Cost of Glory

Pyrrhus, the Warrior King.  Father of the "Pyrrhic Victory."  Smuggled out of the palace at two years old.  Raised in exile by Illyrians.  Pyrrhus grew to be the "greatest commander of his day" according to observers like Hannibal and Antigonus.[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]In this episode:-Find a mentor-Transcend a mentor-Identify the Master Skill in your field, and focus-How to master fear-Seizing opportunities to expand your networkThanks to our sponsor, historical fiction author Jackson Riddle! www.jacksonsriddle.comCheck out his new book, A Potter's Vessel, an alternative telling of the conflict that became the US Civil War.Pyrrhus of Epirus (319-272 BC) was a cousin of Alexander the Great.  He was the first man to take battle elephants to Italy. He defeated the Romans on several occasions in what became known as the Pyrrhic Wars.In Part 1, we meet Pyrrhus as a 2 year old, as he is snatched from his crib in a deadly coup.As he struggles to establish himself in his kingdom through his teenage and early adult years, he learns that the only path toward self-reliance for him and for his kingdom is through the sword.  Some lessons:It's always useful to have a mentor.  But you may not have to bind yourself to that person forever.“As his former mentor and now esteemed arch enemy, Demetrius put Pyrrhus through the best school of war anyone could hope for – strategy, tactics, hand to hand combat – Pyrrhus could learn it all from the best - if he could keep his head.”Also, seize any opportunity to expand your network both professionally and personally. Case in point: Pyrrhus in Asia, and Egypt.Find a master a skill in your own field. If there is one thing Pyrrhus exemplifies, it is the power of personal courage in a leader.  So if that’s an area you need to work on (hint: you can never have too much courage), start now.  Courage is physical.

"Satisfy your souls on Plutarch, and dare to believe in yourselves when you believe in his heroes" - Nietzsche **PYRRHUS ARRIVES NEXT WEEK**Friedrich Nietzsche: Greek Scholar, Plutarch fan, student of history, incisive critic of history nerds such as your host.How does history help us, actually? Is it in the ways we think?Listen to this episode for encouragement if you feel woefully ignorant about history.  Or, if you are a big history buff and need the occasional kick in the pants.Insights and Quotes from Nietzsche's Essay "On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History."Available on its own hereor in this collection.

Plato spent time around some bad people.  But he had a way of trying to stay at the top of his virtue game despite the many bad influences he was around.  You can use it too.Links to Lysias' Against Eratosthenes (Lysias 12), mentioned in the episode:A PDF (It's public domain):https://ryanfb.github.io/loebolus-data/L244.pdfPerseus (Annoying interface, but convenient):https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0154%3Aspeech%3D12

How enemies can be more useful than Reason itself.  Anecdotes from Chilon of Sparta, Scipio Nasica. From Plutarch's treatise How to Profit from your Enemies.  His treatise was addressed to Cornelius Pulcher, of Epidaurus, custodian of the cult of Asclepius.

In the Parallel Lives, the philosopher Plutarch pairs individual Greeks and Romans with each other, comparing their lives. In the last few episodes of The Cost of Glory we’ve shared Plutarch’s stories about the lives of Eumenes of Kardia and Sertorius of Rome, pulling out key lessons for modern leaders. In this comparison episode, we’re joined by guest narrator Stephen Blackwell, President of Ralston College, Savannah, Georgia.(www.ralston.ac)Plutarch offers his own thoughts on the lives of Eumenes and Sertorius.We offer ours on their respective legacies. Both Eumenes and Sertorius lived similar lives, with similar fortunes, and competed using similar qualities. They both possessed great innate talent, and a tremendous dedication to hard work and perfecting their skills. They were also motivated by powerful ambition, but were both ultimately betrayed by people on their own team.Lessons?#1:  If you’re a leader, you need to do everything you can to read the character and disposition of your immediate reports. Are they following you willingly? Or are they likely to jump ship when something better comes along? Take measures to learn the character of your subordinates. #2:  For your legacy: Leave behind living people who admire and respect you. People for whom you gave everything you had, to help and defend their rights, to promote their flourishing in the world, even at the highest cost. They’re the ones who will ensure your good work lives on. On today’s podcast:Plutarch’s comparison of Sertorius and EumenesJulius Caesar and the legacy of SertoriusThe importance of having favorable storytellers:  Hieronymus and SallustIs loyalty a virtue?The importance of being faithfulChannel your ambition into a cause and principleLinks:www.ancientlifecoach.comPlutarch’s essayRalston College

What happened to Alexander's kingdom after the death of Eumenes?In this episode: -The end of the Eumenes Story-The age of warring successors begins. -What is special about Eumenes?

In this final part of his Life, Eumenes’ loyalty to the legacy of Alexander is put to the ultimate test.  He faces off against Antigonus, on behalf of Queen Olympias, over rulership of the kingdom and the regency of the kings.A notable historian, A.B. Bosworth, remarks that the struggle between Eumenes and Antigonus “Did more than anything to determine the shape the Hellenistic world.”Our guest narrator is Dawn LaValle Norman, a classicist and scholar of Plutarch and his era.Eumenes has the choice at multiple points to retire in peace.  But he fights on.  Why? And what can we learn from his example? Eumenes knew the secrets of how to secure the loyalty and admiration of followers, and the compliance of reluctant subordinates. He took his men on grand campaigns from the steppes of central Turkey to the marshes of Babylonia, the death valley of Susa, and the Iranian highlands.As Plutarch remarks: “Success… makes even men of smaller character look impressive to us, as they stare down upon us from the heights, but it is when misfortune strikes, that the truly great and steadfast man becomes unmistakeable.”On today’s podcast:How to secure loyalty from reluctant followers How to wait out a siegeThe brittle peace after Antipater’s death, and the wrench that smashed itHow Eumenes made it into the Babylonian ChronicleWhy the debtor rules the creditorThe way Eumenes fought when the odds were against himLinks:https://ancientlifecoach.com/

What would you do if your closest friend died unexpectedly, leaving an incredible legacy, and an infant son. How far would you go to defend his rights? Would you give your life? In this episode Eumenes emerges onto the world stage as one of antiquity’s brilliant generals.What is it like to believe in a divine kingship?  Or, at least, to act as though you do believe?Eumenes fought rebel Persian satraps, upstaged Macedonian warrior nobles, arranged dynastic marriages, fought in hand to hand combat with great commanders.  He was visited in his dreams by the gods.  He strove mightily against fate.Like the figures he worked for and fought with, he seems larger than life sometimes.  What can we take away from his biography? Eumenes stayed true to his principles, kept his word in an increasingly faithless age, and though all adversity, by gradually taking on larger and larger challenges and responsibilities, he transformed himself, and became an equal of the great lords who were deciding the fate of the throne of Alexander.On today’s podcast:Why you should be careful who you marryHow to remain loyal to yourself and the cause you believe inHow the The first great War of the Successors beganHow to get the gods to fight on your sideEumenes’ transformation from a man of letters to a man of warLinks:https://ancientlifecoach.com/

As the Royal Secretary to Alexander the Great, Eumenes of Kardia had a front row seat to Alexander bringing his impossible dream crashing into the real world. As a young man, Eumenes couldn’t possibly have known that the Mediterranean world he lived in was on the cusp of the most dramatic political and cultural shift in its recorded history, up to that point. And that he would be at the very center of the administrative and military machine that brought that change about. But just when Eumenes was on top of this new world order he had helped forge, Alexander died. And things suddenly looked like they were starting to unravel. When this happened, Eumenes was determined to keep it all together, because he was one of the only people who could.Not many people can expertly pivot their position so smoothly, but in the aftermath of Alexander’s unexpected death, Eumenes adroitly converted his position and influence into political power. In this first part of The Life of Eumenes of Kardia, we learn why King Philip of Macedonia initially hired Eumenes as his secretary, how Eumenes grew close to Alexander, why Eumenes got on Olympias’ good side, and on Antipater’s wrong side, the expeditions Eumenes accompanied Alexander on, why the expedition into the Punjab region transformed Eumenes from administrator to taking charge of an elite division of cavalry, Eumenes’ role in settling the succession of Alexander at the Partition of Babylon, and finally why Perdiccas sent Eumenes to Cappadocia.From the outset, Eumenes displayed the traits of a great leader - his ability to be an effective follower of the right cause, and a loyal servant to the decision makers in the situation he found himself in. He was able to slow his mind down and comprehend the situation as a whole, and find where the real potential for action was, the real leverage points. But more importantly, Eumenes performed all his roles, no matter how minor, with excellence, because he saw in them the clear potential for much greater roles.So, if like Eumenes, you’re looking for a way to sharpen your present self, download and listen to this latest episode. On today’s podcast:How to excel in the service of charismatic leadersThat some accountants can wrestlePhilip II of Macedon’s conquest of Greece, and subsequent MurderThe importance of being trustworthyAlexander’s conquest of Asia and beyondHow to build up creds and respect as an outsiderEumenes’ role in the Partition of Babylon - The post- Alexander settlementLinks:https://ancientlifecoach.com/

Plutarch in On Tranquillity of Mind discusses a way to use the famous phrase Know Thyself.Some Figures mentioned:SertoriusEumenes, Philip II of MacedonAlexander the GreatDionysius I, Tyrant of SyracusePhiloxenus the PoetPindarEmpedoclesPlatoDemocritusIsmenias, wealthy citizen of ThebesEpaminondas, Theban generalEuripidesQuotes:"Know Thyself""Rule the Sparta you got"