Works and Days, The Theogony, and The Shield of Heracles by Hesiod

MAS works_days_1509

Works and Days provides advice on agrarian matters and personal conduct. The Theogony explains the ancestry of the gods. The Shield of Heracles is the adventure of Heracles accepting an enemy’s challenge to fight. – Summary by Arthur Krolman for Librivox

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Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

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Works and Days

The Theogony

The Shield of Heracles

Gorgias by Plato

MAS gorgias_1211

This dialogue brings Socrates face to face with the famous sophist Gorgias and his followers. It is a work likely completed around the time of “Republic” and illuminates many of the spiritual ideas of Plato. The spirituality, as Jowett points out in his wonderful introduction, has many ideas akin to Christianity, but is more generous as it reserves damnation only for the tyrants of the world. Some of the truths of Socrates, as presented by Plato, shine forth in this wonderful work on sophistry and other forms of persuasion or cookery. (Summary by Kevin Johnson for Librivox)

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Run time: 7 hours, 6 minutes

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Introduction Part 1

Introduction Part 2

Introduction Part 3

Introduction Part 4

Gorgias Part 1

Gorgias Part 2

Gorgias Part 3

Gorgias Part 4

Gorgias Part 5

Gorgias Part 6

Gorgias Part 7

Meno by Plato, translated by Benjamin Jowett

MAS meno_1303

Meno (Ancient Greek: ?????) is a Socratic dialogue written by Plato. Written in the Socratic dialectic style, it attempts to determine the definition of virtue, or arete, meaning in this case virtue in general, rather than particular virtues, such as justice or temperance. The goal is a common definition that applies equally to all particular virtues. Socrates moves the discussion past the philosophical confusion, or aporia, created by Meno’s paradox (aka the learner’s paradox) with the introduction of new Platonic ideas: the theory of knowledge as recollection, anamnesis, and in the final lines a movement towards Platonic idealism.. (Introduction by Wikipedia)

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Run time: 2 hours, 24 minutes

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1 – Meno

2 – On the Ideas of Plato

3 – Part 1 of the Dialogs of Meno

4 – Part 2 of the Dialogs of Meno

Henry V by William Shakespeare

Queen Katherine of France by Laura T. Alma-Tadema
Queen Katherine of France by Laura T. Alma-Tadema

After the turmoil and uncertainty of Henry IV a new era appears to dawn for England with the accession of the eponymous Henry V. In this sunny pageant Chorus guides us along Henry’s glittering carpet ride of success as the new king completes his transformation from rebellious wastrel to a truly regal potentate. Of course, there is an underlying feeling that the good times won’t last, and this is all the more reason to enjoy the Indian summer before the protracted and bitter fall of the house of Lancaster. (Introduction by Algy Pug for Librivox)

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Run time: 3 hours, 4 minutes

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Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Act 5

The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare

MAS Macbeth_by_Thomas_Beach
Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare. It is considered one of his darkest and most powerful tragedies. Set in Scotland, the play dramatizes the corroding psychological and political effects produced when its protagonist, the Scottish lord Macbeth, chooses evil as the way to fulfill his ambition for power. He commits regicide to become king and then furthers his moral descent with a reign of murderous terror to stay in power, eventually plunging the country into civil war. In the end, he loses everything that gives meaning and purpose to his life before losing his life itself. (Summary by Wikipedia)
Lady Macbeth by Cattermole
Lady Macbeth by Cattermole

Hamlet by Shakespeare, simplified for school children and baffled adults

Benjamin_West_-_Hamlet-_Act_IV,_Scene_V_(Ophelia_Before_the_King_and_Queen)_-_Google_Art_Project

Hamlet by Shakespeare, simplified for school children?by Shakespeare Lynch Multimedia is performed by Michael Matus.

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Shakespeare made easier for schoolchildren and baffled adults with an easy to understand narrative adaptation and parallel text with the original. Why adapt Shakespeare? Well, it’s hard! A lot of actors in Shakespeare productions can act it, confusing audiences. A lot of teachers can’t teach it, confusing pupils. A lot of parents lack confidence helping with homework. This is for students of all ages and parents, too. The purpose is to make Shakespeare comprehensible and accessible. Shakespeare is the greatest of writers, for that reason everyone must attempt to grasp his genius. Read the original first and then consult this adaptation to help you. Use this as an aid. The poetry of the original cannot be matched. The action of Book One, Chapter 1 corresponds with Act One, Scene 1, (for the podcasts Episode 1 is 1-1) and so on This recording of Hamlet is read by Michael Matus, who has acted extensively with the RSC and will be appearing at the Globe in London during the Summer 2008 season.

The Story of the Greeks by H. A. Guerber

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Summary: This book is a collection of stories and histories about the Ancient Greeks, including many of their famous myths! – (Summary by Ann Boulais for Librivox)

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Running time: 7:35

Preface

Early Inhabitants of Greece

The Deluge of Ogyges

The Found of Many Important Cities

Story of Deucalion

Story of Daedalus and Icaraus

The Adventures of Jason

Theseus visits the Labrinyth

The Terrible Prophecy

The Sphinx’s Riddle

Blindness and Death of Oedipus

The Taking of Thebes

The Childhood of Paris

The Muster of the Troops

The Sacrifice of Iphigenia

The Wrath of Achilles

The Death of Hector and Achilles

The Burning of Troy

Heroic Death of Codrus

The Blind Poet

The Rise of Sparta

The Spartan Training

The Brave Spartan Boy

Public Tables in Sparta

Laws of Lycurgus

The Messenian War

The Music of Tyrtaeus

Aristomenes’ Escape

The Olympic Games

Milo of Croton

The Jealous Athlete

The Girls’ Games

The Bloody Laws of Draco

The Laws of Solon

The First Plays

The Tyrant Pisistratus

The Tyrant’s Insult

Death of the Conspirators

Hippias Driven out of Athens

The Great King

Hippias Visits Darius

Destruction of the Persian Host

The Advance of the Second Host

The Battle of Marathon

Miltiades’ Disgrace

Aristides the Just

Two Noble Spartan Youths

The Great Army

Preparations for Defense

Leonidas at Themorplyae

Death of Leonidas

The Burning of Athens

The Battles of Salamis and Plataea

The Rebuilding of Athens

Death of Pausanias

Cimon improves Athens

The Earthquake

The Age of Pericles

The Teachings of Anaxagoras

Beginning of the Peloponnesian War

Death of Pericles

The Philosopher of Socrates

Socrates’ Favorite Pupil

Youth of Alcibiades

Greek Colonies in Italy

Alcibiades in Disgrace

Death of Alcibiades

The Overthrow of the Thirty Tyrants

Accusation of Socrates

Death of Socrates

The Defeat of Cyrus

The Retreat of the Ten Thousand

Agesilaus in Asia

A Strange Interview

The Peace of Antalcidas

The Theban Friends

Thebes Free Once More

The Battle of Leuctra

Death of Pelopidas

The Battle of Mantinea

The Tyrant of Syracuse

Story of Damon and Pythias

The Sword of Damocles

Dion and Dionysius

Civil War in Syracuse

Death of Dion

Philip of Macedon

Philip Begins His Conquests

The Orator Demosthenes

Philip Masters Greece

Birth of Alexander

The Steed Bucephalus

Alexander as King

Alexander and Diogenes

Alexander’s Brilliant Beginning

The Gordian Knot

Alexander’s Royal Captives

Alexander at Jerusalem

The African Desert

Death of Darius

Death of Porus

The Return to Babylon

Death of Alexander the Great

The Division of the Realm

Death of Demosthenes

The Last of the Athenians

The Colossus of Rhodes

The Battle of Ipsus

Demetrius and the Athenians

The Achaean League

Division in Sparta

Death of Agis

The War of the Two Leagues

The Last of the Greeks

Greece a Roman Province

The Aeneid by Virgil

Summary: 

The Aeneid

VIRGIL (70 BC – 19 BC), translated by John DRYDEN (1631 – 1700)

The Aeneid is a Latin epic written by Virgil in the 1st century BC that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who traveled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. The first six of the poem’s twelve books tell the story of Aeneas’ wanderings from Troy to Italy, and the poem’s second half treats the Trojans’ ultimately victorious war upon the Latins, under whose name Aeneas and his Trojan followers are destined to be subsumed. The poem was commissioned from Vergil by the Emperor Augustus to glorify Rome. Several critics think that the hero Aeneas’ abandonment of the Cartheginian Queen Dido, is meant as a statement of how Augustus’ enemy, Mark Anthony, should have behaved with the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. (Summary by Wikipedia and Karen Merline)

Running time: 13 hours, 40 minutes

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To hear this book, click play in the box below or click on the chapter links.

Book 1: A Fateful Haven, part 1

Book 1: A Fateful Haven, part 2

Book 2: How they took the City, part 1

Book 2: How they took the City, part 2

Book 3: Sea Wanderings and Strange Meetings, part 1

 

Book 3: Sea Wanderings and Strange Meetings, part 2

Book 4: The Passion of the Queen, part 1

 

Book 4: The Passion of the Queen, part 2

Book 5: Games and a Conflagration, part 1

 

Book 5: Games and a Conflagration, part 2

Book 6: The World Below, part 1

Book 6: The World Below, part 2

Book 7: Juno Served by a Fury, part 1

Book 7: Juno Served by a Fury, part 2

Book 8: Arcadian Allies, part 1

Book 8: Arcadian Allies, part 2

Bk 09: A Night Sortie, a Day Assault, pt 1

Bk 09: A Night Sortie, a Day Assault, pt 2

Bk 10: The Death of Princes, pt 1

Bk 10: The Death of Princes, pt 2

Bk 11: Debaters and a Warrior Girl, pt 1

Bk 11: Debaters and a Warrior Girl, pt 2

Bk 12: The Fortunes of War, pt 1

Bk 12: The Fortunes of War, pt 2

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