Classical Wisdom Speaks

What do the ancient Greek goddesses reveal about ancient Greek culture? Why did people craft such immoral and often unlikeable gods? And what should we really think about Hera? Today's Classical Wisdom Speaks Podcast is with  NATALIE HAYNES, author of several books, including Pandora’s Jar, Stone Blind and A Thousand Ships, which was a national bestseller and shortlisted for the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction.  Natalie is a comedian— as well as a broadcaster for the BBC, and she has written for The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, and The Observer. Today we'll talk about her most recent book, Divine Might.You can also buy Divine Might here: https://www.amazon.com/DIVINE-MIGHT-author/dp/1529089484If you are interested in learning more about mythology specifically and the Classics in general, check out Classical Wisdom and sign up for our free newsletter here: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/

Join Stephen Fry, the celebrated actor and comedian, as he dives into the captivating world of ancient myths and languages. He reflects on the significance of Greek tales in today's technology-driven society, discussing how myths offer insights into AI and social media. Fry highlights the complexities of heroism in figures like Odysseus, critiques traditional narratives, and explores reclaiming female perspectives in mythology. With humor and wisdom, he reveals how understanding these ancient stories is vital for navigating modern challenges.

Learn about Julian, Rome's last Pagan Emperor, who aimed to revive ancient religions and reshape the Roman Empire. Discover his complex legacy, from rejecting Christianity to his military campaigns and philosophical inclinations. Explore the impact of his short reign on Western history, shedding light on religious conflicts and power dynamics in ancient Rome.

Is there evidence to the tales of Aeneas and the Trojan refugees migrating to Italian shores? Classical Wisdom presents Petros Koutoupis, as he explores this narrative and attempts to shed light on the archaeology of the region during the Late Bronze Age.Petros Koutoupis is an author and independent historical researcher, focusing predominantly on the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age periods of the Eastern Mediterranean and general Near East. Petros is also the author and host of the historical newsletter and podcast, Digging Up The Past. You can learn more by visiting https://diggingupthepast.net.This conversation is brought to you by Classical Wisdom, a site dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to modern minds. To learn more about Classical Wisdom and to sign up for our free newsletter, please go to: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/

Throughout the ages people have imagined “apocalypses”... but how they determined the end of the world shaped their philosophies... as is still the case. From natural disaster and moral revenge to our modern situation of increasing AI and anthropogenic concerns, contemplating the ‘end of days’ can help us cope with the world as it is... or prepare us for difficult times ahead. In an actually not morbid at all conversation, Christopher Star, professor of classics at Middlebury College and author of Apocalypse and Golden Age: The End of the World in Greek and Roman Thought, discusses how the ancients thought about catastrophe and why we should think about it now.You can find Professor Star's book, Apocalypse and Golden Age: The End of the World in Greek and Roman Thought, Here.This conversation is brought to you by Classical Wisdom, a site dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to modern minds. To learn more about Classical Wisdom and to sign up for our free newsletter, please go to: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/ 

How aware are we when we make choices? From playing rock paper scissors and gambling to complex ethical decisions like the trolley problem and self-driving cars, game theory and choice theory are hugely important and impactful in our modern era... but so too did they play an essential role in the ancient world. Today’s Classical Wisdom Speaks Podcast is with Josiah Ober, the Mitsotakis Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences, Professor of Political Science and Classics and Senior Fellow Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He is also the author of the recently released book, "The Greeks and the Rational: The Discovery of Practical Reason."You can find Josiah's book here: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520380165/the-greeks-and-the-rationalThis podcast is brought to you by Classical Wisdom. You can learn more about Classical Wisdom and sign up for our free newsletter here:  https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/

In 45 B.C., the Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero embarked on an almost impossible task... He wrote a philosophical dialogue trying to understand the gods, their nature, how they interact with the world of human beings... and indeed, if they care about humans at all! On the Nature of the Gods (De Natura Deorum) tries to answer these eternal questions through the ancient philosophical approaches of Epicureanism, Stoicism and Skepticism. While Cicero is present in all the dialogues, he does not participate... instead three speakers represent the three differing perspectives and help illuminate his thoughts. Containing profound psychological and moral insights, this seminal text - recently translated by George J. Thomas (with the pen name Quintus Curtius) - is a compelling testament to the necessity of human agency in an indifferent universe.But what do these approaches say... and what can they teach us today?  Famed translator George J. Thomas and Professor of Classics at Cornell University, Michael Fontaine, discuss the Nature of Gods and how ancient philosophy can help us understand the divine. You can enjoy George's new annotated translation here: https://qcurtius.com/books/on-the-nature-of-the-gods/For more information about Classical Wisdom and to sign up for our free newsletter, please check out our website at: http://classicalwisdom.com

What is the future -as well as the past - of literary fiction? It is time for a Renaissance?Destined for the dustbin of history, to be discarded along with so many quaint anachronisms, or is the genre itself bound for a long overdue renaissance?Author and self-confessed “hopeless optimist,” Joel Bowman joins us for an in-depth discussion about these subjects in the context of his newest novel – the classically inspired Night Drew Her Sable Cloak.About the Speaker:A journalist by vocation, Mr. Bowman’s essays and columns have appeared in numerous news outlets and academic journals in the US and abroad. After two decades writing and speaking publicly about politics, economics and international living, Mr. Bowman turned his hand to fiction. His first novel – Morris, Alive – received critical acclaim from multiple New York Times bestselling authors. Night Drew Her Sable Cloak is his second work of literary fiction.You can find Joel’s books here: https://joelbowman.substack.com/s/booksThis event is brought to you by Classical Wisdom, a site dedicated to bringing Ancient Wisdom to Modern Minds. You can learn more about our mission to promote and preserve the Classics and sign up for our free newsletter here:https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/

Though it was the largest religion in the ancient world by both the number of adherents and geographical scope, Zoroastrianism is still vastly understudied in religion, history, and especially classics.What is Zoroastrianism? How has this Iranian religion impacted the Classical World? And why is one of the world's oldest organized faiths so often over looked? Pablo Vazquez, a noted scholar of and convert to Zoroastrianism, provides an introduction to one of the oldest continuously practiced faiths in history, how the faith influenced the ancient world, and what it is like today.Central to this will be the Gathas and the Old Avestan texts which are said to be composed directly by the religion's enigmatic founder, Zarathushtra, and thus form the core of Zoroastrianism.You can order Pablo's book, The Sacred Gathas of Zarathushtra & the Old Avestan Canon: A Modern Translation of Ancient Wisdom, here: https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Gathas-Zarathushtra-Avestan-Canon/dp/1785359614This podcast was brought to you by Classical Wisdom, a site dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to modern minds. To learn more about Classical Wisdom and sign up for our free newsletter, please go to: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/

How does the relationship between Odysseus and Telemachus play out? What does the son think about the murder of the suitors? And why exactly has this story of the Trojan Cycle captivated its listeners and readers throughout the millennia... to this very day? Today’s Podcast is with TAD CRAWFORD, founder and publisher of Allworth Press as well as author of A Floating Life: A Novel, The Secret Life of Money and most recently, On Wine-Dark Seas: A Novel of Odysseus and His Fatherless Son Telemachus...Now, is this the sequel to the Odyssey? You decide...You can find Tad's book, On Wine-Dark Seas: A Novel of Odysseus and His Fatherless Son Telemachus, here: On Wine-Dark Seas: A Novel of Odysseus and His Fatherless Son TelemachusThis podcast was brought to you by Classical Wisdom, a site dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to modern minds. To learn more about Classical Wisdom and sign up for our free newsletter, please go to: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/