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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Cato’s Advice On Purchasing A Farm
Cato the Elder (234-149 B.C.) is one of those legendary figures in early Roman history. Known for his stern, uncompromising vision with regard to personal morality, rules, and social obligations, his treatise On Agriculture (De agri cultura) constitutes the earliest complete Latin prose text that has survived.
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Repairing Strained Or Broken Relationships
A subject not often discussed is the topic of how to repair strained or broken relationships. It is one that comes up in everyone’s life, so it will be useful to make a few suggestions about it here. We will talk about relationships involving friends, family, and lovers. [To read the rest of the article,…
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Be The Phantom Of A Vision: The Wisdom Of Ibn Munir
In medieval times there was a Syrian poet known for his acrid wisdom in verse, as well as for his distaste for dealing with nonsense. Time and convenience has mercifully shortened his lengthy name (which we will not trouble the reader with here) to Ibn Munir al-Tarabolusi, or more commonly Ibn Munir.
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Sunday Film Roundup (10/30/2016)
Once again, it’s time to make the donuts. Here’s a view of what’s come across my field of vision this past week.
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Gaining And Maintaining Confidence (Podcast)
A reader talks about how he is having issues with keeping his confidence up. We offer some suggestions that provide practical ways to overcome fears and self-doubt. Time and experience are the keys here.
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Opposites Are The Cures Of Opposites
Readers may be familiar with the Seinfeld television show episode where the George Costanza character resolves to do the opposite of everything he normally does. The idea actually has a legitimate pedigree, at least with regard to ancient medical science.
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A Homeland Is Precious
The outlines of the following story appear in Procopius’s Wars (II.12.8). The Assyrian king Abgar V governed a region that had its capital at the city of Edessa. The exact dates of his birth and death are not known, but he apparently ruled from around 4 B.C. to 7 A.D. and again from about 15…
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The Iconic Weapon Of The Red Army: The Soviet PPSh-41
There are some weapons that have become so identified with an era or organization that one only needs to lay eyes on them to be reminded of the same. The Soviet PPSh-41 is one such weapon. Its ribbed, chromed barrel, drum magazine, sturdy wooden stock, and downward sloping muzzle are all instantly recognizable. If an…
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The Engrossed
Seneca had a word for men who were consumed with the chase after worldly riches and pleasures to the exclusion of everything else. He called them occupati, the past participle of the verb occupare. They were so busy in this obsessive, single-minded pursuit of the phantoms of prosperity that they never properly set aside time…
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Ancient Treatment For The Common Cold
In a recent article we discussed Celsus’s ideas on treatment for depression and melancholy. We now look at his prescription for dealing with the common cold, an ailment that until this day has defied a consistent cure. What is interesting about his treatment suggestions is that they seem to be about as effective as anyone…
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Why Consoling Friends Is Important (Podcast)
When we see a friend is hurting, is it better to try to offer help, or to ignore the problem?
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The Wisdom And Judgment Of Ibn Abi Duwad
Ibn Abi Duwad was a judge (القاضي) who was born in Basra around A.D. 776. He lived during the reign of the eighth Abbasid caliph Al-Mu’tasim. An Arabic historian relates the following wise sayings of his, along with an amusing anecdote. We will relate them here.
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Sunday Film Roundup (10/16/2016)
And here. We. Go. Cold In July (2014) Director: Jim Mickle Southern gothic is alive and well in this independent, seedy little crime drama. It’s a throwback to the great B-films of the 1970s, and well worth watching of this sort of thing is your bag. This movie is a good companion film to No…
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Ancient Treatment For Depression And Melancholia
What did the ancients think about depression, and how to cure it? We will look at the views of Celsus, who wrote the most complete medical guide that has survived from Roman times (excluding the writings of Galen).
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The Courage Of Andreas
In the year 530 the Eastern Roman (i.e., Byzantine) Empire was engaged in a limited frontier war with its traditional enemy, the Sassanid Persians. The two great empires had a long history of border clashes, as each constantly was testing the resolution of the other. One of the engagements that took place in this year…
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The Dragunov Sniper Rifle (SVD)
Those who follow the war in Syria on YouTube or Twitter will likely be familiar with the unique profile of the Soviet sniper rifle officially known as the SVD (Samozariyadnyia Vintokvka Dragunova). Unofficially, of course, it goes by the name Dragunov. The weapon has a long record of reliable service, having first appeared in 1963.…
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Sunday Film Roundup (10/9/2016)
Here’s what the cat brought in this week. I’ve got two movies to talk about this week, and both of them are worth seeing. This doesn’t happen very often, so I’m grateful.
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Fear Or Love? The Views Of Cicero And Machiavelli (Podcast)
Is it better to be feared or loved? This famous question is more nuanced than people think, and was addressed specifically by Cicero in “On Duties” as well as by Machiavelli in his “Prince” and “Discourses.” Yet there has been much oversimplification and misunderstanding on this subject. We also discuss whether Stoicism lends itself to…
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The Pearl Of Peroz
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…
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The Genesis Of Greek Fire
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…
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Travel Advice For A Young Man. Looking For Sympathy (Podcast)
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.
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Sunday Film Roundup (10/2/2016)
The past week was not especially great, but not a complete disaster. Here’s the damage, spelled out.
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The Flight Of Charles Nungesser
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…
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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