Cost of Glory - Alex Petkas

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**Cost of Glory – Alex Petkas**

The most influential biographies ever written, admired by leaders, creators, soldiers, and thinkers for nearly 2,000 years: Plutarch’s Parallel lives. Essential listening for anyone striving after greatness. Alex Petkas, former professor of ancient philosophy and history, revives and dramatically retells these unforgettable stories for modern audiences. The subjects are statesmen, generals, orators, and founders; pious and profane, stoics and hedonists. The stakes bear on the future of Western civilization. The cost of glory is always great. Visit costofglory.com to find out more.

Latest Episodes:

23 - Odysseus' advice to proud young men Jan 25, 2022

Show notes

Plutarch reads the Odyssey

22 - Vice and the Cold Jacket Jan 18, 2022

Show notes

A winter message from Plutarch

21 - Being the Octopus Jan 11, 2022

Show notes

Plutarch on what the octopus, and the mythic figure Proteus (who King Menelaus met on his way back from Troy) can tell us about friendship.

20 - On Having Even More Friends Jan 04, 2022

Show notes

Coming back to Plutarch's essay on having many friends, with remarks from Zeuxis, Chilon, and Thucydides

19 - On Having Many Friends Dec 28, 2021

Show notes

A quote and meditation from Plutarch's On Having Many Friends.

18 - Christmas Episode - Pyrrhus aftermath Dec 14, 2021

Show notes

Merry Christmas (etc.) from Ancient Life Coach. The historical aftermath of Pyrrhus' death, and some thoughts on gift giving.

In this episode:
The fate of Pyrrhus' kingdom
Pyrrhus's role in the outbreak of the great Punic Wars?

Merry Christmas (or Saturnalia) to all!

17 - Pyrrhus 3: Battle for Greece Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

Antigonus was famously once asked, “who is the greatest General of our day?” to which he replied, “Pyrrhus, if he lives to be old.”

This is the third and final installment of The Life of Pyrrhus, King of Epirus.

[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.

See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]

Pyrrhus takes opportunity after opportunity, always imagining this will further his cause. It begins with a Sicilian expedition. After this, Pyrrhus returns to Italy to fight the Battle of Beneventum. Then he goes to Macedonia to try and claw back an opportunity he didn’t pursue earlier.

It’s a predictable pattern, according to Plutarch:

“Pyrrhus was always entertaining one hope after another, and since he made one success but the starting point for a new one, while he was determined to make good each disaster by a fresh undertaking, he allowed neither defeat nor victory to put a limit to his causing trouble for himself and for others.”

Pyrrhus made his mark by cultivating an almost maniacal focus on winning in battle - he had a lust for combat. In doing so he won for himself long lasting glory. But we should perhaps ask, together with Plutarch - what was the cost? And was it worth it?

On today’s podcast:

Pyrrhus’ whirlwind Sicilian expedition
Fabricius’ revenge
Pyrrhus vs Antigonus
The Siege of Sparta
The Battle for Argos

Links:

https://ancientlifecoach.com/

Some Places Mentioned

Akragas (Agrigento)

Leontini (Lentini)

Tauromenium (Taormina)

Eryx (Erice, Trapani)

Lilybaeum (Marsala)

Tarentum (Taranto)

Beneventum (Benevento)

Syracuse

Calabria

Aegae

Sparta

Crete

Corinth

Argos
Nafplio

16 - Pyrrhus 2: Men and Beasts Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

“Pyrrhus… saw clearly what great happiness he was leaving behind him. But he just couldn’t renounce his hopes of obtaining what he eagerly desired.”

We can think of many ambitious leaders or groups who made a big dent in the world by smashing through boundaries: The Mongols, The British East India Company, Moses and Joshua taking the promised land. But many dreamed big and failed to deliver: Napoleon in Russia, Xerxes in Greece.

Which kind of leader will Pyrrhus be?

In this episode, the story of Pyrrhus' great challenge to the Romans; the first well-documented visit to Rome by a Greek; Pyrrhus' famous utterance, “If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined.”

Some takeaways:
Fortune favors the bold: if you have your heart set on something, why not do everything within your power to achieve it? Show compassion even when you don’t have to - Pyrrhus consistently showed respect for his enemy. Also Pyrrhus is not famous for being a politician, but he was a competent negotiator who sought a peaceful resolution before resorting to violence.

On today’s podcast:

The cost of following your dreams
Showing respect for your adversary
Winning wars without resorting to violence (sometimes)
Letting your strengths guide your decisions

Links:

https://ancientlifecoach.com/

[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.

See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]

Thanks to our sponsor, Ovadia Heart health! You can support this podcast by visiting the following links and, if you like something, make a purchase.

Dr. Philip Ovadia's Metabolic Health Tracking System

Stronger Hearts Society with Dr. Philip Ovadia

"Stay off My Operating Table" eBook

"Stay off My Operating Table" Audiobook

I've been using Dr. Ovadia's guidelines in my own life for a few months and been experiencing great results.

15 - Pyrrhus 1: Rise of a Warrior King Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

Pyrrhus, the Warrior King. Father of the "Pyrrhic Victory." Smuggled out of the palace at two years old. Raised in exile by Illyrians. Pyrrhus grew to be the "greatest commander of his day" according to observers like Hannibal and Antigonus.

[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.

See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]

In this episode:
-Find a mentor
-Transcend a mentor
-Identify the Master Skill in your field, and focus
-How to master fear
-Seizing opportunities to expand your network

Thanks to our sponsor, historical fiction author Jackson Riddle! www.jacksonsriddle.com

Check out his new book, A Potter's Vessel, an alternative telling of the conflict that became the US Civil War.

Pyrrhus of Epirus (319-272 BC) was a cousin of Alexander the Great. He was the first man to take battle elephants to Italy. He defeated the Romans on several occasions in what became known as the Pyrrhic Wars.

In Part 1, we meet Pyrrhus as a 2 year old, as he is snatched from his crib in a deadly coup.

As he struggles to establish himself in his kingdom through his teenage and early adult years, he learns that the only path toward self-reliance for him and for his kingdom is through the sword.

Some lessons:

It's always useful to have a mentor. But you may not have to bind yourself to that person forever.

“As his former mentor and now esteemed arch enemy, Demetrius put Pyrrhus through the best school of war anyone could hope for – strategy, tactics, hand to hand combat – Pyrrhus could learn it all from the best - if he could keep his head.”

Also, seize any opportunity to expand your network both professionally and personally. Case in point: Pyrrhus in Asia, and Egypt.

Find a master a skill in your own field. If there is one thing Pyrrhus exemplifies, it is the power of personal courage in a leader. So if that’s an area you need to work on (hint: you can never have too much courage), start now. Courage is physical.

14 - Nietzsche on the Dangers of History Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

"Satisfy your souls on Plutarch, and dare to believe in yourselves when you believe in his heroes" - Nietzsche

**PYRRHUS ARRIVES NEXT WEEK**

Friedrich Nietzsche: Greek Scholar, Plutarch fan, student of history, incisive critic of history nerds such as your host.

How does history help us, actually? Is it in the ways we think?

Listen to this episode for encouragement if you feel woefully ignorant about history. Or, if you are a big history buff and need the occasional kick in the pants.

Insights and Quotes from Nietzsche's Essay "On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History."

Available on its own here

or in this collection.

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