The Classical Society

A network dedicated to fellowship, classical formation, and reviving the ancient spirit of greatness

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

Please consider donating to Ben's GoFundMe as his treatment is not covered by insurance ❤️

https://t.co/IHjC93sm4c

[Ben Wilson @BenWilsonTweets]

The Cancer Episode

> My diagnosis and prognosis
> What this means for How to Take Over the World
> A few thoughts on death
> See below for links to GoFundMe, etc.

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

Prayers requested

[Ben Wilson @BenWilsonTweets]

My life hinges on this study and the results appear to be very VERY good!

The data won’t come out until next month but this early indication is better than I could have hoped for.

Stage 4 cancer is always dangerous but I might have many more high-quality years in front of me.

[Alex Petkas @costofglory]

The Hollywood Odyssey is a bizarre inversion.

So I'm retelling it on Cost of Glory.

Part 2: Man of Wiles

These books (5-8) show how Odysseus was the Greatest. Also demonstrate his power over women.

Weird how Nolan skipped most of this

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

🇺🇸

[Ben Wilson @BenWilsonTweets]

America is not a creedal nation. It never has been.

The Constitution declares it is for “ourselves and our posterity.” You cannot have a creed based on a document that rejects being a creed.

The process of naturalization is better compared to adoption or marriage.

Adopting our values and mores is necessary but not sufficient to becoming an American. To become an American, you must join yourself to that nation. Consider their fate to be your own fate. Make their welfare your primary preoccupation.

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

One Society tradition of ours is to post a Loeb translation in exotic places

This such member was quartering a caribou in Alaska

[Alex Petkas @costofglory]

Homer sends his regards

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

"You need to climb the mountain to meet the muses"

[Athenaeum Book Club @athenaeumbc]

Which translation of the Odyssey should you read?

Should Homer be translated into everyday, colloquial language?

Alex Petkas:

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

🎧Apple Podcasts: https://t.co/7M4WniSuDu

🎧Spotify Podcasts:
https://t.co/1UQpFotz1E

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

Thanks to Chris Williamson of 'Modern Wisdom' for hosting!

'The True Story Of The Odyssey (and why it matters)' - Alex Petkas @costofglory

Consider watching or listening before you see 'The Odyssey' in theaters 👇
https://t.co/qeIPjecLm6

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

Antigone, Homicidal Empathy, and the Collapse of Politics, by @ChristoWCoffman https://t.co/DKxblPMo5g

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

Over the course of 2 months, The Classical Society members competed in our first 'Writing Sprint'

A competition in which we wrote, edited, and ultimately published personal essays in the spirit of becoming more effective writers and thinkers

It was both extremely edifying and fun to participate in

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

Ultimately, we whittled all of our submissions down to one outstanding essay, whose signal we're proud to boost

It's elucidating, incisive, and provocative

We hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as our membership did

Link to the Substack article below 👇

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

"The Homeric alternative is for every citizen to study the heroes of his tradition, and to take on the challenge of living up to their standard."
👇

https://t.co/lX3B0R1Wrr

[Alex Petkas @costofglory]

Hero cult > book cult.

A brief explanation of why this is true

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

There are few works that look better on a bookshelf than these

[Harvard University Press @Harvard_Press]

Tell me, Muse, of the sale of many epics.

To celebrate the release of @odysseymovie, we're running an epic summer sale across our classics in translation series: https://t.co/Tg0vNbYjtG

Use the code EPICS at checkout to save 25% on the entire Loeb Classical Library—home of the man of many devices—as well as the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, the Murty Classical Library of India, and The I Tatti Renaissance Library.

Only a lotus-eater would sleep on this one...

[Alex Petkas @costofglory]

Did autodidacts found Western Culture?

The first occurrence of the word "autodidact" (αὐτοδίδακτος) is in Homer's Odyssey.

It's book 22, Odysseus has just slaughtered the suitors.

The bard Phemius "who sang for them under compulsion," emerges from hiding to plead for his life.

He makes his case while holding Odysseus by the knees (suppliant style).

His claim to be "self taught" is not a plea for pity ("I couldn't afford an MFA degree!") but rather a suggestion of his divine inspiration.

Telemachus turns to his dad, and backs up Phemius "Leave the bard be, he's one of the good ones".

Phemius lives.

Before universities and degree programs and schools, artists (and intellectuals) were credentialed on competence alone.

You could tell if the Muse was with them or not.

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

You can just do things (with your friends)

[Ben Wilson @BenWilsonTweets]

Constitutional Action is an idea whose time has come.

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

"Men are always going to be attracted to greatness because, I think, for a man to reach his full potential, he has to strive to form himself. The ancients especially are like our data bank of examples of greatness."

Read the @WNGdotorg article below⬇️

[WORLD @WNGdotorg]

"The collapse of classical education, which started in the late 19th century, is one of the reasons why we have so much division in our society and so much perplexity about who we are, as a people and as humans."

@costofglory explains why the ancients still have something to say to modern audiences:
https://t.co/Wcfa1ERNBH

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

@PalmerLuckey @markpoloncarz Yes. TR also wrestled and practice jiu jitsu
https://t.co/ms1HFGn3F2

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

By all accounts, including Teddy Roosevelt himself, he was quite a good pugilist and overall martial artist

As Governor of New York, he regularly wrestled the middleweight champion to stay in shape, but went back to boxing after numerous shoulder injuries

Unfortunately, he then had to give up boxing as well after permanent damage to his left eye. You can tell he was an orthodox fighter based on his description of the injury

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

TR also had KO power

While out west Roosevelt once had to take refuge in a sketchy hotel after an especially late night trying to locate lost horses

Upon TR's arrival, a bar-room drunkard took issue with 'Four Eyes' Teddy, who did his best to defuse the situation

But the drunkard escalated the quarrel, which led to TR hitting him with a 3-punch combo--knocking the drunkard off-balance and ultimately unconscious after his head hit the bar counter

TR then ate a quick supper and went to bed

[The Classical Society @ClassicalSoc]

By all accounts, including Teddy Roosevelt himself, he was quite a good pugilist and overall martial artist

As Governor of New York, he regularly wrestled the middleweight champion to stay in shape, but went back to boxing after numerous shoulder injuries

Unfortunately, he then had to give up boxing as well after permanent damage to his left eye. You can tell he was an orthodox fighter based on his description of the injury

[eric ゑリｯ久 @shinobu_books]

Bro, Teddy Roosevelt practiced Judo IN the White House. He started training Judo at the age of 45.

His instructor, Yamashita (10th Dan) used to walk barefoot through the White House wearing his Keikogi. The page from Yamashita’s logbook of students is signed by TR in March 1904