You can find a complete listing of all the articles on this site here. They are listed in reverse chronological order, and are all clickable links. Twenty-five articles are displayed per page, with the publication date included. To find older articles, click on the page numbers at the bottom.
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The Strange Travels Of Pietro Della Valle
Pietro Della Valle was an accomplished traveler as well as a literary figure in his own right. Other great names of Middle Eastern exploration came after him, but he was one of the very first pre-modern Westerners to gain first-hand experience in the region. As the reader will discover, he was also undoubtedly the most…
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Decisive Action In An Emergency Can Always Be Justified
There are some who take a relaxed view of human intervention in the events of Fate. They believe that nascent crises can be placed on the “back burner,” so to speak, and left to stew in their own juices until a reasonable solution presents itself. They say that one should monitor developments, stay informed of…
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The Importance Of Knowing What Boundaries Should Not Be Crossed
One of the characteristics of the fool is his inability to comprehend the idea of boundaries. He has failed to learn what rules of conduct can, and cannot, be broken. He flaunts his whims and desires without any care as to their consequences; he rates his own judgment above that of all others, and scorns…
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“I’m Losing My Focus And My Ambition” (Podcast)
A reader is worried about his persistent feelings of lethargy and aimlessness. He’s in a rut in his life, and his routine is becoming more and more oppressive. He’s not sure what the problem is, and wants to know the best way to deal with the situation.
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Some Battles Are Worth Fighting, And Others Are Not
Historical opinion is often divided on the subject of famous military commanders. The good favor of historians may be divided with regard to their abilities, their judgments, and their battlefield results; and this favor can shift with time as readily as sand drifts aggregate and dissipate in the desert. Douglas MacArthur is one example. Some…
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The Audiobook Of “Thirty-Seven” Is Now Available
First published in 2014, Thirty-Seven defied conventional categorization and quickly achieved classic status. This seminal work—both supremely relevant to the modern era yet fervently evocative of the glories of ages past—contained the elements of a worldview that would be expanded and elaborated in the author’s later works Pantheon, Pathways, and in other writings.
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Reversal Of Fortune: The Fate Of Al-Mu’tamid Ibn Abbad, Ruler Of Seville
Al-Mu’tamid ibn Abbad (المعتمد بن عباد) lived from 1040 to 1095 and was the last ruler of the Abbadid kingdom of Seville. He was raised under the fold of royalty, and enjoyed the pleasures and good fortunes that come to young princes. In 1069, upon the death of his father Abbad al-Mu’tadid, he inherited the…
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The Remarkable Travels Of Jonas Hanway, And What He Learned From Them
Travelers and explorers march on; and I march on with my retellings of their adventures and philosophies. I suspect that few readers will have heard of the great English traveler and philanthropist Jonas Hanway; yet his career and worldview embodies many of the values we have extolled here, as we will understand later in this…
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How Venice Solved Its Political Corruption Problems
Corruption is like a virus, or a noxious weed. If you turn your back on it for even an instant, you will find it has found creative ways to grow and spread. Like any human activity, it can never be completely eradicated; but it can certainly be tamed and curbed, and prevented from interfering with…
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The Tripod’s Prophecy And The Death Of The Emperor Valens
On the subject of prophecies, men are accustomed to take differing viewpoints. Some say that the predictions of oracles and diviners mean nothing at all, and should be counted as so much nonsense: any “true” predictions they make are solely the result of blind coincidence. Others say that they have independent value as evidence of…
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The Travels Of William Of Rubruck In Central Asia And Mongolia
Long are the roads walked by the lonely, intrepid traveler. Not for him are the well-worn pathways of the conventional sightseer; for he is a seeker, and seekers by definition prefer the untrod vistas of the globe. He will deliberately chose the unknown road, the trails less walked, the scenes less scrutinized, and the more…
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Ibn Zafar’s Ideas On Revolutions
A careful reading of Ibn Zafar al-Siqilli’s (“The Sicilian”) masterpiece of political philosophy Sulwan al-Muta’ (سلوان المطاع في عدوان الأتباع, or The Consolation of the Ruler in Dealing with the Hostility of His Subjects) shows an emergent theory of political revolutions. In a previous article here we have discussed the fundamentals of the subtle Sicilian’s…
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“Don’t Thank Me, Boy” (Podcast)
A reader has a question about the direction he should take in life. His father died recently, and he is feeling the effects of delayed shock and repressed anger. He feels like he has been denied a positive role model. I offer some thoughts and suggestions, using an anecdote and then some commentary.
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The Combat Of Sonnenberg And Sanseverino
It is right for us to celebrate great deeds of valor of ages past. By doing so we are inspired to achievement in our own affairs, and become connected to that electric current of masculine virtue that winds through the entire landscape of civilized, productive effort on this earth. It is good for us to be…
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Bad Character Will Inevitably Bring Consequences
The historian Ammianus, in describing the brief career of the usurper Procopius (326–366 A.D.), comments on the moral corruption inevitably caused by the abuse of power and privilege. It will have a familiar ring to those accustomed to the practices of contemporary politics:
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The Religion Of Mithras And Its Mysteries
Some months ago The Guardian published an article about the reopening of a reconstructed mithraeum (Temple of Mithras) in London. I had known about the cult of Mithras for some time; the Roman emperor Julian, whom I have written about, was a devoted follower of the religion. Yet it remains almost totally unknown to the…
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The Porfirio Effect (Podcast)
Coconut debris, machetes, game meats, natural oils, custom suits, and the whole 9 yards. This authorized podcast goes into more details about the themes talked about in my last podcast, “The Surrealistic World of Michael Porfirio.” We delve deeper to extract the timeless lessons for the modern man, and explain the nuances. The rest is…
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The Travels Of Constantin De Volney
Every traveler has a different tale, but the travel itself has the same purpose: to push through boundaries, overcome obstacles, and to seek out what is not known. This impulse in man will never change. And it is right that this is so, for without it the progress of the human race might come to…
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The Surrealistic World Of Michael Porfirio (Podcast)
This podcast is a change of pace. I talk about one of my favorite Twitter accounts, the account of @MichaelPorfirio, and I discuss why I think it actually has, in its own distinctive surrealistic way, legitimate artistic merit. Sometimes we need to be thrown curve balls here and there, to keep us all on our…
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Removing The Veils Of False Modesty: The Life-Affirming Philosophy Of Al-Salami
The name Muhammad al-Salami (محمد السلامي) (A.D. 948–1003) is nearly unknown in the West, but occupies a prominent position in medieval Arabic poetry. The genius of his metaphors, the richness of his turns of phrase, and the elegance of his diction can be felt even through the fog of translation; and we will do our…
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Three Questions From Readers (Podcast)
In this podcast I discuss three separate questions sent to me by readers. The questions are:
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The Right Man In The Right Place Can Make All The Difference
There are times in history where the right man in the right place can make all the difference. Accidents of fate, the changing circumstances of fortune, and the randomness of events all conspire to turn predictability into uncertainty; yet a man of learning, vision, and character may, at times, interpose himself in the middle of…
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Adam Olearius: Amazing Travels And Explorations In Russia And Persia
In the early seventeenth century, the steppes of Russia were almost entirely unknown to western Europeans. Forests were thicker than they are now, roads were fewer and more difficult to navigate, and travel required much more money and resources than it does now. One had to be sponsored by a wealthy patron, or be an…
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The Counsel Of Helios To A Noble Youth
There is a fable told in the Roman emperor Julian’s oration To the Cynic Heracleios that is worth relating and discussing. The fable is rather involved, but we will extract its relevant parts here. The god Hermes once appeared before a youth who, though virtuous and good, was having some difficulties in life. Hermes said…
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The Imperative Of Discovery: Charles Sturt’s Australian Explorations (Podcast)
After saying a few words about the great explorers and travelers of the past, and explaining why a study of their exploits is more important for us than ever before, I give a podcast reading of my most recent article, Charles Sturt: A Pioneer Of Australian Exploration.
Original copy of Cicero’s De Officiis (On Duties) published in Holland in 1642. From the collection of Fortress of the Mind.
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