EPISODE · Aug 21, 2026 · 2H 21M
Letters of a Portuguese Nun-Mariana Alcoforado, Gabriel-Joseph de Lavergne
from Phaedrus
"Letters of a Portuguese Nun" by Mariana Alcoforado and Gabriel-Joseph de Lavergne presents a poignant collection of correspondence that captures the depth of longing and the complexities of love. These letters, steeped in emotion and introspection, reveal the inner turmoil of a nun torn between her faith and her passionate desires. The timeless themes of love, sacrifice, and the struggle for personal freedom resonate powerfully today, inviting listeners to reflect on the universal nature of human experience. This work remains a compelling exploration of the heart's yearnings, making it an enduring piece that speaks to the complexities of the human condition across generations.
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“For there is no light of justice or temperance, or any of the higher ideas which are precious to souls, in the earthly copies of them: they are seen through a glass, dimly…”Socrates and his earnest friend Phaedrus, enjoying the Athenian equivalent of a lunchtime stroll in the park, exchange views on love and on the power of words, spoken and written.Phaedrus is the most enchanting of Plato’s Erotic dialogues (capitalised in honour of the god). The barefoot philosopher urges an eager young acquaintance – who has allowed his lover’s oratorical skills to impress him overmuch – to re-examine the text of Lysias’s speech in the light of his own exalted (and Platonic) vision of Love. Not long ago this early example of literary dismantling was itself deconstructed by a contemporary sage - Jacques Derrida. The present reader tries to present Socrates as he conceivably was: the chortling, pot-bellied ex-soldier, a flirtatious yet charismatic talker with a serious passion for Truth. (Introductio
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