. My impression of Freud was always that I would read Freud and somehow it would just seem completely fanciful or far out, like wouldn't ring true. But then when I started reading Freud, it was more the opposite. I was like, oh yeah, this seems very, very true.Like this battle between like the id and the ego and the super ego, and this feeling that like the psyche is at war with itself. Human beings really desire to be singular and exceptional, but then you're constantly under assault by the reality principle, which is that you're insignificant. That all seemed completely true. But then he tries to cure this somehow, which does not seem a curable problem. And he also situates the problem in some early sexual development, which also did not necessarily ring true. But no, I wouldn't say there's too much. Freud is a lot of fun. People should read Freud.Oliver: Which of the Great Books have you really not liked?Kanakia: I do get asked this quite a bit. I would say the Great Book that I really felt like—at least in translation—was not that rewarding in an unabridged version was Don Quixote. Because at least half the length of Don Quixote is these like interpolated novellas that are really long and tedious. I felt Don Quixote was a big slog. But maybe someday I'll go back and reread it and love it. Who knows?Oliver: Now you wrote that the question of biography is totally divorced from the question of what art is and how it operates. What do you think of George Orwell's supposition that if Shakespeare came back tomorrow, and we found out he used to rape children that we should—we would not say, you know, it's fine to carry on to doing that because he might write another King Lear.Kanakia: Well, if we discovered that Shakespeare was raping children, he should go to prison for that. No. It's totally divorced in both senses. You don't get any credit in the court of law because you are the writer of King Lear. If I murdered someone and then I was hauled in front of a judge and they were like, oh, Naomi's a genius, I wouldn't get off for murder. Nor should I get off for murder.So in terms of like whether we would punish Shakespeare for his crime of raping children, I don't think King Lear should count at all, but it's never used that way. It's never should someone go to prison or not for their crimes, because they're a genius. It's always used the other way, which is should we read King Lear knowing that the author raped children, but I also feel like that is immaterial. If you read King Lear, you're not enabling someone to rape children.Oliver: There's an almost endless amount of discussion these days about the Great Books and education and the value of the humanities, and what's the future of it all. What is your short opinion on that?Kanakia: My short opinion is that the Great Books at least are going to be fine. The Great Books will continue to be read, and they would even survive the university. All these books predate the university and they will survive the university. I feel like the university has stewarded literature in its own way for a while now and has made certain choices in that stewardship. I think if that stewardship was given up to more voluntary associations that had less financial support, then I think the choices would probably be very different. But I still think the greatest works would survive.Oliver: Now this is a quote from the book: “I am glad that reactionaries love the Great Books. They've invited a Trojan horse into their own camp.” Tell us what you mean by that.Kanakia: Let's say you believed in Christian theocracy, that you thought America should be organized on explicitly Christian principles. And because you believe in Christian theocracy, you organize a school that teaches the Great Books. Many of these schools that are Christian schools that have Great Books programs will also teach Nietzsche. They definitely put some kind of spin on Nietzsche. But they will teach anti-Christ, and that is a counterpoint to Christian morality and Christian theology. There are many things that you'll read in the Great Books that are corrosive to various kinds of certainties.If someone who I think is bad starts educating themselves in the Great Books, I don't think that the Great Books are going to make them worse from my perspective. So it's good.Oliver: How did reading the Mahabharata change you?Kanakia: Oh yeah, so the Mahabharata is a Hindu epic from, let's say, the first century AD. I'm Indian and most Indians are familiar with the basic outline of the Mahabharata story because it's told in various retellings, and there's a TV serial that my parents would rent from the Indian store growing up and we would watch it tape by tape. So I'm very familiar with it. Like there's never been a time I have not known this story.But I was also familiar with the idea that there is a written version in Sanskrit that's extremely long. It is 10 times as long as the Iliad and the Odyssey combined. This Mahabharata story is not that long. I've read a version of it that's about 800 pages long. So how could something that's 10 times this long be the same? A new unabridged translation came out 10 years ago. So I started reading it, and it basically contains the entire Sanskrit Vedic worldview in it.I had never been exposed to this very coherently laid-out version of what I would call Hindu cosmology and ethics. Hindus don't really get taught those things in a very organized way. The book is basically about dharma, the principle of rightness and how this principle of rightness orders the universe and how it basically results in everybody getting their just deserts in various ways. As I was reading the book, I was like, this seems very true that there is some cosmic rebalancing here, and that everything does turn out more or less the way it should, which is not something that I can defend on a rational level.But just reading the book, it just made me feel like, yes, that is true. There is justice, the universe is organized by justice. It took me about a year to read the whole thing. I started waking up at 5:00 a.m. and reading for an hour each morning, and it just was a really magical, profound experience that brought me a lot closer to my grandmother's religious beliefs.Oliver: Is it ever possible to persuade someone with arguments that they should read literature, or is it just something that they have to have an inclination toward and then follow someone's example? Because I feel like we have so many columns and op-eds and “books are good because of X reason, and it's very important because of Y reason.” And like, who cares? No one cares. If you are persuaded, you take all that very seriously and you argue about what exactly are the precise reasons we should say. And if you're not persuaded, you don't even know this is happening.And what really persuades you is like, oh, Naomi sounds pretty compelling about the Mahabharata. That sounds cool. I'll try that. It's much more of a temperamental, feelingsy kind of thing. Is it possible to argue people into thinking about this differently? Or should we just be doing what we do and setting an example and hoping that people will follow.Kanakia: As to whether it's possible or not, I do not know. But I do think these columns are too ambitious. A thousand-word column and the imagined audience for this column is somebody who doesn't read books at all, who doesn't care about literature at all. And then in a thousand-word column, you're going to persuade them to care about literature. This is no good. It's so unnecessary.Whereas there's a much broader range of people who love to read books, but have never picked up Moby Dick or have never picked up Middlemarch, or who like maybe loved Middlemarch, but never thought maybe I should then go on and read Jane Austen and George Eliot.I think trying to shift people from “I don't read books at all; reading books is not something I do,” to being a Great Books card-carrying lover of literature is a lot. I really aim for a much lower result than that, which is to whatever extent people are interested in literature, they should pursue that interest. And as the rationalists would say, there's a lot of alpha in that; there's a lot to be gained from converting people who are somewhat interested into people who are very interested.Oliver: If there was a more widespread practice of humanism in education and the general culture, would that make America into a more liberal country in any way?Kanakia: What do you mean by humanism?Oliver: You know, the old-fashioned liberal arts approach, the revival of the literary journal culture, the sort of depolitical approach to literature, the way things used to be, as it were.Kanakia: It couldn't hurt. It couldn't hurt is my answer to that question.Oliver: Okay.Kanakia: What you're describing is basically the way I was educated. I went to Catholic school in DC at St. Anselm's Abbey School, in Northeast, DC, grade school. Highly recommend sending your little boys there. No complaints about the school. They talked about humanism all the time and all these civic virtues. I thought it was great. I don't know what people in other schools learn, but I really feel like it was a superior way of teaching.Now, you know, it was Catholic school, so a lot of people who graduated from my school are conservatives and don't really have the beliefs that I have, but that's okay.Oliver: Tell us about your reading habits.Kanakia: I read mostly ebooks. I really love ebooks because you can make the type bigger. I just read all the time. They vary. I don't wake up at 5:00 a.m. to read anymore. Sometimes if I feel like I'm not reading enough—because I write this blog, and the blog doesn't get written unless I'm reading. That's the engine, and so sometimes I set aside a day each week to read. But generally, the reading mostly takes care of itself.What I tend to get is very into a particular thing, and then I'll start reading more and more in that area. Recently, I was reading a lot of New Yorker stories. So I started reading more and more of these storywriters that have been published in the New Yorker and old anthologies of New Yorker stories. And then eventually I am done. I'm tired. It's time to move on.Oliver: But do you read several books at once? Do you make notes? Do you abandon books? How many hours a day do you read?Kanakia: Hours a day: Because my e-reader keeps these stats, I'd say 15 or 20 hours a week of reading. Nowadays because I write for the blog, I often think as I'm reading how I would frame a post about this. So I look for quotes, like what quote I would look at. I take different kinds of notes. I'll make more notes if I'm more confused by what is going on. Especially with nonfiction books, I'll try sometimes to make notes just to iron out what exactly I think is happening or what I think the argument is. But no, not much of a note taker.Oliver: What will you read next?Kanakia: What will I read next? Well, I've been thinking about getting back into Indian literature. Right now I'm reading Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. But there's an Indian novel called Jhootha Sach, which is a partition novel that is originally in Hindi. And it's also a thousand pages long, and is frequently compared to Les Miserables and War and Peace. So I'm thinking about tackling that finally.Oliver: Naomi Kanakia, thank you very much.Kanakia: Thanks for having me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.commonreader.co.uk

Evénements Vidéo du webinar The energetic challenges of fault-tolerant quantum computers, avec Olivier Ezratty et Yasser Omar de PQI et Quantum Green Computinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnfffiJYuvk Conférence Quantique à Ecole NavaleL'école navale organisait sa Journée des Sciences Navales dans ses locaux à Lanvéoc au sud de la rade de Brest. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Vigilant_(S618) La France dans les EmiratsVisite à Abu Dhabi, dans le cadre de journées France-Emirats. https://sorbonne.ae/fr/national-strategies-and-international-cooperation-in-the-quantum-domainhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/barbaresco_france-uae-quantum-collaboration-national-activity-7424442854778867712-sfDo/ Chaire de Pascale Senellart au Collège de Francehttps://www.college-de-france.fr/fr/agenda/cours/technologies-quantiques-emergentes/processeurs-quantiques-photoniqueshttps://www.college-de-france.fr/fr/agenda/cours/technologies-quantiques-emergentes/processeurs-quantiques-bases-atomeshttps://www.college-de-france.fr/fr/agenda/seminaire/technologies-quantiques-emergentes/assembler-la-matiere-quantique-atome-par-atomehttps://www.college-de-france.fr/fr/agenda/cours/technologies-quantiques-emergentes/vibrations-et-technologies-quantiqueshttps://www.college-de-france.fr/fr/agenda/seminaire/technologies-quantiques-emergentes/how-does-quantum-object-gravitate La chaire se conclura par un colloque du 16 avril d'une journée sur la photonique quantique.https://www.college-de-france.fr/fr/agenda/colloque/technologies-quantiques-base-de-lumiere Séminaire MEDEF LyonOrganisé à Lyon par MEDEF Lyon-Rhône et le Hub Quantique du CEA. A venirConférence de Daniel Esteve à Bordeaux le 2 marshttps://www.sfphysique.fr/evenement/prix-nobel-de-physique-2025-aux-debuts-du-domaine-des-circuits-electriques-quantiques-supraconducteurs/Evénement Devoxx en avril 2026 avec Fanny, Olivier, Sébastien Marie de Matmut et Alice&Bob. https://www.devoxx.fr/Conférence développeurs Nvidia le 16 mars 2026. https://www.nvidia.com/gtc/sessions/quantum-computing/ Nuit du quantique organisée à la Cité des Sciences le 30 mars à la Cité des Sciences le 31 mars à 18h. https://www.sfphysique.fr/evenement/nuit-du-quantique-a-paris/ France Quobly et SealsqLa période de discussion exclusive entre les deux sociétés s'est achevée mi-février.https ://www-sealsq-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.sealsq.com/investors/news-releases/sealsq-strengthens-its-quantum-made-in-usa-strategy-with-an-additional-strategic-investment-in-eeroq Et partenariat avec Entropica Labs à Singapour.https://quobly.io/news/quobly-and-entropica-labs-sign-strategic-mou-in-singapore-to-advance-fault-tolerant-quantum-computing/ PasqalIls annoncent une levée de fonds en cours de 200M€. Et aussi l'installation d'un QPU analogique en Italie à Cineca.https://thequantuminsider.com/2026/02/19/pasqal-in-talks-to-raise-e200m-at-unicorn-valuation-bloomberg-reports/https://thequantuminsider.com/2026/02/17/pasqal-neutral-atom-qpu-italy/ Scaleways et AQTL'opérateur de cloud du groupe Iliad propose l'accès à un QPU de 12 qubits de l'Autrichien Alpine Quantum Technologies via Qiskit. https://thequantuminsider.com/2026/02/19/aqt-and-scaleway-launch-european-quantum-cloud-access/https://www.scaleway.com/en/docs/quantum-computing/how-to/use-aqt-qpus/ Chaire quantique à Clermont-FerrandL'lSIMA de Clermont-Ferrand, sous la houlette de Philippe Lacomme que nous avions évoqué lors du précédent podcast, lance une chaire sur l'informatique quantique avec l'aide de CGI, Bull et Michelin. La chaire a vocation a faire le lien entre la pédagogie et la recherche. Elle est soutenue par deux laboratoires, le LIMOS et le LPCA et par l'lSIMA Clermont-Ferrand.https://www.linkedin.com/posts/philippe-lacomme-616a2b130_accueil-chaire-quantique-activity-7429178723154894848-2zAnA quantum feasibility preserving modeling for the min cut problem by Ali Abbassi, Yann Dujardin, Eric Gourdin, Philippe Lacomme, and Caroline Prodhon, arXiv, February 2026  Vidéo de Sabine Hossenfelder« The Quantum Computer Dream is Falling Apart ».  https://youtu.be/N-9muK0mv5w Quantonation finit sa levée de fonds

Episode 89 From An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope  Mark McGuinness reads and discusses an excerpt from Epistle II of An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope. https://media.blubrry.com/amouthfulofair/media.blubrry.com/amouthfulofair/content.blubrry.com/amouthfulofair/89_From_An_Essay_on_Man_by_Alexander_Pope.mp3 Poet Alexander Pope Reading and commentary by Mark McGuinness From An Essay on Man Epistle II By Alexander Pope Know then thyself, presume not God to scan;The proper study of mankind is man.Placed on this isthmus of a middle state,A being darkly wise, and rudely great:With too much knowledge for the sceptic side,With too much weakness for the stoic's pride,He hangs between; in doubt to act, or rest;In doubt to deem himself a god, or beast;In doubt his mind or body to prefer;Born but to die, and reasoning but to err;Alike in ignorance, his reason such,Whether he thinks too little, or too much:Chaos of thought and passion, all confused;Still by himself abused, or disabused;Created half to rise, and half to fall;Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all;Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurled:The glory, jest, and riddle of the world! Go, wondrous creature! mount where science guides,Go, measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides;Instruct the planets in what orbs to run,Correct old time, and regulate the sun;Go, soar with Plato to th' empyreal sphere,To the first good, first perfect, and first fair;Or tread the mazy round his followers trod,And quitting sense call imitating God;As Eastern priests in giddy circles run,And turn their heads to imitate the sun.Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule –Then drop into thyself, and be a fool!   Podcast Transcript In the early 18th century, Alexander Pope's poetry was known to every cultured person in England. He was a fashionable, successful, wealthy writer and the preeminent poet of his age. He was also a canny businessman who published his translations of Homer via subscription, an early form of crowdfunding, and they sold so well he built himself, an extravagantly large villa in Twickenham – and its famous subterranean grotto still exists today. His political satires were so sharp and topical that he was rumoured to carry a pair of loaded pistols when going for a walk, in case one of his targets took violent exception. Phrases from his poetry are still proverbial: ‘hope springs eternal', ‘Fools rush in where angels fear to tread', ‘a little learning is a dangerous thing', ‘To err is human; to forgive divine', ‘What oft was thought but ne'er so well expressed', and also the title of the movie, ‘eternal sunshine of the spotless mind'. But these days, Pope has really fallen out of fashion. He's seen as archaic and artificial. In an age when formal poetry is out of fashion, for many people he represents the worst kind of formal poetry: his very regular metre and full rhymes sound clunky to our ears. His rhyming couplets are undoubtedly clever, but that's part of the problem, because these days we associate poetry with emotions and self-expression, so cleverness is seen as a little suspect and somehow inauthentic. And I'll be honest, for a long time, I had that image of Pope. He represented everything the Romantics rebelled against at the end of the 18th century, and as a young poet I was on the side of the Romantics, so I had no interest in Pope. However, a few years ago, I challenged myself to have another look at his work, and what I discovered was a really sharp and thought-provoking and witty and formidably skilful poet, who in certain moods, is an absolute pleasure to read. And he doesn't fit every mood, but then there aren't many poets who do. So turning to today's poem, An Essay on Man is one of Pope's major works, it's about 1,300 lines long. As the title suggests it's a meditation on the nature of what he called mankind, and we call humankind, we have to make allowance for the historic focus on the male as representative of the species. It's also a didactic poem, he's not just reflecting on the subject, he is telling us what we should think about it. Which again, is a deeply unfashionable stance for poets these days, at least when they are on the side of a conservative or establishment position. And he does this in the form of a series of verse epistles, verse letters, which are addressed to Henry St John, Viscount Bolingbroke. The epistle form also means that the poem addresses the reader in a very direct manner, as you would expect in a letter. His basic stance, which we find in many of his poems, is of a reasonable man writing for a group of like-minded people, trying to establish some sort of common sense, shared ideas and principles, in a world where these need to be debated and defined and defended. This was the world of the coffee house and the salon, where people came together to debate, sometimes in very robust fashion. It came to be known as the Augustan age in English literature, by comparison with the satirical and political poetry of the age of Augustus Caesar. OK looking more closely at the poem itself, the excerpt I just read is from the second Epistle, and one of the first things we notice is what Milton would have called the ‘jingling' rhymes: Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man. Placed on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise, and rudely great: With too much knowledge for the sceptic side, With too much weakness for the stoic’s pride, It's pretty unmistakeable isn't it? One pair of rhymes after another. And in case you're wondering, yes, these rhyming couplets do go on all the way through the poem, and indeed all the way through most of Pope's work. And not just in Pope: for over a century, from about 1650 to 1780, this was a hugely popular verse form. They are known as heroic couplets because they are associated with epic narrative poems, such as John Dryden's translations of Virgil and Pope's translations of Homer. Each line is in iambic pentameter, the familiar ti TUM ti TUM ti TUm ti TUM ti TUM, with two lines next to each other forming couplets, and the poem proceeding with one couplet after another. The form can be traced back to Chaucer, who used rhyming couplets for many of his narrative poems. But by the time of Dryden and Pope it had evolved into a tighter couplet form, described as closed couplets, meaning that they were typically self contained, with a sentence, or a discrete part of a sentence, beginning and ending inside the couplet. For instance: Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man. That stands on its own as a single thought, a unit of sense, ending with a full stop. And the full rhyme of ‘scan' and ‘man' means the couplet snaps shut at the end – this is the closed couplet effect we associate with heroic couplets. In the next couplet he introduces the idea of man as a creature of ‘middle state': Placed on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise, and rudely great: And then another couplet elaborates on the sense of being pulled in different directions: With too much knowledge for the sceptic side, With too much weakness for the stoic's pride, So the poem proceeds one unit of sense at a time. The couplets are like Lego bricks, and Pope used them to build just about anything he wanted: literary and philosophical discourse here in the Essay on Man and in his Essay on Criticism; mock-heroic social comedy in The Rape of the Lock; actual epic in his translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey; and satire in The Dunciad. It's easy to see how this could become monotonous, and in the work of most poets of the time, it did. But Pope's great achievement was to take this established form and perfect it, sticking very strictly to the formal pattern, while varying the syntax, the grammatical patterns, with great subtlety and complexity, to keep the reader on their toes. Let's take another look at the first couplet. Notice the little pause in the middle of the first line, after ‘thyself': Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; This divides the line into two parts, conveying the dramatic tension in Pope's argument: he's saying that humans are ambitious for knowledge, they want to ‘scan' God, to examine him, but they should really focus on self-knowledge. This tension between opposites is known as antithesis, it's a rhetorical pattern we looked at back in episode 58 about one of Sir Philip Sidney's sonnets, and it's very common in Pope. And the tension is resolved in the next line, which is all one phrase, with no pause: The proper study of mankind is man. Have another listen to the couplet, to hear how the tension is established and then released: Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man. So when all of this comes together, the tension and release, the regular rhythm of the metre and the full rhymes clinching the couplet, it has the effect of making the words sound truer than true. The following couplet picks up on the antithesis, and extends it into paradox: Placed on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise, and rudely great: An isthmus is a narrow strip of land between two bodies of water, so standing on it, you could easily feel precarious and threatened. ‘Darkly wise' means ‘dimly wise', possessing a little knowledge, but not enough for full understanding. And ‘rudely great' means ‘powerful but coarse and unfinished'. And I think we can recognise what Pope is saying from our own experience – that sense of knowing enough to know how little we really know; of having great potential, but struggling to fulfil it. And isn't it delightful how Pope compresses all those feelings into these neat little paradoxes: ‘darkly wise and rudely great'. In another famous line, he describes true eloquence as ‘What oft was thought but ne'er so well expressed', which is exactly what he achieves here. We can also note that ‘darkly wise' and ‘rudely great' are not only antitheses expressed as paradoxes, they are also an example of another rhetorical pattern: parallelism, where similar structures are repeated with variation. In this case ‘darkly' and ‘rudely' are both adverbs and ‘wise' and ‘great' are both adjectives, so grammatically they are identical, which suggests both similarity and difference in mankind's relationship to knowledge and power. The next couplet uses a more elaborate parallelism: With too much knowledge for the sceptic side, With too much weakness for the stoic's pride, So both lines say ‘With too much something for the something else'. It's hard to miss the pattern, isn't it? And notice how the couplet form is perfect for laying out two ideas that seem to counterbalance each other perfectly. So we're only six lines in and Pope has put his finger on a central conundrum in human existence, and conveyed it with at least three rhetorical patterns nested inside each other – antithesis, paradox and parallelism. Not only that, he's handled the metre and rhyme with great skill, wrapping each thought up in the neat little bow of a rhyming couplet. And if your mind is starting to boggle, welcome to the world of Pope's verse: elegant, authoritative and very, very clever. When we look closely, there's a lot going on inside every single couplet. He's like a watchmaker, working at a tiny scale, making an instrument with great precision and balance, that keeps perfect time, and chimes beautifully. And Pope's contemporaries would have found it easier to follow the sense than we do, because they were used to reading this kind of stuff. But I'm sure the poetry would often have given them pause, even if only for a moment, as they read. And my guess is that they would have enjoyed this slight difficulty, and the pleasure of making out the sense, with the little dopamine hit of understanding. Like unwrapping a sweet before you can pop it in your mouth and taste it. So I hope we're starting to see why Pope is the undisputed master of the heroic couplet. Even T. S. Eliot had to admit defeat, when he wrote a passage in this style for The Waste Land, only for Ezra Pound to point out tactfully that he couldn't compete with Pope, and draw the red pencil through it. But the form is more than simply one couplet after another. When he stacks them together, they create verse paragraphs, longer units of thought, that function very like paragraphs in prose. So having established the idea of man caught between opposing forces, he goes on to elaborate on the theme to dazzling effect: He hangs between; in doubt to act, or rest; In doubt to deem himself a god, or beast; In doubt his mind or body to prefer; Born but to die, and reasoning but to err; Alike in ignorance, his reason such, Whether he thinks too little, or too much: The couplets are individually brilliant, and cumulatively overwhelming, both in terms of the mental effort required to tease out their meanings, and the tension between action and inaction, divine and bestial impulses, mind and body, birth and death, reason and error. And I think that's why I find this line so funny: Whether he thinks too little, or too much: It feels like he's throwing his arms up and laughing and admitting that he's overthinking it all. The verse paragraph ends with three more couplets, where he sums up the nature of man: Chaos of thought and passion, all confused; Still by himself abused, or disabused; Created half to rise, and half to fall; Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all; Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurled: The glory, jest, and riddle of the world! Although Pope is describing a ‘chaos of thought', his own thinking is always sharp, however convoluted his argument becomes. So he sticks to the themes of power and knowledge, undercutting man's pretension by saying he is ‘Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all', and ‘Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurled'. And he ends this paragraph with another rhetorical device, the tricolon, which uses three parallel elements to build to a conclusion: The glory, jest, and riddle of the world! We're familiar with this pattern in famous quotes from Julius Caesar, ‘I came, I saw, I conquered', the US Declaration of Independence, ‘Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness', and Shakespeare: ‘Friends, Romans, countrymen!' Here, Pope uses it with typical precision, since if someone is both the ‘glory… of the world' and it's ‘jest', i.e. the butt of its jokes, then that makes that person a ‘riddle': The glory, jest, and riddle of the world! So this sums up the nature of man, and sets up the jesting irony of the next verse paragraph: Go, wondrous creature! mount where science guides, Go, measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides; Instruct the planets in what orbs to run, Correct old time, and regulate the sun; If this were the start of the poem, we might be forgiven for taking Pope's words at face value, but in the light of what has gone before, it's pretty clear that ‘wondrous creature' is a mocking criticism. He was writing this in an age where Newtonian physics was in the ascendancy and people were full of enthusiasm about the new discoveries in science and the possibility of understanding and mastering the physical world. And given that we are still living in a so-called age of reason, I think his criticisms of scientific overreach are still relevant, and the joke is still funny, when he talks about instructing the planets in what orbits to follow, correcting time and regulating the sun. As if measuring were full understanding, let alone complete power. But Pope doesn't confine his criticism to scientists. He also has philosophers in his sight: Go, soar with Plato to th' empyreal sphere, To the first good, first perfect, and first fair; Or tread the mazy round his followers trod, And quitting sense call imitating God; He clearly doesn't have a lot of time for Plato's first principles. Neither is he impressed by the contemporary vogue for what we would call Orientalism: As Eastern priests in giddy circles run, And turn their heads to imitate the sun. It's possible that he had in mind the whirling dervishes of Persia, or maybe this is just a caricature of his idea of ‘Eastern priests'. So obviously this is a joke that hasn't aged so well. OK he ends this verse paragraph with a final jab, which restates the idea from the opening couplet in bluntly comic fashion: Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule – Then drop into thyself, and be a fool! It's hard to imagine a more apt image of intellectual presumption than trying to teach Eternal Wisdom a thing or two, but just in case we miss the point, Pope rams it home with relish: Then drop into thyself, and be a fool! And this is another characteristic aspect of Augustan poetry, particularly the satirical kind, that it can be very crude and direct, with a passage of sophisticated argument followed by a line or two where the mask drops and the insult is laid bare. And no, it's not big or clever, but let's face it, sometimes it can be deeply satisfying. One more little detail, which I can't help wondering about: notice how both of these couplets, conveying the same basic idea in very different tones, both hinge on the word ‘thyself': Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man. Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule – Then drop into thyself, and be a fool! So that word ‘thyself' could be used to refer to various individuals, and knowing Pope, I wouldn't be surprised if he intended all of them at once. Firstly, the phrasing sounds proverbial, in which case each couplet is an injunction to mankind at large. Secondly, it could refer to the reader, any reader, of the poem, whether Viscount Bolingbroke, an 18th-century wit, or you and me, reading the poem together on this podcast. It could also refer to the specific targets of Pope's criticism, such as the overreaching scientists or philosophers. I think Pope may also have had in mind a target nearer to home: himself. W. B. Yeats wrote in one of his essays, ‘We make out of the quarrel with others, rhetoric, but of the quarrel with ourselves, poetry'. And it's entirely possible that Pope is doing both at once: we've seen the brilliance of his rhetoric, in puncturing the pretensions of his fellow men and women. Yet by making poetry as well as rhetoric, he is arguably arguing with himself as well. It was of course be entirely right and proper and expected for a Christian such as Pope to admonish himself as well as others, for the many and various sins he describes in An Essay on Man. So from a moral viewpoint, I think I'm on pretty safe ground in suggesting that ‘thyself' includes Pope. But I would go further, and say that the idea of a brilliant mind that is not quite brilliant enough to fully understand itself may have been a deeply personal subject for Pope. Because what we have here is an extremely clever warning about taking cleverness to extremes. Maybe the irony was not lost on Pope. As he wrote in another poem, An Essay on Criticism, ‘A little learning is a dangerous thing'. So perhaps as we hear this passage again, and enjoy the sparkling wit and scurrilous attacks on others, we can also detect a note of self-reflection, and self-accusation, that makes it a little more poignant than it first appears. From An Essay on Man Epistle II By Alexander Pope Know then thyself, presume not God to scan;The proper study of mankind is man.Placed on this isthmus of a middle state,A being darkly wise, and rudely great:With too much knowledge for the sceptic side,With too much weakness for the stoic's pride,He hangs between; in doubt to act, or rest;In doubt to deem himself a god, or beast;In doubt his mind or body to prefer;Born but to die, and reasoning but to err;Alike in ignorance, his reason such,Whether he thinks too little, or too much:Chaos of thought and passion, all confused;Still by himself abused, or disabused;Created half to rise, and half to fall;Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all;Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurled:The glory, jest, and riddle of the world! Go, wondrous creature! mount where science guides,Go, measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides;Instruct the planets in what orbs to run,Correct old time, and regulate the sun;Go, soar with Plato to th' empyreal sphere,To the first good, first perfect, and first fair;Or tread the mazy round his followers trod,And quitting sense call imitating God;As Eastern priests in giddy circles run,And turn their heads to imitate the sun.Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule –Then drop into thyself, and be a fool!   Alexander Pope Alexander Pope was an English poet and translator who was born in 1688 and died in 1744. As a Catholic he was barred from university and public office, so he educated himself and forged a brilliant literary career, becoming the leading poet of Augustan England, celebrated for his razor-sharp satire and polished heroic couplets. Early success came with An Essay on Criticism and The Rape of the Lock, followed by monumental translations of Homer that made him financially independent. His later works, including The Dunciad, attacked dullness and corruption. In An Essay on Man, he explored human nature, providence, and moral order with epigrammatic clarity. He lived at Twickenham, where he created a famous garden and grotto.   A Mouthful of Air – the podcast This is a transcript of an episode of A Mouthful of Air – a poetry podcast hosted by Mark McGuinness. New episodes are released every other Tuesday. You can hear every episode of the podcast via Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts or your favourite app. You can have a full transcript of every new episode sent to you via email. The music and soundscapes for the show are created by Javier Weyler. Sound production is by Breaking Waves and visual identity by Irene Hoffman. A Mouthful of Air is produced by The 21st Century Creative, with support from Arts Council England via a National Lottery Project Grant. Listen to the show You can listen and subscribe to A Mouthful of Air on all the main podcast platforms Related Episodes From An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope Episode 89 From An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope Mark McGuinness reads and discusses an excerpt from Epistle II of An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope.Poet Alexander PopeReading and commentary by Mark McGuinnessFrom An Essay on Man Epistle II By Alexander Pope Know... Occupied by Tim Rich Episode 88 Occupied by Tim Rich  Tim Rich reads ‘Occupied' and discusses the poem with Mark McGuinness.This poem is from: Dark Angels: Three Contemporary PoetsAvailable from: Dark Angels is available from: The publisher: Paekakariki Press Amazon: UK... Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold Episode 87 Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold  Mark McGuinness reads and discusses ‘Dover Beach' by Matthew Arnold.Poet Matthew ArnoldReading and commentary by Mark McGuinnessDover Beach By Matthew Arnold The sea is calm tonight.The tide is full, the moon lies...

John Maytham speaks to Alan Committie, the acclaimed comedian and actor, about what drew him to this retelling, the challenges of performing Homer’s epic in a contemporary context, and what audiences can expect from this unforgettable theatrical experience. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The war rages on as the soldiers of Troy keep the Greeks on the backfoot, but can some help from an unexpected god turn the tides? Find out this week!

The Iliad brought to life without a script and without a net by performance storyteller Jay Leeming. www.JayLeeming.com

The legendary ancient Greek poet, Homer, is a key source to our understanding of the Bronze Age Collapse, but did a single genius named Homer even exist? How could sophisticated poems like The Iliad and The Odyssey survive a "Dark Age" where even writing was destroyed? And what can the depiction of Greek gods in these poems tell us about religion at the time?  William and Anita are joined by Simon Goldhill, Professor in Greek Literature and Culture at King's College, Cambridge, to discuss whether Homer wrote History… Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com  For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/EMPIRE. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Editor: Bruno Di Castri Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stephen Fry joins William and Anita to discuss how Greek Myths have shaped our understanding of the Bronze Age Collapse.  Was the Trojan Horse real? What can we learn about the end of ancient civilisations through The Odyssey and The Iliad? How much truth lies within the story of the Trojan War, and where is the real archaeological site of Troy today?  Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com  For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Editor: Bruno Di Castri Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whitney White is a theatrical powerhouse. A director, writer, actor, and musician, White's work has been seen on Broadway, Off Broadway, and at major institutions including The Public Theater, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and, most recently, the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her projects include Jaja's African Hair Braiding, The Last Five Years, Macbeth in Stride, and By The Queen, which was featured in the Folger's 2025 Reading Room Festival. In this episode, White discusses All Is But Fantasy, her four-play musical cycle created for the RSC, where it's now receiving its world premiere. The high-energy, gig-theater show investigates Shakespeare's women and ambition, focusing on Lady Macbeth, Emilia, Juliet, and Richard III. Each piece combines performance with original music, using sound and rhythm as a way into the text and as a tool for rethinking these characters whose inner lives are often cut short or overlooked. White reflects on why Shakespeare's women so often meet tragic ends, how those stories continue to feel familiar, and what it means to keep staging them now. She considers the ways that music, performance, and adaptation can help us better understand Shakespeare today. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published February 10, 2026. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica, with Garland Scott serving as executive producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. Technical support was provided by Melvin Rickarby in Stratford, England, and Voice Trax West in Studio City, California. Web production was handled by Paola García Acuña. Transcripts are edited by Leonor Fernandez. Final mixing services were provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc. Whitney White is an Obie and Lily Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated director, actor, and musician, celebrated for her bold, innovative storytelling across both Broadway and off-Broadway. She recently received the Drama League's 2025 Founders Award for Excellence in Directing and an Obie Award for Sustained Achievement in Directing. All Is But Fantasy, White's four-part musical exploration of Shakespeare's women and ambition, commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, marks her RSC debut as a writer, director, and actor. The two-part high-energy gig theater show is receiving its world premiere at The Other Place in Stratford-upon-Avon in January and February 2026. White's other directing credits on Broadway include The Last Five Years and Jaja's African Hair Braiding, off-Broadway credits include Liberation, Walden, Jordan's, Soft, On Sugarland, What to Send Up When It Goes Down, Our Dear Drug Lord, and For All the Women Who Thought They Were Mad. She recently opened Saturday Church, a new musical featuring songs by Sia and Honey Dijon at New York Theatre Workshop. She also created Macbeth In Stride at Brooklyn Academy of Music, writing the book, music and lyrics. Additional directing work includes The Secret Life of Bees, By The Queen, The Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington, A Human Being of a Sort, An Iliad, The Amen Corner, Othello, Canyon, and Jump. On screen, White has appeared in Ocean's Eight, Single Drunk Female, Louie, and The Playboy Club, and she contributed as a writer to Boots Riley's acclaimed series I'm A Virgo for Prime Video.

How to Train Your Mind to do Hard Things (Homer's Iliad). In this video we will be talking about 8 Psychology Laws for doing Difficult Things from the philosophy of Homer's Iliad.Homer, a blind poet, in the 8th century BC composed a poem that would stand alongside The Odyssey as the twin pillar of Western literature; that epic poem is The Iliad. Spanning 24 books, it is a war story about the siege of the city of Troy, pitting the invading Greek armies against the defending people of Troy, or as you probably know them, the Trojans. A brutal tale of gods, kings, and warriors fighting for glory in the Bronze Age. But if you read it closely, you realize that Homer was writing a psychological study on how human beings function under extreme pressure. We tend to think of the heroes of The Iliad - men like Achilles, Hector, and Diomedes - as fearless figures who never doubted themselves. But the text tells that these men were not immune to fear. They panicked, they weeped, they froze, and they ran away. Today, the battlefield has simply shifted from the plains of Troy to the boardrooms, businesses, and relationships of the modern world. Human technology has changed, but the biological reaction to stress has not. So if you find yourself freezing in the face of a difficult task, or waiting to feel "ready" before you act, you are fighting the same battle that these heroes fought 3,000 years ago. So join me as we dive in together and take a look at The 8 Ancient Laws for Doing Hard Things, and how to apply them in the 21st Century, all from the Philosophy of The Iliad.So here are 8 Ancient Laws for Doing Hard Things from the Philosophy of Homer's IliadLaw 1 - The Achilles Choice Law 2 - The Diomedes Rule Law 3 - The Patroclus Strategy Law 4 - The Odysseus Anchor Law 5 - The Sarpedon ContractLaw 6 - The Ajax Grind Law 7 - The Hector Protocol Law 8 - The Priam Paradox I hope you enjoyed watching these 8 Ancient Laws for Doing Hard Things from the Philosophy of Homer's IliadNarration/Audio Editing: Dan Mellins-Cohen https://www.dmcvoiceovers.comSubscribe To Philosophies for Life https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp1mRTkVlqDnxz_9S0YD9YQMusic used: The Travelling Symphony by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic

Michael Vlahos as Germanicus argues the Russo-Ukrainian war has transcended material goals to become a mythic struggle like the Iliad, with Ukraine cast as Troy creating heroic sacrifice narratives while Russia achieves false transcendence through a phoenix-like resurrection story, as the United States fails to grasp the existential dimensions that transformed both societies.1940

The war continues! A change of pace this week as some spy mission need to be carried out... of course followed by our usual terribly violent battles. May the gods grant you favor!

Eight times longer than the Iliad and the Odyssey combined, the Mahabharata has a little of everything: philosophy, spirituality, myths, romances, geography, a heroic polycule, and one transgender warrior who knows how to follow up on a grudge. First written down around 300 BCE (but, like its brother epic, the Ramayana, much older than that), the Mahabharata is at its core a story about two sets of warring cousins. Hitch up your chariot and gallop with us through this summary of the main action.Want to read the transcript? Click here. Don't forget to share, rate, and review us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 23 December last year, Rowling changed her Twixter home page header and cameo with this tweeted explanation:The Charm Bracelet header features thirteen charms on nine links:Rowling tweeted an addendum about the Psalter and Jack in the Box charms:Nick Jeffery dropped an explanatory post two days later at the Hogwarts Professor weblog: J. K. Rowling Drops All the Strike 9 Clues for Christmas! It remains the only complete survey of the pieces and compendium of what Serious Strikers around the world have discovered about them.Beatrice Groves, author of Literary Allusion in Harry Potter, wrote up her charm bracelet thoughts at ‘The Strike Ellacott Files' a month later. In ‘Charms, Psalms & Golden Clues: A brace(let) of clues for Strike 9,' Prof Groves discusses the magical quality of charms as talismans and even incantational song:Rowling points out in this 2013 piece the link between the name given to charm bracelets and the magical world: ‘Why do we call those little masterpieces “charms” if not in allusion to their talismanic properties?… they are personal amulets.' To charm someone is also to slightly to bewitch them, something Rowling plays with when Riddle exerts his charm on Ginny and literally possesses her: ‘If I say it myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I needed.' Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award is given to a smile that is both literally, as well as metaphorically, bewitching.The word ‘charm' comes, through French, from the Latin ‘carmen' which means ‘song, verse, oracular response, incantation.' Its first meaning in English, therefore, was the magical one: ‘the chanting or recitation of a verse supposed to possess magic power or occult influence; incantation, enchantment; hence, any action, process, verse, sentence, word, or material thing, credited with such properties; a magic spell; a talisman, etc.' (Oxford English Dictionary). From the sixteenth century onwards, ‘charm' meant ‘anything worn about the person to avert evil or ensure prosperity' because such amulets might contain the text of such a charm. And thinking about this made me aware for the first time of how in the most important charms in Harry Potter – the Fidelius Charm and the Patronus Charm – the word is not simply a synonym for spell but encodes this original, protective meaning. These magical ‘Charms' like the charms on charm bracelets encode what Rowling calls ‘talismanic properties.'Nick and John invited Elizabeth Baird Hardy, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts Professor, the genius behind AppalachianInkling.com, Hunger Games expert, and author of Milton, Spenser and the Chronicles of Narnia: Literary Sources for the C.S. Lewis Novels to talk about these charms, especially about what she had written briefly on the subject. The goals of this conversation? * To introduce the subject to everyone not familiar with the Christmas tweets and bracelet-header, * to discuss the ‘Why?' of this present to Strike fans everywhere, * to speculate about the meaning of the bracelet pieces individually and in a series, and * to brainstorm their qualities as clues for Strike9, the penultimate novel in the decalogy.Which is a lot! The good news is that the conversation never flagged and the revelations and possible meanings of the charms, thirteen in total on nine links, reward anyone listening in.Nick starts off the conversation with a review of the six charm bracelets in Rowling's life and writing, one of which was a long forgotten piece in the margins of a Rowling web site:[You can read about those internet ‘Easter Eggs' in ‘Hidden Photos at Rowling's Website' here, here, here, and here.]Nick offered as a guiding idea for our conversation the likelihood that the nine links in the bracelet were meaningful, i.e., that they reflected the structure of the book for which the bracelet is meant to be a clue. There are thirteen charms, he noted, but certainly Rowling-Galbraith could have had a thirteen link chain made if she hadn't thought the nine links more than sufficient, even a pointer to Strike 9 being a nine Part mystery. Since, as Nick noted, she has trouble even passing up a shop selling charms, it seems likely she has been collecting the pieces for this one for some time. Perhaps this bracelet is a “target” toward which she has been writing with these books. It is certainly not something she just threw together for a header photo shoot. The trio elected to read the circular collection of charms, consequently, as pieces with individual meaning — as magical talismans of sorts per Prof Groves — and as a ring composition, with both aspects indicating the place and meaning of the piece in the book.After a brief discussion of why Rowling, Inc., would release this set of clues now, with another Strike novel or Bronte Studios television adaptation in the distant future — John offered the possibility that this bit of fan servicing was meant as a touch of appeasement qua Christmas gift to the many fans disappointed with Hallmarked Man — Elizabeth, John, and Nick tackled the thirteen charms on nine links.In Part One of their conversation, they talk about * the heart shaped engagement ring box;* the golden diamond-laden egg;* the anchor;* the two angels; and * the Trojan horse.Their preliminary conclusions at the half-way point?Mrs. Murray in her Nativity gift to her readers offers them clues not only to the next Strike-Ellacott novel but to the meaning of human life. Each of these five charms is a symbol with obvious and not so obvious Christian meaning. John reconsidered his answer to the ‘Why now?' in light of this avalanche of symbolism; instead of it being fan servicing to rescue the brand, he thinks it may be Rowling's attempt — on the most celebrated remnant Christian holiday in a post-Christian world — to reset her serious readers' understanding of what she is about as a writer, what sort of transformation she is trying to create via story within her readers.Part two of this interpretative deep dive into Rowling's artistry in metallurgical symbolism, her “charm work” literary alchemy, will follow shortly. There are five links with seven charms to come — Jack in the Box, Hourglass, White Rose, Crocodile, Corvid, Psalter, and the Head of Persephone — all as rich in meaning as the first four links.Below are links to subjects mentioned in this first conversation and additions not discussed but discovered after the fact, all shared for your consideration and comments!Thank you as always from the Hogwarts Professor team for your joining us with special appreciation to our paid subscribers!Subjects that Elizabeth, Nick, and John Discussed: The Heart Shaped Engagement Ring Charm:* The first, fourth, fifth, and ninth links are clasped objects with surprises inside,* Ink Black Heart and Deathly Hallows: The Heart is Not About Emotions and Affection but the Human Spiritual Center (John, October 2022)* Hallmarked Man, Part Five: The Center of Strike 8 is about “Inner Light” (Ed Shardlow)* Gold as “solid light” and diamonds as “inner light,” both reflecting in nature the Light of God's Word or Logos that is found with in every man (cf., John 1:9 and Rowling's comments about Casual Vacancy being “all about” her belief that “the light of God shines in every soul”);* The consequent symbolism of a golden wedding/engagement band with two diamonds;* The human being as a ‘heart in a box' either enlightened ‘gold and diamonds' or a dark ‘jack in the box' devil* The two-stone ring, as Nick notes, is a “me and you” ring, alluding to a certain theme song. Also, Elizabeth notes, Robin is faced with a choice between two very different types of proposals, so the duality of the ring in the box connects to that conundrum, and since that is apparently where 9 will begin, it gives us a good idea that we are right in “reading” the bracelet starting with this oneThe Gold Diamond-Laden Egg Charm:* Assuming it is an ‘Easter Egg,' the two meanings of that phrase;* Again, ‘gold and diamonds,' as above; * Paschal meaning of Eggs: The custom of exchanging colored eggs entered the life of the Church. The symbolic meaning of the egg as the beginning of a new life was known even earlier. Christians saw in this symbol confirmation of their faith in the coming general resurrection. The Easter egg's red color symbolized the all-conquering Divine Love, which alone could destroy hell!The Foul-Anchor Charm:* ‘Strike 9 to Heads to Portsmouth!' (Nick, September 2025)* Foul Anchor (Wikipedia);* Eagle, Globe, and Anchor (Wikipedia);* Meaning of ‘Hector' in Homeric Greek is ‘Holding Fast,' and, by interpretation, ‘anchor;'* The Greek word for ‘Anchor' found in the New Testament is ἄγκυρα, pronounced ‘ang-chor-a;' * Hebrews 6:19:13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.* Meaning of "Anchor of the Soul" in Hebrews 6:19?The Immediate Context of Hebrews 6:13-20The writer reassures wavering Jewish Christians by citing God's oath to Abraham (Genesis 22:16-17). Two “unchangeable things” (God's promise and His oath, v. 18) make it “impossible for God to lie.” The “hope set before us” (v. 18) functions as an anchor that has already “entered … behind the curtain” (v. 19), where Jesus, our High Priest, intercedes (v. 20; cf. 4:14-16).Anchor as Hope: Theological Significance1. Objective, not subjective: “hope” (ἐλπίς) is grounded in the historical, bodily resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:17-20).2. Already-but-not-yet: the anchor is cast forward into the heavenly holy of holies, securing believers' future inheritance (1 Peter 1:3-4) while exerting a present stabilizing pull.3. Firm and secure: βεβαία (reliable) and ἀσφαλής (incapable of slipping). The compound assures permanence beyond circumstantial change (Malachi 3:6).Christ Our Forerunner Behind the VeilThe anchor “enters” (εἰσερχόμενον, pres. tense) the inner sanctuary “behind the curtain,” alluding to the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). Jesus is πρόδρομος (“forerunner,” v. 20), implying that others will follow where He has gone (John 14:2-3). The anchor-rope is His indestructible life (Hebrews 7:16), tethering the believer to God's throne of grace.* Hence its use as a symbol within Christianity: Christ having defeated death is an anchor to those members of His Mystical Body which anchors them to life after death, “beyond the veil;”* The pairing of the anchor charm with the golden egg on the second link of the bracelet reinforces this Paschal symbolism;* Charles Williams' “Co-inherence” ideas: “Who Saved Draco's Soul?” Co-Inherence in Harry PotterThe Two Angels Charms (paired on Link three)* Cupid and Psyche? Maybe!* Angels? Ghosts?* Orlando drawings! A Silkworm flash-back to the Monkey-Bag with the essential clue inside…The Trojan Horse Charm* Trojan Horse (Wikipedia)In Greek mythology, the Trojan Horse (Greek: δούρειος ίππος, romanized: doureios hippos, lit. ‘wooden horse') was a wooden horse said to have been used by the Greeks during the Trojan War to enter the city of Troy and win the war. The Trojan Horse is not mentioned in Homer's Iliad, with the poem ending before the war is concluded, and it is only briefly mentioned in the Odyssey. It is described at length in the Aeneid, in which Virgil recounts how, after a fruitless ten-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse at the behest of Odysseus, and hid a select force of men inside, including Odysseus himself. The Greeks pretended to sail away, and the Trojans pulled the horse into their city as a victory trophy. That night, the Greek force crept out of the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had sailed back under the cover of darkness. The Greeks entered and destroyed the city, ending the war.Metaphorically, a “Trojan horse” has come to mean any trick or stratagem that causes a target to invite a foe into a securely protected bastion or place. A malicious computer program that tricks users into willingly running it is also called a “Trojan horse“ or simply a “Trojan”.* Could the Strike Series be a Re-telling of Virgil's Aeneid? (John, July 2017)If Cormoran Strike's story is Rowling's postmodern re-telling of the Aeneid, then the Fates theme is more than apt.It is all about, after all, the hero's destiny or fate to recreate Troy in Italy as Rome, a fate which it is pointless for Aeneas to resist. The refugee from Troy, son of the goddess of beauty, is forced ever onward, often over-riding his preferences and pledges, to his destiny to found Rome as the New Troy. A soldier in an eastern country ‘coming home,' Aeneas is a wounded man, haunted by his divine mother, a man of destiny forced to leave a beautiful, powerful woman who curses him at his departure.Sound familiar? The Aeneid is a reverse reflection and re-telling of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey in that it's first six books are about the Trojan's travels and the last six relate his battles with the local tribes in Latium. It seems possible that Rowling might be trying to do with the Aeneid what she did with the Weird Sisters of Macbeth, namely, present what seems to be a tale of inevitability or fate, something prophesied or otherwise seemingly inescapable, as a function really of character choice.In the Peg-Legged PI's story that could mean Rowling's revisiting fate vs choice vis a vis whether he is able to choose to take-or-leave an investigation of Leda's death (and face the dangers inherent in threatening his biological father, Jonny Rokeby) or whether he feels doomed to follow it to its end, whatever the costs to him and to those he loves.* The Trojan Horse is the wisdom of Athene as given to Odysseus, her favorite. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

Part eleven of the Iliad, as told by performance storyteller Jay Leeming. A complete archive of stories performed on this podcast can be found at the website below. www.JayLeeming.com

Today's guest is the legendary strategist Edward Luttwak — the Machiavelli of Maryland. He's consulted for presidents, prime ministers, and secretaries of defense, and authored magnificent books on Byzantine history, a guide to planning a successful coup, and an opus on the logic of strategy and the rise of China. He raises cows, too. We recorded this episode in Feb of 2024. Thanks to the Hudson Institute for sponsoring this episode. Our conversation today covers… Luttwak's childhood and formative encounters with war, including an early fascination with the mafia in Sicily, Technological step-changes in warfare, Books that shaped Luttwak's view of war, from Clausewitz to the Iliad, The costs of “removing war from Europe” post-1945, China's strategic missteps, The psychology of deterrence, including what kind of Middle East policy would actually deter Iran, The strengths of democracies vs. autocracies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is the legendary strategist Edward Luttwak — the Machiavelli of Maryland. He's consulted for presidents, prime ministers, and secretaries of defense, and authored magnificent books on Byzantine history, a guide to planning a successful coup, and an opus on the logic of strategy and the rise of China. He raises cows, too. We recorded this episode in Feb of 2024. Thanks to the Hudson Institute for sponsoring this episode. Our conversation today covers… Luttwak's childhood and formative encounters with war, including an early fascination with the mafia in Sicily, Technological step-changes in warfare, Books that shaped Luttwak's view of war, from Clausewitz to the Iliad, The costs of “removing war from Europe” post-1945, China's strategic missteps, The psychology of deterrence, including what kind of Middle East policy would actually deter Iran, The strengths of democracies vs. autocracies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's episode opens with an engaging discussion among the guys as they reminisce about their experiences meeting some of their favorite authors. They share personal anecdotes, highlighting the excitement and inspiration they felt during these encounters, whether it was a chance meeting at a book signing, an intimate reading event, or even a formal interview setting. Each of them reflects on how these authors have influenced their own perspectives on storytelling and creativity, and they delve into the impact these literary figures have had on their lives and careers. Following this lively conversation, Joe takes center stage to provide an update on his progress with two of the most celebrated works of ancient literature: The Iliad and The Odyssey. He discusses the themes, characters, and the rich historical context surrounding these epic poems, offering insights into how they resonate with modern audiences. Joe elaborates on his thoughts regarding the narrative techniques employed by Homer, the significance of heroism and fate, and how the intricate relationships between characters enrich the overall story. His enthusiasm is palpable as he describes key scenes that have stood out to him, and he encourages listeners to engage with these texts, emphasizing their timeless relevance. As the episode draws to a close, the guys shift their focus to an exciting topic that has generated much buzz among fans: the new teaser trailer for the upcoming live-action Masters of the Universe movies set to hit theaters later this year. They analyze the teaser, discussing the visuals, the tone, and how it compares to previous adaptations of the beloved franchise. Each member shares their expectations and hopes for the film, contemplating how the filmmakers might reinterpret iconic characters and storylines for a contemporary audience. The conversation touches on the nostalgia associated with the original animated series and toys, as well as the potential for new audiences to connect with the universe of Eternia. The episode wraps up with a spirited debate about what elements are essential for capturing the essence of Masters of the Universe, leaving listeners eagerly anticipating the film's release.Official Website: https://www.comesnaturallypodcast.comOfficial Merchandise: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/comes-naturally-podcast/iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/kqkgackFacebook: http://tinyurl.com/myovgm8Tumblr: http://tinyurl.com/m7a6mg9Twitter: @ComesNaturalPodYouTube: http://tiny.cc/5snxpy

ട്രോയ് എന്നത് കവികളുടെ വെറും ഭാവനയാണോ അതോ ശരിക്കും നടന്ന ചരിത്രമാണോ? ആയിരക്കണക്കിന് വർഷങ്ങൾക്ക് മുൻപ്, സുന്ദരിയായ ഹെലന് വേണ്ടി ഗ്രീക്ക് രാജാക്കന്മാർ ട്രോയിയുടെ മതിലുകൾക്ക് മുന്നിൽ പത്തു വർഷം യുദ്ധം ചെയ്തുവെന്ന് ഹോമർ പാടി നടന്നു. അക്കിലീസും ഹെക്ടറും നേർക്കുനേർ പോരാടിയ, ഒഡീസിയൂസ് മരക്കുതിരയിലൂടെ ചതിപ്രയോഗം നടത്തിയ ആ ഇതിഹാസ യുദ്ധത്തിന്റെ കാണാപ്പുറങ്ങളാണ് നമ്മൾ ഇന്ന് പരിശോധിക്കുന്നത്. നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകളോളം ലോകം ഒരു കെട്ടുകഥയായി തള്ളിക്കളഞ്ഞ ട്രോയ് നഗരത്തെ, ഹൈൻറിച്ച് ഷ്ളീമാൻ എന്ന ജർമ്മൻകാരൻ മണ്ണിനടിയിൽ നിന്നും കുഴിച്ചെടുത്തപ്പോൾ ലോകചരിത്രം തന്നെ തിരുത്തിക്കുറിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. ഹോമറിന്റെ ഇലിയഡ് എന്ന മഹാകാവ്യവും, ട്രോയ് സിനിമയും, യഥാർത്ഥ ചരിത്രവും തമ്മിലുള്ള അന്തരവും സാമ്യങ്ങളും ഈ വീഡിയോയിൽ വിശദമായി സംസാരിക്കുന്നു. ചരിത്രവും മിത്തുകളും ഇഴചേരുന്ന ഈ അത്ഭുത ലോകത്തിലേക്ക് നിങ്ങൾക്ക് സ്വാഗതം.

Weather and the end of the world. Prepping, Mormonism, working out to by physically perfect.This is our most schizophrenic show yet.Westworld.The Bicameral Mind, consciousness begins in the Iliad.The story is the heart of the universe.Being designed to ignore things that might hurt you.There is no anti-memetics division.Agency laundering.All of science tells you that you're worthless, your actions don't matter, you don't have agency or even exist.Is the church another smokescreen?The scapegoat, who is your Jew?The strawman.The plot of Final Fantasy XVI is exactly what we're talking about here.There is no political solution.Be grateful to the system because you actually want it.Machine Elves and the paranormal, mechanical sounds.Support the showMore Linkswww.MAPSOC.orgFollow Sumo on TwitterAlternate Current RadioMAPSOC back on YouTube Again!Support the Show!Subscribe to the Podcast on GumroadSubscribe to the Podcast on PatreonSubscribe to the Podcast on BuzzsproutSubscribe to the Podcast on SubstackBuy Us a Tibetan Herbal TeaSumo's SubstacksHoly is He Who WrestlesModern Pulp

Episode 202:For today's guest episode it is a very warm welcome back to Racheal Aanstad. You will remember that Racheal and I have discussed Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night's Dream on the podcast and now she returns to discuss ‘Troilus and Cressida'. As you will hear Racheal was able to bring thoughts about the history of the play and it's sources, particularly Homer's Iliad, which, I think, really enhances our understanding of this challenging play.Rachel Aanstad is a writer, artist, historian, and Shakespeare nerd with an MFA in theatre. She is the former Artistic Director of the Rose City Shakespeare Company and the author of A Bawdy Twelfth Night or What You Will Encyclopaedia & Dramaturgical Handbook and A Midsummer Night's Dream Illustrated Handbook and Encyclopaedia. She lives in the Pacific Northwest from where I spoke to her over a zoom call.Link to Shakespeare and Friends on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShakespeareandfriendsLink to A Bawdy Twelfth Night UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Encyclopedia-Dramaturgical-Shakespearean-Encyclopedias-Handbooks/dp/B0BT2DZGTK/ref=sr_1_1Link to A Bawdy Twelfth Night USA: https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Dramaturgical-Shakespearean-Encyclopedias-Handbooks/dp/B0BT2DZGTK/ref=sr_1_1Link to Midsummer Nights Dream UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Midsummer-Nights-Illustrated-Handbook-Encyclopedia/dp/B09PKSTL1SLink to Midsummer Nights Dream USA: https://www.amazon.com/Midsummer-Nights-Illustrated-Handbook-Encyclopedia/dp/B09PKSTL1SLink to Marquee TV RSC Production: https://marquee.tv/videos/royal-shakespeare-troilus-cressidaSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetp Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlotte and Jo spring into the new year with a conversation about ancient poetry: Beowulf, The Iliad, and Dante's Inferno as translated by Mark Musa, Mary Jo Bang, and Danny Lavery. They're then joined by the wise and wonderful Hanif Abdurraqib who—after sharing a scoop about what series of book he reads every year (!)—reflects on the formative impacts of his encounter with Gloria Naylor's The Women of Brewster Place. Other titles discussed: Toni Morrison's Jazz, Bebe Moore Campbells' Your Blues Ain't Like Mine, Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. Hanif Abdurraqib is a writer from the east side of Columbus, Ohio.Danny Lavery's translations of The Inferno can be found here.Please consider supporting our work on Patreon, where you can access additional materials and send us your guest (and book!) coverage requests. Questions and kind comments can be directed to readingwriterspod at gmail dot com.Charlotte Shane's most recent book is An Honest Woman. Her essay newsletter, Meant For You, can be subscribed to or read online for free. Her social media handle is @charoshane.  Jo Livingstone is a writer who teaches at Pratt Institute.To support the show, navigate to https://www.patreon.com/ReadingWritersAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Luke 3, the Gospel message comes in an unexpected manner. Based on "The Iliad" and "The Ministry of John the Baptist," this message will uncover how God performs true transformation, not by power, might, or authority, but by humility, repentance, and surprise. Meet this surprising voice in the wilderness by entering into this surprising message, this surprising people, and this surprising King. Uncover how Jesus comes to stand among sinners rather than stand above them.tulsabible.org

ട്രോയ് എന്നത് കവികളുടെ വെറും ഭാവനയാണോ അതോ ശരിക്കും നടന്ന ചരിത്രമാണോ? ആയിരക്കണക്കിന് വർഷങ്ങൾക്ക് മുൻപ്, സുന്ദരിയായ ഹെലന് വേണ്ടി ഗ്രീക്ക് രാജാക്കന്മാർ ട്രോയിയുടെ മതിലുകൾക്ക് മുന്നിൽ പത്തു വർഷം യുദ്ധം ചെയ്തുവെന്ന് ഹോമർ പാടി നടന്നു. അക്കിലീസും ഹെക്ടറും നേർക്കുനേർ പോരാടിയ, ഒഡീസിയൂസ് മരക്കുതിരയിലൂടെ ചതിപ്രയോഗം നടത്തിയ ആ ഇതിഹാസ യുദ്ധത്തിന്റെ കാണാപ്പുറങ്ങളാണ് നമ്മൾ ഇന്ന് പരിശോധിക്കുന്നത്. നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകളോളം ലോകം ഒരു കെട്ടുകഥയായി തള്ളിക്കളഞ്ഞ ട്രോയ് നഗരത്തെ, ഹൈൻറിച്ച് ഷ്ളീമാൻ എന്ന ജർമ്മൻകാരൻ മണ്ണിനടിയിൽ നിന്നും കുഴിച്ചെടുത്തപ്പോൾ ലോകചരിത്രം തന്നെ തിരുത്തിക്കുറിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. ഹോമറിന്റെ ഇലിയഡ് എന്ന മഹാകാവ്യവും, ട്രോയ് സിനിമയും, യഥാർത്ഥ ചരിത്രവും തമ്മിലുള്ള അന്തരവും സാമ്യങ്ങളും ഈ വീഡിയോയിൽ വിശദമായി സംസാരിക്കുന്നു. ചരിത്രവും മിത്തുകളും ഇഴചേരുന്ന ഈ അത്ഭുത ലോകത്തിലേക്ക് നിങ്ങൾക്ക് സ്വാഗതം.

The Iliad by Homer, Part 2 (Books 17-24)—from Patroclus's death to Achilles' rage and Priam's plea. Translated by Samuel Butler, narrated by Mark Cassidy with full subtitles.

Homer's The Iliad, Part 1 (Books 1-16)—the epic tale of Achilles' rage, Hector's honor, and the Trojan War. Translated by Samuel Butler, narrated by Mark Cassidy with full subtitles.

Charlotte and Jo spring into the new year with a conversation about ancient poetry: Beowulf, The Iliad, and Dante's Inferno as translated by Mark Musa, Mary Jo Bang, and Danny Lavery. They're then joined by the wise and wonderful Hanif Abdurraqib who—after sharing a scoop about what series of book he reads every year (!)—reflects on the formative impacts of his encounter with Gloria Naylor's The Women of Brewster Place. Other titles discussed: Toni Morrison's Jazz, Bebe Moore Campbells' Your Blues Ain't Like Mine, Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. Hanif Abdurraqib is a writer from the east side of Columbus, Ohio.Danny Lavery's translations of The Inferno can be found here.Please consider supporting our work on Patreon, where you can access additional materials and send us your guest (and book!) coverage requests. Questions and kind comments can be directed to readingwriterspod at gmail dot com.Charlotte Shane's most recent book is An Honest Woman. Her essay newsletter, Meant For You, can be subscribed to or read online for free. Her social media handle is @charoshane. Jo Livingstone is a writer who teaches at Pratt Institute. To support the show, navigate to https://www.patreon.com/ReadingWriters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Little Greek, A Little Sci-Fi 2025 kicked off my goal of reading the great books of Western Civilization. So in typical fashion I read a little Greek, a little sci-fi, and a smattering of everything else. Indiepub still factored into the list with some hits and misses, just like the tradpubs. As always, the goal we should all have isn’t quantity it’s quality. But quality doesn’t just mean classic great books, it means books you enjoy and changes you and allows you to experience escapism and learn more about God’s world as He is the ultimate storyteller. TIMELINE: 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:04:14 – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 00:07:06 – The God Frequency by Douglas Hemme 00:10:40 – Amorphous – Breaking the Mold by Steven Burgess 00:12:06 – Spectrum Multiview Christian Ethics Four Views edited by Steve Wilkens 00:18:18 – The Peace War by Vernor Vinge 00:22:37 – Greek for the Rest of Us by William D. Mounce 00:26:05 – The Iliad by Homer 00:32:09 – Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie 00:34:31 – Flight of the Eagles by Gilbert L. Morris 00:37:21 – Sundered by Ernie Laurence Jr. 00:38:55 – Horus Rising by Dan Abnett 00:41:37 – The Odyssey by Homer 00:43:17 – D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths by Ingri d’Aulaire 00:44:46 – The Secret Door by Jenny Phillips 00:46:59 – Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 00:49:34 – Passing the Torch An Apology for Classical Christian Education by Louis Markos 00:53:21 – The Core by Leigh A. Bortins 00:56:06 – Agamemnon by Aeschylus 00:59:10 – The Libation Bearers by Aeschylus 01:00:39 – The Eumenides by Aeschylus 01:02:29 – The Air We Breathe How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality by Glen Scrivener 01:05:11 – Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray 01:07:00 – Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear 01:09:45 – The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 01:12:15 – Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater 01:13:37 – Oedipus Rex by Sophocles 01:16:36 – Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles 01:18:39 – Antigone by Sophocles 01:21:12 – To Be Continued Next Week Books mentioned in this episode: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis Kindle Paperback Audible The God Frequency by Douglas Hemme Kindle Paperback Audible Amorphous – Breaking the Mold by Steven Burgess Kindle Paperback Spectrum Multiview Christian Ethics Four Views edited by Steve Wilkens Kindle  Paperback  CaveToTheCross Episodes – wwww.CaveToTheCross.com/ChristianEthics The Peace War by Vernor Vinge Kindle Paperback Greek for the Rest of Us by William D. Mounce Kindle Paperback The Iliad by Homer Kindle Paperback Audible Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie Kindle Paperback Audible Flight of the Eagles by Gilbert L. Morris Kindle Paperback Audible Sundered by Ernie Laurence Jr. Kindle Horus Rising by Dan Abnett Kindle Paperback  Audible The Odyssey by Homer Kindle Paperback  D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths by Ingri d’Aulaire Kindle Paperback Audible The Secret Door by Jenny Phillips Paperback Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Kindle Paperback Audible Passing the Torch An Apology for Classical Christian Education by Louis Markos Kindle Paperback Audible The Core by Leigh A. Bortins Kindle Paperback  Audible Agamemnon by Aeschylus Kindle Paperback The Libation Bearers by Aeschylus Kindle Paperback The Eumenides by Aeschylus Kindle Paperback The Air We Breathe How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality by Glen Scrivener Kindle Paperback  Audible  Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray Paperback Audible Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear Kindle Paperback Audible The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Kindle Paperback Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater Kindle  Paperback Audible Oedipus Rex by Sophocles Kindle Paperback Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles Kindle Paperback Antigone by Sophocles Kindle Paperback All episodes, short clips, & blog – https://www.cavetothecross.com

In 2025, we convened about 40 new conversations, taking up the great questions of modern Jewish life—questions of war and peace, providence and civilization, memory and meaning. This year, Mosaic's editor Jonathan Silver spoke to military strategists, scholars of religion, writers, historians, rabbis, one Catholic priest and two Catholic theologians, and professors whose students have become soldiers. The conversations ranged from urgent tactical questions facing Israeli commanders to the enduring theological debates that have shaped Western civilization. The most dramatic event of 2025 came in June, when American B-2 bombers struck three nuclear sites in Iran, neutralizing the Islamic Republic's nuclear-weapons program in what came to be known as Operation Midnight Hammer. This followed a coordinated Israeli-American campaign that, in twelve days, fundamentally altered the strategic landscape of the Middle East. By October, a fragile ceasefire had taken hold in Gaza, though the questions of what comes next—for the tunnels beneath Gaza, for the Palestinian national movement, for regional order—remained unresolved. The year also brought loss. In April, Pope Francis died after a prolonged illness, prompting reflection on the state of Jewish-Catholic relations and the church's posture toward Israel and the Jewish people. And in December, Norman Podhoretz, the great editor and defender of America and Israel, died at the age of ninety-five. Meanwhile, a disturbing season of anti-Semitic violence descended upon American Jews. Arson attacks, shootings, and other forms of terrorism made clear that the ideological ferment on campuses and in progressive circles had transformed into something more dangerous. Jewish students looked to their institutions for strength and clarity, and the results were mixed at best. Through it all, we asked: what does Israel's war reveal about providence and Jewish history? What does it mean to teach the Iliad to students who themselves are warriors? Can the collapse of a failed Palestinian nationalism open new possibilities for peace? How should Jews understand the resurgence of ancient Christian heresies that seek to sever the New Testament from the Hebrew Bible? Our primary aim has not been to chronicle events but to understand their deeper significance. Now that 2025 has come to an end, we're looking back at a number of clips from the past year in hopes that, as we plan another year of conversations in 2026, you'll return to our archive and listen to some of the most fascinating episodes we've already recorded. This episode of the Tikvah Podcast is generously sponsored by David Bradlow. If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of the Tikvah Podcast, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle. Visit tikvah.org/circle to learn more and join.

Hey hey BATT Family! Welcome to another top ten list! This time Mark and Scott are running down their best games of 2025! This was a great episode to record and it was amazing to realize how many games that we had played that released this year for us to actually be able to do this list. There are some really excellent games here, especially ones that we weren't expecting to be on at all. We hope you have a great time with this one and let us know what YOUR top ten games of 2025 were! --- This episode's segments: 00:00:00 - Intro  00:01:05 - Honorable Mentions 00:02:22 - Scott's 10 (Burgle Bros Blackjack) 00:03:31 - Mark's 10 (Bohemians) 00:06:11 - Scott's 9 (Citizens of the Spark) 00:07:31 - Mark's 9 (Tend) 00:08:43 - Scott's 8 (Santorini: Riddle of the Sphinx) 00:09:51 - Mark's 8 (Pergola) 00:10:28 - Scott's 7 (Tend) 00:10:50 - Mark's 7 (Spooktacular) 00:11:58 - Scott's 6 (Scales of Fate) 00:13:00 - Mark's 6 (Finspan) 00:15:57 - Scott's 5 (Origin Story) 00:17:00 - Mark's 5 (Iliad) 00:18:35 - Scott's 4 (Madcala) 00:19:34 - Mark's 4 (The Dark Quarter) 00:22:01 - Scott's 3 (Twinkle Twinkle) 00:22:59 - Mark's 3 (Enthrone) 00:24:14 - Scott's 2 (Wandering Galaxy) 00:25:06 - Mark's 2 (Chemical Overload) 00:26:33 - Scott's 1 (Critter Kitchen) 00:27:56 - Mark's 1 (Scales of Fate) 00:31:41 - Grand Gamers Guild Sponsor  00:33:42 - Outro --- Notes! 1) Really no notes on this episode! Thanks for checking it out! --- We'd like to thank our sponsors as well: Grand Gamers Guild! https://grandgamersguild.com. Use Discount Code BATT10 to make sure that we are supported AND you let them know that we sent you. Secret Door Games! They can be found at https://www.secretdoorgames.org or 215 S. Main St, Elkhart Indiana 46514. Meeple Source! https://meeplesource.com/?PARTNER=battg Be sure to keep that partner bit (?PARTNER=battg) on the end of any link on their site, and you'll get us our affiliate linking! Victory Roll Cafe! https://victoryrollcafe.com or 711 W McKinley Ave, Mishawaka, IN 46545. --- You can email us at boardallthetimegaming@gmail.com. We finally put a linktree together! https://linktr.ee/boardallthetime We can be found at www.boardallthetime.com and on Facebook at Board All The Time.  We're on BlueSky now and loving it! At this point it really feels like BlueSky is for board gaming, so definitely check us out on there at https://bsky.app/profile/boardallthetime.bsky.social If you would like to check out Mark's Top 100 list, it can be found at: https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/347553/top-100-games-2024-edition If you'd like to help support the show and assist with the hosting costs, you can do so with our Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/boardallthetime Our Discord server, which is still in Beta, can be joined at https://discord.gg/VbRWEpc6 Theater Geeks! https://www.twitch.tv/theatergeeks --- We'd also like to thank SoulProdMusic for the intro/outro music. 

TRANSLATION AND THE SEARCH FOR TROY Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. John Batchelor interviews Professor Emily Wilson about her new iambic pentameter translation of the Iliad. They discuss the historical location of Troy in modern Turkey and the archaeological layers discovered by Schliemann, who wrongly believed he found Agamemnon's mask. Wilson explains that while the Greeks viewed the Iliad as partly historical, it is a poetic imagining composed centuries after the events, designed for oral performance and rhythmic reading. NUMBER 1 500 AD ALEXANDRIA AMBROSIAN ILIAD

HOMER'S NARRATIVE CHOICES AND ORAL TRADITION Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilsondiscusses the "Homeric Question," noting that oral stories existed for centuries before the alphabet arrived in the 8th century BCE. She highlights the Iliad's sophisticated narrative structure, which omits famous events like the Apple of Discord and the Trojan Horse to focus intensely on a specific period of the war. The conversation compares the Iliad'sfocus on Greek infighting with Virgil's Aeneid, noting the distinct goals of each epic tradition. NUMBER 2 500 AD ALEXANDRIA

THE GORE AND GLORY OF BATTLE Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilson discusses translating the Iliad'svivid violence, drawing on insights from combat veterans regarding the trauma of battlefield death. A central theme is the treatment of corpses; possessing and stripping a dead enemy's armor is the ultimate sign of dominance. The conversation touches on the physical nature of the gods, who bleed "ichor" when wounded, and Poseidon's support for the Greeks in contrast to his brother Zeus. NUMBER 6 500 AD. ACHILLES TENT. ALEXANDRIA ORIGIN

GRIEF, GAMES, AND ACCEPTANCE Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. After Hector's death, Achilles finds a form of healing through funeral games, which offer a non-lethal model of competition. He even awards Agamemnon a prize without a contest, possibly as a slight. The poem concludes not with victory, but with a "humanitarian pause" for Hector's funeral. Wilson notes the ending focuses on women's lamentations, emphasizing the Iliad's enduring lesson on the struggle to accept human mortality. NUMBER 8 500 AD AMBROSIAN ILIAD. WALL BREACHED.

SHOW 12-30-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR THESDHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF WAR-MAKING AS EXPRESSED MOURNFULLY BY HECTOR'S WIFE ANDROMACHE... SHOW 12-30-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR TRANSLATION AND THE SEARCH FOR TROY Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. John Batchelor interviews Professor Emily Wilson about her new iambic pentameter translation of the Iliad. They discuss the historical location of Troy in modern Turkey and the archaeological layers discovered by Schliemann, who wrongly believed he found Agamemnon's mask. Wilson explains that while the Greeks viewed the Iliad as partly historical, it is a poetic imagining composed centuries after the events, designed for oral performance and rhythmic reading. NUMBER 1 HOMER'S NARRATIVE CHOICES AND ORAL TRADITION Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilsondiscusses the "Homeric Question," noting that oral stories existed for centuries before the alphabet arrived in the 8th century BCE. She highlights the Iliad's sophisticated narrative structure, which omits famous events like the Apple of Discord and the Trojan Horse to focus intensely on a specific period of the war. The conversation compares the Iliad'sfocus on Greek infighting with Virgil's Aeneid, noting the distinct goals of each epic tradition. NUMBER 2 TRAGIC COUPLES AND DIVINE INTERVENTION Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. The segment explores key character pairings, starting with Helen's complex view of Paris and her weaving as a metaphor for the story. Wilsonanalyzes the tragic relationship between Hector and Andromache, emphasizing Hector's choice of duty over family. They discuss the gods' roles, particularly Thetis's prayer to Zeus which seals Achilles' fate, and Hera's bargaining with Zeus to ensure Troy's destruction, highlighting the interplay of divine will and mortal suffering. NUMBER 3 TRANSLATION AND THE SEARCH FOR TROY Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. John Batchelor interviews Professor Emily Wilson about her new iambic pentameter translation of the Iliad. They discuss the historical location of Troy in modern Turkey and the archaeological layers discovered by Schliemann, who wrongly believed he found Agamemnon's mask. Wilson explains that while the Greeks viewed the Iliad as partly historical, it is a poetic imagining composed centuries after the events, designed for oral performance and rhythmic reading. NUMBER 1 HOMER'S NARRATIVE CHOICES AND ORAL TRADITION Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilsondiscusses the "Homeric Question," noting that oral stories existed for centuries before the alphabet arrived in the 8th century BCE. She highlights the Iliad's sophisticated narrative structure, which omits famous events like the Apple of Discord and the Trojan Horse to focus intensely on a specific period of the war. The conversation compares the Iliad'sfocus on Greek infighting with Virgil's Aeneid, noting the distinct goals of each epic tradition. NUMBER 2 TRAGIC COUPLES AND DIVINE INTERVENTION Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. The segment explores key character pairings, starting with Helen's complex view of Paris and her weaving as a metaphor for the story. Wilsonanalyzes the tragic relationship between Hector and Andromache, emphasizing Hector's choice of duty over family. They discuss the gods' roles, particularly Thetis's prayer to Zeus which seals Achilles' fate, and Hera's bargaining with Zeus to ensure Troy's destruction, highlighting the interplay of divine will and mortal suffering. NUMBER 3 APHRODITE, PATROCLUS, AND TROPHY WOMEN Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilson examines Aphrodite's intervention on the battlefield and her representation of baser instincts like lust. The discussion shifts to Briseis, a "trophy" of war, and her relationship with Patroclus, whom Wilson refuses to classify as a "beta male" despite his kindness. Patroclus is described as a brutal killer and Achilles' closest companion. The segment highlights the emotional depth of Achilles, who displays immense vulnerability alongside his capacity for violence. NUMBER 4 AGAMEMNON'S FAILURE AND DIVINE POLITICS Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. This segment details the plot's catalyst: Agamemnon seizing Briseis from Achilles, causing the hero to withdraw from battle. Wilson explains the divine politics, including Hera trading three Greek cities to Zeus to ensure Troy's destruction. They analyze Agamemnon's flawed leadership; while he blames Zeus for his bad decisions, the poem portrays the immense difficulty of holding a disparate army together, leading to disastrous choices that necessitate Achilles' eventual return. NUMBER 5 THE GORE AND GLORY OF BATTLE Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilson discusses translating the Iliad'svivid violence, drawing on insights from combat veterans regarding the trauma of battlefield death. A central theme is the treatment of corpses; possessing and stripping a dead enemy's armor is the ultimate sign of dominance. The conversation touches on the physical nature of the gods, who bleed "ichor" when wounded, and Poseidon's support for the Greeks in contrast to his brother Zeus. NUMBER 6 THE DEATH OF PATROCLUS AND HECTOR Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. The tragedy culminates with Patroclus ignoring Achilles' warning, leading to his death by Hector and the loss of Achilles' armor. Wilson describes Achilles' terrifying return to battle, equipped with new armor from Hephaestus, and his slaughter of Trojans. The segment covers the final confrontation where Achilles kills Hector and, driven by vengeance, drags his body behind a chariot, denying him burial rights and intending to mutilate him forever. NUMBER 7 GRIEF, GAMES, AND ACCEPTANCE Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. After Hector's death, Achilles finds a form of healing through funeral games, which offer a non-lethal model of competition. He even awards Agamemnon a prize without a contest, possibly as a slight. The poem concludes not with victory, but with a "humanitarian pause" for Hector's funeral. Wilson notes the ending focuses on women's lamentations, emphasizing the Iliad's enduring lesson on the struggle to accept human mortality. NUMBER 8 FEMALE AUTHORSHIP AND THE TROJAN WOMEN Colleague Daisy Dunn. Daisy Dunn discusses the legend of Phantasia, a rumored female source for Homer, and the myth of Leda and the Swan. She argues that the Trojan Warlikely reflects real historical conflicts at the site of Hisarlik. The segment highlights key female figures: Andromache, who offers military advice to Hector, and Briseis, the enslaved woman central to the dispute between Agamemnon and Achilles, illustrating the centrality of women to the epic. NUMBER 9 SAPPHO OF LESBOS Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn explores the life of Sappho, debunking myths about her appearance and suicide. She explains that Sappho was exiled due to her family's aristocratic background during a time of political revolution. The conversation covers Sappho's disapproval of her brother's relationship with the courtesan Doricha and her professional jealousy when students left her school for rivals. Weaving is presented as a metaphor for women shaping fate. NUMBER 10 ETRUSCANS AND THE WOMEN OF EARLY ROME Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn discusses the Etruscans, noting their advanced dentistry and the shock Greeks felt at Etruscan men and women dining together openly. Transitioning to Rome, they recount the violent founding myth of the Rape of the Sabine Women. The segment details the tragedy of Lucretia, whose rape and subsequent suicide led Brutus to overthrow the monarchy and establish the Roman Republic, making her a paragon of virtue. NUMBER 11 DIDO AND THE FOUNDING OF CARTHAGE Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn recounts the story of Dido, the clever founder of Carthage who tricked a local king to secure land. When Aeneas abandons her to fulfill his destiny, Didocurses him, foreshadowing the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage. The segment explores her tragic suicide on a pyre, noting the societal judgment against her for breaking vows of celibacy, while acknowledging her capacity as a talented ruler and builder of cities. NUMBER 12 CORNELIA AND SERVILIA: MOTHERS OF ROME Colleague Daisy Dunn. This segment focuses on Cornelia, the educated "one-man woman" who raised the reforming Gracchi brothers to challenge the Roman elite. Dunn notes Cornelia's heartbreak as she tried to dissuade her second son from following his assassinated brother's path. The discussion shifts to Servilia, Caesar's long-term mistress and mother of Brutus. Servilia is depicted as a politically astute woman caught between her lover and her son, the future assassin. NUMBER 13 CLEOPATRA AND CAESAR Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn describes Cleopatra's dramatic entrance from a rug to meet Caesar and secure her rule in Egypt. Despite her intelligence and linguistic skills, the Romans viewed her with suspicion and distaste, labeling her a "whore queen." Dunn challenges the Hollywood image of Cleopatra's beauty, noting coin portraits show a hooked nose, and argues her power lay in her charisma and voice. She remains a figure of admiration today. NUMBER 14 ANTONY, FULVIA, AND CLEOPATRA'S END Colleague Daisy Dunn. The conversation turns to Mark Antony'sunpopular affair with Cleopatra and his wife Fulvia, who instigated a war in Italy to counter Octavian. Dunn highlights the Roman propensity for public emotion and early marriage. Following Antony's botched suicide, Cleopatra takes her own life to avoid being paraded as a trophy by Octavian. Dunn suggests the "asp" story might be a myth covering a lethal injection or poison. NUMBER 15 THE WOMEN OF THE JULIO-CLAUDIAN DYNASTY Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn profiles the powerful women of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Livia is portrayed as Augustus's essential political partner and diplomat. The segment covers the tragic life of Julia, the lechery of Caligula, and the notorious reputation of Messalina. Finally, Agrippina the Younger is described as a co-emperor to her son Nero before he turned against her. Dunn concludes that Roman politics were bloodier but more politically savvy than the Greeks. NUMBER 16

My links:My Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/rhetoricrevolutionSend me a voice message!: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/liam-connerlyTikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@mrconnerly?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc⁠Email: ⁠rhetoricrevolution@gmail.com⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connerlyliam/Podcast | Latin in Layman's - A Rhetoric Revolution https://open.spotify.com/show/0EjiYFx1K4lwfykjf5jApM?si=b871da6367d74d92YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MrConnerly _____________________________________________________________Alexiou,Margaret. 2002. The Ritual Lament in Greek Tradition. 2nd ed. Lanham,MD: Rowman and Littlefield.Cairns,Douglas L. 1993. Aidōs: The Psychology and Ethics of Honour and Shame inAncient Greek Literature. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Cook,Erwin. 2003. “The Function of Apoina in the Iliad.” Phoenix57 (1–2): 1–20.Crotty,Kevin. 1994. The Poetics of Supplication: Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.Donlan,Walter. 1982. “Reciprocity in Homer.” Classical Philology 77 (2):97–107.Garland,Robert. 1985. The Greek Way of Death. Ithaca, NY: Cornell UniversityPress.Gould,John. 1973. “Hiketeia.” Journal of Hellenic Studies 93: 74–103.Griffin,Jasper. 1980. Homer on Life and Death. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Homer.2011. Iliad. Edited by D. B. Monro and T. W. Allen. Perseus DigitalLibrary. (Used for line reference.)Mackie,Hilary Susan. 2001. “Homeric Iliad 24.25–54: The Death of Hector and the ‘DumbEarth'.” Classical Quarterly 51 (1): 1–11.Mauss,Marcel. 1990. The Gift: The Form and Reason for Exchange in ArchaicSocieties. Translated by W. D. Halls. London: Routledge.Naiden, F.S. 2006. Ancient Supplication. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Parker,Robert. 1983. Miasma: Pollution and Purification in Early Greek Religion.Oxford: Clarendon Press.Redfield,James M. 1975. Nature and Culture in the Iliad: The Tragedy of Hector.Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Richardson,Nicholas. 1993. The Iliad: A Commentary. Vol. 6, Books 21–24.Edited by G. S. Kirk. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Schein,Seth L. 1984. The Mortal Hero: An Introduction to Homer's Iliad.Berkeley: University of California Press.Seaford,Richard. 1994. Reciprocity and Ritual: Homer and Tragedy in the DevelopingCity-State. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Shay,Jonathan. 1994. Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing ofCharacter. New York: Scribner.Tsagalis,Christos. 2004. Epic Grief: Personal Lament in Homer's Iliad. Berlin:Walter de Gruyter.Whitman,Cedric H. 1958. Homer and the Heroic Tradition. Cambridge, MA: HarvardUniversity Press.Zecchin deFasano, Giulia. 2007. “Suplicio y reconocimiento: Príamo y Aquiles en IlíadaXXIV.472–551.” Synthesis 7: 57–68. 

THE AENEID'S PLOT AND HOMERIC INFLUENCES Colleagues Scott McGill and Susanna Wright. McGill and Wright summarize the plot, from Troy's destruction to the war in Italy. They analyze Virgil's dialogue with Homer, noting how the poem's opening words invoke both the Iliad's warfare and the Odyssey's wanderings. They also highlight the terrifying, visual nature of Virgil's depiction of the underworld. NUMBER 11

SHOW 12-25-25 THE SHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS ABOUT THE MODERN STORY OF MARY AND HER FAMILY. 1868 NAZARETH SEPPHORIS AND THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF MARY'S LIFE Colleague James Tabor. Tabor identifies Sepphoris, a Roman capital near Nazareth, as Mary's birthplace. He reimagines Jesus and Joseph as "tektons" (builders) working in this urban center rather than simple carpenters. This proximity meant Mary witnessed Romanbrutality and the city's destruction, influencing her family's spiritual views on the Kingdom of God. NUMBER 1 INVESTIGATING THE NAME PANTERA Colleague James Tabor. Tabor explores the name "Pantera," found in rabbinic texts and on a Roman soldier's tombstone. He suggests this might be a family name rather than a slur, investigating the possibility that Jesus's father was a relative or soldier, which challenges the theological narrative of a virgin birth. NUMBER 2 RECLAIMING THE HISTORICAL JEWISH FAMILY Colleague James Tabor. Highlighting the Protoevangelium of James, Tabor contrasts its depiction of a perpetual virgin Mary with historical evidence of a large Jewish family. He argues Mary had numerous children and that her parents were likely wealthy property owners in Sepphoris, integrating Jesus into a close-knit extended family. NUMBER 3 JAMES THE JUST AS TRUE SUCCESSOR Colleague James Tabor. Tabor asserts James, Jesus's brother, was the movement's true successor, not Peter. Citing Acts and the Gospel of Thomas, he notes James led the Jerusalem council and stood at the cross. Tabor argues the "beloved disciple" entrusted with Mary's care was this blood brother, not Johnthe fisherman. NUMBER 4 THE HEADQUARTERS ON MOUNT ZION Colleague James Tabor. Tabor describes excavations on Mount Zion, identifying a first-century house foundation as the "upper room" and headquarters of the early movement. He visualizes Mary as the matriarch in this courtyard, welcoming pilgrims and apostles like Paul, and establishes James as the leader of this house synagogue. NUMBER 5 THE FLIGHT TO PELLA AND MARY'S DEATH Colleague James Tabor. Tabor discusses the Christian flight to Pella during the Roman revolt. He speculates Mary died before this event, likely around 49–63 CE, and was buried on Mount Zion. Consequently, she disappears from the New Testament record, which shifts focus to Peter and Paul after the Jerusalem church's dispersal. NUMBER 6 THE TALPIOT TOMB AND DNA EVIDENCE Colleague James Tabor. Discussing the Talpiot tomb, Tabor details ossuaries bearing names like "Jesus son of Joseph" and "Mariamne." He argues statistical clusters and potential DNA evidence suggest this is the Jesus family tomb, positing that physical remains support historical existence without necessarily negating the concept of spiritual resurrection. NUMBER 7 THE Q SOURCE AND MARY'S TEACHINGS Colleague James Tabor. Tabor identifies the "Q" source as a collection of ethical teachings shared by Matthew and Luke. He attributes these core values—such as charity and humility—to a family tradition taught by Mary to Jesus, James, and John the Baptizer, aiming to restore Mary'shistorical influence as a teacher. NUMBER 8 VIRGIL'S RURAL ORIGINS AND AUGUSTAN CONNECTION Colleagues Scott McGill and Susanna Wright. The guests discuss Virgil's birth in 70 BCE near Mantua and his rural upbringing, which influenced his poetry. They trace his move to Rome during civil war and his eventual connection to Augustus, noting that Virgil promised a grand epic for the emperor in his earlier work, the Georgics. NUMBER 9 TRANSLATING THE SOUND AND METER OF VIRGIL Colleagues Scott McGill and Susanna Wright. The translators explain choosing iambic pentameter over dactylic hexameter to provide an English cultural equivalent to the original's epic feel. They describe their efforts to replicate Virgil's auditory effects, such as alliteration and assonance, and preserve specific line repetitions that connect characters like Turnus and Camilla. NUMBER 10 THE AENEID'S PLOT AND HOMERIC INFLUENCES Colleagues Scott McGill and Susanna Wright. McGill and Wright summarize the plot, from Troy's destruction to the war in Italy. They analyze Virgil's dialogue with Homer, noting how the poem's opening words invoke both the Iliad's warfare and the Odyssey's wanderings. They also highlight the terrifying, visual nature of Virgil's depiction of the underworld. NUMBER 11 ROMAN EXCEPTIONALISM VS. HUMAN TRAGEDY Colleagues Scott McGill and Susanna Wright. They discuss whether the Aeneid justifies Roman empire or tells a human story. McGill argues the poem survives because it creates sympathy for antagonists like Dido and Turnus. They explore how Virgil portrays the costs of empire and Aeneas's rage, complicating the narrative of Augustan propaganda. NUMBER 12 CLODIA'S PRIVILEGE AND CICERO'S AMBITION Colleague Douglas Boin. Boin introduces Clodia, a privileged woman from an ancient Roman family on Palatine Hill. He contrasts her aristocratic, independent nature—manifested in her name spelling—with the rise of Cicero, a talented outsider. Boin frames their eventual conflict as a clash between established power and ambitious newcomers. NUMBER 13 THE POLITICS OF TRIBUNES AND REFORM Colleague Douglas Boin. Boin details the divide between the Optimates and Populares. He explains how Clodia and her brother Clodius used the office of Tribune—the "people's protector" with veto power—to enact reforms. This strategy allowed them to challenge the Senate's authority and set the stage for Clodius's political dominance. NUMBER 14 THE TRIAL OF RUFUS AND CICERO'S MISOGYNY Colleague Douglas Boin. Boin describes a trial where Clodia accused her ex-lover Rufus of poisoning. Cicero defended Rufus by launching misogynistic attacks on Clodia, calling her "cow-eyed" and alleging incest. Boin argues this famous speech unfairly solidified Clodia's negative historical reputation while obscuring the political power she wielded. NUMBER 15 THE DEATH OF CLODIUS AND THE REPUBLIC'S END Colleague Douglas Boin. Boin recounts the violent death of Clodius by rival gangs, marking a turning point toward the Republic's collapse. He views Clodia's subsequent disappearance from history as a symbol of the loss of women's influence and civic rights, framing her story as a cautionary tale about political violence. NUMBER 16

Stephen Mitchell has translated or adapted some of the world's most beautiful and spiritually rich texts, including The Gospel According to Jesus, The Book of Job, Gilgamesh, Tao Te Ching, Bhagavad Gita, The Iliad, The Odyssey, Beowulf, The Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet, and The Way of Forgiveness. In his latest book, The First Christmas: A Story of New Beginnings, he brings the Nativity story to life as never before. In this special episode, Jacke talks to Stephen about his translations, his search for spiritual truths, and his work imagining the story of the first Christmas from multiple points of view. PLUS Jacke continues his way up the charts of the Greatest Books of All Time with a look at #4 on the list, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Note: A version of this episode first ran in December 2021. Join Jacke on a trip through literary England! Join Jacke and fellow literature fans on an eight-day journey through literary England in partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in May 2026! Scheduled stops include The Charles Dickens Museum, Dr. Johnson's house, Jane Austen's Bath, Tolkien's Oxford, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, and more. Learn more by emailing jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com or masahiko@johnshorstravel.com, or by contacting us through our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. December update: Act soon - there are only two spots left! The music in this episode is by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gabrielruizbernal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Help support the show at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/literature ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com/donate ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I14R Iliad Achilles goes into battle, Greek mythology remake soft spoken asmr story

I13R Iliad The wonderful armor, Greek mythology remake soft spoken asmr story

I12R Iliad Patroclus meets his fate, Greek mythology remake asmr soft spoken story

If you want to understand the future of learning and equip yourself with the best possible tools for operating at the top of your game, I believe becoming polymathic is your best bet. And to succeed in mastering multiple skills and tying together multiple domains of knowledge, it’s helpful to have contemporary examples. Especially from people operating way out on the margins of the possible. That’s why today we’re looking at what happens when a poet decides to stop writing on easily destroyed paper. Ebooks and the computers that store information have a shelf life too. No, we’re talking about what happens when a poet starts “writing” into the potentially infinite cellular matter of a seemingly unkillable bacterium. This is the story of The Xenotext. How it came to be, how it relates to memory and the lessons you can learn from the years Christian Bök spent teaching himself the skills needed to potentially save humanity's most important art from the death of our sun. Poetry. But more importantly, this post is a blueprint for you. The story of The Xenotext is a masterclass in why the era of the specialist is over, and why the future belongs to the polymaths who dare to learn the “impossible” by bringing together multiple fields. What on earth could be impossible, you ask? And what does any of this have to do with memory? Simple: Writing in a way that is highly likely to survive the death of the sun changes the definition of what memory is right now. And it should change what we predict memory will be like in both the near and distant future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwQiW1XDAvI Encoding Literature Into Life: The Xenotext Christian Bök, often described as a conceptual poet, has run experiments with words for decades. For example, Eunoia is a univocal lipogram. That means, in each chapter, Bök used only words containing one of the vowels. This is a constraint, and it leads to lines like, “Awkward grammar appals a craftsman.” And “Writing is inhibiting.” There are other “programs” or constraints Bök used to construct the poem. As a result, you hear and feel the textures of your own mother tongue in a completely new way as you read the poem. But for The Xenotext project, Bök wondered if it would be possible to discover the rules and constraints that would enable himself, and conceivably other poets and writers, to encode poetry into a living organism. That leads to a fascinating question about memory that many mnemonists have tackled, even if they’re not fully aware of it. Can a poem outlive the civilization that produced it? If so, and humans are no longer around, how would that work? The Science of How Biology Becomes Poetry As far as I can understand, one of the first steps involved imagining the project itself, followed by learning how it could be possible for a poem to live inside of a cell. And which kind of cell would do the job of protecting the poetry? It turns out that there’s an “extremophile” called Deinococcus radiodurans. It was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most radiation resistant bacterium on planet Earth. As a life form, its DNA was sequenced and published in 1999. According to the Wikipedia page on The Xenotext, Bök started conceiving of encoding poetry into DNA and then inserting it into the bacterium circa 2002. But the project is about more than having poetry persist within a cell so it can transmit the work without errors later. It’s a kind of combinatory puzzle in which the bacterium acts as a kind of co-author. In order to pull this project off, Bök needed to enlist the help of scientists while mastering multiple skills many people would not normally consider “writing.” But as we head into the future, we definitely should. Radical Autodidacticism: Reaching New Heights Through Deep Discipline To this day, many educators talk about the importance of being a specialist. But The Xenotext project and the work Bök put into it forces us to redefine what it means to be a self-directed learner in the 21st century. When Bök decided to encode a poem into the DNA of an extremophile bacterium, he didn’t just “dabble” in science or explore various interests as a multipotentialite. Nor did he read a few pop-sci books and expect an organism to write a poem in return. No, he spent many years studying genomic and proteomic engineering. He coded his own computer program to help him “unearth” the poetry, all while writing grants and collaborating with multiple experts. The Skill Stack If you’re a lifelong learner with big dreams, it’s useful to examine how people with autodidactic and polymathic personality traits operate. One of the first skills is to allow yourself to dream big. Giving oneself permission like this might not seem like a skill. But since we can model any polymath or other person who inspires us, you probably won’t be surprised that many of the most inspiring polymaths regularly daydream. Picking a dream and pursuing it despite any obstacles is also a skill. And once you’ve got a project, the next step is to take a cue from a polymath like Elon Musk and break your goal down into the most basic principles. No matter how unusual or unlikely your dream, it’s a useful exercise. When it comes to analytical thinking and breaking a goal down so you can start pursuing it, it’s often useful to look at your existing competence. In Bök’s case, I believe he wrote Eunoia by culling words manually from dictionaries over many years. But he couldn’t brute force The Xenotext in that way due to all the biological chemistry involved, so he had to become what you might think of as a computational linguist. My point is not to diminish the originality of this project in any way. But I think it’s helpful to recognize that The Xenotext is not wildly divorced from the skills Bök already had. It’s an evolution that draws from them. There’s also the skill of what Waqas Ahmed calls synesthetic thinking in his book, The Polymath. Not to be mistaken with synesthesia, synesthetic thinking involves imagining an outcome through at least one other sense. In Bök’s case, The Xenotext involves imagining the use of living beings other than human as being part of art. And he has described the possibility that his work could reach “a sufficiently intelligent civilization that has fast computers and smart cryptographers.” This is the skill of sensing beyond our own species and taking the risk of trying to reach them. Even if we’re long gone. We Need Deathless Memory Now, I have a confession to make. One of the many reasons I’m so fascinated by The Xenotext is that my memory is incredibly weak. That’s why I use mnemonics with such passion, including for memorizing poetry. Recently, I had the chance to interview Christian Bök, who you can probably tell by now, I consider to be one of the most rigorous intellects alive. And right in the middle of the interview, I started reciting one of his books from Book I of The Xenotext. For all the mnemonics in the world, I choked. Now, sometimes, this happens just because I have mouth problems and things get a bit sticky. Other times, it’s exhaustion and yet other times, I manage to recite poems with no problem at all. I’m mentioning this human moment in my career as a mnemonist not because I have a deep need to confess. No, this fragile, ephemeral human moment while talking about encoding and retrieving information perfectly from its placement within a living cell suggests the possibility that life really can be the most durable storage device in the universe. And to see this project come to fruition after all the years Bök pushed through multiple struggles inspires me in countless ways. For one thing, Bök’s project strikes me as the ultimate memory strategy. Was Poetry the Original Hard Drive? As Bök reminded me during our discussion, poetry was a memory technology long before writing existed. Rhythm, rhyme, and meter were engineering tools used to ensure information survived the “game of telephone” across generations. In Bök’s words: “We certainly owe every great epic story of the sort like the Epic of Gilgamesh or the Iliad… stories that were intended, of course, to transmit important cultural information over long periods of time. We need poets to be able to create that work and make it memorable enough… to persist over time.” And it is in this context that Christian Bök realized something terrifying: “There’s nothing that we’ve built so far on the planet Earth that would probably last more than a few tens of billions of years at most.” Until his work on The Xenotext succeeded, we have had nothing to rely on apart from our brains assisted by techniques like the Memory Palace, or silicon prostheses. But the computers and servers we now use to store our collective memory are just as subject to rot as paper. Even our homes would be ground into “an almost undetectable layer of geological dust” in just a few million years. So Bök’s selection of a deathless bacterium isn’t just a petri dish stunt. By choosing a specific bacterium that is “widely regarded as one of the most unkillable things ever to have evolved on the planet Earth,” Bök has created a memory inside a “message in a bottle thrown into an enormous ocean” that might actually survive the death of our sun. How to Develop Your Own Polymathic Persistence  Reading this, you might be thinking, “I’m just a student,” or “I’m just a writer.” Bök could have thought that too. As he told me: “My assumption was that I’ve got training in English literature… Obviously, in order to embark upon such a project, I had to acquire a whole set of new skills, familiarize myself with a lot of very difficult discourses.” And so he made the decision to step outside of his lane, joining other innovators who have done the same. But how do you engage in a project that takes decades without burning out? Bök gave me three specific clues you can apply to your own learning journey. One: Embrace the Unknown Bök told me that if he had known how hard the project would be, he might not have started. He called this his “saving grace,” yet how many times do we turn away from our dreams because we don’t know the size of the mountain. Nelson Dellis told me something similar once about memory training. He’s a memory champion, but also a climber who has summited Everest. He said you don’t have to worry about whether the top of the mountain is there or not. Just focus on where you’re going to place your hands next. Two: Focus on Incremental Achievement Even as Bök’s project threw new obstacles at him, he told me: “I gave myself accomplishments or achievements that were incremental, that I knew I could probably fulfill, and would embark upon those doable tasks in an effort to acquire the required skill set in order to accomplish the remainder of these tasks.” In other words, he stacked small, doable wins on top of each other. And kept stacking until he had built a ladder to the impossible. Three: Tunnel Through the Noise Bök was candid about some of the loneliness on the path of the polymath. Sadly, he noted: This project, especially, has been beleaguered with all kinds of obstruction and difficulty that were added to the already difficult task at hand and the improbable kinds of risks that I had to adopt in order to be able to accomplish it. His advice having pushed through and made it to the other side? “If you’re going through hell, keep going. Don’t stop, because otherwise, you’re in hell… Just keep going, try to tunnel through.” Bök's work definitely makes a big statement when it comes to 21st century poetry. But for me, it's also a statement about memory and human potential. The Xenotext challenges us to stop thinking of computers as something that has eclipsed the human brain as the ultimate storage and retrieval device. It places our attention squarely back on the relationship between poetry and life, and the aspects of language that were in so many ways already a technology “infecting” our cells. If you want to become a polymath and enjoy a legacy that lasts, you must be willing to endure what Bök described as “36 different side quests” of complex projects, you must be willing to look at subjects and skills that seem “impossible” and learn them anyway. Ready to start your own “impossible” learning project? I have a guide that will help you develop your own curriculum: This Self-Education Blueprint will help you transform scattered curiosity into tightly interwoven levels of expertise. That way, the knowledge you accumulate gets put to use, and above all, helps others too.

I11R Iliad Patroclus in disguise, Greek mythology remake asmr soft spoken story

I10R Iliad The gods interfere, Greek mythology remake soft story asmr

I09R Iliad Disaster for the Greeks, Greek mythology remake soft spoken story asmr

The Homeric Question and Narrative Choices: Colleague Emily Wilson addresses the "Homeric Question," describing the transition from oral tradition to written text around the 8th century BCE, discussing how the Iliad subverts audience expectations by omitting famous events like the Trojan Horse, focusing instead on a brief period of intense conflict and internal Greek strife. 1200 AD ILLIAD

Grief, Games, and Lamentation: The Iliad's Conclusion: Colleague Emily Wilson discusses the Iliad's conclusion, focusing on Achilles' processing of grief through the funeral pyre and games, analyzing the shift from violence to regulated competition, Achilles' ambiguous gesture of giving Agamemnon a prize without competition, and the poem ending with women's lamentations rather than a victory celebration. 6th century ice

Agamemnon's Quarrel and Divine Politics: Colleague Emily Wilson explains the catalyst for the Iliad's plot: the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles over a "prize" woman, leading to Achilles' withdrawal, discussing the divine politics between Zeus and Hera that seal Troy's fate and analyzing Agamemnon's flawed, burdened leadership amidst the pressure of holding the Greek forces together. SACK OF TROY