Delphic Podcast by Michael R D James
Jul 16, 2026 · 13 min · 9 segments
History, Tragedy and Rhetoric are all Ancient Greek heritages whose nature has been changed during modern times. Living in the Age of Discontentment as we do is partly a consequence of the loss of the…
Michael R. D. JamesHostTwo of the central ideas behind many of the proclamations by the ancient Greek oracles were, Everything created by man is destined for ruin and destruction, and, Know thyself.
These ideas were embraced by tragic works of the time and afterwards, because although we were dealing with mimesis, or imitation of actions and thoughts etc., there were still moral-slash-political-slash-religious lessons to be learnt, and it was these that provided the pleasure we derived from such works.
Technical imperatives obviously were also involved in the creation of such works.
E.g. the beginning of the narrative will cause the middle of the narrative to take a particular form and this in turn will also determine the form of the end.
There will be reversals of fortune for the characters of the narrative, and the effect of this upon the audience will in all likelihood be cathartic, i.e. the audience will learn in a measured fashion to experience the emotions of pity and fear in the right way at the right time, erity.
Two of the central ideas behind many of the proclamations by the ancient Greek oracles were, Everything created by man is destined for ruin and destruction, and, Know thyself.
These ideas were embraced by tragic works of the time and afterwards, because although we were dealing with mimesis, or imitation of actions and thoughts etc., there were still moral-slash-political-slash-religious lessons to be learnt, and it was these that provided the pleasure we derived from such works.
Technical imperatives obviously were also involved in the creation of such works.
E.g. the beginning of the narrative will cause the middle of the narrative to take a particular form and this in turn will also determine the form of the end.
There will be reversals of fortune for the characters of the narrative, and the effect of this upon the audience will in all likelihood be cathartic, i.e. the audience will learn in a measured fashion to experience the emotions of pity and fear in the right way at the right time, erity.
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