In the middle of Plato's dialogue the Symposium, Aristophanes follows several others, all of whom have been tasked with giving speeches on love or eros. Aristophanes prefaces his speech, once his hiccups have subsided, by saying that he will speak in... Continue Reading →
A servant gets drunk and angry and kills a slave. Your father, wanting to bring the man to justice, sends someone to a prophet to ask about the proper course of action. In the meantime, he ties the servant up... Continue Reading →
At the beginning of the Timeaus, Socrates indicates that what we are about to witness is a work of a political philosophy. Having presented an image of the most just city the day before, he now asks the men gathered... Continue Reading →
In the Confessions, Augustine writes “my heart is restless until it rests in you.” In a book that describes Augustine’s many failures, particularly his failure to sufficiently love others, this phrase explicitly explains Augustine’s incapacity to find peace until he... Continue Reading →
There were five cedar trees in my backyard. They are no more. They didn't flower. They were kind of straggly looking. And one day I had had enough. The shovel, however, was in the shed. The shed was locked. I... Continue Reading →
Once while at university, I got an essay back from a professor that I was particularly pleased with. So pleased, that I can't even remember what the thing was about. But I do remember that the grade was not what... Continue Reading →
When it comes to Christmas, I am silly. Too many garish lights. Too many inside jokes. Too many dioramas involving Socrates and snowmen. I love Christmas and the broader holiday season unabashedly. But I also know that for many... Continue Reading →