Free Republic

Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:42 Shakespeare's classical education 1:45 Shakespeare's sources 3:13 Anachronisms 4:26 The character of Caesar 5:38 The character of Brutus 7:46 Political messages 8:52 Timeless language 0:10 Julius Caesar was the first Shakespeare play that I read. It’s still one of my 0:15 favorites. Along with some of the most stirring speeches ever written, it presents what might be 0:22 the first attempt in English literature to really recreate the world of ancient Rome. 0:28 In today’s video, we’ll explore the historical accuracy of Shakespeare’s 0:34 best-known Roman play – and consider how the greatest English playwright used...

After Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart signed off on the Biden administration’s illegal raid on Mar-a-Lago, conservatives flagged the former prosecutor’s work for Jeffrey Epstein. Reinhart had begun setting up his legal practice while the Epstein plea deal was being negotiated and he went to work for Epstein the day after he left the U.S. Attorney’s office and approximately half a year after the dubious federal plea deal had been handed to Epstein. A complaint filed by a lawyer for the victims to then U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer, a Janet Reno protege out of the Clinton administration, claimed that, “within months...

....major disagreements between the different polls. Why do I say that? Take a look here. Okay, this is the net approval rating. That's the approval rating minus the disapproval rating. And this is the net approval rating for US military action in Iran. Look at this. CNN, our own CNN poll shows that the net approval rating is minus 18 points. Very similar to the Ipsos polling at -6 points. But then all of a sudden, you see the NBC News polling and look at this. You see it at - 11 points, getting a little bit more popular. And...

The Facts Are This A week ago Sunday March 1st the price of gasoline at Sam's Club here in York, Pennsylvania 273.9 today Sunday March 8th the price is 319.9. Up 46 cents or 16.8 percent but as... The War Update Edwin Starr sings the classic song "War"... War seems bad for China and good for Russia. Oil producers like Russia are enriched with revenue. Its bad for Europe and the USA especially in terms of inflation. Higher oil prices will trickle down into the price of all products based on petroleum... In 1979 it was "America Held Hostage" in...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.” Luke 4:24Do you recognize Christ’s presence in others? Do you sense His divine presence all around you? In today’s Gospel, the people of Nazareth did not. Jesus, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, stood in their midst, yet they failed to see Him for who He truly was. Many of them had watched Jesus grow up, knew His family, and were familiar with His work as...

There are many strong and powerful women, or femme fatales, who became known for their ruthlessness and cunning ways in Greek mythology, such as Circe, Clytemnestra, and Medea. These women were powerful and often deadly forces despite the fact that Greek mythology is filled with references to strong men who conquered kingdoms, fought for their freedom, and did not hesitate to kill. Clytemnestra, one of the most ruthless figures in Greek mythology deadliest women greek mythology femme fatales clytemnestra “Clytemnestra Hesitates Before Killing Agamemnon,” by Pierre-Narcisse Guerin. Clytemnestra is one of the most notorious femme fatales in Greek mythology. Credit:...

Distilled from a mashbill of 99% corn and 1% malted barley, the whiskey spent more than 17 years in used cooperage before a brief secondary maturation in an ex-bourbon barrel.-The 2026 World Whiskies Awards named Onyx & Amber’s Copper Buffalo American Light Whiskey Double Oaked as Best American-Style Whiskey. -Distilled by MGP in Indiana and finished in Colorado, the 18-year-old light whiskey was recasked in a used bourbon barrel for secondary maturation. -The American Style Whiskey category includes expressions that fall outside tightly established designations, such as bourbon, rye, and single malt World Whiskies Awards has selected its Best American...

Amidst the Iran War said to be about Iran's quest to acquire nuclear weapons an idea France opposed President Emmanuel Macron this week rolling out expansion of France's nuclear weapons and their linkage to European defense... On Thursday evening President Macron spoke regarding the Iran War and France's response to it. The French military did not fire the opening shots in the war but has opened fire in defense of French military facilities established in the Persian Gulf region since...

As wellness conversations broaden beyond abstinence, new research explores cannabis through a harm-reduction lens and what it could mean for moderating alcohol consumption.-A 2025 Brown University study found that inhaling cannabis with active THC reduced short-term alcohol consumption and delayed drinking among heavy drinkers in a lab setting. Participants also reported a decreased urge to drink compared to a placebo. -The study used cannabis containing 7.2% THC and does not address long-term drinking habits or effects in people who don’t already use marijuana. -Experts warn that replacing alcohol with cannabis poses risks, including dependency and psychiatric side effects, especially with...

A Dutch cheese has claimed top honours at one of the world’s most respected dairy competitions, winning the title of World Champion Cheese 2026 in a field of thousands of international entries. Beemster Royaal Grand Cru, a rich, cow’s‑milk cheese produced by CONO Kaasmakers in Westbeemster, The Netherlands, was named the best cheese in the world at the World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison, Wisconsin, this week. With an outstanding score of 98.68 out of 100, the cheese topped a competitive field of 3,375 entries from 25 countries and 34 U.S. states. The World Championship Cheese Contest, organised by the...

Former Obama White House adviser Valerie Jarrett said on Saturday that President Trump has not been invited to participate in the opening ceremony of the Obama Presidential Center. According to a press release, the Obama Presidential Center’s grand opening celebrations will begin on June 18 and last through June 21, including "a series of events that bring together the changemakers, community members, volunteers, and supporters who made the Obama presidency a reality and that welcomes visitors to celebrate the power of hope and change." Jarrett spoke about the upcoming opening ceremonies for the center on MS Now’s "The Weekend" with...

Deep within the frozen ground of Devon Island in Canada’s High Arctic, researchers found the nearly complete skeleton of a rhinoceros, Epiaceratherium itjilik, that lived there around 23 million years ago. The discovery, made by a team from the Canadian Museum of Nature, reveals that rhinos once roamed much farther north than anyone imagined. The fossils were found inside Haughton Crater, a 23-kilometer-wide impact site now locked in ice and silence. Millions of years ago, this same place held forests, lakes, and life. The team named the new species Epiaceratherium itjilik, or “frosty rhino,” combining Latin and Inuktitut to reflect...

The United States began a large military exercise with South Korea involving thousands of troops on Monday (Mar 9) while also waging an escalating war in the Middle East. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff has said about 18,000 Korean troops will take part in Freedom Shield, which runs through Mar 19. US Forces Korea hasn’t confirmed the number of American troops participating in the training in South Korea. The allies’ combined exercise comes amid South Korean media speculation that Washington is relocating some assets from South Korea to support fighting against Iran.

Iran continues to launch hundreds of drones towards the Gulf nations, including new rounds of attacks on Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain over the last few days. “13 drones [were] downed east of Riyadh city and eight [were] destroyed upon entering Saudi airspace.” The report added, “Drone attacks continue despite an apology given by Iranian officials to Gulf states.” Additionally, “Saudi Arabia’s air defenses neutralized a fresh wave of drone attacks on Sunday Iran also targeted Aramco’s Shaybah oil field with 21 drones. on Saturday, Saudi defenses intercepted five ballistic missiles launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base in...

The U.S. Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden has issued a security advisory urging American citizens to exercise increased caution after an explosion occurred outside the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, Norway in the early hours of Sunday. The advisory was published on the embassy’s official website on March 8, following reports of the overnight incident. The embassy guidance is aimed at U.S. nationals residing in or travelling through Sweden. It asks Americans to maintain good personal security, avoid large gatherings, keep a low profile and exercise vigilance in public spaces, particularly near foreign diplomatic facilities. The advisory also refers to existing travel...

"We have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and rebelled, even turning aside from Thy commandments and ordinances. . . . We have not listened to Thy servants the prophets. . . . Open shame belongs to us, O Lord . . . because we have sinned against Thee. . . . Indeed all Israel has transgressed Thy law and turned aside, not obeying Thy voice. . . . Thy people have become a reproach to all those around us" (Dan. 9:5-16). Others should be the primary focus of your prayers. In verses 5-16 Daniel identifies with his people and intercedes...

Following our bombing of Iran, we are hearing the usual caterwauling from the Left about international law. Of course, no one invokes international law when Iran kills our servicemen, or when Hamas massacres Israelis, or when Iran launches missiles against the United Arab Emirates, and so on. There is a certain asymmetry in the invocation of international law.I took a course in international law when I was in law school. It was taught by a distinguished scholar in that field. As I recall, the first section of the course was devoted to the question, is there such a thing as...

The Trump Organization signed a deal to construct a skyscraper in Australia that will immediately become the tallest building Down Under. The 91-story tower, which will cost just over $1 billion to build, will loom over the Gold Coast in the state of Queensland, per a Feb. 23 report from NBC News. “Australia’s tallest building will be a Trump Tower, right in the middle of Surfers Paradise — it’s great for Queensland tourism, and fantastic for Australia,” Altus Property Group, the company developing the property, said in a statement. The Trump Organization, in partnership with Altus Property Group, is proud...

At least four U.S. service members have died. ... Respondents who identified as MAGA Republicans are 30 points more likely than non-MAGA Republicans to say they strongly approve of the military action and 34 points more likely to say it will reduce the threat Iran poses to the United States, CNN reported. They were also 50 points more likely to say they have a “great deal of trust” in Trump to make the right decisions regarding Iran... Among Republicans, 77 percent said they approve of the decision to take military action in Iran, while 23 percent disapproved. Fifty-eight percent said...

President Trump said Sunday that increasing prices of oil are “a very small price to pay” for “safety and peace” amid the U.S. conflict with Iran. “Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace,” Trump said in a Sunday evening Truth Social post. “ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!” he added. The U.S. conflict in Iran caused a recent surge in domestic oil and gas prices, with the U.S. national average for a gallon of regular gasoline...