This is the second lecture within Matt Ehret's trilogy on Universal history. The first lecture probed the growth of the oligarchical system via a network of cults throughout the Babylonian empire as it transitioned to Persia as a seat of a globally extended empire. Within the context, the story was told of a small nucleus of humanist resistance which emerged in the wake of a new form of government and culture established by the figure of Solon of Athens and the Ionian city states that waged a miraculous freedom struggle against Persia’s vast hordes of mercenaries and slaves. It was through Solon’s example of a living philosopher king which inspired all later humanist factions within Ancient Greece and beyond sought to emulate in later generations- not the least of which was Socrates' student Plato who created his Academy specifically for that purpose. In this lecture second lecture, we pick up where we left off by reviewing the reality shock faced by the Persian-centered oligarchy upon its defeat under the hand of a student trained by leaders of Plato's academy- Alexander the Great. Upon the dissolution of Alexander's empire into factionalized zones of influence, the oligarchy and their network of cults required safer terrain from which to operate and thus the 250 year alliance between Carthage and the Roman Republic in the west had to be destroyed. With this schism which culminated with the 3rd Punic War, Rome become ripe to host the oligarchical parasite and its network of ruling cults. By following through the transition of Rome from a republic into an empire spreading its system of decadence, slavery and war across the world, a context is created to both understand the internal failures intrinsic to that parasitical system that led to its eventual collapse and also the emergence of the Christian movement. After presenting this historic backdrop, a better appreciation for St. Augustine's life and work during the last days of the western Roman empire can occur as we focus on Augustine's 'Republic' aka: 'The City of God'.

Johann Pachelbel: Canon & Gigue in D major (c.1700) - I. Sostenuto. History (based on materials from the Grove Dictionary of Music): Delibes' "Sous le dôme épais", Leoncavallo's "I pagliacci", Barber's adagio for strings - the history of classical music is filled with many examples of so-called "one-hit wonders". Yet no other composer could claim to be more "deserving" of the title than Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706) whose Canon in D major has literally thrown into oblivion all his other works. Pachelbel was outstandingly successful as an organist, composer and teacher during his lifetime, enjoying professional stability and the utmost respect of his colleagues and the public. This becomes especially clear when we consider that he was appointed, late in his life, the organist of St. Sebaldus, Nuremberg, a coveted post, without the customary examinations. Turning to the Canon in question, the circumstances of the piece's composition are virtually unknown. There is the odd hypothesis that it may have been composed for the wedding of Pachelbel's student, J.C. Bach, on 23 October 1694, which Pachelbel attended and for which he supplied music; however, its correctness has been put into question. At any rate, by the time the canon was first published, in 1919, it had already become an antiquity. However, when the work was recorded by the Jean-François Paillard chamber orchestra in mid-60s, it became popular virtually overnight (its use in the film "Ordinary People" (1980) may have also been a contributing factor for its rediscovery). From then on, hundreds of arrangements of the Canon for every conceivable instrument have appeared, and the work began rivaling Wagner's Wedding March as the prime music for weddings.