S3 EP10: Dame Mary Beard
episode
What Did You Do Yesterday? with Max Rushden & David O'Doherty
1h 0m
3 speakers
8 chapters
transcribed 3 months ago
Transcript
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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
What unique perspective does Dame Mary Beard bring to classical studies?
Podcasts, there are millions of them.
Some might say too many. I have one already.
I don't have any, because there are enough. Politics, business, sport, you name it, there's a podcast about it, and they all ask the big questions and cover the hot topics of the day.
But nobody is covering the most important topic of all. Why is that?
Are they scared?
Too afraid of being censored by the man? No.
Possibly, but not us. We're here to ask the only question that matters. We try and say it at the same time, Max. What did you do yesterday? What did you do yesterday? What did you do yesterday? That's it. All we're interested in is what the guests got up to yesterday. Nothing more.
Day before yesterday, Max? Nope. The greatest and most interesting day of your life?
Unless it was yesterday, we don't want to know about it. I'm Max Rushton. And I'm David O'Doherty.
How does Mary Beard start her day and what routines does she follow?
Welcome to What Did You Do Yesterday? Hello and welcome to today's episode of What Did You Do Yesterday? And David, our first night of the realm.
We are moving into new territory here.
We are, yeah.
We are a prestige podcast that has been pretending to not be a prestige podcast with all the constant talk about bathrooms, etc. And now, oh, this is big.
Yeah, this is serious academia here. Yeah. And that's good for me as, you know, the erudite intellectual, I would say. Oh, that's not fair, is it? We've established that I know nothing. You're incredibly well read. But on paper, I'm part of the intelligentsia. So it was nice to have someone I could sort of share. It was on a common ground with me, I would say, with Dame Mary Beard.
So she is renowned classicist, but also broadcaster. I mean, as a professor, she's done her full academic thing and written all these amazing books. But I think she, more than anyone else, has brought the classical world to us.
Yeah, to the masses. And actually for the tape, we've just recorded the episode. So the episode is part of history now. So that is good for her.
She's about to launch a podcast called Instant Classics with Charlotte Higgins, I believe. And they will go through what various people from classical civilization did yesterday.
What challenges does Mary Beard face while preparing for her podcast?
Yes.
Nebuchadnezzar. Did you set an alarm? Did you set a sundial? Did you do that? But that's a great episode, isn't it? I really enjoyed it. And, you know, there are some bits where we veer into, you know, actually interesting things, which is rare for us.
This is what Dave Mary Beard did yesterday.
MUSIC PLAYS
Dame Mary Beard, welcome to What Did You Do Yesterday?
It's absolutely delightful to be here. I think you might cut the dame, please.
Okay, sure. Absolutely right. That's fine. You're just another normal Joe. We wanted to find out what a knight of the realm, if their day was the same as just normal people like us. And already we've cut the dame. You're happy with just Mary. And finally, it's so great for me to have another historian on the podcast.
Yeah, I know. One of the things I did yesterday was check out your CV. So I know all there is to be found on the web.
It's unlikely we'll get to my dissertation on can you build a model of empire by comparing the British in India and the moguls in India?
What interesting anecdotes does Mary share about her experiences in academia?
Unless you read it yesterday, Mary, we can't really focus on it.
Sadly, sadly. I just didn't have time, Matt.
I didn't have time. No, I understand. I'll send you a PDF. Don't worry. I'll put it in the show notes. I'll put it in the show notes. You've got a tutu. I was more an exam person, you know, Mary. Anyway, let's get down to business. What time did you wake up yesterday, Dame Mary Beard?
Every time you say Dame, I'm going to shut up. I woke up at six o'clock.
Oh, wow. Hang on. I got to ask the question. Morning or the evening? Mary, have you been on a big night out, slept for 18 hours?
If only it had been the evening, that would have been something to talk about to you guys. But I'm afraid it was the morning because I was going to London. You know what happens when you set your alarm for 6.30? You always kind of wake up earlier because you're thinking, is the alarm about to go off? So I woke up at six.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What unique perspective does Dame Mary Beard bring to classical studies?
0:02–0:55
2
How does Mary Beard start her day and what routines does she follow?
0:55–2:27
3
What challenges does Mary Beard face while preparing for her podcast?
2:27–3:49
4
What interesting anecdotes does Mary share about her experiences in academia?
3:49–4:42
5
How does Mary relate ancient civilizations to modern life?
4:42–5:54
6
What insights does Mary provide about the importance of historical narratives?
5:54–7:28
7
How does Mary Beard's work influence contemporary discussions on history?
7:28–8:34
8
What reflections does Mary have on the legacy of classical studies?
8:34–1:00:11