Kes Publica

In this week's episode we have the inimitable Mr Bull as our special guest! Mr Feeney and Mr Burns quiz him about classically-themed films. We discuss Gladiator, Troy, and even Carry on Cleo (for our older listeners). Mr Burns and Mr Feeney argue about Troy, and Mr Bull reveals how he swore a vow and nearly crashed his car. This is the first part of a pair of episodes - it turns out we all have mu...

In this episode Mr Feeney returns from the underworld! We look closely at book 1 of the Aeneid, exploring the themes and incidents of Virgil's magnificent opening. What does it mean to be a hero? Is Aeneas actually Jesus? Why is not everything as it seems? All these questions and more answered for A Level students and anyone with an interest.

In this episode Mr Burns interviews Dr Gruzelier about her recent trip to Corfu. If you want to learn a little about the ancient background of this wonderful island, then this is the episode for you! We cover the Sicilian expedition, the inspiration for the landscaping of British estates, and a strange empress Sisi Elisabeth of the Austro-Hungarian empire who built a cake-like building in honour o...

This is the first of our series on Virgil, which will run alongside our ongoing series on Homer. It is designed to help A Level students studying Latin or Classical Civilisation, but we hope it is also an accessible and interesting listen for anyone with an interest! In the episode we discuss the essential things to understand about the third great work of western civilisation: Virgil's Aeneid. It...

In this episode, Mr Burns answers two A Level students’ burning questions about the ancient world. Why was rotten fish sauce so popular? Why did empires always want to go to war? Which classical poet would be good to chat to in the pub? All these and more are answered. You can also from time to time hear the authentic sounds of KES students joyously hurrying to lessons in the background – listen o...

In this second episode of the miniseries on Homer, Mr Burns and Mr Feeney discuss the gods. They are the terrifying, cruel, awe-inspiring, childlike, immensely powerful beings who are always intervening in the mortal drama. The discussion ranges from particular strange incidents to trying to reach an understanding of the poet's own beliefs. This is a useful discussion for any A-Level classicist as...

In this episode, Mr Burns and Mr Feeney discuss death in the ancient world. Mr Feeney deals with the Greeks and their rituals, and then Mr Burns gives an overview of the Romans and their creepy ancestor worship. Did you know that Roman ghosts liked beans? Do you think that there's a link between agriculture, fertility, women, and death? Mr Burns thinks you should. We hope you enjoy this memento mo...

This is the first episode of our mini-series on Homer. We believe it’s perfect for those studying A-Level Classical Civilisation, A-Level Greek, and anyone with an interest in the world’s greatest poet. In this first episode, we look at how women are presented in both the Iliad and the Odyssey. Was Homer sexist? Does it make sense to even ask the question? Does he care about his female characters?...

In episode III we discuss the disturbing attraction of the gladiatorial games. We look at their dark origins, their evolution, and ways of understanding their function both for individual Romans and Roman society as a whole. Mr Burns goes off-piste about catharsis and vicarious identification while Mr Feeny delivers the goods on some solid facts.

In this episode, Peter explains the essence of Greek tragedy. We answer the burning questions: is it universal or Athenian? Is something deeply weird going on, with the scary god Dionysus himself present in the theatre and watching each play? What does it have to do with goats? Nick makes his usual unfalsifiable claims about what it all means, and talks far too much about pigs' blood. Peter provid...

In this pilot episode of KES Publica, Mr Burns and Mr Feeney discuss who is truly at the centre of the Iliad (the greatest work of literature that humanity possesses). Mr Burns fails to articulate a clear view on the meaning of Achilles' shield (something about life force?). And we discuss two great questions about pets and the Muses.