Cost of Glory

Hated by many contemporaries, admired by even more - and later Romans, such as the emperor Augustus.  “Seven times Consul, Praetor, Tribune of the Plebs, Quaestor, Augur, Military Tribune, Marius waged war against Jugurtha, the King of Numidia and captured him. He annihilated an army of Teutones. He triumphed over the Cimbri…”Gaius Marius, an outsider, an Italian…  A story of rising from obscurity to the apex of the Roman hierarchy.  How did he do it?And does he deserve the blame for starting the Roman Civil War? Nobody becomes the greatest Roman alive in times of peace. Marius was a young man of incredible ambition and razor sharp perception. He not only noticed the rare opportunities, but he seized them with dogged determination. Even more remarkably, Marius’ achievements didn’t happen until he was an older man. In fact, Marius’ story was practically just beginning when he was age 50. Perhaps yours will too. In this first installment of The Life of Gaius Marius, we learn about the foundations Marius laid in his early life as he positioned himself for greatness. Thanks to sponsor ideamarket.io! (@ideamarket_io)On today’s podcast:Learning the populist game from Scipio Africanus and the GracchiFitting in but staying differentAcquiring a fortune and a reputationEntering Roman politics as an outsiderConciliating RivalsFrom Tribune, to Praetor, to Consul War with Jugurtha

The podcast discusses why Plutarch wrote biographies and the value of listening to morally edifying lectures. Plutarch emphasizes active listening and explores why he chose to write biographies instead of moral essays. The hosts also announce upcoming episodes on Gaius Marius and seek feedback from listeners.

Plutarch reads the Odyssey

Explore the concept of wealth and power, and how inner disposition plays a role in happiness. Delve into the connection between virtue and happiness, and reflect on the value of inner strength in challenging circumstances.

Plutarch on what the octopus, and the mythic figure Proteus (who King Menelaus met on his way back from Troy) can tell us about friendship.

Coming back to Plutarch's essay on having many friends, with remarks from Zeuxis, Chilon, and Thucydides

A quote and meditation from Plutarch's On Having Many Friends. Sign up for our email list at ancientlifecoach.com! 

The podcast discusses the aftermath of Pyrrhus' death and the fate of his kingdom. It explores the role of Pyrrhus in the outbreak of the great Punic Wars, and reflects on gift-giving and its influence on the Roman festival Saturnalia. Merry Christmas (or Saturnalia) to all!

Antigonus was famously once asked, “who is the greatest General of our day?” to which he replied, “Pyrrhus, if he lives to be old.”This is the third and final installment of The Life of Pyrrhus, King of Epirus.  [Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]Pyrrhus takes opportunity after opportunity, always imagining this will further his cause.  It begins with a Sicilian expedition. After this, Pyrrhus returns to Italy to fight the Battle of Beneventum.   Then he goes to Macedonia to try and claw back an opportunity he didn’t pursue earlier. It’s a predictable pattern, according to Plutarch:“Pyrrhus was always entertaining one hope after another, and since he made one success but the starting point for a new one, while he was determined to make good each disaster by a fresh undertaking, he allowed neither defeat nor victory to put a limit to his causing trouble for himself and for others.”Pyrrhus made his mark by cultivating an almost maniacal focus on winning in battle - he had a lust for combat. In doing so he won for himself long lasting glory. But we should perhaps ask, together with Plutarch - what was the cost? And was it worth it?  On today’s podcast:Pyrrhus’ whirlwind Sicilian expeditionFabricius’ revengePyrrhus vs AntigonusThe Siege of Sparta The Battle for ArgosLinks:https://ancientlifecoach.com/Some Places MentionedAkragas (Agrigento)Leontini (Lentini)Tauromenium (Taormina)Eryx (Erice, Trapani)Lilybaeum (Marsala)Tarentum (Taranto)Beneventum (Benevento)SyracuseCalabriaAegaeSpartaCreteCorinthArgosNafplio

“Pyrrhus… saw clearly what great happiness he was leaving behind him. But he just couldn’t renounce his hopes of obtaining what he eagerly desired.”We can think of many ambitious leaders or groups who made a big dent in the world by smashing through boundaries: The Mongols, The British East India Company, Moses and Joshua taking the promised land.  But many dreamed big and failed to deliver: Napoleon in Russia, Xerxes in Greece.Which kind of leader will Pyrrhus be?In this episode, the story of Pyrrhus' great challenge to the Romans; the first well-documented visit to Rome by a Greek; Pyrrhus' famous utterance,  “If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined.”Some takeaways:Fortune favors the bold: if you have your heart set on something, why not do everything within your power to achieve it?  Show compassion even when you don’t have to - Pyrrhus consistently showed respect for his enemy.  Also Pyrrhus is not famous for being a politician, but he was a competent negotiator who sought a peaceful resolution before resorting to violence. On today’s podcast:The cost of following your dreams Showing respect for your adversaryWinning wars without resorting to violence (sometimes)Letting your strengths guide your decisionsLinks:https://ancientlifecoach.com/[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]Thanks to our sponsor, Ovadia Heart health!  You can support this podcast by visiting the following links and, if you like something, make a purchase.  Dr. Philip Ovadia's Metabolic Health Tracking SystemStronger Hearts Society with Dr. Philip Ovadia"Stay off My Operating Table" eBook"Stay off My Operating Table" AudiobookI've been using Dr. Ovadia's guidelines in my own life for a few months and been experiencing great results.