Cost of Glory

Johnathan Bi left success in the startup world to focus on researching the deep ideas that power the world, and has recently launched his series on the Great Books of the West, starting with his lecture on Nietzsche.

In this episode:

• What is Rousseau’s impact on the world?
• Johnathan’s Journey towards the Great Thinkers and their Books
• The Duality of Heroism & Rousseau as Hero Worshipper
• Rousseau’s balanced treatments of Nietzsche’s Ideas
• Why do we need Heroes?
• The Difference between Desire for Power and Execution of that Power
• Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs and their Selfish Desire for Glory
• The Hero vs. The Citizen
• The Degeneration of Modern Languages
• The Core of Nietzsche’s Interest in the Great Heroes of the Past
• Tech Startups are Non-Egalitarian!
• Rome Against Judea

Resources mentioned:

• Johnathan’s Interview and Lecture Series: Great Books of the West
• Rousseau’s Discourse on This Question: Which Is the Virtue Most Necessary for a Hero and Which Are the Heroes Who Lacked This Virtue?
• Johnathan’s Newsletter

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Pompey, the Great. Part 1 of 3. Pompey's rise to become one of Rome's greatest generals - before he's even old enough to hold office. How he got the nickname of "Kid Butcher" or "The Butcher Boy".

Thanks to our Sponsor, Intercollegiate Studies Institute! www.isi.org

Key Names:
Agesilaus of Sparta
Julius Caesar
Alexander the Great
Pompeius STRABO (father)
Social War
Gaius MARIUS (populist consul)
Lucius Cornelius CINNA (populist consul)
Lucius Cornelius SULLA (optimate consul & dictator)
MITHRIDATES - King of Pontus
Gnaeus Papirius CARBO (populist consul)
Antistia (first wife)
Marcus Licinius CRASSUS
Marcus Aemilus LEPIDUS (rebel consul)
Marcus Junius BRUTUS (Father of the conspirator)
Quintus Lutatius CATULUS (optimate stalwart)
Quintus Sertorius
Quintus Caecilus METELLUS PIUS (P's fellow general in Spain)
Marcus PERPERNA (populist ally of Sertorius)
Spartacus
Marcus Terentius VARRO (the scholar)
Lucius Licinius LUCULLUS (rival general)
Quintus HORTENSIUS Hortalus (optimate stalwart)
Aulus GABINIUS (P's tribune buddy)
The Pirates
"Quirites" (the Roman citizenry)

Key Places:
Rome
Picenum
Asculum
North Africa
Mutina
Spain
Lauron
Sucro River
Ostia (Rome's port)

[Jeremy Giffon on Invest like the Best Podcast, ep. 336: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Vdv5i250hF6EfzOTML9RE?si=98bacff34a7244e9]

Lucullus, Conqueror of Armenia. Highlights from Plutarch's biography of the great foe of Pompey

Thanks to our sponsor Ancient Language Institute - Tutoring now available:

Latin: https://ancientlanguage.com/latin-tutorials/

Ancient Greek: https://ancientlanguage.com/ancient-greek-tutorials/

In this episode:
-How to get noticed early on in your career
-Seducing your way to warlord status
-Taking the time to do the math

An interview with Barry Strauss, Spartacus expert, and author of The Spartacus War

In this episode:

-How Spartacus' Slave revolt almost failed in its early stages
-Overcoming short term thinking as a leader
-Spartacus' influence on modern leaders

Why does Achilles, slaughterer of men, play the lyre? A conversation with Spencer Klavan of the Young Heretics podcast.

Check out the Cost of Glory Men's Leadership Retreat: costofglory.com/retreat !

Spencer on Twitter: @spencerklavan
In this conversation, we discuss:
-Spencer & Alex's common ground training as classicists
-How one gets into these ancient books in the first place
-The theory of "Art for Art's Sake": Why it's interesting, plausible, and wrong.
-Epic heroes singing Epic Poetry
-Great books for busy dads

And much, much more...