And here. We. Go.
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 Country For Old Men, in that both take place in 1980s Texas.
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).
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 was the Battle of Dara, and it was fought in what is now eastern Georgia in the Caucasus mountains.
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. It has seen action in every conflict in which the Soviet Union, Russia, and her allies have been involved since that time. In Syria, it has seen use all over the theater of conflict, in both urban settings and in the countryside.
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.
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 passivity and fatalism.
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.
Quintus Curtius 
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