The Immortal Cato: concluding Cato’s story
This has been out for a little while, but in case you missed it, the concluding chapter in the story of Cato is now live.
To me, Cato is a great case study in how difficult it is to uphold what Plato considered the master virtue, Justice. Cato wanted to live an exemplary life of justice, but his narrow view of it, in my opinion, blinded him to the legitimate claims of Caesar—and Caesar’s potential to fix some of the problems of the Republic that Cato cared about too.
All the same, he was not just a good man, but even a great man. Listen to the episode for more details - and please share your own thoughts by replying to this post!
Episode links:
Next Retreat: we’re headed to Greece 🏛️
When the Austin retreat wrapped up, my team and I were already looking forward to the next event. Fantastic events require fantastic locations — and so I’m extremely excited to officially announce the launch of our next retreat in Greece.
The landing page for the retreat is now live (check it out here). On this page you’ll find the full itinerary, and links to our application form. Spots always run out, so be swift if you can.
Tracing the footsteps of the great figures of antiquity is a worthy endeavor. I hope you can join me and Dr. Eric on this journey.
New Interview: Doyle Glass
As I was wrapping up the arc of Cato’s life, I also had the extreme pleasure to sit down with Doyle Glass. Doyle is an author, sculptor, and historian dedicated to preserving the stories of Vietnam War veterans. He has created two monuments honoring Medal of Honor recipients and authored multiple books capturing the experiences of those who served.
In our discussion, we discuss one of his latest books: the bestselling Swift Sword. It chronicles the harrowing experiences of U.S. Marines during Operation Swift (September 4–15, 1967) in Vietnam’s Que Son Valley.
Expect to learn about the intense 24-hour period of Operation Swift, where Marine companies faced overwhelming odds against North Vietnamese forces, first-hand accounts of how Lieutenant Murray's leadership saved his men through tactical brilliance and personal courage, how Father Vincent Capodanno sacrificed his life ministering to wounded Marines, and how soldiers like Howard Haney and Jack Swan found profound clarity in moments of certain death.
Our mission at the Cost of Glory is to document heroes from all ages. And the stories of intense heroism and bravery that Doyle tells us are fascinating. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Stay Ancient,
Alex.
