Shows
El podcast🎙️ Diálogos sobre literatura: Canto XIV (Divina Comedia, Dante)En este Canto XIV, y como venimos viendo en los Cantos XI, XII y XIII, Dante sigue con otra categoría de los clasificados como “violentos”, en este caso los violentos contra Dios o blasfemos.Así, son fundamentales los versos 10-12, se describe la toponimia de este Séptimo Círculo con precisión. Este Círculo está formado por tres recintos concéntricos: en el exterior, el río de sangre; en el medio, el bosque de hombres-árboles; en el interior, el arenal encendido en fuego. En ellos penan, respectivamente, los violentos contra sí mismos (suicidas y dila...
2025-12-0928 min
El podcast🎙️ Diálogos sobre literatura: Canto XIII (Divina Comedia, Dante)En este Canto XIII, y como venimos viendo en los Cantos XI y XII, Dante sigue con otra categoría de los clasificados como “violentos”, entre caso, contra sí mismos (suicidas) o contra sus bienes (los dilapidadores). Comienza Dante este Canto XIII; refiriéndose a “una espesura” (“bosco”), en la que se encuentran a las harpías (siempre con h, en contexto mitológico) en una representación griega (siglo VII a. C.): Artista desconocido. Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.), v. 12, 1911, p. 477, Fig. 14., Dominio público.Las harpías en una representación medieval:Por Ja...
2025-11-1921 min
El podcast🎙️ Diálogos sobre literatura: Canto XII (Divina Comedia, Dante)Como ya vimos en el Canto XI, estamos donde se castiga a los violentos, que pueden dividirse entre aquellos que lo son para otros (homicidas, situados en el primer recinto), los que lo son contra sí mismos (suicidas, segundo recinto) y, por último, los que lo son para con Dios (deicidas, tercer recinto. En este canto, nos situamos en dicho primer recinto.Así, algunos personajes que nos vamos a encontrar son:La primera criatura que ven es el Minotauro, imaginado por Gustavo Doré, mientras se encuentra con Dante y Virgilio. Dante califica a este primer híbr...
2025-10-2830 min
El podcast🎙️ Diálogos sobre literatura: Canto XI (Divina Comedia, Dante)En este Canto, Dante nos introduce los siguientes tres últimos círculos del Infierno, donde se encuentran las almas de los pecadores que han cometido las acciones más graves.Dante y Virgilio ante la Tumba del Papa Atanasio, Canto XI, La Divina Comedia, Gustavo Doré.Esos tres últimos Círculos, como le cuenta Virgilio, son los siguientes:* El círculo séptimo es en el que penan los violentos.* El círculo octavo es aquel en que penan los maliciosos.* Y el último, el noveno, es el reservado a los trai...
2025-08-1512 min
El podcast🎙️ Diálogos sobre literatura: Canto X (Divina Comedia, Dante)En este Canto, estamos ya en el Círculo Sexto, el de los epicúreos, que son los primeros heresiarcas o herejes que nos presenta Dante, que continuará en el siguiente Canto XI.Después de presentarnos a Epicuro y a sus seguidores, nos encontramos aquí con personajes importantes de la vida florentina como Farinata degli Uberti o Cavalcante dei Cavalcanti: el primero, altivo y desafiante, como lo fue en vida, discute sobre la política florentina con Dante; el segundo, vergonzoso, que sólo se atreve a preguntar por su hijo, el poeta Guido Cavalcante, que moriría...
2025-08-0416 min
El podcast🎙️ Diálogos sobre literatura: Canto IX (Divina Comedia, Dante)En este Canto, Dante y Virgilio consiguen entrar en el Sexto Círculo, el primero de la ciudad de Dite.El Canto se inicia con Dante empalideciendo de terror al ver a los primeros demonios que no les dejan entrar en Dite, la ciudad de Lucifer. Virgilio trata de calmarlo, pero Dante acaba preguntando si alguien ha bajado antes tan abajo del Infierno, a lo que Virgilio le responde que sí, que él mismo lo hizo porque se lo pidió la hechicera Erictón.Al final llega el mensajero De Dios, un ángel que obliga a los...
2025-07-2117 min
El podcast🎙️ Diálogos de literatura: Canto VIII (Divina Comedia, Dante)Como veis estamos justo antes de entrar en la ciudad de Dite, que es la ciudad del demonio o Lucifer que, como vemos, vive en el último círculo del Infierno.En este círculo primero vemos a los iracundos, donde nos encontramos con Flegias y con Filipo Argenti, uno de los más importantes enemigos de Dante. Por último, Dante y Virgilio esperan la llegada del mensajero de Dios que obligue a los demonios a abrirles las puertas de la ciudad infernal.Filippo Argenti intenta tirar a Dante de la barca, Gustavo Doré.Infi...
2025-07-1015 min
El podcast🎙️Diálogos sobre Literatura: Canto VII (Divina Comedia, Dante)Plutón es el primer ser que Dante y Virgilio se encuentran en este Canto. Las palabras que les dirige, escritas en un idioma que no conocemos, parecen ser una interjección de rabia por verlos en aquel lugar. Dante lo considera “el gran enemigo” por su ansia de acumulación de riquezas (como vimos en el anterior Canto) y lo pone a guardar el cuarto círculo, donde son castigados los avaros y los pródigos.Canto VII: los avaros cargando con el peso de su avaricia aunque no tengan ya nada, por Gustavo Doré. Aparte d...
2025-06-2514 min
El podcastDiálogos sobre Literatura: Canto VI (Divina Comedia, Dante)Dante encuentra a Ciacco. Ilustración de Gustave Doré.En este nos muestran al Cancerbero, guardián del tercer Círculo del Infierno, donde están los glotones. Entre ellos, está Ciacco, que nos va a hacer la primera profecía. En este caso, esta tratará sobre lo que va a ocurrir en Florencia entre los dos bandos: los Güelfos blancos y los negros.De paso, le informa a Dante sobre el destino de algunos de los mejores ciudadanos de Florencia.Por último, se menciona a Plutón, el guardián de las riquezas...
2025-06-1216 min
El podcastDiálogos sobre Literatura: Canto V (Divina Comedia, Dante)En este Segundo Círculo del Infierno, nos encontramos con Minos, como el juez inmisericorde que determina a qué nivel del Infierno va cada condenado. Y comenzamos a conocer a algunos de los condenados en este Segundo Círculo (o el primero de los que han sido condenados por sus actos): Semíramis, Dido, Cleopatra, etc. Pero ninguno de ellos tiene tanta influencia en Dante como la pareja formada por Francesca da Rímini y Paolo Malatesta.Francesca da Rímini y Paolo Malatesta, por Anselm Feuerbach en 1864 (WIKIPEDIA).Podéis encontrar más imágenes en...
2025-06-0314 min
El podcast🎙️ Hoy, en Diálogos sobre literatura, el Canto IV de la Divina Comedia.La reunión de los poetas en el Limbo, por Gustavo Doré. Ilustraciones para la Divina Comedia de Dante:En cuanto al material usado, he consultado dos libros:1.- Divina Comedia, Dante Alighieri, de Alianza Editorial. Version poética de Abilio Echeverría, año 2012. ESP.2.- Divina Commedia, Dante. Edizione Integrali con note e dizionario Dantesco. Introduzioni di Stefano Carrai, Giuseppe Conti e Fabio Pusterla. Editorial Giunti-Barbèra. Año 2022. IT.También se han utilizado páginas de internet como World History, Biografias y vidas y otras relacionadas con la Histor...
2025-05-1121 min
El podcastDiálogos sobre literatura: Divina Comedia (2)Gustavo Doré: La Divina Comedia. Canto II, Beatriz pide a Virgilio que vaya con Dante.Aquí tenéis los Cantos II y III con un breve comentario.En cuanto al material usado, he consultado dos libros:1.- Divina Comedia, Dante Alighieri, de Alianza Editorial. Version poética de Abilio Echeverría, año 2012. ESP.2.- Divina Commedia, Dante. Edizione Integrali con note e dizionario Dantesco. Introduzioni di Stefano Carrai, Giuseppe Conti e Fabio Pusterla. Editorial Giunti-Barbèra. Año 2022. IT.Gustavo Doré: Ilustraciones de la Divina Comedia. Dante y Virgilio...
2025-04-2723 min
El podcastDiálogos sobre literatura: Divina Comedia (1)Como he ido anunciando, hoy comienza Diálogos sobre literatura con la lectura y breve exégesis de los Cantos 1 al 3 de la Divina Comedia. Primero, se hará una breve introducción a Dante y, en este primer número, sólo se contiene el Canto 1 y su explicación. Esta tarde subiré el del Canto 2 y 3 porque si no quedaba excesivamente largo.En cuanto al material usado, he consultado dos libros:1.- Divina Comedia, Dante Alighieri, de Alianza Editorial. Version poética de Abilio Echeverría, año 2012. ESP.2.- Divina Commedia, Dante. Ediz...
2025-04-2717 min
ARTIDOTELessons in Stoicism with Dr. John SellarsDr. John Sellars is a lecturer in philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London, and is a leading expert in ancient philosophy, with a particular focus on Stoicism. In this interview, we'll be delving into the ancient philosophy of Stoicism, discussing its relevance to modern life, and exploring how we can apply its teachings to our daily lives. We'll also be discussing Sellars's books, "Lessons in Stoicism," "The Art of Living", and his most recent book on Aristotle.
All of them provide a practical guide to applying Stoic philosophy in our modern world.
I hope y...
2023-03-0356 min
ARTIDOTEMUSE: The hidden figures behind art history's masterpieces with Ruth MillingtonRuth Millington’s wonderful book uncovers the hidden figures behind art history’s masterpieces. We tend to forget that each great artist, whether from the past or present, has their own unique muse who inspires them, gives them energy and influences their creativity.
For Picasso it was Dora Maar; for Rodin it was Camille Claudel; for Frida Kahlo it was her illness. Those muses had a significant impact on the artists we love, but they often get hidden behind the shadows of giants whom they inspired.
In this interview, Ruth and I talked about Muses who...
2023-01-1957 min
ARTIDOTEWired for Music: A Search for Health and Joy Through the Science of Sound with Adriana BartonIn this episode, Adriana Barton - a journalist and former staff reporter at Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail - tells Vashik Armenikus how we can get reconnected with the healing powers of music.
She tells us about the power of music by combining medical studies, discoveries by pioneering neuroscientists, and research from biology and anthropology. She also tells us her personal story of studying cello for nearly two decades, a pursuit she had to leave with physical injuries and emotional scars.
And since we are getting very close to the Christmas holidays, I’ve...
2022-12-141h 09
ARTIDOTEHow Can Seneca Improve Your Life with philosopher David Fideler Pt.IIn this episode Vashik Armenikus sits down with philosopher David Fideler, who wrote a brilliant book called Breakfast with Seneca.
Seneca was a stoic philosopher who is widely recognised as the most humane writer of the Stoic tradition. He teaches us to live with freedom and purpose.
In Breakfast with Seneca , David Fideler explores Seneca’s ideas in a series of focused chapters, clearly explaining Seneca’s ideas without oversimplifying them.
Those chapters can help you to overcome grief; find meaningful friendships; cope with anxiety; and live a truly fulfilling life.
Note...
2022-11-211h 18
ARTIDOTEHow Can Rumi Heal Your Heart with Haleh Liza GaforiRumi was a 13th-century Persian poet whose wisdom continues to echo and inspire souls around the world.
Every person who has read at least a single line written by Rumi knows that his verse can heal one's heart.
We wouldn't have known about Rumi and these mystical powers if not for talented translators like Haleh Liza Gafori.
Her recent beautiful translation of Rumi's poetry 'Gold' was published by The New York Review of Books in March 2022. In this episode she told Vashik Armenikus how Rumi can heal our hearts by teaching us the rel...
2022-10-181h 04
ARTIDOTEHow Can Spinoza Change Your Life with Professor Steven NadlerHow to lead a meaningful life? How can we lead a good life and enjoy happiness in a world without a providential God?
"In Think Least of Death, Pulitzer Prize–finalist Steven Nadler connects Spinoza’s ideas with his life and times to offer a compelling account of how the philosopher can provide a guide to living one’s best life."
All the show notes 👉 https://artidote.uk/episodes/steven-nadler
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2022-10-0455 min
ARTIDOTEStalin & His Library: A Dictator and His Books with Dr. Geoffrey RobertsStalin was an avid and voracious reader. In his recent book, Professor Geoffrey Roberts tells us about the life of Joseph Stalin through the books that the dictator read, collected, annotated, and banned.This book draws an extraordinary vivid portrait of Stalin as an intellectual who could never satiate his curiosity; who ardently believed in ideas; and who believed in mysterious powers of reading.
Geoffrey Roberts' profile on ARTIDOTE website
Get the Book: Stalin's Library by Geoffrey Roberts
Dr. Roberts' Website
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2022-07-211h 12
ARTIDOTEMaster & Disciple: The Life of Rodin and Rilke with Rachel CorbettThis episode’s guest is Rachel Corbett, the author of a brilliant book called You Must Change Your Life, which tells the story of the brief and intense relationship between renowned sculptor Auguste Rodin and the poet Rainer Maria Rilke.
In 1902, Rainer Maria Rilke was a delicate young visitor from Prague in Paris, he was broke and suffering from writer’s block. He was commissioned to write a book on Rodin, who was already a renowned sculptor at the time, this is when everything changes
You Must Change Your Life reveals one of the great stor...
2022-04-2654 min
ARTIDOTESWEAT: A History of Exercise with Bill HayesExercise is our modern obsession.
The way we choose to exercise can tell us so much about our culture, our ambition or our mindset.
Ancient Greeks, for example, used to discuss philosophy at their gyms and believed that the intelligence of the mind needs to be in equilibrium with the fitness of the body.
In this wonderful book, ‘Sweat: A History of Exercise’, Bill Hayes explores the different ways in which we have approached exercise throughout history.
Hayes connects his own experience to the cultural and scientific history of exercise, from anci...
2022-03-151h 05
ARTIDOTEHow to See Clearly: Why Ruskin Matters with Dr. Suzanne Fagence CooperIn our age of immediacy John Ruskin’s ideas remain important more than ever. He can teach us how to see beauty, how to gain control over attention span and how to genuinely care about nature. He was a visionary who predicted many of the challenges we are facing today, such as climate change and culture of distraction.
Through his writings we can learn how to become better and live in harmony with the word.
In this episode, I interviewed Dr. Suzanne Fagence Cooper, who wrote a brilliant biography of Ruskin. It is a wonderful int...
2022-02-151h 08
ARTIDOTENapoleon & His Gardens with Dr. Ruth ScurrIn this interview Ruth Scurr tells me about Napoleon’s relationship with gardens throughout his life. Napoleon was interested in botany and tending gardens satisfied his inherent scientific curiosity. However, Napoleon also viewed gardens as a space for reflection and where he could have deep philosophical conversations with his peers.
Paul Valéry wrote that it ‘is a pity to see a mind as Napoleon’s devoted to trivial things such as empires, historic events, the thundering cannons
In that quote Valéry essentially asks us: What path would Napoleon choose if he decided not to become...
2022-01-1849 min
ARTIDOTEHow Can Nietzsche Save Your Life with professor John KaagHiking with Nietzsche is a tale of two philosophical journeys in the Swiss Alps: one made by John Kaag as an introspective teenager, the other seventeen years later in radically different circumstances - as a husband and father with his wife and small child in tow.
Kaag travels to the peaks above Sils Maria where Nietzsche routinely summered, and where he wrote his mysterious landmark work, Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Both trips are made in search of the wisdom at the core of Nietzsche's philosophy, yet they bring Kaag to radically different revelations about the human condition. Entertaining, intimate and thought-provoking, H...
2021-11-0456 min
ARTIDOTEManuscript Hunters with Ross KingThis is a story about Florentine manuscript hunters. A group of people who travelled across Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries in search of lost ancient works on philosophy and literature. At the centre of this story is a man who is often referred to as ‘Michelangelo of bookselling’. His name is Vespasiano da Bisticci.
The most powerful figures across Europe came to him when they needed to find lost or rare editions of Aristotle, Plato, Quintilian or Cicero.
In this episode Vashik Armenikus speaks to Ross King, the author of a brilliant book ‘The Bo...
2021-08-1956 min
ARTIDOTEThe Piano Poet. Interview with the pianist Federico AlbaneseIn this interview the Italian pianist Federico Albanese tells about his inspirations from writers such as Virginia Woolf to film-makers like Terrence Malick. He also tells about his latest collaborative EP with Tara Nome Doyle.
You can find Federico's EP and all the references of the episode here:
https://artidote.uk/episodes/federico-albanese
You can listen to EP on our playlist on Spotify.
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2021-07-1549 minARTIDOTEHow Japan's Pop Culture Conquered the World with Matt AltEveryone perceives Japan in their own unique way. Everyone ‘invents’ their own Japan as Oscar Wilde said in his essay ‘The Decay of Lying’.
In this episode Matt Alt - the author of a brilliant book ‘Pure Invention: How Japan’s Pop Culture Conquered the World’ - tells the story behind the unique products such as anime, manga, video games or karaoke.
Matt lives in Tokyo since 2003 and runs a localization company with his wife Hiroko Yoda, which produces the English-language versions of popular Japanese video games, comic books, and other forms of entertainment.
...
2021-06-2957 minARTIDOTEPoet of Revolution with Nicholas McDowellIn this interview Vashik Armenikus speaks to Professor Nicholas McDowell, the author of a recent biography of the poet John Milton. In his groundbreaking biography, Prof. McDowell explores the formative years of John Milton and what led to the creation of the greatest narrative poem in English language - Paradise Lost.
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Professor McDowell's profile: https://artidote.uk/episodes/nicholas-mcdowell
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This episode was ma...
2021-05-2459 minARTIDOTEReflections on art with photographer Stefan DraschanIn the 7th episode of the ARTIDOTE podcast, Vashik Armenikus speaks with the Austrian photographer Stefan Draschan.
Stefan is an award winning photographer and author of the ‘Reflections on Art’ photography series.
In this interview he talks about his journey to becoming photographer after first working as a music journalist. He also shares his favourite masterpieces of cinematography, fine art and literature.
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Stefans's profile: https://artidote.uk/episodes/stefan-draschan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stefa...
2021-05-0556 min
ARTIDOTESounds of Subconscious with pianist Martin KohlstedtIn October 2018, I attended a concert by a German pianist Martin Kohlstedt held here in London. It was one of the most atmospheric concerts that I can remember in my life.
In this interview Martin told me about his hometown, about the role that subconscious plays in creation of his music and about his connection with trees and why he calls himself 'a child of the forest'.
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Martin's profile: https://artidote.uk/episodes/martinkohlstedt
website: https://martinkohlstedt.com/
2021-03-171h 01
ARTIDOTEFrom Fine Art to Street Art with Alice PasquiniI wanted to meet the award-winning street artist Alice Pasquini since 2015, that was when I accidentally stumbled upon her work on Brick Lane in London. I instantly fell in love with her art. In this episode, she told me about her journey to becoming street-artist. She told me about the most dangerous countries in the world to be a street artist; we talked about what influences her and what is it like to be a woman in street art.
Enjoy listening,
Vashik Armenikus.
Subscribe to my newsletter for more: http://eepurl.com/he7Y...
2021-02-2347 minARTIDOTEHow to Think Like a Roman Emperor with Donald RobertsonDonald Robertson is a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist and author of a great book called How to Think Like a Roman Emperor.
In this episode he tells Vashik Armenikus about different techniques that Marcus Aurelius - the Roman Emperor and the author of Meditations - used to cope with stress, anger and anxiety.
He also shared his practical experience of how he applied various strategies used by the Stoics in his practice with patients.
Donald's profile: https://artidote.uk/episodes/donaldrobertson
website: https://donaldrobertson.name/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSbmM0eiqFkNOa...
2021-02-081h 16ARTIDOTEStoicism 3.0, Nietzsche and Art as Therapy with Steven GambardellaVashik Armenikus invites Steven Gambardella - one of the top writers on philosophy on Medium to discuss modern Stoicism, ideas of Nietzsche and how fine art and classical music have the same healing effects on our mental health as philosophy.
Stevens's page: https://artidote.uk/episodes/steven-gambardella
Medium: https://stevengambardella.medium.com/
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2021-01-0656 min
ARTIDOTEBeethoven: A Life in Nine Pieces with Laura TunbridgeIf you're looking where to start listening classical music, this is a place. Professor Laura Tunbridge reveals the personality of Beethoven through the composer's nine masterpieces. However, if you're already familiar with Beethoven, Laura's research will reveal a side of Beethoven you might not have heard before.
Laura's page: https://artidote.uk/episodes/laura-tunbridge
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2021-01-061h 04
ARTIDOTEAround the World in 20 Languages with Gaston DorrenCan one learn a new language using modern apps? How does language learning influence our thinking? Vashik Armenikus asks these and many other questions on language learning to Gaston Dorren - the author of 'Babel: Around the World in Twenty Languages' and 'Lingo: A language spotter’s guide to Europe'.
Gaston's profile: https://artidote.uk/episodes/gaston-dorren
Twitter: https://twitter.com/languagewriter
Website: https://languagewriter.com/
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2021-01-0644 min