Alex Petkas Returns - Julius Caesar: Model Of Masculinity?
ManTalks Podcast
Connor Beaton
4.8 • 591 Ratings
🗓️ 12 May 2025
⏱️ 62 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Talking points: history, psychology, mindset, culture
Like George Santayana said, those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat it. There's so much we can learn about ourselves, where we come from, and what needs our attention when we study the past. Grateful for the host of Cost of Glory, Alex Petkas, coming back on the show to lay down some real history, difficult truths, and deep insights on ol' Gaius himself.
(00:00:00) - What the modern man can learn from Julius Caesar
(00:17:52) - The importance of philosophy and poetry to ancient men
(00:23:06) - Why Caesar’s storytelling ability was so important, and how modern men can benefit from being better storytellers
(00:35:51) - The usefulness of old stories and ideas, and the psychological strategies that Caesar used
(00:45:48) - How Caesar handled women
(00:52:12) - Misconceptions of Caesar’s demise and attitude
Alex Petkas is writer, entrepreneur, and founder of The Cost of Glory, a bridge for the virtues of ancient heroes and the modern world’s demands. With a PhD in Classics from Princeton University, Alex has transcended traditional academic boundaries to bring the power of ancient wisdom into contemporary leadership. Recognizing that figures like Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch, and Cato were not just intellectual giants but also formidable leaders and entrepreneurs, he blends their timeless insights with modern leadership needs, offering actionable strategies that resonate with today’s leaders. Alex challenges the modern disregard for classical education, championing its vital role in moral and intellectual development. His mission is to reignite the heroic spark within men, empowering them to tackle contemporary challenges with unmatched courage and clarity.
Connect with Alex
-Website: https://www.costofglory.com/
-The Authoritative Speakers Guide: https://costofglory.kit.com/gift
-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexpetkas/
***
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | All right, Alex, welcome back by popular demand to the man talk show. |
| 0:11.8 | Great to be here, Connor. |
| 0:12.9 | Yeah, man. |
| 0:13.3 | I loved our last conversation. |
| 0:14.6 | I think people are really into it. |
| 0:16.1 | And so I'm looking forward to our conversation today. |
| 0:19.2 | We're going to be talking a lot about Julius Caesar, |
| 0:21.5 | which I'm not really a historian or a history buff, but I know a little bit about him, |
| 0:27.4 | and he's a fascinating character. So with that, what would you say that the life or the character |
| 0:34.1 | of Julius Caesar have to teach modern men about masculinity today? |
| 0:38.3 | I think Caesar is really fascinating because, well, for a lot of reasons. |
| 0:44.2 | I mean, he's this common conception of Caesar is he's a dictator. |
| 0:51.0 | Maybe he's a tyrant. |
| 0:52.2 | There was a recent BBC documentary on Caesar that's like, oh, drawing these kind of modern comparisons to the rise of strongmen. And he kind of comes off as this Mussolini figure. But actually, Caesar was a really popular, massively beloved peacemaker of a man. And with the exception of the great civil war that he kicked |
| 1:14.6 | off, which we could get into. But he's also, he kind of breaks the mold in a way. He's this amazing |
| 1:21.7 | general and statesman. He's a soldier's a soldier, but he's also a very charming man. |
| 1:30.6 | He writes poetry. |
| 1:32.6 | He's very good with women. |
| 1:34.8 | And he has, I think Caesar kind of embodies this like full spectrum of masculinity. |
| 1:41.0 | That he kind of masters the softer skills and the kind of more feminine side of |
| 1:47.9 | manly virtue, if you could call it that. And he's also a man of the people. In so many ways, |
| 1:54.8 | he's politically, he's most well known for championing policies that try to help out the Roman poor, try to help out |
... |
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