There is a question sometimes put to scholars, a doubt often latent in scholars’ minds—How was it that Greek civilisation, with all its high ideals and achievements, fell so easily before what seems at first sight an altogether inferior culture? The difficulty is not solved by a reference to military resources or administrative skill, for moral strength is the only thing that matters in history, and a nation has never yet succeeded merely by pure intellect or by brute force. The fact is—an...

In "Greek Athletics," Frederick Adam Wright meticulously explores the cultural and historical significance of athletic competitions in ancient Greece. Wright employs a scholarly yet accessible style, drawing upon extensive research, classical texts, and archaeological findings to elucidate the impact of such events on Greek society. The book is structured thematically, offering insights into the origins of the Olympic Games, the training regimens of athletes, and the various athletic festi...

The history of Greek athletics as it pertains to the Olympics. Describes various activities such as boxing, wrestling, etc. and accounts from witnesses, the Iliad, etc. as they pertain to famous Greeks and events. He discusses Greek views of physical appearance and fitness as they pertain to the games and society and also how and why individual city-states chose to participate in the Olympics.

In "Feminism in Greek Literature," Frederick Adam Wright delves into the hidden narratives of women in ancient Greek literature, revealing their strength, agency, and resistance against patriarchal norms. Through meticulous analysis of texts from Homer to Euripides, Wright uncovers the subtle and overt ways in which female characters challenged societal expectations, defied gender roles, and asserted their voices. This groundbreaking work sheds new light on the complexities of gender dynam...

On The Sublime by Longinus.

Written as a series of private notes, The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius is a powerful guide to self-reflection and personal growth from one of history’s most respected Roman emperors, exploring the philosophical teachings of Stoicism.Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121–180) was Roman emperor as part of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty from 161 to 180. Now known as ‘the philosopher king’, his musings on Stoicism and spirituality were originally written as private ref...

A Greek Stoic philosopher of the first and second century, Epictetus settled permanently in Nicopolis in Epirus, where he founded his own school, which he called a ‘healing place for sick souls.’ There he taught a practical philosophy, which has been recorded by his principal student Arrian, the famous author of the historical work ‘Anabasis of Alexander’. The ‘Discourses’ present Epictetus’ Stoic ethics as broad and firm in method, and occasionally humorous and melancholic in spir...

Illuminating writings by Stoicism's most eloquent advocate, now with a new introduction'It is philosophy that has the duty of protecting us... without it no one can lead a life free of fear or worry'For several years of his turbulent life, in which he was dogged by ill health, exile and danger, Seneca was the guiding hand of the Roman Empire. This selection of Seneca's letters shows him upholding the ideals of Stoicism - the wisdom of the s...

"On the Shortness of Life" is a moral essay written by Seneca the Younger, a Roman Stoic philosopher, to his friend Paulinus. The philosopher brings up many Stoic principles on the nature of time, namely that men waste much of it in meaningless pursuits. According to the essay, nature gives man enough time to do what is really important and the individual must allot it properly. In general, time can be best used in the study of philosophy, according to Seneca.Lucius Annaeus Seneca,...

“Not what we have but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.”- Epicurus.Epicurus posited a materialistic physics, in which pleasure, by which he meant freedom from pain, is the highest good. Serenity, the harmony of mind and body, is best achieved, through virtue and simple living.In addition to the Principal Doctrines, included here is the essay Epicureanism by William De Witt Hyde and an Epicurus biography by Charles Bradlaugh...

'No man is crushed by misfortune unless he has first been deceived by prosperity.' In these dialogues and essays the Stoic philosopher Seneca outlines his thoughts on how to live in a troubled world. Tutor to the young emperor Nero, Seneca wrote exercises in practical philosophy that draw upon contemporary Roman life and illuminate the intellectual concerns of the day. They also have much to say to the modern reader, as Seneca ranges widely across subjects such as the shortness of life, tr...

A two-thousand year old classic that continues to find new fans in the digital age, On the Shortness of Life is a Stoic Philosophy masterpiece and, perhaps, the first and greatest of self-help books. Packed with pithy timeless wisdom, Seneca’s famous collection of letters to his father-in-law Paulinus is a short but powerful work, one of Western literature’s finest and most enduring answers to the eternal question, How should I best live my life?