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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.

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  • 21 episodes
  • Avg 1 hr 18 min
  • English

Episodes 21

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  • #123
    September 14 · 1 hr 24 min

    123 - Odyssey 2: Man of Wiles

    A goddess offers Odysseus immortality. He says no. Eight years on Calypso's island. Paradise, more or less. And he spends his days sitting on the beach, weeping for a rocky little kingdom he may never see again. Welcome to Part 2 (of 6!) of our series on Homer's great epic. Part 2 covers Books 5 to 8. We finally meet the man himself, and he arrives naked, half drowned, and buried under a pile of leaves. Why would anyone choose death over eternal life? And why does the greatest hero of the age get home on charm rather than force? Follow Odysseus as he builds his own raft, survives Poseidon's wrath, and talks his way into the most powerful household on the island of the Phaeacians. Meet the women who hold the real power: Calypso, the princess Nausicaa, and Queen Arete, honored like no woman of Homer's own day. Plus King Alcinous, and the blind bard Demodocus, whose song brings Odysseus to tears. Christopher Nolan cut three of these four books from his film. They may be the ones that tell you most about who Odysseus really is. Timestamps: 00:57 Women, Power and Odysseus 03:19 Hermes Visits Calypso 05:25 Odysseus Trapped and Weeping 06:14 Zeus Orders Release 11:03 Calypso's Final Offer 14:07 Why Mortality Matters 17:45 Raft Building and Agency 20:32 Poseidon's Storm and Shipwreck 23:29 Phaeacia's Backstory 24:10 Nausicaa's Dream 28:10 Nausicaa Meets Odysseus 30:54 Winning Nausicaa's Trust 39:47 Athena Guides Odysseus 40:53 Bronze Age Heroic Lens 43:48 Arete and Royal Honor 46:32 Palace Splendor and Supplication 49:19 Clothes Test and Charm 52:53 Cleos and the Bard 56:12 Feast and Demodocus Song 01:02:04 Games and Odysseus Flexes 01:06:46 Aphrodite and Ares Trap 01:13:03 Gifts and Nausicaa's Farewell 01:14:56 Trojan Horse Song and Tears 01:22:43 Closing Thoughts Callouts: Special thanks to Dr. Richard Johnson for his longtime support of the show. You are Caesar and Odysseus's Top Guy! Special thanks also to the team at ZCash, who are building a digital network to transfer money with complete privacy. I've used their wallet Zodl, and it's worth checking out. In tribute to the life and aspirations of Savitha Shanmugasundaram, a University of Texas at Austin honors student who died tragically in the March 1 mass shooting, her parents have established the Savitha Shan Endowed Scholarship at UT Austin. The fund is intended to extend Savitha’s legacy by supporting the educational journeys of future UT Austin students. Please consider donating if you can.

  • #122
    July 7 · 1 hr 33 min

    122 - Odyssey 1: Society on the Brink

    Something is very wrong in the opening scenes of the Odyssey. The master of the house is gone. His wife is besieged. His son is powerless. And the men eating him out of house and home are waiting for the right moment to strike. Welcome to Part 1 (of 6!) of our new series, where we cover Homer's great epic. Part 1 covers Books 1 to 4, the monsters haven't arrived yet — but the groundwork for everything is laid here. What does it take to reestablish order once it has fallen? What kind of man can do it? Follow Telemachus as he learns to speak, to threaten, and to travel among serious men, and meet the figures who shape his fate: Athena, Penelope, Nestor, Menelaus, Helen, and the doomed suitors led by Antinous. As Christopher Nolan's film approaches, it's a perfect time to dust off a copy of Homer's Odyssey, and follow along this epic story in our 6-part retelling. Timestamps: 0:00 Why the Odyssey begins with Odysseus's absence 1:08 Introducing the show 1:25 Book One: Athena visits Ithaca 4:05 Telemachus welcomes the stranger 7:33 The poem's opening lines and Odysseus's epithets 10:06 Odysseus and the wrath of Poseidon 11:43 The Council of the Gods 13:58 Athena's plan to help Telemachus 17:20 Athena's instructions: call an assembly 19:08 The story of Orestes and Telemachus's zeal 22:08 Penelope's first appearance 27:00 Telemachus finds his courage 29:25 Book Two: The Assembly begins 31:56 Antinous defends the suitors 35:59 The omen of the eagles 37:55 Telemachus's plan revealed 40:16 Athena returns as Mentor 45:15 Telemachus sets sail for Pylos 46:48 Book Three: Arrival at Pylos 52:41 The story of Agamemnon and Aegisthus 1:02:17 Book Four: Arrival in Sparta 1:05:28 Helen's grand entrance 1:11:41 Helen's magic drug 1:19:50 Menelaus and Proteus, the shapeshifting sea god 1:27:08 Menelaus's fate: the Elysian Fields 1:32:09 The suitors plot to kill Telemachus 1:33:23 Closing thoughts Callouts: Special thanks to Dr. Richard Johnson for his longtime support of the show. You are Caesar and Odysseus's Top Guy! In tribute to the life and aspirations of Savitha Shanmugasundaram, a University of Texas at Austin honors student who died tragically in the March 1 mass shooting, her parents have established the Savitha Shan Endowed Scholarship at UT Austin. The fund is intended to extend Savitha’s legacy by supporting the educational journeys of future UT Austin students. Please consider donating if you can.

  • #121
    June 4 · 1 hr 4 min

    121 - Plutarch and Shakespeare, w/ The Base Creates

    A conversation with Morgan Watkins of TheBaseCreates and George Carter from Old Sovereign Publishing about the importance of re-enchanting the world through theatre and the tradition of the classics, specifically focusing on a new drama competition called "The Great Panathenaea". Links: TheBaseCreates YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBaseCreates TheBaseCreates X: https://x.com/thebasecreates Subscribe to the Cost of Glory newsletter for detailed maps, images, and analysis of this pivotal moment in ancient history Get in touch at: Website: https://costofglory.com X: https://x.com/costofglory

  • #120
    May 14 · 1 hr 17 min

    120 - The Modern Roman Legion? w/ "Monastery of the Damned" author Nicholas Tobias

    My conversation with author, soldier, and scholar, Nicholas Tobias. This is the first public interview with Nicholas, and he agreed to speak on condition that we'd preserve his alias and therefore his anonymity. Hence there is no video of him, and the sound quality from his undisclosed location was not perfect. But this was a fascinating conversation that I'm going to be thinking about for a long time. Let me know what you think in the comments. Subscribe to the Cost of Glory newsletter for detailed maps, images, and analysis of this pivotal moment in ancient history: https://costofglory.substack.com/ Get in touch at: Website: https://costofglory.com X: https://x.com/costofglory

  • #119
    May 7 · 12 min

    119 - Sparta vs. Stoicism

    On how the Spartans achieved emotional mastery, long before Stoicism was invented.

  • #118
    March 30 · 1 hr

    118 - Is Julius Caesar in Heaven?

    -Lessons both personal and political from the life of Caesar. -The Net Worth of Caesar's Estate -Also, could he be in heaven? What should a Christian's, or any modern man's attitude be toward Caesar? -Thanks to sponsors Shokworks and Dr. Richard Johnson! -Shout out to Ward Farnsworth, author of The Practical Stoic, Classical English Rhetoric, and more! Find out more about The Classical Society: https://theclassicalsociety.com

  • #117
    February 21 · 52 min

    117 - Alexander's Sack of Thebes, w/ Victor Davis Hanson

    A conversation with American classicist, military historian, and conservative political commentator Victor Davis Hanson. We discuss: Why Epaminondas remains one of the most underrated commanders in Greek history, and how the loss of Plutarch's Life of Epaminondas has obscured his legacy The pivotal liberation of Thebes in 378 BC: how a small band of conspirators overthrew the Spartan-backed oligarchy and sparked a democratic revolution Epaminondas's strategic masterstroke at Leuctra — the deep oblique phalanx on the left — and how it shattered 200 years of Spartan military supremacy How freeing the Messenian Helots and building Megalopolis, Mantinea, and Messene permanently encircled and emasculated Sparta as a great power The fatal miscalculation of 335 BC: why Thebes revolted against Alexander on the basis of a false rumor, and how every potential ally abandoned them The recurring pattern of doomed civilizations — from Thebes to Carthage to Constantinople — that share delusions about allies, enemies, and their own decline What ancient history reveals about America's current strengths and vulnerabilities, from demographic pressures to the China threat Subscribe to the Cost of Glory newsletter for detailed maps, images, and analysis of this pivotal moment in ancient history: https://costofglory.substack.com/ Get in touch at: Website: https://costofglory.com X: https://x.com/costofglory

  • #116
    January 24 · 2 hr 25 min

    116 - Caesar 3: Divus Julius

    Part 3 of 3 of the Life of Julius Caesar. Did Caesar want to be a King? A god? What was his vision for Rome? Was there a way he could have prevented his assassination? In this episode: Caesar returns to Rome His Triumphs His Reforms His Clemency His Final War in Spain; the Batle of Munda The Octavius Question The Plots, Dreams, Portents, The men he trusted; the men who betrayed him Thanks to our sponsor, Ai Labs. Visit austinlab.ai to chat with a team member about custom Agentic AI power solutions for your SMB to Enterprise level business. Powered by Shokworks. Also Thanks Dr. Richard Johnson, the Crassus to this Caesar series. And check out Warlords of History podcast here!

  • #115
    Nov 7, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min

    115 - Aristotle, Thiel Fellowship, and Human Greatness w/ Michael Gibson

    In this episode: Michael Gibson's origin story Meeting Peter Thiel and launching the Thiel Fellowship The importance of Aristotle Aristotle on "The Gigachad" Is intelligence enough? Failure of philosophy is present in Plato's work...not Aristotle's Alexander the Great's major influence Inspiration from the immortals Why victory is better than happiness Friends as a second self

  • #114
    Oct 24, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min

    114 - Julius Caesar and the Jews, w/ Barry Strauss

    A conversation with the bestselling author, classicist and the military and naval historian Barry Strauss about his latest book Jews vs. Rome: Two Centuries of Rebellion Against the World’s Mightiest Empire. We explore: Why Julius Caesar became a key patron of the Jews and how his support shaped Jewish life in the Roman Empire The pivotal moment when Antipater (Herod's father) saved Caesar in Egypt, and how it changed Jewish-Roman relations Caesar's assassination: the personal ambitions and fears that drove the conspirators beyond Republican ideology Herod the Great's extraordinary political survival skills: switching allegiances from Antony to Octavian and always landing on his feet The ruthless pragmatism of Herod's reign, including the execution of his own talented sons The historical plausibility of the "slaughter of the innocents" story and what it reveals about Herod's character For Barry's previous appearance, check out episode 81. Subscribe to the Cost of Glory newsletter for detailed maps, images, and analysis of this pivotal moment in ancient history: https://costofglory.substack.com/ Get in touch at: Website: https://costofglory.com X: https://x.com/costofglory

  • #113
    Oct 3, 2025 · 1 hr 8 min

    113 - Cato and his Stoicism: w/ Johnathan Bi

    A conversation with Johnathan Bi (Cosmos Institute, The Great Books podcast) for a deep dive into Stoicism through the life and philosophy of Cato the Younger. We explore: Why Stoicism continues to attract modern audiences Jonathan’s personal journey with Stoicism—and why he ultimately turned to other philosophies Nietzsche’s critique of Stoicism as a coping mechanism How Cato embodied Stoic principles (and where he may have fallen short) The tension between Stoic theory and Stoic practice in figures like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius Subscribe to the Cost of Glory newsletter for detailed maps, images, and analysis of this pivotal moment in ancient history: https://costofglory.substack.com/ Get in touch at: Website: https://costofglory.com X: https://x.com/costofglory

  • #112
    Sep 23, 2025 · 1 hr 11 min

    112 - The Psychology of Envy and the Fall of Caesar: w/ Rob Henderson

    A conversation with Rob Henderson — Air Force veteran, psychologist, and author of the bestselling "Troubled". In this episode: Rob's journey from foster care to Cambridge and lessons about status, envy, and human nature The psychology of envy and jealousy - from Julius Caesar's assassination to modern politics Difference between dominance and prestige in human behavior Why envy is one of the most powerful yet unacknowledged human emotions How these dynamics shape personal relationships and society Why men are drawn to history and the Great Man theory What academia misses in its focus on present-day issues Luxury beliefs, status games, and why successful people downplay hard work Attention spans in the digital age and effects of TikTok and short-form media Why biographies and long-form stories matter for character development How reading about great and troubled historical figures helped Rob navigate teenage hardship Insights on history, psychology, and the hidden forces shaping society Subscribe to the Cost of Glory newsletter for detailed maps, images, and analysis of this pivotal moment in ancient history: https://costofglory.substack.com/ Get in touch at: Website: https://costofglory.com X: https://x.com/costofglory

  • #111
    Sep 11, 2025 · 1 hr 30 min

    111 - Caesar's Civil War III: Came Saw Conquered

    Part 3 of 3 of Caesar's Civil War series. From triumph to near-disaster. Caesar's Egyptian entanglement transforms him from a glorious victor to a desperate challenger. In this episode: Pompey's assassination in Egypt and Caesar's unexpected grief over his former ally's death Cleopatra's legendary entrance in a bed-sack and her political seduction of Caesar The brutal urban warfare trapping Caesar in the palace quarter for six months The burning of the Great Library during the harbor battles—400,000 volumes lost Caesar's desperate swim to safety while clutching precious documents above water Young King Ptolemy XIII's tragic fate and the consolidation of Cleopatra's power The lightning campaign against Pharnaces in Asia—"Veni, Vidi, Vici" The veterans' mutiny outside Rome and Caesar's masterful psychological manipulation Cato's final stand in Africa and his defiant suicide The decisive Battle of Thapsus and the strategic genius of fighting on narrow ground The massacre of surrendering enemies as Caesar's clemency finally fails As Caesar recounts, the Republic's future dictator came very close to destruction in the palaces and canals of Alexandria. While Rome descended into chaos under Mark Antony's drunken rule, Caesar fought for his life against war elephants and Numidian cavalry, transformed by his liaison with the living goddess Cleopatra. The man who emerged from Egypt was no longer merely a Roman general, he had consorted with divinity and fathered the son of a pharaoh. As Cicero wrote in frantic letters to Atticus: "Where am I to look for solace?" The final campaign that would cement Caesar's supremacy began with the most dangerous gamble of his career. Works Cited: (Affiliate links - support the show!) Gareth Sampson, The Battle of Pharsalus Matthias Gelzer, Caesar: Politician and Statesman James Froude, Caesar: A Sketch, Raaflaub (ed.) Landmark Caesar Thanks to our sponsor, Ai Labs. Visit austinlab.ai to chat with a team member about custom Agentic AI power solutions for your SMB to Enterprise level business. Powered by Shokworks. Also Thanks Dr. Richard Johnson, the Crassus to this Caesar series!

  • #110
    Jul 12, 2025 · 1 hr 29 min

    110 - Caesar's Civil War II: Bloody Pharsalia

    Part 2 of 3 of Caesar's Civil War series. After his lightning conquest of Italy, Caesar faces his greatest challenge yet as Pompey masses a vast army in Greece. In this episode: Caesar's second dictatorship and revolutionary reforms in Rome—citizenship grants, debt relief, and restoration of the proscribed The dangerous winter crossing of the Adriatic, splitting his forces against Pompey's naval supremacy The siege of Dyrrhachium and Caesar's ambitious 17-mile circumvallation to trap Pompey The catastrophic defeat that nearly ended Caesar's career—his worst loss yet The brilliant strategic retreat showcasing the iron discipline of Caesar's veterans Young Curio's tragic death in Africa, highlighting Caesar's reliance on inexperienced lieutenants The fateful convergence at Pharsalus as both armies march into Thessaly The decisive moment when Caesar's hidden fourth line shattered Pompey's cavalry charge The fall of the Roman Republic as 15,000 Romans died by Roman swords Caesar's own account reveals a commander pushed to his absolute limits, saved only by the loyalty of soldiers who would "rather eat tree bark than let Pompey slip through our fingers." The battle that destroyed the old Republic hinged on a single morning's decisions, proving that world history sometimes turns on the choices of one man in command. As Caesar stood over the carnage at Pharsalus, he reportedly said: "This is what they chose. After so many deeds in the service of my country, they would have me, Julius Caesar, condemned as a criminal, unless I sought the protection of an army." Works Cited: Gareth Sampson, The Battle of Pharsalus Matthias Gelzer, Caesar: Politician and Statesman James Froude, Caesar: A Sketch, Raaflaub (ed.) Landmark Caesar. (Affiliate links - support the show!) Thanks to our sponsor, Ai Labs. Visit austinlab.ai to chat with a team member about custom Agentic AI power solutions for your SMB to Enterprise level business. Powered by Shokworks. Also Thanks Dr. Richard Johnson, the Crassus to this Caesar series!

  • #109
    Jun 4, 2025 · 1 hr 46 min

    109 - Caesar's Civil War I: Breakdown

    Part 1 of 3 of Caesar's Civil War series. The die is cast—Caesar crosses the Rubicon and plunges Rome into civil war. In this episode: The political crisis of 51-50 BCE as Caesar's enemies demand his recall from Gaul Curio's shocking defection and proposal that both Caesar and Pompey lay down arms The breakdown of negotiations and Pompey's fateful acceptance of command against Caesar His lightning campaign through Italy as cities surrender without a fight The siege of Corfinium and Caesar's revolutionary policy of clemency toward enemies Pompey's strategic retreat to Greece, abandoning Rome and splitting the Republic The brilliant Spanish campaign at Ilerda, showcasing Caesar's military genius The brutal siege of Marseille and Caesar's appointment as Dictator Caesar's own account reveals a man driven not by revolutionary ambition, but by wounded dignity and the desperate need to defend his honor against enemies who would destroy him through partisan prosecution. As Lucan wrote of this cosmic struggle: "Of civil wars and worse waged on Thessalian fields / Of crime made law we sing, how a powerful people / Turned on its own heart its conquering hand." The war that would transform Rome forever begins not with grand ideology, but with Caesar's refusal to submit to humiliation—and his enemies' fatal miscalculation of the man they sought to crush. Works Cited Kurt Raaflaub (ed.), The Landmark Julius Caesar Matthias Gelzer, Caesar: Politician and Statesman Erich Gruen, Last Generation of the Roman Republic Thanks to our sponsor, Ai Labs. Visit austinlab.ai to chat with a team member about custom Agentic AI power solutions for your SMB to Enterprise level business. Powered by Shokworks. Also Thanks Dr. Richard Johnson, the Crassus to this Caesar series!

  • #108
    May 10, 2025 · 2 hr 7 min

    108 - Caesar 2: Law and Nature

    Part 2 of 3 of the Life of Julius Caesar. In this episode: Caesar forms the First Triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus, uniting Rome's most powerful men His revolutionary consulship of 59 BCE bypasses Senate opposition through popular assemblies The brilliant staging of the Gallic conquest, using allies and tribal conflicts as pretexts for expansion His management of Rome through letters while commanding armies across Gaul The death of Julia and Crassus fractures the political alliance holding Rome together Vercingetorix's rebellion culminates in the decisive siege of Alesia, securing Gaul for Rome Caesar transforms both Rome and Gaul forever through calculated strategy, personal magnetism, and relentless ambition—all while his enemies in Rome, led by Cato, plot his downfall and convince Pompey to turn against him, setting the stage for civil war. Thanks to our sponsor, Ai Labs. Visit austinlab.ai to chat with a team member about custom Agentic AI power solutions for your SMB to Enterprise level business. Powered by Shokworks. Also Thanks Dr. Richard Johnson, the Crassus to this Caesar series!

  • #107
    Apr 8, 2025 · 1 hr 51 min

    107 - Caesar 1: Man of Destiny

    The much awaited series on Julius Caesar begins, with the inaugural episode: "Man of Destiny". In this episode: Caesar's formative years in the shadow of Sulla's dictatorship His early political boldness and refusal to divorce Cornelia The capture by pirates and his merciless revenge Caesar's rise through the ranks of Roman politics as Quaestor and Aedile The Catilinarian conspiracy and Caesar's narrow escape from execution His famous ambition: "I would rather be first man here than second at Rome" A tale of charm, audacity, and calculated risk as a young aristocrat from a modest branch of an ancient family navigates the treacherous waters of late Republican politics. Caesar—stylish, charismatic, deeply in debt, and dangerously ambitious—sets himself against the legacy of Sulla while methodically building a coalition that would eventually transform Rome forever. Thanks to our sponsor, Ai Labs. Visit austinlab.ai to chat with a team member about custom Agentic AI power solutions for your SMB to Enterprise level business. Powered by Shokworks. Also Thanks Dr. Richard Johnson, the Crassus to this Caesar series!

  • #106
    Mar 23, 2025 · 51 min

    106 - The New Indiana Jones - w/ Dr. Brent Seales

    A conversation with Dr. Brent Seales, professor of computer science at the University of Kentucky and a modern day Indiana Jones who has been using advanced technology to restore and redeem cultural and historical artifacts from the ravages of time. In this episode: The 'virtual unwrapping' of the Vesuvius scrolls Unearthing an entire new Renaissance Brent's encounters with Silicon Valley and some DOGE members The long-term future of this project

  • #104
    Feb 13, 2025 · 1 hr 21 min

    104 - Heroic Struggles in Vietnam, w/ Doyle Glass

    A conversation with Doyle Glass, author of Swift Sword, The True Story of the Marines of MIKE 3/5 in Vietnam, 4 September 1967. Intro Story featuring BlackJack Mulligan. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackjack_Mulligan) In this episode: Mastering Fear in Combat A lawyer's journey to becoming an artist and an author The ambush begins: "The tree line stood up" Clear headed leadership of Lieutenant Murray The heroic Father Capodanno Larry Peters' Sacrifice to Save His Squad The powerful psychology of accepting death in combat "With the Old Breed" war classic by Eugene Sledge Man of Mystery Robert Benoist

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