Selections from Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War-Herman Melville

from Phaedrus · host Plato

"Selections from Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War" by Herman Melville presents a poignant exploration of the American Civil War through a series of powerful poems. Melville's work captures the profound complexities of conflict, reflecting on themes of courage, loss, and the moral ambiguities of war. The vivid imagery and emotional depth in his poetry resonate with contemporary audiences, reminding us of the enduring impact of war on society and the human spirit. As we grapple with the legacies of conflict in our own time, Melville's reflections offer timeless insights into the nature of struggle and the quest for understanding in the face of adversity.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Sep 15, 2026

Embed this episode

Attribution link and audio player

Ready to play

Selections from Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War-Herman Melville

0:00 2:21:53

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

No similar episodes found.

Similar Podcasts

Fables of Phaedrus Phaedrus Dive into the enchanting world of fables with Fables of Phaedrus, where timeless stories impart valuable moral lessons. While the modern interpretation of a fable often features talking animals or inanimate objects, Phaedrus, the foremost Latin fabulist, breaks the mold with his innovative storytelling. His narratives encompass not only animals but also human characters, transforming them into captivating short tales that resonate even today. This collection presents Phaedrus five acclaimed books of fables, brought to life in English prose by Henry Thomas Ridley. Join us on this literary journey that bridges ancient wisdom with contemporary relevance. Phaedrus by Plato (Πλάτων) (c. 428 BCE - c. 347 BCE) LibriVox “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 charismati The Fables of Phaedrus by Phaedrus Loyal Books The fable is a small narrative, in prose or verse, which has as its main characteristic the aim of conveying a moral lesson (the “moral”), implicitly or, more normally, explicitly expressed. Even though the modern concept of fable is that it should have animals or inanimated objects as characters – an idea supported by the works of famous fabulists such as Aesop and La Fontaine – Phaedrus, the most important Latin fabulist, is innovative in his writing. Although many of his fables do depict animals or objects assuming speech, he also has many short stories about men, writing narratives that seem to the modern eye more like short tales than fables. Despite many other fables being attributed to Phaedrus, only five books are considered by scholarship to have been written by him. Phaedrus’ five books of fables are here presented in a translation to English prose by Henry Thomas Ridley. Phaedrus by Plato Loyal Books “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

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Phaedrus?

This episode is 2 hours and 21 minutes long.

When was this Phaedrus episode published?

This episode was published on September 15, 2026.

Can I download this Phaedrus episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.

URL copied to clipboard!