The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

Happiness Lessons of The Ancients: The Trauma of Troy

Mar 13, 2023

In this enlightening discussion, Stephanie Frampton, a classics professor at MIT specializing in Virgil’s Aeneid, shares her insights on resilience from ancient tales. She reveals how Aeneas exemplifies the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity, urging listeners to view struggles as opportunities for growth. The conversation artfully connects themes of post-traumatic recovery in The Aeneid with modern wellness practices, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and optimism in healing. Get ready to be inspired by ancient wisdom that resonates today!

37:21

Creator website

Episode guests

Stephanie Frampton

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Recalling Courage

00:59

Intro

2min

Reflections on Aeneas and Resilience

9min

The Resilience of Aeneas: Learning from Ancient Wisdom

3min

Resilience in The Aeneid

10min

From Tragedy to Triumph: Insights from Aeneas

3min

From Trauma to Triumph: Aeneas and Modern Resilience

12min

Reflecting on Literary Bonds and Journeying to New Insights

3min

In Virgil's epic poem, The Aeneid, few Trojans survive the destruction of their city at the hands of their Greek enemies. A prince, Aeneas, leads a band of those fleeing Troy - but the journey is fraught with deadly storms and hungry monsters.

But Aeneas takes a positive view of the struggles he and the other Trojans face, telling them to be proud of their resilience and courage. With the help of MIT classics professor Stephanie Frampton, Dr Laurie Santos explores how The Aeneid can be read as a tale of post-traumatic growth and how we can sometimes emerge happier and stronger from tragic events.

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