Peroz I (or Pirouz) was a Persian king who wore the royal diadem from about A.D. 459 to 484. The Greek historian Procopius (I.4.18) relates a great fable about him and his pearl, which we will reproduce here. As is often the case with these enchanting old tales, the reader will be asked to suspend his credulity as to the fable’s literal truth, while being mindful of its deeper purpose as a moral exemplar.
The compound known as “Greek fire” was the Byzantine navy’s secret weapon. It was a flammable liquid hydrocarbon that could be blown through tubes, thrown in sealed pots, or poured on the heads of soldiers attacking fortifications. Its precise composition was a state secret; and this was kept so well that even now we are not certain of its ingredients.
In this podcast episode we focus on two different questions. In the first question, we look at some of the most valuable tips for a young guy in his 20s who has never traveled before.
The past week was not especially great, but not a complete disaster. Here’s the damage, spelled out.
Everyone has heard of Charles Lindbergh, but only the most dedicated student of early aviation history would recognize the name Charles Nungesser. But he came close to beating Lindbergh across the Atlantic; and if we may believe the optimistic speculations of some, it is possible he may even have been the first to “cross” the Atlantic by air.
We all desire to retain a sense of connection to the past. It is part of human nature. Too sudden a break with tradition can produce something very much like insanity; in individuals we call this a broken mind, and in nations we call it revolution. And both of these reactions are destructive. And at the same time, we need to feel we can project ourselves into the future, somehow. We want to escape the limitations of this frail physical life, with its miserly duration and inconstant rewards.
I’ve decided to bring back the film review posts due to popular demand. So here are a few movies I’ve seen recently, with my opinions of them. I’ve said it before, and will say it again: movies can open up windows of creativity for you. If you see the right ones, they can help you in ways you might not anticipate.
I am an admirer of the author Victor Suvorov. I wish I could meet and speak with him. He served for thirty years as an officer in the Soviet Army before defecting to the West in the 1980s. In his book Inside The Soviet Army, he tells the following anecdote:
Justice, as we all know, does not always win out in the end. Sometimes the wicked escape unpunished for their crimes, for a variety of reasons. This seems to have been what happened with one strange murder case I read about recently. It is notable for the involvement of the future president John Adams in the affair, as well as for the role that politics can play in criminal trials.
Quintus Curtius 
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