Meta Description: Join Dr. Jeff Winkle and Dr. David Noe in Ad Navseam Episode 150 as they explore Lucian of Samosata, ancient science fiction, and resources to master the Latin language.
Introduction: Acoustic Blankets and Dive Bar Puns
Welcome back, classical gourmands, to Episode 150 of the Ad Navseam Podcast! Broadcasting from Vomitorium South—the basement of the RHB bookstore and warehouse—your hosts, Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle, return to the microphones to celebrate a major milestone.
Reaching their sesquicentennial episode prompts the hosts to reflect on their humble origins. Dave recalls the early days of recording beneath a heavy blanket in his living room, a desperate attempt to provide adequate acoustic soundproofing. Dave announces that his middle initial “C” currently stands for “crotchety,” while Jeff claims his “T” stands for “Thomas” before backing down, reminding the audience he is under no obligation to tell the truth on this podcast.
Despite Dave’s crotchety demeanor, Jeff is in high spirits, relishing the arrival of warm mid-May summer weather. Enjoying the 70s and 80s temperatures, Jeff notes he has been freely perambulating around his neighborhood. He shares a story from a recent outing, explaining that he stopped at a grimy dive bar to enjoy a beer and watch a baseball game. While sitting there, he noticed a highly familiar man walk in, grab a drink, and leave. Jeff tells Dave he turned to the patron next to him and noted the stranger looked exactly like an actor from a famous 1970s sitcom, delivering the punchline: “That dude looks like a Brady.” Dave groans, recovering from the sheer length of the setup required to deliver the Aerosmith pun.
Lucian of Samosata and the Comic as Critic
Taking a break from their ongoing series regarding the history of ancient education, the hosts pivot to the second-century A.D. Greek author, Lucian of Samosata.
To frame the academic discussion, Jeff reads a quote from R. Bracht Branham’s 1984 article in Classical Antiquity, titled “The Comic as Critic.” Branham outlines the interpretive dilemma modern readers face when approaching Lucian. Scholars constantly debate whether Lucian should be read as a typical product of the highly rhetorical Second Sophistic culture, offering variations on old literary formulae, or if he should be viewed as a topical satirist addressing second-century controversies. Branham suggests both approaches are unnecessarily limited, arguing that Lucian skillfully manipulated traditional material with the immediate aim of entertaining his specific audience.
The hosts provide a brief biographical sketch of the author. Born around 125 AD and dying near 180 AD, Lucian was a direct contemporary of the North African author Apuleius. Lucian hailed from Samosata, a city located in the Levant region just north of the Orontes River, placing him in modern-day Turkey or Syria. Despite residing on the eastern fringes of the Roman Empire, Lucian composed all of his surviving works entirely in Greek. Jeff notes that the second century frequently saw a surge of literary production from authors living on the edges of the empire, filtering Greco-Roman traditions through diverse cultural colanders.
Interplanetary Warfare and the Hostage of Babylon
Before tackling their primary text, the hosts examine Lucian’s most famous composition: A True Story (or A True History). Jeff explains the title itself is a sarcastic joke, as the first-person narrative is an absurd adventure. Often considered the first work of science fiction, the novella features voyages to the moon and Venus, interplanetary warfare, and musings on artificial life. Dave notes this predates the 19th-century sci-fi authors Jules Verne and H.G. Wells by thousands of years.
Throughout the narrative, Lucian acts as an equal-opportunity offender, parodying the serious histories of Thucydides and the epic poetry of Homer. To illustrate this, Dave reads a translation by Alfred Church from Chapter 12 of the novella.
In this scene, the narrator visits the Isles of the Blessed and secures a personal interview with Homer. Settling ancient academic debates, the narrator asks Homer where he was born. Homer rejects the traditional claims of Chios, Smyrna, and Colophon, revealing he is not Greek at all. He claims he was born in Babylon under the name Tigranes, earning the moniker “Homer” only after being sent to Greece as a hostage. Homer also confirms he wrote both the Iliad and the Odyssey, dismissing critics who claim certain verses are ill-made. Finally, the narrator notes there is no need to ask about the poet’s legendary blindness, as he can plainly see Homer possesses perfect eyesight.
Dave admits a significant gap in his own classical knowledge. He frequently teaches his students the etymological theory that Homer’s name derives from the Greek word for “hostage,” entirely unaware this specific tradition originated as a satirical joke penned by Lucian 900 years after the poet’s existence.
Alexander the False Prophet
The central focus of Episode 150 turns to a shorter, more grounded treatise: Alexander the False Prophet. Unlike the absurdities of A True Story, this text tackles a historical reality.
Alexander of Abonoteichus was a charlatan operating along the Black Sea coast. He established a highly successful religious cult, claiming to be the prophet of a serpent god named Glycon (a name translating roughly to “sweetheart”). Archaeological evidence, including statues and coin portraits, confirms the widespread existence of this specific snake cult. Lucian details his intense disgust for the fraud, recounting a personal meeting where he supposedly bit Alexander’s hand rather than kissing it.
Lucian notes only two groups actively challenged Alexander’s profitable religious racket: the Epicureans and the Christians. This detail prompts a discussion regarding the state of Christianity during the second century. Dave explains that during this pre-Constantinian era, the Church was well-established in eastern centers like Antioch, Jerusalem, and Athens. While the original apostles were dead, successors like Polycarp and apologists like Justin Martyr were actively writing. The canonical Gospels circulated alongside numerous apocryphal competitors, such as the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Peter. Dave also issues a swift corrigendum from a previous episode, clarifying that the bishop Irenaeus of Lyon wrote Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies), not Adversus Gentes.
Against this backdrop of competing gospels, emerging institutions, and Gnostic sects, Alexander’s fraudulent snake cult fit seamlessly into a chaotic, pluralistic religious landscape.
The Aesthetics of Fraud and the Lucian Slur
Lucian wrestles with the ethics of writing about such a villain, wondering if providing Alexander with a biography inadvertently immortalizes a monster. He notes that Alexander truly deserves to be thrown into the arena to be dismembered by foxes and apes.
Despite his reservations, Lucian provides a detailed ekphrasis—a vivid word picture—of the charlatan. He describes Alexander as tall, fair-skinned, and handsome, possessing a sweet voice and eyes glowing with fervor. The hosts observe that fraudsters and cult leaders frequently possess immense physical appeal, utilizing their beauty to distract the public from their sleight of hand.
To conclude the academic segment, Jeff reads a 2023 book review by Anna Peterson. Peterson notes that Lucian’s relentless mockery earned him a complicated historical legacy. The early Christian author Lactantius described Lucian as a man who spared neither gods nor men. By the 16th century, followers of Martin Luther and John Calvin weaponized Lucian’s name, turning it into a common slur to label individuals like Erasmus and Thomas More as atheists and blasphemers. Dave notes the irony here, as Erasmus was a premier translator of Lucian, utilizing the author’s clear prose to teach generations of students how to read Greek.
Sponsors: Fueling the Classical Renaissance
Before sharing the parting shot, the hosts extend their gratitude to the sponsors keeping the bunker operational.
- Hackett Publishing: Dave jokes that they were recently approached by a rival, “Quackett Publishing,” a company offering bags of Wonder Bread in exchange for promoting books entirely about waterfowl and mallards. Rejecting the ducks, the hosts reaffirm their loyalty to Hackett Publishing. For 53 years, Hackett has kept the literary flame alive. Build your personal library at hackettpublishing.com and use the code AN2024 to receive a 20% discount and free shipping on your entire order.
- Ratio Coffee: Dave recounts a miserable experience utilizing a plastic “Marsupod” machine while traveling, longing for the pristine quality of his home brewer. The hosts highly recommend the Ratio 8 and eagerly anticipate the upcoming Ratio 4, a sleek, half-batch machine arriving in the fall. Visit ratiocoffee.com and enter the promo code ANCOF1 (the ‘F’ stands for Flavorful) for a 15% discount on your order.
- Latin Per Diem & The Moss Method: For listeners seeking to learn Greek and master the Latin language, Dave offers comprehensive, tailored educational solutions. Quoting the 19th-century professor Charles Melville Moss, Dave urges students to “use your mind more than your thumbs.” Visit mossmethod.com to tackle Greek for $325, or explore latinperdiem.com to pursue Latin via Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata for $250. Both courses offer direct access to Dave through weekly “Moffice hours.”
The Gustatory Parting Shot
To officially close out Episode 150, the hosts thank Mishka the sound engineer for her consistently rapid turnaround times. Musical gratitude is extended to Scott Van Zen and Ken Tamplin for providing the shredding guitar tracks and bumper music.
Dave then delivers a highly textural Gustatory Parting Shot courtesy of the comedian Demetri Martin.
Regarding carnival treats, Martin offers this concise, disturbing observation:
“Cotton candy is the perfect snack for when I’m in the mood to eat dry, scratchy fabric.”
Check out the “Lurch with Merch” section on the website, beware of false prophets bearing snakes, and keep taking in the classics. Valete!
