The Sirens Seduced Not With Song Or Pleasure, But With The Prospect Of Knowledge

Quintus Curtius Thought , , ,

Many readers, no doubt, have heard the Homeric fable about the Sirens.  These were the alluring mythical creatures who, by using their advanced powers of song, were able to divert mariners who happened to sail by the rocks they inhabited in the Mediterranean Sea.  Their voices were supposed to be so seductive that sailors could not resist them.  And when they approached the Sirens’ rocks to get a better look, they ran aground and were destroyed.  This, at least, is what the Greek mythologists have told us.

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“On Moral Ends” Lecture Series: Part 1

Quintus Curtius Podcast , ,

This podcast is the first of a series of three podcasts that will discuss Cicero’s treatise On Moral Ends.  I have just published an illustrated, annotated translation of this rich and nuanced work, and wanted to introduce readers to the book’s major concepts and arguments.  This podcast discusses the following subjects:

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Dr. Johnson Makes An Eloquent Petition For Clemency

Quintus Curtius History, Literature , ,

It is a noble thing to intercede on behalf of another’s worthy cause.  But the cause should be a worthy one; we must work to manage expectations; and, when every effort has been exerted, we must know when to let matters take their own course.  Advocating on behalf of another in this way could almost be viewed as a form of public service.  One of the law’s fundamental rules is the principle of proportionality:  a punishment should be reasonably proportional to the crime committed.  The reader examining the following anecdote should ask himself whether the punishment was, in fact, proportional to the committed offense.

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One Should Avoid Dangerous Places: The Rescue Of Euthymios And His Brethren

Quintus Curtius Literature, Thought , , ,

When considering tales from the lives of the great saints, we should be more mindful of the moral imparted by the story than strictly attentive to the accuracy of its details.  We must take into account the perspective of the writer, his proximity to the events he describes, and his moral purposes.  To do anything less would defeat the purpose of the anecdote.  Yet I am confident that many of the stories related by the biographer of Euthymios the Younger (823 A.D.?–898 A.D.) are based on actual events, and are not the idle speculations of the cloister.  One of these stories we will now relate.

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“How Can I Mentor Someone Else”? (Podcast)

Quintus Curtius Podcast ,

A reader tells how he had a very good mentor when he was young. As an older man, he now wants to be a mentor to a young person, but is not sure of the right way to go about it. We offer some suggestions.

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Euthymios Declares His Life’s Road

Quintus Curtius Thought , , ,

At some point in every man’s life, he must declare the road he wishes to follow.  This statement may be openly verbal, or it may be spoken indirectly, through actions and deeds.  It does not matter how the statement is made:  the point is that it is made, whether the man is aware of it or not.  There exists a need in every human heart to declare itself to the outside world, and this need cannot indefinitely be suppressed.  It must find a voice.

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Movie Roundup (10/14/2018)

Quintus Curtius Film , , ,

Venom (2018)

Director:  Ruben Fleischer

One of the things that makes Venom so refreshing is its old-school feel.  The characters are not preachy, obnoxious, or offensive, and you never get the sense that the director is trying to push any kind of agenda on you.  It’s just a good fable, engagingly told.  This is an unadulterated throw-back to the great pulp comic book films of the old days (and I mean very old days), in which an Average Joe gets randomly chosen to be the bearer of special gifts.  I went into this movie not knowing anything at all about it; sometimes I just like to wander into a theater and see what happens.

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“On Moral Ends” Is Now Available

Quintus Curtius Current News , , ,

My illustrated, annotated translation of Cicero’s De Finibus (On Moral Ends) was released today.  Purchase details can be found by clicking on the image above.  An audio version will be also soon be available.  This article will explain the unique features of this highly original translation, and why it represents a new direction for what may be Cicero’s most profound work.

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The Right To Evolve

Quintus Curtius Thought , ,

Anyone who has ever cleaned out his basement or attic has certainly come across writings or photos from earlier years.  We are likely to wince upon reading things we wrote ten, fifteen, or twenty years ago, to the same degree that we shake our heads in bewilderment at seeing old photos of ourselves.  This is because our minds, and our consciousness, does not remain fixed and unmoved as we age; they are not like the Rock of Gibraltar.  The things we believe when we were younger are not going to be the same things we believe as we get older.  This is natural and predictable; only a fool would refuse to change his views as he aggregates years and worldly experience.

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Legends Related To The Conquest Of Spain

Quintus Curtius History, Literature , , ,

Musa Ibn Nusair (موسى بن نصير) lived from 640 to 716 A.D. and served as the Umayyad governor-general of the province of Afriqiyya (North Africa).  It was he who planned and directed the Arab conquest of the Gothic kingdom of Spain.  The biographer Ibn Khallikan, writing in Baghdad in 1274, sketched the outline of his career and notable deeds.  Ibn Nusair’s full name was Abd al-Rahman Musa Ibn Nusair, and he was noted throughout his life, we are told, “for prudence, generosity, bravery, and piety.”  No army under his command was ever defeated.

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