The Roman Mysteries: A Conversation with Bestselling Children’s Author Caroline Lawrence (Ad Navseam, Episode 138)

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#Lifestyle #Arts #Podcasting Education #Hobbies #Ad Navseam

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The War and Treaty’s Michael and Tanya Trotter grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and Washington, DC, respectively, but both have family roots in the South. They also grew up in the musical traditions of their churches – Tanya in the Black Baptist Church and Michael in the Seventh Day Adventist Church – where they learned the power of song to move people. After becoming a father at a very young age, Michael eventually joined the armed forces and served in Iraq and Germany, where he took up songwriting as a way of dealing with his experiences there. Meanwhile Tanya embarked on a singing and acting career after a breakthrough appearance in Sister Act 2 alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Lauryn Hill. Now, after a long and sometimes traumatic journey, Michael and Tanya are married, touring, winning all sorts of awards, and set to release their fifth album together, and their fourth as The War and Treaty. Sid talks to Michael and Tanya about the new record, Plus One , as well as their collaboration with Miranda Lambert, what it was like to record at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, and how they’re blending country, soul, gospel, and R&B. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

рік тому 1:26:31

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This week the guys have the honor of interviewing kids/young adult author Caroline Lawrence (The Roman Mysteries and Roman Quests series, along with many others!) Ms. Lawrence is beaming in to us from London, where she writes her books overlooking the mighty Thames itself. And she's no pretender when it comes to the Classics--she comes to London by way of Classics degrees from Berkeley and Cambridge. Tune in to hear about her own fascinating journey from enthusiast to author, about how she shapes her stories from visits to museums and archaeological sites, and about how she incorporates her knowledge of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew into her fiction. We're sure you'll come away with a new love for Hero Journeys, for following one's passions, for London itself and maybe even apotropaic pillows!

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The Roman Mysteries: A Conversation with Bestselling Children’s Author Caroline Lawrence (Ad Navseam, Episode 138)

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180 епізодів

#Lifestyle #Arts #Podcasting Education #Hobbies #Ad Navseam

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The Milkman Goeth: Lactantius, Christian Cicero Part II (Ad Navseam, Episode 175) 1:03:54

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This week Jeff and Dave are back in the studio to discuss the leading light of early fourth-century Christian rhetoric. 'No whey', you say? Yes, it's true. The guys again take a look at the North African rhetorical tradition that produced such greats of Christian apologetics as Minucius Felix, Tertullian, Cyprian of Carthage, and Arnobius of Sicca. What should we make of Lactantius' accomplishment? Is he really the crème de la crème, or merely pushed forward by inevitable social forces, not an instance of the 'great man theory'? And what about his rhetorical feats in the grisly Deaths of the Persecutors , Divine Institutes , God's Workmanship , and more? Was Pico della Mirandola correct that Lactantius "equalled Cicero, or maybe even surpassed him in eloquence"? Come along for the ride as we wrap up this two-parter on the man who was well suited to his times, interacting with the cabbage-loving Diocletian, a host of enemies of the Christian faith, and even the big guy, Constantine. And bee sure to check out Dave's free Latin lessons here: Deaths of the Persecturors Epitome of the Divine Institutes…

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The Milkman Cometh: Lactantius, Christian Cicero Part I (Ad Navseam, Episode 174) 1:14:50

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This week the guys teeter on the edge of Late Antiquity, caught in that liminal space between pagan and Christian, west and east, Latin and Greek. And what better guide through it than Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius (the "Milkman"), the early Christian apologist who converted to the faith during Diocletian's persecution and ended up working for Constantine? Dave and Jeff spend the hour trying to assemble the threadbare, but fascinating biography of the man, all the while investigating such questions as: where does Lactantius stand in the larger picture of apologetics? What was his career like before his conversion? What does it mean to call him the "Christian Cicero"? And what's with all these North Africans punching above their weight? Is there something in that Carthaginian coffee? Lastly, speaking of coffee, if you're out driving and the brew in your tumbler is less than ideal, just try to keep 'er steady, ok? (Don't ask, just tune in).…

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The Golden Age of the Classics in America by Carl Richard, Part V (Ad Navseam, Episode 173) 1:10:55

17 днів тому1:10:55

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This week Jeff and Dave leave aside that French guy (H.I. Marsomething) and go back to their OTHER book series, Carl Richard. What was happening in the early 19th century after the American founding? Pastoralism! Oh, the idyllic life of lounging with livestock, as the kine low loudly through the meadows. But there is also the counterattack of utilitarianism. After all, the business of America is business. So which view is going to dominate American culture? Will it be the Jeffersonian gentleman farmer, with his 40 acres, picturesque outhouses and a landscape larded with Roman villas (paging Wendell Berry)? Or will it be a Hamiltonian mercantile paradise, with everyone trading with their neighbor? And where do the Classics fit in all this? Come along as we take a Thoreau look at this question, complete with the Yale Report of Jeremiah Day, the full-scale assult on Classical languages, the counter-attack, and the daring denouement. You won't wanna miss this one. Listen up, or go barbarian.…

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Tomb it May Concern: Manolis Andronikos and Philip II at Vergina (Ad Navseam, Episode 172) 1:11:24

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On November 8th, 1977 archaeologist Manolis Andronikos made public one of the greatest finds of all time—the royal Macedonian tombs at Aigai (modern day Vergina), including what is likely the tomb of Philipp II himself. This week, the guys walk through this remarkable story and frame it within the chaotic historical context of the decline of Athens and the rise of Macedon in the 4th century BC. Using David Grant’s recent book, Unearthing the Family of Alexander the Great (Pen and Sword Military, 2019), Dave and Jeff address a number of the ongoing controversies surrounding the finds—why did these tombs survive while most others have been found looted? Is it really Philipp II in the larnax? If so, who is the mysterious “Scythian Queen” in the antechamber? Along the way, sample a bit of Demosthenes' Second Philippic , prepare yourself for Smarch weather, and soak up the inanities.…

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The Hunger Games' Swansong: Erisychthon and Cycnus in Two More Ovidian Vignettes (Ad Navseam, Episode 171) 1:08:52

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This week Dave and Jeff are back to Ovid for a couple more vignettes! The guys start with the bizarre tale of Erysichthon (the "Earth-Ripper") who lives up to his name by lumberjacking a sacred grove of Ceres. But why? Is this a prescient Lorax pre-boot? A morality play about late-stage capitalism? Or ust a guy who desperately wanted that Rumpus Room house addition? We're starving for answers. Then it's on to Cycnus ("Swany") and his fateful encounter with Achilles on the plains of Troy. Has Achilles met his match with someone as nearly "invincible" as he is, and who talks as much smack? How does this "win" of Achilles set the stage for his own demise? Of the three Cynci known in myth, why is this li'l cygnet the only who gets the full-fledged Metamorphoses treatment? Also, don't miss guest spots by Swan Carlos, Mr. T, and Stuart Little. I pity the fool who doesn't tune in!…

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H.I. Marrou’s A History of Education in Antiquity, Part XV (Ad Navseam, Episode 170) 1:07:44

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This week Jeff and Dave are back to H. I. Marrou and all things ancient education. At first, Jeff has some trouble seeing how Marrou isn't simply repeating himself, but after a good buddy talk, this chapter reveals some fascinating insights. We see how formal education during the Hellenistic era (circa 336-31 B.C.) helped shape our definition of the "canon" of ancient works--a focus on foundational works, the primacy of Homer, and core representatives of poetry, drama, and rhetoric. You'll want to engage with Marrou's definition of Classical culture and the scale of values, and also have your fingers ready to count down the top 10 ancient poets, top 10 philosophers, top 10 artists, top 10 historians, etc. Come on, who doesn't love lists? Then cue the Stoic philosophers like Chrysippus to shake things up: what's more important, they ask, textual criticism, or teasing out deep and allegorical meanings even (or especially) when the text gets weird? And if the moral is not there, well then, you (or Bob Dylan) will just have to invent it yourself. Don't miss this one, and the secret Ratio 4 giveaway code word.…

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The New Old Way of Learning Languages: James Hamilton and his Interlinears (Ad Navseam, Episode 169) 1:10:43

7 weeks тому1:10:43

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This week Jeff and Dave pick up an article (linked below) from Ernest Blum in the American Scholar (September 2008) on the once hugely popular (and now wholly neglected) interlinear method of language learning. 19th century businessman and aspiring pedagogue James Hamilton (1769–1831) found the Greek and Latin instruction of his time hopelessly slow and backward: "How . . . is it possible that a child should be chained to the oar, seven, eight, or ten of the best years of his life, to get a language or two, which, I think, might be had at a great deal cheaper rate of pains and time, and be learned almost in playing?" In response, Jimbo developed a system of fitting the translation, in this case English, directly below the line, which privileged reading above all other forms of study as the sole and proper method of learning. Jim made some extravagant claims about the Hamiltonian method's prospects for success: "Reading is the only real, the only effectual source of instruction. It is the pure spring of nine-tenths of our intellectual enjoyments. . . . Neither should it be sacrificed to grammar or composition, nor to getting by heart any thing whatever, because these are utterly unobtainable before we have read a great deal.” But is he right? What about spoken language acquisition? What about images? Games? And what about Zipf's law? The guys examine the article and Blum's claims in light of their own language acquisition and instruction, comparing the Hamiltonian system to Loebs, the finer elements of Greek and Latin syntax, and what'er else strikes their fancy. Be sure to tune in for this and more, especially the secret code word to win a premium Ratio 4 coffee maker. https://theamericanscholar.org/the-new-old-way-of-learning-languages/…

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Having Second Thoughts: Secondary Literature in the Study of the Classics, Part II (Ad Navseam, Episode 168) 1:03:17

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In this second installment in a 2-part series, Dave and Jeff tackle some additional works that you avid nauserinos may want to add to your own library and reading list. Dave starts things off with some philosophical and theological musings, courtesy of The Justice of Zeus by Sir Hugh-Lloyd Jones (U. of California Press 1971). Then Jeff, in a nearly-Dionysiac frenzy, directs us toward Eric Robertson Dodds' The Greeks and the Irrational (UCP 1951). So, with typical, academic p̷a̷n̷c̷a̷k̷e̷ panache and restraint, the guys spend nearly 48 minutes on the first two titles. As the sand slowly slides through the hourglass, at last they turn to Dave's final choice, a real gem by A. Duane Litfin: St. Paul's Theology of Proclamation: 1 Corinthians 1-4 and Greco-Roman Rhetoric (CUP 1994). Some autobiography ensues as they grapple with the differences between Classical oratory and Christian preaching. Hey, it can't all be Ovid! Hac acroase fruamini, O amici !…

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Seconds Count: Secondary Literature in the Study of the Classics, Part I (Ad Navseam, Episode 167) 1:07:33

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After a short hiatus the guys are back, dipping into their personal libraries to present some of the secondary literature that has been influential in shaping their thinking as Classicists. As Jeff and Dave get a little wonky, longtime listeners may not be all that surprised at some of the choices here—Jeff’s picks traffic in mystery cults and mythic narratives, while Dave trots out works on Cicero, and political shifts in Roman history. Longtime listeners will also likely not be surprised that Jeff and Dave only get about halfway through their choices (so look for a part two!) Still, the guys manage to cover Walter Burkert's Ancient Mystery Cults , Manfred Fuhrmann's Cicero and the Roman Republic , Joseph Campbell's Hero with 1,000 Faces , Ronald Syme's The Roman Revolution, and Mary Lefkowitz' Black Athena: Revisited. Tune in for a lively discussion that includes not just the books themselves, but also defining secondary sources, and some of the odd ways in which studying the Classics can become politically charged.…

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H.I. Marrou’s A History of Education in Antiquity, Part XIV (Ad Navseam, Episode 166) 1:17:51

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Down in the Vomitorium it’s back to Marrou and his section on Primary School and Education in antiquity. Jeff starts the episode a little skeptical thinking this might be a bit of a snoozer, but he quickly comes around, especially once Dave starts dropping ancient vowel exercises like an old school hip-hop beat. Tune in as we sift through ancient debates which read very modernly—when should kids start school? How much should teachers get paid? How many vacation days can we squeeze into the calendar? How much does elementary school truly matter? And, what core subjects should be taught?…

1
Libris Helluari, Buried in Books Part II (Ad Navseam, Episode 165) 1:10:52

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This week the guys resume a conversation begun in Episode 13! What's it like to be a book club of one, and what are the social dynamics when two book clubs of one meet temporarily to discuss, uh, books? Well, it's time to gorge and gourmandize on the written page, and it's not just Classics this time around. Jeff starts us off with some selections from Erik Larson, Jeffrey Toobin, Paul Jeffers, and Noel Monk, before finishing off with a bit of David Grant (Alexander's tomb) and Greg King (Leopold and Loeb). It's a main course of true crime, freemasonry, Alexander the Great, and EVH, as the book club dances the night away. Then it's Dave's turn, with volumes from Ed Feser (Five Proofs of the Existence of God), William Kauffman (American Brutus), Gaven Kerr (more Aquinas), and Richard Newman (Alma Rose). The tastes may not be similar, and dentistry gets more than a little airtime, but what's not to love about a garden, a library, a good cup of brew, and a wide-ranging discussion? Join our book club for an hour or so, or start one of your own.…

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The Bear Switch Project: Two More Ovidian Vignettes (Ad Navseam, Episode 164) 1:15:30

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It’s back to Ovid this week in the bunker for two more ingenious tales of transformation. We start in Book I by chewing our cud and patting our 8 tummies. It's the tragic bovine metamorphosis of Io, and the mournful response of her father, Inachus. Here we see the first internal writer and reader within the poem, as daughter reveals herself to dad by hoof-scratching her name in the dirt. Is this also the origin of Roman mourning rites? Then it’s a sylvan sashay back to the woods, where Jupiter (once again) is up to no good and Juno is (once again) directing her vengeance elsewhere, turning Callisto, her husband’s unwilling (once again) paramour, into a bear. What kind of gods are these? What place for mortals in all this? Is the transformation into a part of nature a blessing or a curse? And finally, has anyone located the edible, pulverized, skeletal muscle portion of the bullock?…

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H.I. Marrou’s A History of Education in Antiquity, Part XIII (Ad Navseam, Episode 163) 1:13:15

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This week Jeff and Dave resume their longstanding friendship with Henri-Irénée Marrou, "French historian" and "Christian humanist in outlook", for Part the 13th. It's Chapter IV -- "Artistic Education" -- of Part II -- Education in the Hellenistic Era --, which gets a thorough look this time. Drawing, instrumental music (both lyre and aulos), choral and accompanied song, dancing, and the decline of music and culture in education, everything's on the docket. Aristotle casts his long shadow over the age, and people's appreciation of music. Is it just for the professionals? Or, will there remain a place for amateurs to practice and appreciate the arts. It's a wide-ranging conversation, complete with awkward flashbacks to high school dances and talent shows. And, stick around for a little original music from Michael Kornelis. This one's got it all!…

1
The Golden Age of the Classics in America by Carl Richard, Part IV (Ad Navseam, Episode 162) 1:06:45

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This week it’s back to Richards’ fascinating book, and finishing up our look at how the Classics were used as a lens for interpreting the American democratic experiment and living in a democratic society. Here the guys delve into how Rome functioned as a “law and order” counterbalance to the looser, “liberty” ideals of Athens, and how particular Roman men served as models for framing and lauding certain founding fathers (such as Cincinnatus for Washington). Cornelia also appears as a stand-in for the ideal American woman—Louisa McCord and Sarah Grimke saw her motherhood and intelligence as models worth imitating. But, look out—here comes Caesar (boo! hiss!) as the villain! Why did some Americans think Andrew Jackson’s “Julius” needed a “Brutus”?…

1
Let's Get this Potty Started: A Conversation on Aristophanes with Translator Diane Arnson Svarlien (Ad Navseam, Episode 161) 1:03:48

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