This last six months I have spent most of my work life hanging out with dead people. That is, my research thrusts me into the strange and fascinating ocean of ancient Roman, Jewish, and early Christian literature. I’ve been reading heaps of their poems, novels, essays, philosophic treatises, scandalous narratives, visionary descriptions, moral rants, speeches, and surviving letters. My favorite part of my time with the ancients is when they say something that is—to us inhabitants of the 21st century—completely weird. I just LOVE getting my hair blown back their bizarre hot takes on the human experience. Ancients say the darndest things.

As we continue to consider the reality and shape of human suffering in our modern lives, I want to showcase a constellation of weird, wild, and completely scriptural strange takes on suffering. These might shock you, but I believe they might actually help us in the throes of pain. Join us to hear some unfiltered ancient wisdom.