The John Batchelor Show

The Homeric Question and Epic Tradition. Guest: Professor Emily Wilson. The identity of Homer remains a subject of intense scholarly debate, as the Iliad emerged from a long oral tradition that existed before the return of literacy to Greece in the 8th century BCE. For centuries, performing poets developed stories of heroes like Achilles and Agamemnon , using dactylic hexameter to aid memory and p...

Mortality and the End of the Iliad. Guest: Professor Emily Wilson. The final stages of the Iliad focus on Achilles ' intense grief and the rituals surrounding death. Following the violent funeral pyre for Patroclus , Achilles organizes funeral games, which Wilson suggests represent his growing realization that all mortals are ultimately "losers" in the face of death. These games provide a new mode...

   The Philippics, a Tragic Alliance, and a Heroic End. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. In the chaotic aftermath of Caesar's death, Cicero delivered the Philippics to trash Mark Antony 's reputation. In an attempt to destroy Antony, Cicero formed an alliance with Caesar's young heir, Octavian . He believed he could use the boy to further his own political goals, but this strategy backfired. Octavian...

Civil War, the Ides of March, and the Spiritual Godfather. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. Cicero eventually returned to Rome, but the republic was sliding toward civil war between Caesar and Pompey . Although Cicero tried to remain neutral, he eventually joined Pompey's side but was pardoned by Caesar after the latter's victory. Cicero was present in the Senate on the day Julius Caesar was assassina...

Exile, Humiliation, and the Power of the Tribune. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. Seeking revenge for the Bona Dea trial, Clodius Pulcher transferred his status from patrician to plebeian to run for the office of tribune. Once elected, he passed legislation that targeted anyone who had put Roman citizens to death without a trial. This law was aimed directly at Cicero for his actions during the Catili...

The Bona Dea Scandal and the Creation of a Lifelong Foe. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. Despite his careful rise to power, Cicero made a significant error during the aftermath of the Catiline conspiracy. He arrested five high-ranking collaborators who had remained in Rome to facilitate a coup. Cicero, feeling invincible after his recent successes, pushed for these men to be executed as traitors to t...

The Catiline Conspiracy and the Perils of Invincibility. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. The rivalry between Cicero and Catiline represented a clash between a "new man" and an established aristocrat. Catiline was a brave soldier from an ancient family who felt humiliated after losing the consular election to the newcomer Cicero. As the economic situation in Italy worsened due to a credit crisis, Cati...

The Defeat of Verres Through Storytelling. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. In 70 BCE, Cicero prosecuted Verres in a trial that showcased his masterful use of storytelling and emotional appeal. Rather than overwhelming the jury with complex financial data about embezzlement, Cicero created a vivid image of Verres as a negligent leader. He recounted how Verres ignored his duties during a pirate raid on...

Challenging the Crooked Establishment in Sicily. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. The Roman Republic's political landscape was heavily influenced by money, a reality exemplified by the case of Verres . Verres was the governor of Sicily , the vital "breadbasket" of Rome , where he systematically plundered art and embezzled funds. Although Cicero usually preferred defense work to earn favors, he made a...

The Rise of a New Man and the Trial of Roscius. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. Marcus Tullius Cicero was born into a non-elite family in 106 BCE, making him a "new man" in the Roman Republic . Rising through the political ranks required winning elections that were typically controlled by a small group of powerful families. Cicero gained fame as a masterful orator and defense attorney by navigating t...

ChatGPT and "The Blip." Guest Author: Keach Hagey. The final segment focuses on the viral success of ChatGPT and the resulting internal conflicts at OpenAI . Hagey notes that as ChatGPT's popularity grew, Altman's focus shifted from early safety warnings to aggressive commercialization, causing friction with researchers like Geoffrey Hinton . A significant power struggle with Elon Musk led to Musk...

Stanford, Loopt, and Y Combinator. Guest Author: Keach Hagey. Altman's career accelerated at Stanford , where he dropped out to co-found Loopt , a pioneering location-tracking startup. Although Loopt achieved visibility—including a famous appearance at an Apple event alongside Steve Jobs —it was financially a disappointment, selling for parts after the 2008 crisis. Following a period of global "ba...

Formative Years in St. Louis. Guest Author: Keach Hagey. This segment explores Sam Altman 's childhood in St. Louis during the 1980s and 90s. Hagey describes Altman's parents: Jerry , an idealistic real estate developer focused on affordable housing, and Connie , a highly ambitious dermatologist who set rigorous expectations for her four children. As the eldest, Sam was identified early as being i...

The Founding of OpenAI. Guest Author: Keach Hagey. In this opening segment, Keach Hagey discusses the January 2016 founding of OpenAI as a nonprofit research lab. Key figures included co-founder Greg Brockman and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever , a renowned researcher whose recruitment from Google signaled the lab's potential. Backed by a billion-dollar commitment from Elon Musk , Peter Thiel , and...

   The Death of a Legend at Kealakekua Bay. Guest Author: Hampton Sides. Cook returned to Hawaii in 1779, arriving during the Makahiki festival. The Hawaiians perceived him as the god Lono , and Cook played along to restock his ships. Tensions rose after the festival ended and a broken mast forced a return to the bay. The theft of a boat led Cook to attempt to kidnap the Hawaiian King, resulting i...

The Perils of the Northwest Coast. Guest Author: Hampton Sides. Cook mapped the coastline from Oregon to Alaska , enduring foul weather and perpetual fog. While the Spanish sought to arrest him for encroaching on their territory, Benjamin Franklin ordered American captains to protect Cook's scientific mission. The expedition spent a month repairing ships at Nootka Sound , interacting peacefully wi...

The Discovery of Hawaii. Guest Author: Hampton Sides. In late 1777, Cook accidentally discovered the Hawaiian Islands , starting with Kauai . The Hawaiians, who had never seen smoking or pockets, dubbed the sailors "volcano people." Cook realized these were Polynesians, leading him to marvel at the Polynesian diaspora and their incredible voyaging skills. Although he was in a hurry to reach Alaska...

Rage on Moorea and Farewell to Mai. Guest Author: Hampton Sides. Tensions escalated on the island of Moorea during the "Goat Incident," where the theft of a pregnant nanny goat triggered a "scorched earth" campaign from Cook. He destroyed huts and canoes in a disproportionate rage that shocked his officers. Sides suggests this was a desperate attempt to protect Mai's future property by making an e...

Tahiti and the Challenges of Resettling Mai. Guest Author: Hampton Sides. The expedition arrived in Tahiti in August 1777, where the crew was eager for recreation. Cook's primary task was finding a home for Mai , who had returned from England with a hoard of treasures, including muskets and armor. Cook worried about Mai's status as a commoner and tried to arrange a marriage for him to protect his...

Tahiti and the Challenges of Resettling Mai. Guest Author: Hampton Sides. The expedition arrived in Tahiti in August 1777, where the crew was eager for recreation. Cook's primary task was finding a home for Mai , who had returned from England with a hoard of treasures, including muskets and armor. Cook worried about Mai's status as a commoner and tried to arrange a marriage for him to protect his...

Crewing the Expedition and Erroneous Science. Guest Author: Hampton Sides. The mission involved two ships: the Resolution and the Discovery . Key officers included Charles Clerke , who commanded the Discovery while suffering from tuberculosis, and James King , a talented astronomer whom Cook mentored. Also on board were John Gore , an American-born veteran, and William Bligh , a brilliant but "ins...

Preparation and the Lure of the Third Voyage. Guest Author: Hampton Sides. In 1776, a retired Captain James Cook was living a comfortable life at Greenwich Hospital after two legendary voyages. However, a dinner with Lord Sandwich and the prospect of finding the Northwest Passage —and its £20,000 reward—convinced him to return to sea. Sides describes Cook's rise from poverty in Yorkshire , apprent...

The Controversial Legacy of Plato's Letters. Guest Author: Professor James Romm. Much of this history comes from thirteen letters attributed to Plato , though their authenticity is debated. Romm accepts five as genuine, including the detailed Seventh Letter . Critics like Karl Popper viewed Plato as an enemy of the "open society" due to his autocratic leanings. In his final work, The Laws , Plato...

Justice and the Allegory of the Philosophic King. Guest Author: Professor James Romm. Plato spent his final decades in Athens , completing The Republic . He categorized governance, placing tyranny at the bottom as a system driven by base appetites. He argued that a true king must be a philosopher to perceive the absolute "form of justice." Using the Allegory of the Cave , he described the philosop...

Timoleon and the Exile of Dionysius in Corinth. Guest Author: Professor James Romm. Dionysius the Younger eventually reclaimed his fortress, but Syracuse turned to Corinth for aid. Corinth sent Timoleon , a retired man leading a meager mercenary force. Surprisingly, Dionysius chose to abdicate rather than fight, negotiating a peaceful retirement in Corinth. The former tyrant lived his final years...