Ben Wilson

In the course of a sort of romping fray, he caught Retz's head between the flaps of a folding door and shouted to his friend calling me to come and stab him from behind, but he himself was shoved away and the Cardinal released. La Rochefoucauld admits the escapade without any sign of embarrassment, merely observing that Retz would have done as much by him if he had only had the chance.

In the course of a sort of romping fray, he caught Retz's head between the flaps of a folding door and shouted to his friend calling me to come and stab him from behind, but he himself was shoved away and the Cardinal released. La Rochefoucauld admits the escapade without any sign of embarrassment, merely observing that Retz would have done as much by him if he had only had the chance.

Okay, so this philosopher is at least in his early years a sort of brawling gangster who tries to carry out mob hits on his enemies. This is a man who in his lifetime tried multiple times to overthrow the government of France and nearly succeeded. He carried on multiple affairs with extremely high-ranking women. He was an experienced cavalryman.

Okay, so this philosopher is at least in his early years a sort of brawling gangster who tries to carry out mob hits on his enemies. This is a man who in his lifetime tried multiple times to overthrow the government of France and nearly succeeded. He carried on multiple affairs with extremely high-ranking women. He was an experienced cavalryman.

He's constantly smuggling people in and out of France in these intricate plots that resemble a heist movie. He just lived this wild, interesting, colorful life and used that rich life as the basis for his later career as a philosopher and man of letters.

He's constantly smuggling people in and out of France in these intricate plots that resemble a heist movie. He just lived this wild, interesting, colorful life and used that rich life as the basis for his later career as a philosopher and man of letters.

He was a great soldier, schemer, and courtier, but also a truly great writer, and it is his writing that forms the greatest part of his legacy today. His book Maxims is a series of 504 short aphorisms about people, the way we are, what we do, and why we do it all.

He was a great soldier, schemer, and courtier, but also a truly great writer, and it is his writing that forms the greatest part of his legacy today. His book Maxims is a series of 504 short aphorisms about people, the way we are, what we do, and why we do it all.

It's one of the great works in the French language and served as a major inspiration to many other philosophers, most notably Friedrich Nietzsche, who used it as a source extensively. So today we are talking about the life of Francois de La Rochefoucauld, both what we can learn from his wild and interesting life, and what we can learn from the philosophy that was born from it.

It's one of the great works in the French language and served as a major inspiration to many other philosophers, most notably Friedrich Nietzsche, who used it as a source extensively. So today we are talking about the life of Francois de La Rochefoucauld, both what we can learn from his wild and interesting life, and what we can learn from the philosophy that was born from it.

Welcome to How to Take Over the World.

Welcome to How to Take Over the World.

Hello, and welcome to How to Take Over the World. This is Ben Wilson. I don't have a long introduction for you today. I'll just say that this episode is based on the excellent work, the Delphi Complete Works of Francois de la Rochefoucauld, which includes translations of all Rochefoucauld's works, including his memoirs, as well as a few 19th century biographies of the man.

Hello, and welcome to How to Take Over the World. This is Ben Wilson. I don't have a long introduction for you today. I'll just say that this episode is based on the excellent work, the Delphi Complete Works of Francois de la Rochefoucauld, which includes translations of all Rochefoucauld's works, including his memoirs, as well as a few 19th century biographies of the man.

And look, if you're listening to this, you're a real fan. I appreciate you. You saw an episode about a guy you've never heard of with a long, complicated name, and you still press play because you trust me. And so I just want to say thank you. I see you. I appreciate you. You're the real fans. And I think you'll be well rewarded for your trust. So, you know, hang in there.

And look, if you're listening to this, you're a real fan. I appreciate you. You saw an episode about a guy you've never heard of with a long, complicated name, and you still press play because you trust me. And so I just want to say thank you. I see you. I appreciate you. You're the real fans. And I think you'll be well rewarded for your trust. So, you know, hang in there.

This is going to be an unfamiliar story for the vast majority of people listening, but I think that you're going to get some really great takeaways. I got some really great takeaways and I learned a ton from this. So with that said, let's get into it. This is the life of Francois de la Rochefoucauld. But first, a word from our sponsor, Gains in Bulk.

This is going to be an unfamiliar story for the vast majority of people listening, but I think that you're going to get some really great takeaways. I got some really great takeaways and I learned a ton from this. So with that said, let's get into it. This is the life of Francois de la Rochefoucauld. But first, a word from our sponsor, Gains in Bulk.

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