Can the unarmed prophet conquer, or is he predestined to failure? The reprobate prince Richard of Gloucester is Shakespeare’s answer to Machiavelli. Presented within his English saga (King John, the two tetralogies from Richard II to Richard III, and Henry VIII), the tragedy dominated by the deformed villain Richard III tests the limits of “cruelty well-used” and the seductive and impious arts of the Florentine. Is modernity safer than antiquity? Can satanic tyranny be sweeter than the kingship of the good shepherd? Shakespeare improves and finally defeats the teacher of evil, with drunken prophecies and solemn curses and holy matrimony along the way. Panel … Continue Reading "By Saint Paul and By God’s Fair Ordinance: Machiavelli Schooled in Richard III, with Dr. Jordan Dorney"

The American founders appropriated the Roman Poet and his works to establish an atmosphere of victory, authority, and dignity. Through the use of literary symbols and allusions, the framers of our great country placed their project squarely within a tradition the roots of which are deep in the ancient world. This talk will consider specific elements from the Great Seal, as designed by the Secretary of Congress, Charles Thomson, and their intentional evocation of Vergil's poetry, including the Aeneid.Panel discussion with Joe Carlson and Daniel Foucachon, followed by refreshments. RSVP below, OR email [email protected] (with how many will be attending). … Continue Reading "Vergil and the American Dream"