Let’s talk about the Filocolo The title means “the one struck down by love”. It is considered to be the first novel of Italian literature written in prose. Florio, son of the King of Spain, and Biancifiore, an orphan. They grow up together, get separated, have a lot of adventures, then he searches for her and finds her and they are reunited. The story influenced Chaucer and Shakespeare and many others. Boccaccio and Maria also appear thinly disguised in the novel. Anyway – the novel is packed fu...
Sep 14, 2018•55 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Let’s talk about the Filocolo The title means “the one struck down by love”. It is considered to be the first novel of Italian literature written in prose. Florio, son of the King of Spain, and Biancifiore, an orphan. They grow up together, get separated, have a lot of adventures, then he searches for her and finds her and they are reunited. The story influenced Chaucer and Shakespeare and many others. Boccaccio and Maria also appear thinly disguised in the novel. Anyway – the novel is packed fu...
Sep 14, 2018•55 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Let’s talk about the other, slightly more creepy and rapey father of the Renaissance. For books in the vernacular to appear in considerable quantities, there must be a demand for them. There must exist a class of people who have had enough education to be considered literate and to have an interest in reading for leisure, but who are more fluent in the vernacular than in Latin. In Italy, these were the merchants. Interestingly, the rise of the merchant class was also a consequence of the increas...
Sep 08, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Let’s talk about the other, slightly more creepy and rapey father of the Renaissance. For books in the vernacular to appear in considerable quantities, there must be a demand for them. There must exist a class of people who have had enough education to be considered literate and to have an interest in reading for leisure, but who are more fluent in the vernacular than in Latin. In Italy, these were the merchants. Interestingly, the rise of the merchant class was also a consequence of the increas...
Sep 08, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 25
“Africa” became alternately Petrarch’s obsession and his revulsion, and he left it incomplete at his death. Despite Petrarch’s best efforts to conceal his occupation, word of the Africa spread quickly. It was not long before Petrarch’s fame reached the court of King Robert of Naples, a ruler considered by his contemporaries to be enlightened and studious. Robert gave Petrarch the resources he needed to devote himself to the Africa, and the king’s favor rewarded the poet’s efforts with wide accla...
Aug 18, 2018•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 24
“Africa” became alternately Petrarch’s obsession and his revulsion, and he left it incomplete at his death. Despite Petrarch’s best efforts to conceal his occupation, word of the Africa spread quickly. It was not long before Petrarch’s fame reached the court of King Robert of Naples, a ruler considered by his contemporaries to be enlightened and studious. Robert gave Petrarch the resources he needed to devote himself to the Africa, and the king’s favor rewarded the poet’s efforts with wide accla...
Aug 18, 2018•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Now that his parents are dead, Petrarch decides to dump law and become a scholar and a poet. But you couldn’t make a living as a poet in the early 14th century. So he took minor orders with the church. In the Catholic Church, you have the major holy orders of priest (including both bishop and simple priest), deacon and subdeacon, and the four minor orders, that of acolyte, exorcist, lector and porter in descending sequence. And although he apparently hated Avignon, his father had made lots of in...
Aug 10, 2018•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Now that his parents are dead, Petrarch decides to dump law and become a scholar and a poet. But you couldn’t make a living as a poet in the early 14th century. So he took minor orders with the church. In the Catholic Church, you have the major holy orders of priest (including both bishop and simple priest), deacon and subdeacon, and the four minor orders, that of acolyte, exorcist, lector and porter in descending sequence. And although he apparently hated Avignon, his father had made lots of in...
Aug 10, 2018•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 23
I want to pick up our story in the year 1302 To talk about a man called Pietro di Parenzo di Garzo. Well actually I want to talk about his SON. But we’ll get there. And to get there, we’re going to need to duck in and out of the 800 years we’ve skipped since our last episodes. So hang in there. Pietro di Parenzo di Garzo was a notary in FLORENCE. A contract lawyer. At some point in 1302, he was falsely charged with faking some documents. He belonged to the political party of the White Guelphs al...
Aug 05, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 22
I want to pick up our story in the year 1302 To talk about a man called Pietro di Parenzo di Garzo. Well actually I want to talk about his SON. But we’ll get there. And to get there, we’re going to need to duck in and out of the 800 years we’ve skipped since our last episodes. So hang in there. Pietro di Parenzo di Garzo was a notary in FLORENCE. A contract lawyer. At some point in 1302, he was falsely charged with faking some documents. He belonged to the political party of the White Guelphs al...
Aug 05, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Justin was born near modern Skopje, in the fake Macedonia. He started off life as a peasant and a swineherd. But he rose through the ranks of the army and ultimately became Emperor, in spite of the fact he was illiterate and almost 70 years old at the time of accession. So there you go Ray. There’s hope for you yet. He managed this because at the time of the death of the previous emperor, Anastasius I, Justin was the commander of the palace guard and controlled the only troops in the Constantino...
Aug 04, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Justin was born near modern Skopje, in the fake Macedonia. He started off life as a peasant and a swineherd. But he rose through the ranks of the army and ultimately became Emperor, in spite of the fact he was illiterate and almost 70 years old at the time of accession. So there you go Ray. There’s hope for you yet. He managed this because at the time of the death of the previous emperor, Anastasius I, Justin was the commander of the palace guard and controlled the only troops in the Constantino...
Aug 04, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 21
In 423, Honorius, the son of Theodosius who ruled the Western part of the empire, died, of natural causes. He had ruled for 30 years. He was only 38 years old. Over the next 50 years, the Western empire had a 11 emperors. Some last for years – others lasted only months. The last emperor of the West is usually considered to be Flavius Romulus Augustus. Also known as Romulus Augustulus – which means “Little Augustus” He was the son of Orestes, a Roman aristocrat who once served as a secretary in t...
Jun 28, 2018•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 20
In 423, Honorius, the son of Theodosius who ruled the Western part of the empire, died, of natural causes. He had ruled for 30 years. He was only 38 years old. Over the next 50 years, the Western empire had a 11 emperors. Some last for years – others lasted only months. The last emperor of the West is usually considered to be Flavius Romulus Augustus. Also known as Romulus Augustulus – which means “Little Augustus” He was the son of Orestes, a Roman aristocrat who once served as a secretary in t...
Jun 28, 2018•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 20
When the Greek author Herodotus, the ‘father of history’, sat down to write the first history he declared that his aim was to make ‘inquiries’ – historias, in Greek – into the relations between the Greeks and the Persians. He was so even-handed with the way he treated both sides, that he was accused by the Greeks of being a ‘barbarian lover’. Christian historians took a different view. Our old friend Eusebius – the ‘father of Church history’ – wrote that the job of the historian was NOT to recor...
Jun 23, 2018•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 19
When the Greek author Herodotus, the ‘father of history’, sat down to write the first history he declared that his aim was to make ‘inquiries’ – historias, in Greek – into the relations between the Greeks and the Persians. He was so even-handed with the way he treated both sides, that he was accused by the Greeks of being a ‘barbarian lover’. Christian historians took a different view. Our old friend Eusebius – the ‘father of Church history’ – wrote that the job of the historian was NOT to recor...
Jun 23, 2018•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 19
When did the decline in an interest in the classics start to emerge in the West? It possibly started with Basil. Basil of Caesarea Basil was an influential bishop from Cappadocia, Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Died in the late 4th century. He was born into a wealthy family, raised a Christian by his mother, after his father was martyred before Constantine’s edict. He got a classical education, first in Caesarea and then in Constantinople. Then he fell under the spell of a charismatic preacher ...
Jun 08, 2018•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 18
When did the decline in an interest in the classics start to emerge in the West? It possibly started with Basil. Basil of Caesarea Basil was an influential bishop from Cappadocia, Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Died in the late 4th century. He was born into a wealthy family, raised a Christian by his mother, after his father was martyred before Constantine’s edict. He got a classical education, first in Caesarea and then in Constantinople. Then he fell under the spell of a charismatic preacher ...
Jun 08, 2018•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 18
* Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. Deuteronomy 12:2-3 * I want to tell the story of Hypatia of Alexandria * They were known as the ‘parabalani’ – ‘the reckles...
Jun 01, 2018•55 min•Season 1Ep. 17
* Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. Deuteronomy 12:2-3 * I want to tell the story of Hypatia of Alexandria * They were known as the ‘parabalani’ – ‘the reckles...
Jun 01, 2018•55 min•Season 1Ep. 17
How St Augustine provided the ultimate Christian justification for acts of violence – Jesus did it first and it’s okay as long as you do it with love. * Still talking about Augustine and his “City Of God” * Last time we looked his theory that God knowing certain women deserved to be raped. * But the majority of the book is his way of saying “Look, Rome was a horrible place with lots of problems BEFORE we became 100% Christian, so you cant blame it on us.” * But I have to hand it to him – dude co...
May 25, 2018•1 hr 22 min•Season 1Ep. 16
How St Augustine provided the ultimate Christian justification for acts of violence – Jesus did it first and it’s okay as long as you do it with love. * Still talking about Augustine and his “City Of God” * Last time we looked his theory that God knowing certain women deserved to be raped. * But the majority of the book is his way of saying “Look, Rome was a horrible place with lots of problems BEFORE we became 100% Christian, so you cant blame it on us.” * But I have to hand it to him – dude co...
May 25, 2018•1 hr 22 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Augustine said he heard a childlike voice he heard telling him to “take up and read” which he took as a divine command to open the Bible and read the first thing he saw. He opened the bible at a random page and read from Paul’s Epistle to the Romans chapter 13, verses 13 and 14: Let’s behave decently, as people who live in the light of day. No wild parties, drunkenness, sexual immorality, promiscuity, quarreling, or jealousy! And Augustine though “oh fuuuuuuck.” Or NOT fuck, to be more accurate....
May 11, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Augustine said he heard a childlike voice he heard telling him to “take up and read” which he took as a divine command to open the Bible and read the first thing he saw. He opened the bible at a random page and read from Paul’s Epistle to the Romans chapter 13, verses 13 and 14: Let’s behave decently, as people who live in the light of day. No wild parties, drunkenness, sexual immorality, promiscuity, quarreling, or jealousy! And Augustine though “oh fuuuuuuck.” Or NOT fuck, to be more accurate....
May 11, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 15
* Let’s talk more about Augustine of Hippo, aka St Augustine. * He’s one of the most important figures in all of Christianity. * Through his sheer intellectual power, and enormous output of work , he has come to be seen as the cornerstone of the western Christian tradition. * it has been said that anyone who claims to have read all of Augustine’s works must be lying * And a lot of the stuff he came up with helped lead the world into the dark ages. * He was born in 354 in North Africa, a place kn...
May 04, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 14
* Let’s talk more about Augustine of Hippo, aka St Augustine. * He’s one of the most important figures in all of Christianity. * Through his sheer intellectual power, and enormous output of work , he has come to be seen as the cornerstone of the western Christian tradition. * it has been said that anyone who claims to have read all of Augustine’s works must be lying * And a lot of the stuff he came up with helped lead the world into the dark ages. * He was born in 354 in North Africa, a place kn...
May 04, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 14
After three days of pillage, Alaric left Rome. * Instead of heading for Ravenna, he headed for southern Italy. * He took with him lots of gold and hostages, including Honorius’ sister, the daughter of Theodosius. * They sacked many cities in southern Italy and were preparing to go on to Sicily and Africa when Alaric died of an illness, just a few months after the sack. * According to legend, he was buried with his treasure by slaves in the bed of the Busento river. * The slaves were then killed ...
Apr 27, 2018•57 min•Season 1Ep. 13
After three days of pillage, Alaric left Rome. * Instead of heading for Ravenna, he headed for southern Italy. * He took with him lots of gold and hostages, including Honorius’ sister, the daughter of Theodosius. * They sacked many cities in southern Italy and were preparing to go on to Sicily and Africa when Alaric died of an illness, just a few months after the sack. * According to legend, he was buried with his treasure by slaves in the bed of the Busento river. * The slaves were then killed ...
Apr 27, 2018•57 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Stilicho and the chief ministers of his party were treacherously slain on Honorius’ orders. * Stilicho had been accused by one of his enemies at court, Olympius, of treason and wanting to put his own son on the throne. * So Stilicho went to Ravenna to meet with the Emperor to protest his innocence. * Honorius, now believing the rumors of Stilicho’s treason, ordered his arrest. * Stilicho sought sanctuary in a church in Ravenna, but he was lured out with promises of safety. * Stepping foot outsid...
Apr 13, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Stilicho and the chief ministers of his party were treacherously slain on Honorius’ orders. * Stilicho had been accused by one of his enemies at court, Olympius, of treason and wanting to put his own son on the throne. * So Stilicho went to Ravenna to meet with the Emperor to protest his innocence. * Honorius, now believing the rumors of Stilicho’s treason, ordered his arrest. * Stilicho sought sanctuary in a church in Ravenna, but he was lured out with promises of safety. * Stepping foot outsid...
Apr 13, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 12
