Ancient World

Reflection on the dialogue as an institution in Ancient Greece, as well as a modern day gift of adventure, exploration and learning about oneself and the world.

How the Renaissance is an opener and the rebirth of the Ancient World, with the examples of Botticelli and his iconic "Birth of Venus" and "Primavera".

Reflections on two great quotes from the Greek philosopher Epicurus;



"There is no such thing as justice in the abstract; it is merely a compact between men."



"If enough is too little, nothing is enough" (paraphrased)


In this episode we look at the opening line of the first song of the Paradise, and how the subject of the book is hard to describe fully with words, due to its nature. Dante will however, he tells us, do his best to tell the story of his travels into the heavens - as a metaphor for love, emotional life, and the spiritual inner self.



The glory of the One Who moves all things


I have been in His brightest shining heaven

for when our intellect draws near its goal


Brief reflection on an ancient proverb about small beginnings, and growth.



"From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow."


Where Dante warns the reader that there might be no return, from what we will discover in the journey towards Paradise.

In Episode 10 we look at the Canto 27 from Dante's Purgatory, where the main person (Dante the Pilgrim) reaches the point where his guide Virgil (symbol of rationality and world history) leaves him, and crowns him "Lord of himself".



This implies a big turning point in the whole work, in the development of the Pilgrim, and a different approach to managing his own nature and life.

In this episode we briefly touch upon the breadth and variety of experience in the Ancient World, and what we can learn from it.

In this episode we look at the "Tower of Babel" as example of a deep myth, and different interpretations of the "punishments" of the Gods. We also discuss how the embedded knowledge and wisdom in these stories could be hard to define precisely in a more rational description and representation.



This hidden wisdom might be rediscovered again and again, as the times are always changing in the longer time frame and there are centuries of accumulated experience in these old stories.

Where do the words "economy", "oxymoron" and "planet" come from? We'll look into the origins and their precise meanings.