EPISODE 89 - Wilfred McClay: Dreaming of Ariadne (2026 Conference Panel)

Hillsdale College historian Wilfred McClay discusses: the Sorcerer's Apprentice, allusion, Ariadne, Peter Lawler, Walker Percy, Ted McAllister, Blake, Burke, Chesterton, Emerson, Jaroslav Pelikan, tradition, heritage, Dana Gioia's poem "Planting a Sequoia," Mary Austin, WH Auden, Tocqueville, The Golden Thread, and the nightmarish possibility of an AI Thomas Jefferson. Poem: https://danagioia.com/planting-a-sequoia/ Keynote address from the 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference in Omaha, Nebraska, March 13, 2026. Introduction by Claire Aguda-Baker, presentation by Wilfred McClay, question & answer period. 0:00 Claire Aguda-Baker introduces Wilfred McClay7:44 Wilfred McClay, Dreaming of Ariadne: Thoughts on Cultural Restoration53:54 How can we teach allusion to college students?1:05:27 Orality is hard for us1:10:25 History as Legend vs Fact To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ Check out our other podcast, Cicero On Duties, publishing weekly throughout 2026: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3 Chapters (00:00:00) - Claire Aguda-Baker introduces Wilfred McClay(00:07:44) - Wilfred McClay, Dreaming of Ariadne: Thoughts on Cultural Restoration(00:53:54) - How can we teach allusion to college students?(01:05:27) - Orality is hard for us(01:10:25) - History as Legend vs Fact