I’ll admit it – in addition to some new commitments that have taken a lot of my time, my output here has dropped because I feel like I haven’t had as many interesting, original things to say as I used to. I’m not the kind of person that enjoys repeating myself to readers, or “spinning” content which was already written. Your time is more valuable than that and I don’t want to waste it, nor do I want to waste my own time wasting yours. Being interesting and original is the lifeblood of a writer. If you can’t be, put your pen away.
Quintus Curtius would surely say that, and today’s post is a tribute to him. It’s interesting, original, and highlights one of the most important thinkers in our space.
If you’re a longtime reader, you’ll be familiar with Quintus Curtius. I’ve reviewed several of his works here – his translations of Sallust and Cicero, and his book of original essays, Thirty Seven. He has since been generous to gift me a free audiobook of Pantheon, which I’ll review here on completion.
Quintus Curtius is a man who looks like he comes from a bygone era. In today’s age of rigid segmentation of work and thought, he reaches out to distant lands and horizons.
An attorney by day, it wouldn’t be farfetched to say that Quintus Curtius is also the last of the Classical philosophers. He has a Stoic bent. He’s steeped in Classical philosophy and history. He can read and translate Classical Latin. He also has a good command in Arabic.
Lest you think that he’s part of the legal and academic bubble strangling the world, think again. That bubble goes against the wisdom of the Classics, wisdom which Quintus Curtius is trying his hardest to distill back into the minds of modern men.
More importantly though, Quintus Curtius doesn’t keep his scholarly pursuits confined to an ivory tower or monastery. A former officer in the United States Marine Corps, his travels have taken him from Japan to the Balkans. Since being discharged, he’s gone to Brazil and recently on a stint in Italy. He collects centuries-old manuscripts and tells tales of seduction in the countries he’s been to.
He can’t be easily put into any box. Labeling him will be imprecise at best.
A few weeks ago, we talked about finding masculine role models. Though he’d probably try to downplay it, Quintus Curtius is such a man – a living, breathing, and contributing one. If ever you think you’re lacking direction, go to his website and you’ll find something helpful.
If you want to find some historical or philosophical topic of interest, go to his website.
If you want to better find out how to control your emotions and load your cyberbrain with useful, inspiring programming, go to his website.
You want to find out about travel and dating girls from different countries? Go to his website.
Just go to his website, period. He’s a man that’s done what’s impossible for many – he’s achieved some measure of material well-being and freedom, all while escaping the mental hell that is postmodern culture. He’s freed his mind, to the fullest extent possible, from the poor influences that permeate every nook and cranny of today’s cultural landscape. If you’re ever struggling with these bad influences, his work will make for a welcome refuge. He calls it “Fortress of the Mind” for a reason.
Quintus Curtius also answers a question that looms larger once you’re transitioning out of your 20’s – how to age.
I can tell you that this question creeps up on you. It’s a weird feeling and one alien to anything you’ve experienced before. When you’re young, you’re by definition not old. Knowing that you’re closer to getting older and that your assumption of immortality is fading is a strange feeling to deal with.
But I had a good example. Quintus Curtius has only grown with age. His travels, output of work, wisdom, and everything else that matters have only increased with his years. He shows us that the most important thing in life isn’t the amount of years you have on you, but what you do with the time. Getting older doesn’t stop you from getting better at everything while still keeping your physical fitness. He’s the model of a man I want to be like when middle age ultimately comes knocking.
Quintus Curtius challenges us to leave nihilism and relativism behind. He challenges us to be our best selves, to look forward by looking back at the past and using it as fuel for our personal furnaces. He also admonishes us harshly when we need a tongue-whipping. There are no safe spaces with him. If you’re a loser, he’ll tell you to stop being one. If you have a loser’s mentality, he’ll tell you that you’re being weak.
If you’re ever intimidated by him, it says more about you than it does about him. Suck it up and stop being a wuss.
The classical–Renaissance ideal of the masculine form, versus the modern, consumer ideal of the masculine form.
You decide. pic.twitter.com/tZkwW2CBzO
— Quintus Curtius (@QuintusCurtius) March 22, 2018
No, you’re wrong, actually. I’m not comparing a work of art with a mannequin.
I’m comparing the Classical and Renaissance Ideal with the Consumerist and Modern Ideal. Big difference.
Each Ideal, each ethic, has its physical representation, and must be compared. https://t.co/7JYSY5z9xx
— Quintus Curtius (@QuintusCurtius) July 4, 2018
He admonishes those that fall short because he hates what so many men have become. It burns him at the core of his being. It’s this hatred of the state of the modern man, dumbed down by a vapid and increasingly unreal culture, that compels him to keep going. He feels in his bones that he has to be part of the change and that it’s the morally correct thing for him to do. He’s a man of deep convictions and reading him is a welcome relief from today’s world of “everything goes, nothing matters.”
Whenever you want to hone in on your masculine center or just find out something new, give Quintus Curtius a look. He’s been doing it well for over five years.
