This podcast is an introduction to Anglophone literature, from ancient times to the present, done by a Ph.D. with lots of books and musical instruments. A typical episode offers a summary of a work, or part of a work of literature, followed by some historical analysis. The episodes include original music, some comedy songs, and goofy jokes. You can listen to the shows in any order, although from time to time, episodes will make brief mention of previous or upcoming ones.
Episode 104: An Introduction to the Talmud
Second only to the Tanakh, the 63 Tractates of the Talmud are the main text of Rabbinic Judaism, containing the teachings of thousands of ancient rabbis. Upcoming Seasons: https://literatureandhistory.com/upcoming-seasons/ Episode 104 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-104 Episode 104 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-104-introduction-to-the-talmud Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
8/9/2024 • 2 hours, 21 minutes, 51 seconds
Episode 103: Boethius
In the twilight of the Western Empire, Boethius (c. 476-523) served as consul, but ended his life imprisoned by the Ostrogothic King Theodoric, writing The Consolation of Philosophy. Ancient Greece Declassified Enemies of Athens Tour (October 11-19, 2023): https://www.greecepodcast.com/tour/ Episode 103 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=351&catid=2 Episode 103 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-103-boethius Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
9/22/2023 • 2 hours, 23 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 102: An Old Man's Book (Augustine's City of God, Part 2 of 2)
Augustine’s City of God, Part 2 of 2. The second half of the City of God contains some of Late Antiquity’s most influential writings – most notably Augustine’s take on Original Sin. Episode 102 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-102-quiz Episode 102 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-102-an-old-mans-book Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
3/4/2023 • 2 hours, 27 minutes, 38 seconds
Episode 101: Against the Pagans (Augustine's City of God, Part 1 of 2)
Augustine’s City of God, Part 1 of 2. The first half of the City of God is a broadside against paganism – its culture, religion, and history, subjects about which Augustine had much to say. Episode 101 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-101-quiz Episode 101 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-101-against-the-pagans Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/4/2023 • 2 hours, 15 minutes, 31 seconds
Episode 100: Late Have I Loved You (Augustine's Confessions, Books 9-13)
Augustine’s Confessions, Part 2 of 2. The second half of Augustine’s Confessions contains some of the most famous theology in Christian history. Episode 100 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-100-quiz Episode 100 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-100-late-have-i-loved-you Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
12/30/2022 • 2 hours, 5 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 99: The Boy Who Stole Pears (Augustine's Confessions, Books 1-7)
Augustine’s Confessions, Part 1 of 2. The first half of Augustine’s Confessions tells of his wayward early years, his intellectual journey, and his spiritual awakening. Episode 99 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-99-quiz Episode 99 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-099-the-boy-who-stole-pears Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
12/10/2022 • 1 hour, 55 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode 98: The Life and Works of Saint Jerome
Polyglot Jerome (347-420) had a gigantic impact on all subsequent Christian history, leaving behind a huge body of works, including the Latin Bible. Episode 98 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-98-quiz Episode 98 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-098-the-life-and-works-of-saint-jerome Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory Ancient Greece Declassified Tour: https://www.greecepodcast.com/tour/
11/11/2022 • 2 hours, 9 minutes, 43 seconds
Episode 97: Blood and Ivy (Nonnus' Dionysiaca, Books 25-48)
The Dionysiaca, Part 2 of 2. The last surviving Greek epic of antiquity draws to a close with Dionysus fighting wars far to the east, in India. Episode 96 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-97-quiz Episode 96 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-097-blood-and-ivy Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
5/8/2022 • 2 hours, 32 minutes, 27 seconds
Episode 96: The Last Pagan Epic (Nonnus' Dionysiaca, Books 1-24)
The last epic from Greco-Roman antiquity that survives in full, Nonnus’ fifth-century Dionysiaca tells of the wine god Dionysus’ journey eastward, to India. Episode 96 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-96-quiz Episode 96 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-096-the-last-pagan-epic Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
10/31/2021 • 2 hours, 13 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 95: Rutilius Namatianus
In 417 CE, the Roman poet Rutilius Namatianus journeyed from Rome back to his homeland of Gaul, not knowing whether there was a home to return to. Episode 95 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-95-quiz Episode 95 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-095-rutilius-namatianus Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
10/17/2021 • 2 hours, 2 minutes, 49 seconds
Episode 94: Ausonius
One of the later Latin poets of the Empire, Ausonius’ expansive body of work gives us a window into the changing world of fourth-century Roman culture. Episode 94 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-94-quiz Episode 94 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-094-ausonius Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
9/12/2021 • 1 hour, 53 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 93: Severus' Life of Saint Martin
Sulpicius Severus’ (c. 363-425) life of St. Martin is one of the great hagiographies – a portrait of a timeless saint, but also of a human being and working bishop. Episode 93 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-93-quiz Episode 93 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-093-severus-life-of-saint-martin Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
8/18/2021 • 1 hour, 57 minutes, 50 seconds
Episode 92: Athanasius' Life of Antony
Athanasius (c. 297-373) wrote a wildly popular biography of the desert hermit St. Antony, touting the ideals of asceticism and triumph over demonic temptation. Episode 92 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-92-quiz Episode 92 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-092-athanasius-life-of-antony Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
8/8/2021 • 2 hours, 6 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 91: The Passion of Perpetua and Felicity
In Carthage, in 203 CE, a Roman noblewoman and her retinue were butchered in an amphitheater. Learn her story, and the earliest history of Christian martyrs. Episode 91 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-91-quiz Episode 91 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-091-the-passion-of-perpetua Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
7/25/2021 • 2 hours, 12 minutes, 15 seconds
Episode 90: Ante-Nicene Catholicism
Learn the documentary history behind how the Catholic Church was founded and set up as an organization, together with some of the works of the earliest church fathers. Episode 90 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-90-quiz Episode 90 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-090-ante-nicene-catholicism Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
7/4/2021 • 2 hours, 4 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode 89: The Aethiopica of Heliodorus
Heliodorus of Emesa (3rd/4th century CE) wrote the longest novel to have survived from antiquity, an adventurous romance that reemerged into Europe in the 1500s. Episode 89 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-89-quiz Episode 89 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-089-the-aethiopica-of-heliodorus Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory Great Anthology of Ancient Greek Fiction: B.P. Reardon's Collected Ancient Greek Novels
6/19/2021 • 2 hours, 12 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode 88: Ancient Greek Sci-fi
In roughly the 160s CE, the Greek satirist Lucian of Samosata wrote A True History, one of history’s earliest surviving novels, with strong tinges of what we’d call science fiction. Episode 88 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-88-quiz Episode 88 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-088-ancient-greek-sci-fi Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
5/21/2021 • 1 hour, 55 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 87: Lucian of Samosata
The satirist Lucian (c. 125-180) was popular in his own time and during the Renaissance, among other things probably being the first author of science fiction. Episode 87 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-87-quiz Episode 87 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-087-lucian-of-samosata Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
5/7/2021 • 1 hour, 42 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 86: An Introduction to Late Antiquity
Once pervasively described as a period of fall and decline, today Late Antiquity is often understood as a period of cultural flowering and economic revolution. Episode 86 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-86-quiz Episode 86 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-086-an-introduction-to-late-antiquity Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
4/25/2021 • 2 hours, 22 minutes, 55 seconds
Episode 85: River
A primer on Biblical canon formation, retrospective on what we’ve covered so far, and introduction to the upcoming season. Episode 85 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-085-river Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
4/4/2021 • 1 hour, 56 minutes, 26 seconds
Episode 84: Manichaeism
After 300 CE, Manichaeism spread quickly from its origins in modern day Iraq and Iran. Recent archaeological discoveries have finally allowed us to learn about it firsthand. Episode 84 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-84-quiz Episode 84 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-084-manichaeism Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
3/14/2021 • 1 hour, 58 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 83: Gnosticism
The Nag Hammadi Library, Codex Tchacos, and Berlin Codex, as they came to light in the twentieth century, radically changed our understanding of early Christianity. HarperOne Nag Hammadi Scriptures https://harperone.com/9780061626005/the-nag-hammadi-scriptures/ Episode 83 Quiz https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-83-quiz Episode 83 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-083-gnosticism Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/28/2021 • 2 hours, 15 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 82: Zoroastrianism
Learn the basic tenets and early history of Zoroastrianism, one of the most important and widespread religions in the ancient world, and possibly earth’s oldest living monotheism. Episode 82 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-82-quiz Episode 82 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-082-zoroastrianism Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
1/31/2021 • 2 hours, 19 minutes, 26 seconds
Episode 81: Revelation
One of the most spectacular pieces of writing in the world’s religious texts, Revelation influenced generations of writers and theologians. Episode 81 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-81-quiz Episode 81 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-081-revelation Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory Write Large Podcast: https://www.writlarge.fm/
1/10/2021 • 2 hours, 17 minutes, 59 seconds
Episode 80: The General Epistles
The later epistles of the New Testament show early Christian theology expanding and evolving in the Ancient Mediterranean. Episode 80 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-80-quiz Episode 80 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-080-the-general-epistles Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
10/14/2020 • 2 hours, 3 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode 79: The Pauline Epistles
Possibly the most influential theologian in history, Paul codified and clarified Christianity as it emerged into the diverse world of the Eastern Mediterranean. Episode 79 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-79-quiz Episode 79 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-079-the-pauline-epistles Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
9/25/2020 • 2 hours, 17 minutes, 2 seconds
Episode 78: The Book of Acts
The story of Christianity’s first missionaries is a sweeping , intercontinental narrative, filled with danger, strange encounters, and the hope for a better future. Episode 78 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-78-quiz Episode 78 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-078-the-book-of-acts Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
9/11/2020 • 2 hours, 15 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 77: The Gospels
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the heart of the New Testament. And today, historians and Biblical scholars know more about them than ever before. Episode 77 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-77-quiz Episode 77 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-077-the-gospels Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
6/30/2020 • 2 hours, 40 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 76: Judea Under Herod
The Roman client king Herod (c. 73-4 BCE) ruled Judea for thirty years. Learn about his rule, and the political and religious climate of Judea just before the birth of Christ. Episode 76 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-76-quiz Episode 76 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-076-judea-under-herod Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
6/7/2020 • 1 hour, 51 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 75: Dusk and Starlight
A retrospective on the material we’ve covered thus far as we head into Early Christianity and Late Antiquity, plus some announcements. Episode 75 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-075-dusk-and-starlight Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
4/25/2020 • 2 hours, 6 minutes, 24 seconds
Episode 74: Marcus Aurelius (The Meditations)
Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations show an intelligent emperor coping with the realities of an empire buckling under its own weight. Episode 74 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-74-quiz Episode 74 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-074-marcus-aurelius Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
3/14/2020 • 1 hour, 51 minutes, 6 seconds
Episode 73: The Golden Ass (Apuleius' The Golden Ass)
Apuleius’ The Golden Ass is Ancient Rome’s only novel to survive in full – a strange, often disturbing fairytale that had a huge influence on posterity. Episode 73 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-73-quiz Episode 73 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-073-the-golden-ass Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/29/2020 • 2 hours, 34 minutes, 31 seconds
Episode 72: Bread and Circuses (Juvenal's Satires)
Juvenal’s Satires, produced some time in the decades around 100 CE, mercilessly mock some of the more colorful aspects of Roman life. Episode 72 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-72-quiz Episode 72 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-072-bread-and-circuses Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/14/2020 • 1 hour, 51 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode 71: The Gods Depart (Statius' Thebaid)
Statius’ Thebaid, Books 7-12. Six hundred years after Aeschylus, Statius once again brought the Theban epic to a thunderous conclusion.
Statius’ Thebaid, Books 1-6. This epic is hardly ever read or taught these days, but in 100 CE, it was as famous as anything in the Roman world. Episode 70 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-70-quiz Episode 70 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-070-romes-forgotten-epic Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Petronius’ Satyricon is a contender for history’s first novel, a picaresque filled with sex, misadventures, and details about daily life. Episode 69 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-69-quiz Episode 69 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-069-romes-comic-novel Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
8/26/2019 • 2 hours, 9 seconds
Episode 68: Love Means Sin (Seneca's Phaedra)
Seneca’s Phaedra (c. 50s CE) is the story of an illicit passion, a stoic cautionary tale and simultaneously vivid character study. Episode 68 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-68-quiz Episode 68 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-068-love-means-sin Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Seneca’s Thyestes, probably written around the 50s CE, is one of the most horrifying and influential plays ever written. Episode 67 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-67-quiz Episode 67 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-067-jaws-dripping-blood Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
7/17/2019 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 49 seconds
Episode 66: Stoicism, Seneca, St. Paul
Stoicism, starting with Zeno in 300 BCE, was a popular philosophy by the lifetime of Seneca, perhaps even making its way into the New Testament. Episode 66 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-66-quiz Episode 66 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-066-seneca-stoicism-st-paul Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
6/26/2019 • 1 hour, 34 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 65: Seneca and the Julio-Claudians (The Life of Seneca)
Seneca the Younger (c 1 BCE-65 CE) practiced the philosophy of stoicism over the course of several volatile, and very different imperial reigns. Episode 65 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-65-quiz Episode 65 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-065-seneca-and-the-julio-claudians Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
3/30/2019 • 2 hours, 6 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 64: Ovid's Exile (The Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto)
For mysterious reasons, in 8 CE, Ovid was exiled from Rome. Ovid’s last works were composed an ocean away from Italy, on the western shore of the Black Sea. Episode 64 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-64-quiz Episode 64 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-064-ovids-exile Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/23/2019 • 1 hour, 39 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 63: All Is in Flux (Ovid's Metamorphoses, Books 11-15)
Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Books 11-15. The vast Metamorphoses draws to a resonant conclusion as Ovid brings his great poem to Rome itself. Episode 63 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-63-quiz Episode 63 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-063-all-is-in-flux Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/8/2019 • 2 hours, 11 minutes, 19 seconds
Episode 62: A Curious Passion (Ovid's Metamorphoses, Books 6-10)
Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Books 6-10. In the middle portion of Ovid’s great poem, psychological transformations become as gripping as physical ones. Episode 62 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-62-quiz Episode 62 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-062-a-curious-passion Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
1/27/2019 • 2 hours, 6 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode 61: Changes of Shape (Ovid's Metamorphoses, Books 1-5)
Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Books 1-5. This book influenced thousands of years of later literature, and remains one of our best source texts on classical mythology. Episode 61 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-61-quiz Episode 61 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-061-changes-of-shape Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
1/14/2019 • 2 hours, 14 minutes, 33 seconds
Episode 60: How to Make Love to a Roman (Ovid's Art of Love and Cure for Love)
Ovid’s Art of Love is ancient Rome’s manual of seduction – a record of the steamier side of the Augustan Age. Episode 60 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-60-quiz Episode 60 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-060-how-to-make-love-to-a-roman Episode 60 Song: "Bad Advice from Ovid" https://youtu.be/kfx-sjGorVM Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
12/10/2018 • 1 hour, 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Episode 59: Early Ovid (Amores, Heroides)
The love poetry of Ovid (43 BCE-17 CE) was standard Latin curriculum for hundreds of years, but it was also the product of a very specific historical moment. Episode 59 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-59-quiz Episode 59 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-059-early-ovid Episode 59 Song: "Ovid in Elegiacs" Video https://youtu.be/vE1jkidRthY Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
11/13/2018 • 1 hour, 30 minutes, 10 seconds
Episode 58: She Caught Me with Her Eyes (Propertius' Poetry)
Propertius (c. 50-1 BCE) took the Latin elegiac form to new heights of complexity and passion, even weaving subtle satire throughout his work. Episode 58 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-58-quiz Episode 58 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-058-she-caught-me-with-her-eyes Episode 58 Song: "Arrogant Love Song" https://youtu.be/BHEYVxqdztE Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
10/10/2018 • 1 hour, 43 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode 57: The World Grows Dim and Black (Virgil's Aeneid, Books 10-12)
Virgil’s Aeneid, Books 10-12. The end of Rome’s great epic is about something Romans of Virgil’s generation knew very well indeed. War. Episode 57 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-57-quiz Episode 57 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-057-the-world-grows-dim-and-black Episode 57 Song: "Dear Pallas" https://youtu.be/WRZbUYwdTR0 Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
9/1/2018 • 1 hour, 58 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode 56: I Shall Release Hell (Virgil's Aeneid, Books 7-9)
Virgil’s Aeneid, Books 7-9. Aeneas’ arrival in Italy begins auspiciously enough, but soon things take a turn for the worse. Episode 56 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-56-quiz Episode 56 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-056-i-shall-release-hell Episode 56 Song: "Another Siege" https://youtu.be/bjqsZbGL8oM Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
8/13/2018 • 1 hour, 58 minutes, 23 seconds
Episode 55: Among the Shades (Virgil's Aeneid, Books 4-6)
Virgil’s Aeneid, Books 4-6. The story of Dido and Aeneas, and his subsequent journey to the underworld, is the heart of Rome’s most famous poem. Episode 55 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-55-quiz Episode 55 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-055-among-the-shades Episode 55 Song: "The Gods Are Insane" https://youtu.be/Uybu1B2qq9o Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
7/6/2018 • 2 hours, 23 minutes, 3 seconds
Episode 54: Out of Troy (Virgil's Aeneid, Books 1-3)
Virgil’s Aeneid, Books 1-3. The Aeneid is Rome’s great epic. Learn the story of its first three books, and when and why Virgil began writing it. Episode 54 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-54-quiz Episode 54 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-054-out-of-troy Episode 54 Song: "The Epic Cycle Waltz" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcJgKUMS8k8 Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
5/31/2018 • 2 hours, 12 minutes, 33 seconds
Episode 53: Then Came Hard Iron (Virgil's Georgics)
Virgil’s Georgics (c. 29 BCE), or agriculture poems, show the poet reaching his full strength as a writer, and using an old form to analyze the history around him. Episode 53 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-53-quiz Episode 53 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-053-then-came-hard-iron Episode 53 Song: "The Ancient Republican" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzNAutei6wA Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
5/4/2018 • 1 hour, 52 minutes, 55 seconds
Episode 52: White Flowers Die (Virgil's Eclogues)
Virgil’s Eclogues (c. 38 BCE) are poems about country life. Far from being innocent celebrations, though they are often cryptic filled with a haunting darkness. Episode 52 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-52-quiz Episode 52 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-052-white-flowers-die Episode 52 Song: "Cyclops Power Ballad" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZOiQL5aJAA Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
4/12/2018 • 1 hour, 49 minutes, 40 seconds
Episode 51: Horace and Augustan Age Poetry
Horace (65-8 BCE) was a central figure in shaping Augustan Age tastes in satire and literary criticism. His bumbling, self conscious persona has been charming readers for millennia. Episode 51 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-51-quiz Episode 51 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-051-horace-and-augustan-poetry Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
3/19/2018 • 1 hour, 42 minutes, 49 seconds
Episode 50: Our Brutal Age (Horace's Poetry)
The Roman poet Horace (65-8 BCE), a contemporary of Augustus, endured wars, regime changes, and became a literary spokesman for the new principate. Episode 50 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-50-quiz Episode 50 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-050-our-brutal-age Episode 50 Song: "Augustus Asks for an Epic" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU6nk9luAm8 Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/19/2018 • 1 hour, 51 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode 49: The Strange Roots of Love (Catullus' Poetry)
Catullus (c. 85-54 BCE) is Rome’s most famous early poet. Departing from epic tradition, Catullus wrote a canon of short works that have been famous since antiquity. Episode 49 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-49-quiz Episode 49 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-049-the-strange-roots-of-love Episode 49 Song: "Catullus' Love Song" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myQERneu-mQ Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
1/31/2018 • 1 hour, 55 minutes
Episode 48: The Right and the Expedient (Cicero's Career, 62-43 BCE)
Following his consulship, Cicero did his best to salvage the battered Republic, eventually going head to head with the powerful young general Mark Antony. Episode 48 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-48-quiz Episode 48 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-048-the-right-and-the-expedient Episode 48 Song: "The Last Philippic" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES5WpZ1GH-A Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
1/15/2018 • 1 hour, 35 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 47: O Tempora, O Mores (Cicero's Career, 80-62 BCE)
The story of Cicero’s career is an epic tale, filled with courtroom dramas, corruption, conspiracy, greed, and Cicero’s own enduring hope for a better future. Episode 47 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-47-quiz Episode 47 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-047-o-tempora-o-mores Episode 47 Song: "First Catilinarian Rap" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDvjHnY6e9Q Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
12/20/2017 • 1 hour, 41 minutes, 37 seconds
Episode 46: The Republic at Twilight (Cicero's Early Life)
Cicero (106-43 BCE) was the undisputed master of the Latin language. During his first thirty years, he witnessed events that heralded the Republic’s end. Episode 46 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-46-quiz Episode 46 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-046-the-republic-at-twilight Episode 46 Song: "Roman Senate Barbershop" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgg9aMq7gs Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
12/9/2017 • 1 hour, 33 minutes, 37 seconds
Episode 45: The Uncuttables (Lucretius' On the Nature of Things and Epicureanism)
Lucretius (c. 94-53 BCE) is our most important source for Epicurean philosophy, perhaps the most misunderstood school of thought from the ancient world. Episode 45 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-45-quiz Episode 45 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-045-the-uncuttables Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
11/16/2017 • 1 hour, 49 minutes, 49 seconds
Episode 44: Homo Sum (Terence's The Brothers)
The Roman playwright Terence (c. 184-159 BCE) produced a string of brilliant comedies in the 160s BCE. His masterpiece, The Brothers, continues to astonish us today. Episode 44 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-44-quiz Episode 44 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-044-homo-sum Episode 44 Song: "Would You Like to Be My Son?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdwb60Hn1-8 Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
10/20/2017 • 1 hour, 55 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 43: On the Move (Plautus' The Rope)
Plautus (c. 254-184 BCE) was a prolific comedy writer. His late play, The Rope, captures the dizzying changes sweeping Rome after the Second Punic War. Episode 43 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-43-quiz Episode 43 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-043-on-the-move Episode 43 Song: "Let's Write a Romantic Comedy" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsrdUFmhiUI Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
9/29/2017 • 1 hour, 55 minutes, 15 seconds
Episode 42: The Beginnings of Roman Literature
Roman literature grew slowly from Greek traditions during the 300s and 200s BCE. Learn about its earliest figures, and how they paved the way for the Age of Cicero. Episode 42 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-42-quiz Episode 42 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-042-the-beginnings-of-roman-literature Episode 42 Song: "Stupid Puns About Rome" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OPNayS4wJ8 Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
9/17/2017 • 1 hour, 50 minutes, 13 seconds
Episode 41: Everything So Far
A retrospective of everything L&H has covered so far, plus some special announcements. Episode 41 Exam: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-41-quiz Episode 41 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-041-everything-so-far Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
5/3/2017 • 1 hour, 19 minutes, 59 seconds
Episode 40: Hellenism and the Birth of the Self
The Hellenistic period – 330-30 BCE, saw Alexander’s successor kingdoms rotting away in the east, the rise of Rome, and the birth of modern consciousness. Episode 40 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-40-quiz Episode 40 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-040-hellenism-and-the-birth-of-the-self Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
4/24/2017 • 1 hour, 54 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode 39: Medea and the Argonauts (Apollonius' Jason and the Argonauts)
Apollonius’ Jason and the Argonauts, Books 3-4. Mesmerizing Medea takes center stage at the Argonautica’s end, dominating the epic’s events. Episode 39 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-39-quiz Episode 39 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-039-medea-and-the-argonauts Episode 39 Song: "Jason's Power Ballad" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BqyO8XFT5U Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
4/4/2017 • 1 hour, 36 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 38: The Epic Anti-Hero (Apollonius' Jason and the Argonauts)
Jason and the Argonauts, Books 1-2. Journey with Jason to find the Golden Fleece, and learn about the Greco-Egyptian writer, Apollonius of Rhodes. Episode 38 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-38-quiz Episode 38 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-038-the-epic-anti-hero Episode 38 Song: "The Golden Moby-Dick Fleece" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BRSbaaK-i4 Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
3/22/2017 • 1 hour, 51 minutes, 46 seconds
Episode 37: The New Comedy (Menander's Old Cantankerous)
Menander’s Old Cantankerous (316 BCE), produced during the New Comedy period, shows theater beginning to take on its modern form. Episode 37 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-37-quiz Episode 37 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-037-the-new-comedy Episode 37 Song: "Alexander the. . .um. . .Great" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc2BYWLWtLw Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
3/3/2017 • 1 hour, 38 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 36: War and Peace and Sex (Aristophanes' Lysistrata)
Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, with all of its nudity, sex, and explicit language, was nonetheless his most powerful salvo against the Peloponnesian War. Episode 36 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-36-quiz Episode 36 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-036-war-and-peace-and-sex Episode 36 Song: "Lysistrata in Three Minutes" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaJxAK0HAxU Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/22/2017 • 1 hour, 40 minutes, 27 seconds
Episode 35: The Great Thundercrap (Aristophanes' The Clouds)
Aristophanes’ The Clouds is a dazzling satire on Athenian philosophy, showing a very different Socrates than Plato’s. Episode 35 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-35-quiz Episode 35 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-035-the-great-thundercrap Episode 35 Song: "Aristophanes Barbershop" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhAbkjs9HWA Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/7/2017 • 1 hour, 38 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode 34: The Traditions of Our Forefathers (Euripides' The Bacchae)
Euripides’ The Bacchae, one of the darkest and bloodiest works of Ancient Greek tragedy, is about the spread of cult religions during the late Peloponnesian War. Episode 34 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-34-quiz Episode 34 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-034-the-traditions-of-our-forefathers Episode 34 Song: "Interview with Dionysus" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxd0jATUZ-s Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
1/24/2017 • 2 hours, 6 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode 33: Woman the Barbarian (Euripides' Medea)
Euripides’ Medea is Ancient Greece’s most famous play. But what did it mean to the Athenians in 431 BCE who watched it on the Acropolis? Episode 33 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-33-quiz Episode 33 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-033-woman-the-barbarian Episode 33 Song: "She Will Never Backing Down" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EaIXjT4uw0 Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
1/5/2017 • 1 hour, 56 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 32: Trees Bending to the Torrent (Sophocles' Antigone)
Sophocles’ Theban Plays, 3 of 3. Antigone is a timeless and dark story about a clash of wills. But it’s also fascinating snapshot of the philosophical brawls of 5th-century BCE Athens. Episode 32 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-32-quiz Episode 32 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-032-trees-bending-to-the-torrent Episode 32 Song: "Yes, Socrates" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwFjCe1JkVk Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
12/21/2016 • 1 hour, 59 minutes, 57 seconds
Episode 31: The Requiem at Athens (Sophocles' Oedipus at Colonus)
Sophocles’ Theban Plays, 2 of 3. Oedipus at Colonus, out of the ashes of the Peloponnesian War, is a story about a man who has lost everything but his own dignity. Episode 31 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-31-quiz Episode 31 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-031-the-requiem-at-athens Episode 31 Song: "An Unpersuasive Call to Arms" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z388AMTL9bE Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
12/7/2016 • 1 hour, 29 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 30: Two Legs in the Afternoon (Sophocles' Oedipus the King)
Sophocles’ Theban Plays, 1 of 3. Oedipus the King is one of literature’s great stories. It’s also a haunting window into the fears of war torn Athens in 429 BCE. Episode 30 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-30-quiz Episode 30 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-030-two-legs-in-the-afternoon Episode 30 Song: "Oedipus the King" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MroDLpX9Osg&t=257s Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
11/23/2016 • 1 hour, 54 minutes, 58 seconds
Episode 29: The Mound and the Furies (Aeschylus' The Eumenides)
Aeschylus’ Oresteian Trilogy, 3 of 3. Pursued all the away to Athens by the monstrous Furies, will Orestes prevail, or be torn apart? Episode 29 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-29-quiz Episode 29 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-029-the-mound-and-the-furies Episode 29 Song: "Flap Flap Flap, They're the Furies" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1lNfUyKceE Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
11/11/2016 • 1 hour, 28 minutes, 31 seconds
Episode 28: A Mother's Curse (Aeschylus' The Libation Bearers)
Aeschylus’ Oresteian Trilogy, 2 of 3. The infernal House of Atreus had witnessed almost every imaginable act of depravity. Except for one. Episode 28 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-28-quiz Episode 28 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-028-a-mothers-curse Episode 28 Song: "The Oresteian Hoedown" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3i2bnVuvks Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
10/27/2016 • 1 hour, 36 minutes, 35 seconds
Episode 27: The Bloody King (Aeschylus' Agamemnon)
Aeschylus’ Oresteian Trilogy, 1 of 3. A terrible family curse. A wronged queen. The Trojan War was only the start of the bloodshed. Episode 27 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-27-quiz Episode 27 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-027-the-bloody-king Episode 27 Song: "Hello, My Name is Agamemnon" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJwm-oSAVdo Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
10/14/2016 • 1 hour, 53 minutes, 7 seconds
Episode 26: Ancient Greek Theater (The History of 5th-Century BCE Athenian Drama)
Masks. Choruses. Huge prosthetic penises. Before you read Sophocles, Euripides, and company, it’s a good idea to know a bit about Ancient Greek Theater. Episode 26 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-26-quiz Episode 26 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-026-ancient-greek-theater Episode 26 Song: "Golden Age Athens" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IPMk-r9QEw Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
The work of Sappho, Pindar, and other remarkable Greek lyric poets makes us question everything we think we know about poetry, what it is, and what it does. Episode 25 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-25-quiz Episode 25 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-025-lyrical-ballistics Episode 25 Song: "Pindar and the Charioteer" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO7YW3l7I8g Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
9/15/2016 • 1 hour, 35 minutes, 9 seconds
Episode 24: God May Relent (The Bible's Prophetic Books)
The Old Testament, Part 10 of 10. The seventeen Prophetic Books, produced during war and diaspora, are both despairingly bleak and searingly hopeful. Episode 24 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-24-quiz Episode 24 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-024-god-may-relent Episode 24 Song: "Happy Lambs and Doom" https://youtu.be/uSNJJuH7J5Y Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
9/1/2016 • 1 hour, 53 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 23: Love. Desire. Exegesis. (The Song of Songs/Solomon)
The Old Testament, Part 9 of 10. What’s the Song of Songs doing in the Bible? Is it a pious hymn to God, or just a couple of horny lovers talking to each other? Episode 23 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-23-quiz Episode 23 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-023-love-desire-exegesis Episode 23 Song: "Your Hair Is Like Goats" https://youtu.be/F3GTebN2ANU Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
8/25/2016 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 57 seconds
Episode 22: Fatalism (The Book of Ecclesiastes)
The Old Testament, Part 8 of 10. If there is one Biblical book that explains all of life, thick and thin, love and anguish, that book is probably Ecclesiastes. Episode 22 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-22-quiz Episode 22 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-022-fatalism Episode 22 Song: "Modern Day Ecclesiastes" https://youtu.be/Ay1d0QTLVbM Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
8/16/2016 • 1 hour, 33 minutes, 45 seconds
Episode 21: The Bible's Magic Trick (The Book of Psalms)
The Old Testament, Part 7 of 10. In the Book of Psalms, a single, fascinating, familiar linguistic device propels the world’s most famous poems. Episode 21 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-21-quiz Episode 21 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-021-the-bibles-magic-trick Episode 21 Song: "Ancient Hebrew FM" https://youtu.be/kstguwXR1Ao Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
7/27/2016 • 1 hour, 24 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode 20: The Problem of Evil (The Book of Job)
The Old Testament, Part 6 of 10. If God is so good, then why do the good and innocent suffer? The Book of Job’s aim is to answer this question. Episode 20 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-20-quiz Episode 20 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-020-the-problem-of-evil Episode 20 Song: "Boom Boom Boom Sea Monster" https://youtu.be/h9603n09bug Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
7/15/2016 • 1 hour, 28 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode 19: The One Who Struggles with God (The Historical Books and Biblical Archaeology)
The Old Testament, Part 5 of 10. The Historical Books tell of Israel’s conflicts with Syria, Assyria, Egypt, and finally, exile to the corridors of Babylon. 19 Episode 19 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-19-quiz Episode 19 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-19-the-one-who-struggles-with-god Episode 19 Song: "Rolling Into Canaan" https://youtu.be/4QWkszvhg6g Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
6/29/2016 • 2 hours, 8 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode 18: The 613 Commandments (The Pentateuch's Prescriptive Materials)
The Old Testament, Part 4 of 10. Eden, the Flood, the Commandments– all fine. But what’s with all the stuff about tents, sacrifices, and – uh – testicles? Episode 18 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-18-quiz Episode 18 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-018-the-613-commandments Episode 18 Song: "The 613 Commandments" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_Rh2OONnxM Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
6/15/2016 • 1 hour, 44 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 17: Roots of the Pentateuch (The Pentateuch and Comparative Mythography)
The Old Testament, Part 3 of 10. Hear the Biblical story of creation and the first founders of Israel, and the texts that may have influenced this story. Episode 17 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-17-quiz Episode 17 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-017-roots-of-the-pentateuch Episode 17 Song: "The Creation of the World" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1uBUw1jEnw Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
6/1/2016 • 1 hour, 56 minutes, 14 seconds
Episode 16: Four Main Parts (Introduction to the Bible's Structure)
The Old Testament, Part 2 of 10. There are tons of books, thousands of proper nouns, and many versions of the Old Testament. But all of it fits into four main parts. Episode 16 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-16-quiz Episode 16 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-016-four-main-parts Episode 16 Song: "It's Long" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTOi9p0NkO4 Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
5/25/2016 • 1 hour, 13 minutes, 31 seconds
Episode 15: Canaan (Biblical History and Archaeology)
The Old Testament, Part 1 of 10. 1207 BCE. Two world empires. And between them, an unassuming strip of seacoast land that has been at the center of history, ever since. Episode 15 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-15-quiz Episode 15 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-015-canaan Episode 15 Song: "It's Time to Read the Bible" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsd53FrHRPY Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
5/13/2016 • 1 hour, 32 minutes, 10 seconds
Episode 14: The Autumn Leaves (Homer's Odyssey, Books 17-24)
The Odyssey, Books 17-24. As we reach the violent climax of Odysseus’ great adventures, it’s time to spend some time considering Homer’s worldview. Episode 14 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-14-quiz Episode 14 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-14-the-autumn-leaves Episode 14 Song: "Odysseus Comes Home" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBnFA5pOAcc Bonus Content: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
4/27/2016 • 2 hours, 11 minutes, 7 seconds
Episode 13: His Mind Teeming (Homer's Odyssey, Books 9-16)
The Odyssey, Books 9-16. We know Odysseus and Achilles well. But what motivates, and distinguishes these two great Ancient Greek heroes? Episode 13 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-13-quiz Episode 13 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-13-his-mind-teeming Episode 13 Song: "Eumaeus the Swineherd" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t37bGTVsyQk Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
4/19/2016 • 1 hour, 48 minutes, 2 seconds
Episode 12: Kleos and Nostos (Homer's Odyssey, Books 1-8)
The Odyssey, Books 1-8. Adventure, monsters, temptresses, and a whole lot of wine-dark Aegean. Learn all about the world of Homer’s Odyssey. Episode 12 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-12-quiz Episode 12 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-012-kleos-and-nostos Episode 12 Song: "Trapped on the Island of Calpyso" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJifP09BwU0 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
4/13/2016 • 1 hour, 47 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode 11: Who Was Homer? (Homer's Iliad, Books 17-24)
The Iliad, Books 17-24. As the Iliad reaches its spectacular climax, it’s time to ask a big question. Who wrote it? Episode 11 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-11-quiz Episode 11 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-011-who-was-homer Episode 11 Song: "Trojan War Epic Rap Battle" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX29MfZlMlU Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
The Iliad, Books 9-16. The violent and spellbinding middle books of the Iliad leave us with questions about Homer’s theology. Episode 10 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-10-quiz Episode 10 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-010-homer-s-gods Episode 10 Song: "What Happened to the Weasel Hat?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkHXYs8Irl8 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
3/27/2016 • 1 hour, 47 minutes, 13 seconds
Episode 9: Glittering Bronze Men (Homer's Iliad, Books 1-8)
The Iliad, Books 1-8. Homer’s Iliad is the Tyrannosaurus Rex of ancient epics. And at the core of its 24 books is one shiny metal. Episode 9 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-9-quiz Episode 9 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-009-glittering-bronze-men Episode 9 Song: "History's First Mullets" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP6JmLa7hck Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
3/27/2016 • 1 hour, 50 minutes, 59 seconds
Episode 8: Before Orthodoxy (Hesiod's Theogony)
Elementals, giants, titans and gods! Hesiod's Theogony chronicles a great war - one which would leave one entity sovereign over the cosmos. Episode 8 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-8-quiz Episode 8 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-008-before-orthodoxy Episode 8 Song: "It Is Time for Zeus to Have Sex" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC91eGoigNg Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/12/2016 • 56 minutes, 55 seconds
Episode 7: Hesiod's Lands and Seasons (Hesiod's Works and Days)
Before Aristotle, Socrates and Plato, there was a grouchy farmer poet whose Works and Days continues to fascinate us. Episode 7 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-7-quiz Episode 7 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-007-hesiod-s-lands-and-seasons Episode 7 Song: "Hesiod's Bluegrass Biography" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNbxMLMJBWg Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/12/2016 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 24 seconds
Episode 6: The Pros and Cons of Wisdom (Ancient Egypt's Wisdom Literature)
Ancient Egypt produced a great deal of proverbs and wisdom literature. Some of it even slipped into the Bible. But how wise is wisdom literature? Episode 6 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-6-quiz Episode 6 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-006-the-pros-and-cons-of-wisdom Episode 6 Song: "Could We Please Dial Down the Misogyny" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlzZi68n7n8 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/12/2016 • 48 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode 5: Beneath the Obelisks (Ancient Egyptian Fiction)
We know about Ancient Egypt's pyramids, temples, and sarcophagi. What about its folktales and stories? Episode 5 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-5-quiz Episode 5 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-005-beneath-the-obelisks Episode 5 Song: "The Eloquent Peasant Rap" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvGM-FzbOpI Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/12/2016 • 52 minutes, 37 seconds
Episode 4: Divine Judgment (The Book of the Dead)
In the 3,500 year old Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead, we can find the roots of the world's religions. Episode 4 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-4-quiz Episode 4 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-004-divine-judgment Episode 4 Song: "May My Eyebrows Live Forever" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PU9SWp9ZdE Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/12/2016 • 48 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode 3: He Who Saw the Deep (The Epic of Gilgamesh)
The Epic of Gilgamesh, composed 3,000-5,000 years ago, and translated in the 1860s and 70s, was one of the greatest literary discoveries of all time. Episode 3 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-3-quiz Episode 3 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-003-he-who-saw-the-deep Episode 3 Song: "Don't Fall Off the Roof" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJJurdC3OIg Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/12/2016 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 1 second
Episode 2: Before the Flood (The Enuma Elish and Atrahasis)
The Enuma Elish and the Atrahasis, in circulation 3,800 years ago, were Mesopotamia's creation and flood epics, making them 1,000 years older than Genesis. Episode 2 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-2-quiz Episode 2 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-002-before-the-flood Episode 2 Song: "Babylon's Alcoholic Gods" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxED2Xa3R3Y Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
2/12/2016 • 1 hour, 11 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode 1: The Tower of Babel (Cuneiform)
For thousands of years, cuneiform was the means of transmitting information through space and time in the Ancient Near East. Then, something happened. Episode 1 Quiz: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-1-quiz Episode 1 Transcription: http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-001-the-tower-of-babel Episode 1 Song "In the Days of Cuneiform": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXGtHWka5mI Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
