The First Meeting of Jerusalem and Ancient Greece: Josephus on Alexander, 333 B. C.
Alexander, the pupil of Aristotle for a while, met with the High Priest at Jerusalem on his way to conquer Asia, as reported by Josephus. From Book xi. 4-5, Jaddua the high priest was in terror when he heard that Alexander was coming. Alexander had sent a letter to Jerusalem during his siege of Tyre, asking for provisions, auxiliaries, and suggesting that Jerusalem send tribute now instead to him rather than Darius. The high priest had answered Alexander that…”he had given hi
Mar 294 min read
Plato's Phaedo on Ghosts: 80d-82c
Ghosts are souls that are somehow stuck in their involvement in worldly things, and so are not in the best condition. From both the Dixboro Ghost and the ghost in Hamlet , we conclude that these are stuck regarding revenge, or the injustice of their murders and revenge toward their murderers. In the Dixboro story, one mark of authenticity- aside from the question of what ghosts are- is that Martha undergoes a Purgatory, as well as revealing one and preventing another a murder
Oct 28, 20252 min read
Notes while reading Gilson's Medieval Book
Long ago, I heard that Gilson noted that the word "is" is used in the same sense in the works of Plato and in the tetragrammaton, despite there having been no connection yet between the Greeks and the Israelites of 1350 B.C. I resolved then- 45 years ago, to get this book, and finally have acquired it. His comment on Romans 1, basing Christian philosophy on what is implied there, is very helpful. Gilson seems to assume that philosophy is the universal of "a philosophy," a com
Sep 242 min read
On Popper's "The Open Society and it's Enemies"
Popper is writing during World War II, and trying to get at what it is that occurred in Twentieth Century Totalitarianism. In doing so, we will say, he confuses two opposite kinds of Utopianism, and is unable to distinguish Plato and Biblical accounts of the end or the best regime. In this he is the same as Voegelin, Bloom and the Straussians, and we will here indicate or make this distinction, and also try to get at the reason behind the confusion. In it's place we will set
Sep 235 min read
Notes While Reading Catherine Zuckert: Plato's Philosophers
I am overjoyed with the dramatic approach to reading the dialogues as showing the story of Socrates, and already with the suggestion that Phaedrus comes after Symposium. That the Laws comes FIRST, chronologically, rather than last, and has reference ONLY to pre-Socratic and NOT Socratic philosophy blows open a certain aspect of the Laws. Zuckert directs me to Strauss, Symposium, pp. 186-191 on daimonia, and I'm blown away again! The "gods" are spitits- in Phaedrus mediators t
Sep 22 min read
Suzanne Rock Commentaries IX Selection
#1 Leonard Cohen Suzanne This is, in our opinion, the most perfect lyric poem ever written. Written by Leonard Cohen, whose very name means “priest,” it is also famously sung, with slight alterations, by Judy Collins, the lady of the blue eyes. One night in Chicago, a woman named Judy played guitar until her fingers bled, while her friend was breaking a heart, and had she not continued, I would not have been introduced to this song, nor would I have seen one of the most beaut
Aug 237 min read
Procol Harem: Whiter Shade of Pale
From Genius lyrics: We skipped the light fandango Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor I was feeling kinda seasick But the crowd called out for more The room was humming harder As the ceiling flew away When we called out for another drink The waiter brought a tray [Chorus] And so it was that later As the miller told his tale That her face, at first just ghostly Turned a whiter shade of pale [Bridge 1] [Verse 2] She said, there is no reason And the truth is plain to see But I wa
Aug 182 min read
