Ascend - The Great Books Podcast

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, we are joined by Dcn. Garlick, Dr. Frank Grabowski, Thomas Lackey, and Dr. Joey Spencer to discuss the first part of Plato’s Euthyphro—a dialogue on piety.

Dr. Spencer is the diocesan Archivist for the Diocese of Tulsa, a tutor in Theology, and an expert in the theology of angels and demons.

We discuss the context of the dialogue and move into conversations on piety as a political problem, the role of imitating the divine in Greek religion, an introduction to Plato’s Ideas and its reception into C...

In this episode of the Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick and Dr. Daniel Shields discuss the significance of Plato's First Alcibiades, particularly in the context of its use at Wyoming Catholic College.

They explore the themes of self-knowledge, the relationship between philosophy and politics, and the importance of mentorship in education. The conversation delves into the character of Alcibiades as a reflection of the student experience, the role of spiritedness in the pursuit of wisdom, and the communal nature of the philosophical life.

Dr. Shields shares insights from his teaching experience, emphasizing the need...

KNOW THYSELF. Today, we have the second part of the excellent conversation on First Alcibiades with Dcn. Garlick, Alec Bianco, and Athenian Stranger. The conversation starts at 124(b)!

First Alcibiades is one of the BEST PLACES you could start with Plato.

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule and more!

Check out our WRITTEN GUIDE to First Alcibiades.

From the guide:

14. What does Socrates teach Alcibiades about the body (129b)?

Plato teaches that the body is subordinate to the soul, viewing it as a possession rather...

PLATO IS PHILOSOPHY - and there is no better place to start with Plato than First Alcibiades. Today, we are discussing First Alcibiades with Alec Bianco of the Circe Institute and with the Athenian Stranger. Go check out their X accounts.

Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule.

Check out our PATREON for written guides on the great books!

We also have a NEW COMMUNITY CHAT on Plato to discuss with other people reading along.

First Alcibiades is both the beginning and a summation of Platonic philosophy. The dialogue “held pride of...

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, we are continuing our study of Plato by diving into the Life of Alcibiades by Plutarch with Alex from the Cost of Glory podcast.

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Visit our PATREON page for written guides and to chat with others!

Alex is fantastic. Alex and Dcn. Garlick discuss a few preliminaries on why you should read about Alcibiades before studying Plato and why you should read Plutarch in general.

If you are not familiar with the life of Alcibiades, you are in...

WE ARE STARTING PLATO! Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast we are launching into our studies on Plato. We are kicking off with a roundtable of friends—a lawyer, two Phds, and an independent scholar—discussing the preliminary questions on Plato.

Questions:

We’ll also have a brief opening chat on the great books in general and why they are worth reading—which is at the heart of our mission...

In this episode of the Ascend to the Great Books podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick welcomes back Grayson Quay to discuss his new book, 'The Transhumanist Temptation.'

The conversation delves into the ideological roots of transhumanism, its implications for humanity, and the historical context that has led to its rise. Quay emphasizes the importance of teleology in understanding human nature and critiques the modern conception of freedom as it relates to technology. The discussion also touches on the challenges posed by technology, the influence of Nietzsche, and the need for a moral framework to navigate the complexities...

Today on Ascend the Greek Books Podcast, we wrap up our exploration of the Greek plays with a lively roundtable discussion. Our panel of friends delves into the key themes of the tragic plays, including divinity, eros, fate, justice, the cosmos, virtue, and suffering.

We explore plays such as the Oresteia, Prometheus Bound, the Theban plays, and the Bacchae, with insights from Homer, Hesiod, and Aristophanes. Don't miss this engaging conversation as we prepare to embark on our next journey with Plato.

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Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, we are joined by Tsh Oxenreider to discuss The Frogs by Aristophanes. The play tells the comedic story of Dionysus deciding all the new tragic poets are terrible, so he travels to Hades to bring back Euripides to help save Athen’s from her moral decay. Once in Hades, Dionysus has several adventures, which includes hosting a poetry contest between Aeschylus and Euripides to see who is the best tragedian.

Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule!

Visit our Patreon page for our library of written guides to th...

In this episode, Dcn. Harrison Garlick, Chancellor and General Counsel of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa, welcomes Dr. Zena Hitz, a tutor at St. John’s College and founder of the Catherine Project, to discuss Aristophanes’ comedic masterpiece, The Clouds.

The episode dives into the play’s biting humor, its critique of Athenian society, and its timeless questions about education, piety, and moral decay. From the Thinkery’s absurd teachings to the mysterious Clouds, Dcn. Garlick and Zena unpack the play’s relevance to modern audiences, exploring themes of social ambition, familial breakdown, and the consequences of abandon...

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, we plunge into the second part of Euripides’ The Bacchae—a harrowing yet gripping Greek tragedy that leads us deeper into the mystery of Dionysian eros.

We’ll observe the tragic descent of King Pentheus, the Bacchae as a parasite upon society, and the haunting themes of eros, justice, and the question of piety under an evil god.

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading SCHEDULE.

Check out our Patreon page for our 25 Q&A GUIDE to the Bacchae.

From the guide:

Why sh...

Madness, piety, gore, and reason! Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, host Dcn. Harrison Garlick and the always insightful Dr. Frank Grabowski delve into the first part of Euripides’ The Bacchae—a chilling yet captivating Greek tragedy that explores piety, eros, the nature of the divine, and the fragility of societal order.

The guys explore Dionysus, a god transformed from Homer’s jovial wine deity into a “cruel” and “diabolical” figure worshipped through “frenzied madness and the bestial release of sex and violence." With its graphic imagery, raw intensity, and ambiguous morality, this play offers a rich discussion...

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Garlick and Mr. Eli Stone discuss the second and final part of Oedipus at Colonus—wherein Sophocles brings the horrific tale of Oedipus to a beautiful, redemptive end.

Deacon and Eli discuss the dramatic zenith of Oedipus’ life, the theme of redemptive suffering, the binding power of love, and all the various ways this play comments on the relationships in Antigone and Oedipus Rex.

Go visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule!

Check out this awesome guide to Oedipus at Colonus!

Here is the...

In this episode of Ascend the Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick and returning guest Eli Stone dive into the first half of Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus, the third play in the Theban cycle by publication order but the second in narrative chronology.

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule.

Check out Patreon page for written guides to the great books!

Recorded in rural Oklahoma, this episode explores Oedipus’ transformation from a cursed exile to a figure of divine significance, set against the backdrop of Athens’ post-Peloponnesian War turmoil.

The hosts...

Aristotle said Oedipus the King was the best tragedy. Today, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Mr. Eli Stone and our friend Josiah to discuss Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex) by Sophocles - the second play in the Oedipus cycle or Theban plays.

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Check out our Patreon for our written guides!

Here is a letter Dcn. Garlick wrote to our supporters about Oedipus the King:

Oedipus the King is, according to Aristotle, the best of the Greek tragedies. Through Oedipus’ own in...

Does Antigone hold strong until the end? Is Antigone the hero? Today, Dcn. Garlick is joined again by David Niles and Dr. Frank Grabowski to discuss the second part of Sophocles' Antigone.

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Check out our Patreon page! We appreciate all our supporters.

From our guide:

15.      How does Haemon’s interaction with Creon highlight his character and challenge Creon’s perspective?

Haemon, Creon’s son and Antigone’s betrothed, enters around line 700 and is described by David as “one of my favorite characters” for...

Antigone is the "dark sign from the gods." Today, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Mr. David Niles of the Catholic Man Show and Dr. Frank Grabowski to discuss the Greek tragedy "Antigone" by Sophocles.

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule!

Check out our Patreon for our guide on Antigone!

From the guide:

This guide, like the podcast conversation, explores Antigone as a profound meditation on piety, justice, and the cosmic order. This guide addresses critical aspects of arguably Sophocles’ greatest work, such as: the moral conflict over burying th...

How would you respond to the will of a tyrant? Today, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Jared Zimmerer of Benedictine College to discuss Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound - the first play in an otherwise lost triad.

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule!

WHY SHOULD YOU READ PROMETHEUS BOUND?

From the guide:

Prometheus Bound is the story of man and civilization. Within the contrast of Prometheus’ rebellion and Zeus’ tyranny, Aeschylus provides a narrative that explores the concepts of liberty and purpose. It is a story of human nature—of the...

"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." Today, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Mr. Thomas Lackey and Mr. Adam Minihan to discuss how to read the Bible like Jesus, St. Paul, the Early Church Fathers, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Dante!

There are four senses: literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical. The guys explain Divine Authorship, Dante's thesis that you read his Comedy like you Scripture, and then explain each sense and give examples.

Check our thegreatbookspodcast.com for resources on the Iliad, Odyssey, Dante's Inferno, and more!

Summary:

St. Jerome states, “Ig...

Lying is a sterile act that impedes the purpose of the intellect. Today, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Sean Berube and Shannon of Catholic Frequency to discuss "Lying as Contraceptive Speech." Dcn. Garlick gives several short talks pulling from Dante's Inferno, the Gospel of St. John, and liberalism with responses from Sean and Shannon from a live recording on X (Twitter).

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more help to read the great books!

Master Adamo lies a bloated mass of “watery rot.” His amorphous frame bears his diseased paunch and distended limbs, as his lips...

The frozen heart of hell. Today, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Mr. Evan Amato to discuss the frozen wastes of the 9th Circle of Hell - the damned guilty of treachery (or complex fraud).

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A few questions from our guide to Dante's Inferno:

78.     What happens in the ninth circle of hell: Treachery (Complex Fraud) (Canto 34)?

Pressing onward, Virgil leads the Pilgrim to “Judecca”—named after Judas Iscariot—in which those souls that have betrayed their benefactors or their lords are frozen comple...

We finish the 8th Circle of hell! Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Donald Prudlo of the University of Tulsa discuss pits 8-10 of the 8th Circle of Dante's Inferno (Cantos 26-31). Dr. Prudlo is an incredibly talented Catholic scholar! You'll want to hear what he has to say - especially about Odysseus, Troy, and the Garden of Eden.

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From our guide:

64.      What happens in the eighth ditch (Cantos 26-27)?

Overlooking the eighth ditch, the Pilgrim and Virgil view the punishment of those souls King Minos found...

Seducers, Flatterers, Sorcerers, and more! Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Noah Tyler, CFO of the Classic Learning Test, and Gabriel Blanchard, a staff writer for CLT, to discuss the first part of the 8th Circle: Simple Fraud (Cantos 18-25).

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information.

Check out our written GUIDE to Dante's Inferno: 80+ Questions and Answer.

FROM THE GUIDE:

53.      What happens in the Eighth Circle of Hell: Simple Fraud (Canto 18)

The Eighth Circle of Hell holds the souls of those King Minos found guilty of simple fraud and is...

We enter the circle of violence. This week Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Fr. Thomas Esposito, O. Cist., a Cistercian priest who teaches at the University of Dallas, to discuss the seventh circle of Dante's Inferno: (1) violence against neighbor (2) violence against self and (3) violence against God & nature.

Check out our website for more info: thegreatbookspodcast.com.

Check out our 80+ Question and Answer Guide to the Inferno.

From the guide:

43.      What happens in the Seventh Circle of Hell: Violence Toward Neighbor (Canto 12)?

As Virgil and the Pilgrim press on toward...

Today, we finish lower hell. Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Jason Baxter of Benedictine College to discuss cantos 6-11 of Dante's Inferno.

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for other great books!

Check out our Patreon for our 80+ Question & Answer guide to the Inferno.

From our guide:

27.     The Third Circle of Hell – Gluttony (Canto 6)

 Musa explains the third circle and the contrapasso, “the shades in this circle are the gluttons, and their punishment fits their sin. Gluttony, like all the sins of incontinence, subjects reason to desire; in this case desir...

Dante approaches the gates of hell! Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Jennifer Frey, the Dean of the new Honors College at the University of Tulsa, and Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson, the Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books at Pepperdine University, to discuss cantos 2-5 of Dante's Inferno.

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com.

Check out OUR GUIDE to Dante's Inferno: 80+ Questions and Answers.

13.      What happens in the Vestibule of Hell (Cantos 2-3)?

The narrative of the Dark Woods in Canto 1 is arguably the introduction to the entire Divine Comedy, and as such...

We are reading the Inferno together! Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Jeremy Holmes of Wyoming Catholic College to give an introduction to Dante's Inferno and discuss the first canto.

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Reading Schedule for Lent 2025:

Introduction & the Dark Woods

1. Intro & Canto 1 (3.4.25) with Dr. Jeremy Holmes (Wyoming Catholic)

Vestibule of Hell, Limbo & Lust

2. Cantos 2-5 (3.11.25) with Dr. Jennifer Frey (TU) and Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson (Pepperdine).

Gluttony, Spendthrift/Hoarders, Wrathful/Acedia & Heretics

3. Cantos 6-11 (3.18.25) with Dr. Jason Baxter...

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Frank Grabowski and Mr. Thomas Lackey to discuss the end of the Oresteia, the second part of the Eumenides.

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Check out our guide to the Oresteia.

The first half of the Eumenides demonstrates Aeschylus’ ability to dramatize philosophical questions. The old system of justice, bound to the Furies’ blood-soaked vengeance, has proven incomplete. The Olympian purity rituals are not a sufficient answer either.

Athena’s brilliance is found in pushing the concept of justice forward into a more dispassionate, procedural affair...

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is once again joined by Dr. Frank Grabowski and Mr. Thomas Lackey to discuss the first part of the Eumenides, the third play in Aeschylus' Oresteia.

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information.

Check out our written guide to the Oresteia.

The final play of Aeschylus’ Oresteia, The Eumenides, sets forth the transformation of justice from the familial mechanics of the blood avenger to a more mature procedural justice set within the polis. It is a story of civilizational maturation. Whereas Agamemnon and the Libation Bearers dealt with the house of...

Dcn. Harrison Garlick, Mr. Thomas Lackey, and the Adam Minihan come together to discuss the second part of the Libation Bearers, the second play in Aeschylus' Oresteia.

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Support us on Patreon and get access to guides!

The second half of the Libation Bearers moves decisively toward the climax of Orestes’ role as blood avenger, culminating in the deaths of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. He will enact the justice that is demanded, and in turn be guilty of murdering his own blood—his mother. As Adam observed, “Oreste...

This week Dcn. Garlick is joined by Mr. Thomas Lackey and the Adam Minihan to discuss part one of the Libation Bearers, the second play in Aeschylus' Oresteia.

Check out thegreatbooksdpodcast.com for more resources.

Check out our Patreon for a written GUIDE to the whole Oresteia.

From our guide:

The Libation Bearers presents Orestes as both the hero and the victim. The cycle of violence will both demand his action and condemn it. “The one who acts must suffer,” as Aeschylus observes. The play builds an incredible tension within the curr...

We are reading Aeschylus' Oresteia. This week Dcn. Garlick, Adam Minihan, Thomas Lackey, and Dr. Frank Grabowski discuss part two of Aeschylus' Agamemnon, the second part of the first play of the Oresteia.

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more sources.

Check out our written guide to the Oresteia.

I.             Clytemnestra and Agamemnon: Murder, Manipulation & Denial (795)

Clytemnestra dominates Agamemnon as a complex figure of cleverness, rage, and manipulation. Upon Agamemnon’s return, she denies him a true homecoming by rolling out the red tapestries and inviting him to walk on them (901). Two main observatio...

Dcn. Garlick, Dr. Frank Grabowski, and Thomas Lackey are reunited to discuss the first part of Agamemnon, the first play in Aeschylus' Oresteia.

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information.

From our written guide available to our supporters:

The first play of the Oresteia tells of the homecoming of Agamemnon and is predominately animated by revenge. Aeschylus presents us with questions concerning the legitimacy of the Trojan war, how Argos has suffered without its king, and why Clytemnestra has plotted to murder her husband. Though chronologically Odysseus has not return home yet, one...

Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are reunited to intro Aeschylus, the Father of Greek Tragedy.

Aeschylus (b. 525 BC) was a warrior, statesman, and the father of Greek tragedy. Born into nobility, he grew up in Athens during its pivotal transition from tyranny to democracy. Furthermore, he famously fought in the Battle of Marathon (490 BC), defending a nascent Western civilization against Persian invasion. Aeschylus died in 456 BC, leaving behind a legacy that shaped the foundation of Greek drama.

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From our guide on the Oresteia:

1.        What is...

Dcn. Harrison Garlick, Dr. Frank Grabowski, and Mr. Thomas Lackey come together to discuss Hesiod's Theogony - a poem about the origin of the gods and the cosmos.

Key conversations:

Hesiod is a contemporary of Homer. Homer composed the Iliad around 750 BC and the Odyssey around 725 BC, and Hesiod was active in the mid 700s and into the 600s.[1] Hesiod, like Homer, has...

You can read the Greek plays with Ascend!

Dcn. Harrison Garlick flies solo this week as he explains why you should read the Greek plays. He discusses how the plays are an intellectual bridge between Plato and Homer and explains some of the major themes you can expect in their writings: justice, eros, fate, divinity, etc.

He'll then introduce each Greek play to be read and why it is worth reading.

Join us! Schedule below:

HESIOD'S THEOGONY & GREEK PLAYS (2025)

1/1 Intro to the Greek Plays

1/7 Hesiod's Theogony

This week Dcn. Garlick is joined by Alberto Fernandez, a former U.S. diplomat and Vice President of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) in Washington, D.C., to discuss "The Tower of the Elephant," one of the best Conan the Barbarian stories by Robert E. Howard.

Deacon and Alberto discuss the life and philosophy of Robert E. Howard along with key elements of the "Tower of the Elephant" short story (which is available online for free).

Topics:

In 2025, we are reading Hesiod, the Greek plays, Dante...

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Kyle Washut, President of Wyoming Catholic College, to discuss the Odyssey as the restoration of Catholic Culture and the unique educational approach of Wyoming Catholic College.

President Washut takes on the question: "Why go to a great books college" and gives an excellent answer.

They have a brief detour into the importance of Eastern Catholicism before discussing the influence of John Senior on education and how the Odyssey serves as a metaphor for rebuilding culture.

The conversation also...

THE FINAL BOOK! Dcn. Garlick is joined by Adam Minihan, David Niles, Thomas Lackey, and Dr. Frank Grabowski to discuss Book 24 of the Odyssey: Peace.

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From our guide:

111.    What happens in book twenty-four?

 Hermes leads the souls of the suitors to Hades, to the fields of asphodel, where they meet Achilles and Agamemnon (24.130). One of the suitors tells Agamemnon their story, and Agamemnon praises Odysseus calling him “happy” and praises his wife Penelope in contrast to his wife, Clytemnestra (24.210). Meanwhile, Odysseus and his men arrive at...

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Mrs. Rachel Greb to discuss Book 23 of the Odyssey: The Great Rooted Bed.

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From our written guide:

108.    What happens in book twenty-three?

The old maid Eurycleia, laughing with delight, runs and tells Penelope that the day she’s dreamed of is here: Odysseus has come home (23.05). “Penelope’s heart busts in joy” upon hearing that the beggar in the hall was actually her husband (23.34). Penelope, however, falls back into her guarded skepticism (23.75). She enters the hall and sits in silence s...