Quintus Curtius

A reader asks a question about his personal situation. He feels like he's working harder and harder, but not getting ahead. He also feels underappreciated by his in-laws, for whom he has done a lot. But instead of worrying about the opinions of others, maybe he should be focusing on his own opinion of himself. And then, he'll know what he needs to do.

Sometimes the game is fixed against you. Sometimes what appears to be a level playing field, turns out to be a rigged game. What can be done in such situations? How does a man maintain his honor and dignity? We discuss.

In this podcast, I offer a short selection of Latin readings from Cornelius Nepos, Cicero, and Sallust, at the request of a follower on Twitter.

Gratitude is what determines our attitude and outlook on life. When we are imbued with a sense of thankfulness, when we look at the world from this perspective, doors open up for us. But if we see everything from a negative, grievance perspective, then we are unable to make progress--and in fact go backwards. We discuss an example.

Last week the new translation of Cicero's "On The Nature Of The Gods" was published. It is available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle. An audiobook version will come out next month. This podcast explains what the book is about, why it is important, and the special features my translation has. You can find links to the book on my site, qcurtius.com.

There is a certain personality type that anyone offering a service is aware of: the Excessive Questions Warrior. This is someone who peppers you will extended, excessive questions about their issue, with an inordinate focus on your capabilities. The purpose is to exert control or dominance over the interaction. Such people are never going to hire you. Either someone trusts you and is willing to take guidance from you, or they do not. We discuss how to spot these types, and how to handle them.

If you are in a job where you have to deal with clients or the general public, be alert to the small clues or "tells" that reveal a person's state of mind and attitude. If a prospective client fails to show a willingness to comply with reasonable, basic rules, it almost always means the person is going to be a problem client. Do not ignore these subtle clues.

A review of Christopher Nolan's new movie, "Oppenheimer" (2023). We discuss its positives and minor negatives. This is a rewarding film experience and very much worth seeing.

Service to others is what gives life meaning. We were put on this Earth to contribute, to share, and to pass on what we know for the benefit of mankind. Every person has an instinctive, fundamental desire to teach and help others, and we should develop this instinct. Doing this will contribute to the positive energy in the world, and will come back to us in unexpected ways.

This is a reading of my article of 5/27/2023, "The Qualities Of The Good Attorney." (https://qcurtius.com/2023/05/27/the-qualities-of-the-good-attorney/). We discuss the attributes of the good attorney, exploring the various roles he or she must play.

This is a reading of my essay "Synesius's Wise Advice On Kingship" that was published on 5/20/2023: https://qcurtius.com/2023/05/20/synesiuss-wise-advice-on-kingship/

This is a reading of Quintus Curtius's essay "Italica." The original article can be found here: https://qcurtius.com/2023/05/13/italica/

This is the author's reading of his essay, "Vegetius Discusses The Importance Of The Martial Virtues," published on May 6, 2023: (https://qcurtius.com/2023/05/06/vegetius-discusses-the-importance-of-the-martial-virtues/). The subject is the decline of military prowess during the later years of the Roman empire, and the parallels we see today in the United States.

History distinguishes the Athenian general Iphicrates for the superlative quality of his leadership, the extent of his martial innovations, and his understanding of the psychological dimension of war. He lived from about 418 B.C. to 353 B.C. We will discuss some of the leadership principles that may be distilled from the writings of two ancient historians, Cornelius Nepos and Polyaenus.

This is a reading of the essay "Better Exile Than Submission: The Passion of Dante Alighieri" by Quintus Curtius. Publijshed on www.qcurtius.com on April 22, 2023, and read by the author.

The world recently learned that the estate of British author Roald Dahl actually allowed a team of censors to purge words and phrases from the author's works that they deemed "offensive." This is a terrifying escalation in the left's war on the literary record and on artistic expression in general. The idea that censors could reach back into old books and rewrite them would have been unthinkable even a decade ago. It is communist thought-policing, pure and simple. Every writer or artist should be taking steps now to protect their work from tampering by potential future vandals.

A reader who is living abroad in France is finding it difficult to meet new people. He has no desire to hang around with expats. People always revert to English when dealing with him, when he is trying to learn French. It is frustrating for him, and he wants to know if there are ways to get out of this dynamic.

This is a reading of Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Haunted Palace."

A reader asks a question. He has just been assigned to a new position of great responsibility. The previous occupant of this position was a man much older than he. Our friend feels slightly intimidated and inadequate for the new job. To complicate things, the previous holder of the position has not helped our friend, and has implied that he's too young. Our friend asks for some advice.

A young woman from a conservative culture asks a relationship question. She is very fond of her boyfriend, an American man. She wants to move things in the direction of marriage, but the young man is ambivalent. He keeps putting her off. She wants to know what she can do to deal with the situation.