A new conversation with Sean Eckmann from Mythos & Logos, where we're looking at the role of emotion, passion, and intervention of the metaphorical Gods in the Ancient Epics of the Iliad, Odyssey and Virgil's Aeneid.Sean's youtube channel is he

Episode 10 - The Escape, and Seeing the Stars

May 19th, 2022 9m 8s

The Pilgrim and Virgil run over to Lucifer, and start climbing down his giant body. At the midpoint the whole world flips upside-down, and after climbing up a small tunnel, they come out - and once again can see the stars.Enjoy!Advertising Inqu

Episode 9 - The Deepest Pit

May 17th, 2022 10m 58s

The Pilgrim and Virgil start walking on the Lake of Ice, and deeper into the darkness. They meet Ugolino and Ruggieri, and then later in the distance - something looking like a giant windmill. Then they see that it's Lucifer, with his enormous

Episode 8 - The Ten Ditches

May 15th, 2022 11m 35s

The Pilgrim and Virgil move on through the ten ditches of Fraud, and learn some important lessons about lies, and about Intellectual Hubris. Then they come to the Well with the Giants.Enjoy!Follow us on Instagram: @AncientWorldOrgAdvertising In

Episode 7 - The Lower Inferno

May 13th, 2022 11m 14s

Virgil explains the overall structure of the Inferno to the Pilgrim, and the three deepest circles. Then they walk through the seventh circle, and meet the monster Geryon, flying them down into the Abyss.Thanks for listening!Advertising Inquiri

Episode 6 - The City of the Underworld

May 11th, 2022 9m 47s

Virgil tries to open up the Gates to the Underworld, but the demons slam the door in his face. Then comes the Help, walking across the River Styx.Enjoy!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/

Episode 5 - The Circles of Passion

May 9th, 2022 10m 25s

The Pilgrim and Virgil travel through the four circles of Incontinence, and speak with the souls who were controlled by their passions, rather than reason, in life.Enjoy!Follow us on Instagram: @AncientWorldOrgAdvertising Inquiries: https://red

Episode 4 - Limbo, and Aristotle.

May 7th, 2022 10m 25s

The Pilgrim wakes up on the other side of the river Acheron, and enters the first Circle, with Limbo. We'll also look at the overall structure of Dante's Inferno and Aristotle's Moral Philosophy.Enjoy!Follow us on Twitter: @AncientWorldOrgAdver

Episode 3 - The Gate

May 5th, 2022 10m 55s

Virgil and the Pilgrim pass through the Gate, and reach the river Acheron, with the boatman Charon. The horrors of Inferno makes the Pilgrim pass out at the shores.Enjoy!Follow us on Twitter: @AncientWorldOrgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redci

Episode 2 - Beatrice

May 3rd, 2022 10m 16s

After deciding to go with Virgil, the Pilgrim is suddenly full of doubts and changes his mind. Then Virgil explains why he has come, and who is supporting them.Enjoy!Follow us on twitter! @AncientWorldOrgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle

Dante's Inferno: Episode 1

May 2nd, 2022 10m 31s

A new series! We'll look at the first book in Dante's Divine Comedy, with brief overviews and highlights - and how this work is relevant for understanding life and navigating the world better. In this episode we'll look at the opening, in chapt

The Ancient World, and Today.

Apr 17th, 2022 3m 26s

How the Ancient Wisdom is sometimes also Current Wisdom - a second excerpt from the interview we did with Adam Bishop, host of the Unlimited Opinions Podcast earlier this week.Full interview is here:https://apple.co/3xoqRNzEnjoy!Advertising Inq

Mythology and the Stories we tell

Apr 14th, 2022 2m 19s

The role of myth and stories in the understanding of Ancient Cultures - a quick excerpt from an interview we did with Adam Bishop, host of the Unlimited Opinions Podcast this week.Full interview is here:https://apple.co/3xoqRNzEnjoy!Advertising

Etymology - the meaning of "Easter" and "Equinox"!

Apr 11th, 2022 3m 20s

The origins of the words "Easter", "Pasqua" (In the Italian), and "Equinox".Enjoy!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Sordello's Poem "Blacatz", and its echo in The Valley of Princes.

Apr 7th, 2022 15m 3s

A look at the Sordello's most famous Provençal Poem "Blacatz" (c. 1240), and how Dante draws inspiration from this poem in his description of the Valley of Princes in Canto VII of the Purgatory.Enjoy!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com

The Epic Poem "Aeneid" by Virgil, the Founding Story of the Roman Empire

Apr 3rd, 2022 20m 18s

We're currently publishing a 10 episode series on the "Aeneid" by Virgil (from 29-19 BC) on the subscription podcast for the Ancient World, and its influence and connections with Dante's Divine Comedy. ($2/mnth: https://patreon.com/ancientworld

"The Lord of the Rings", a Book Talk with Podcaster Adam Bishop

Jan 7th, 2022 24m 58s

In this episode we'll be talking about the great literary epic of J.R.R. Tolkien: "The Lord of the Rings" with podcaster and student of linguistics in Missouri, Adam Bishop. The focus of the conversation is his favorite parts of the books, and

Interview: Dr. Phil Cary about Dante's Cosmology, and the 24 Wise People in the Sun.

Nov 27th, 2021 56m 40s

Join us for an excellent conversation with Ivy League Professor Dr. Phil Cary, about the structure of Dante's Cosmology and the 24 wise people in the sphere of the Sun.We'll also talk about the movement of the souls, and his favorite moments of

Meditation #7 - How to escape the Grip of the Sirens

Nov 14th, 2021 8m 29s

In the second Dream of the Purgatory, Dante is giving us a practical suggestion as to how we could escape the temptations and being in the thrall of the destructive Sirens. He then sums it all up in one verse line.Thanks for listening!For more

Meditation #6 - What motivates us, and how to create a great life!

Nov 11th, 2021 6m 57s

In the very heart of the Divine Comedy, Virgil explains the nature and source of our motivations, and how they can be misguided even if they feel good.This also lies at the center of the overall argument in the Comedy, that the path to Happine

Meditations #5 - Dante's thoughts on Free Will and a Predictable Future.

Nov 9th, 2021 7m 31s

When Dante asks his great-great grandfather Cacciaguida about his own future, Cacciaguida explains how this can be foreseen in the timeless Realm of Paradiso, without removing Dante from his Free Will to choose.This meditation spins out from t

Meditations #4 - Dante's view on Imagination

Nov 9th, 2021 7m 14s

In this episode and Meditation #4 we'll look at Dante's thoughts on the nature of Imagination, and how he is beautifully showing us his experiences of three scenes in his mind, and the going in and out of these visions.And also, we'd love to h

Meditations #3 - Motion, Aristotle, and the key to Empyrean.

Nov 8th, 2021 5m 46s

In this Meditation we'll look at how the idea and concept of Motion becomes the transitional point from the Prime Mover, and into the Empyrean in Paradiso. It's deep within the motion itself, that the Pilgrim discovers the point of light that w

Meditations #2 - Dante asks; Why all the suffering in the World?

Nov 8th, 2021 6m 30s

In the terrace of Wrath, the Pilgrim asks Marco Lombardo about all the evil in the world, as he saw it in Italy in the 13 hundreds. Main ideas from Dante is that our Free Will to make choices had been mislead by the Papacy, and thus Virtue has

Meditations #1 - Dante, and Aiming in Life.

Nov 7th, 2021 5m 46s

Welcome back to the Ancient World Podcast! We'll be warming up again now with some short meditations and reflections from the Ancient World and the Renaissance, aiming for shorter episodes with inspiration and beauty, and new food for thought.