Marcus Aurelius turns 1,904 this week, and we’re celebrating with three pre‑1925 shellac gems that trace a Stoic hero’s journey—from public revolt, through reflective calm, to unbreakable inner resolve.
| Segment | Track & Year | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Rally the Crowd | “Ye Boston Tea Party March” — Royal Guards Band, 1913 | A jaunty two‑step that reenacts the 1773 tea dump—civil disobedience with brass polish. |
| Breathe & Reflect | “Souvenir de Rome (Mandolinata)” — Alberto De Bassini, 1903 | A moonlit serenade to Rome; pairs Paladilhe’s nostalgic melody with Marcus’ reminder that serenity is portable. |
| Steel the Soul | “Invictus” — Emilio de Gogorza, 1924 | Henley’s “bloody but unbowed” anthem, delivered in Red‑Seal grandeur, closing the arc on personal mastery. |
What you’ll hear:
- Quips about throwing tea, corporate feudalism, and why mandolin tremolos beat doom‑scrolling.
- Marcus Aurelius quotes woven between tracks: obstacles become paths, and straight spines trump straight swords.
- A 15‑minute glide from marching‑band swagger to operatic grit—zero hymns, maximum stoic caffeine.
Listen if you’re:
- Plotting peaceful rebellion over your morning coffee.
- Craving a Roman holiday but stuck in a cubicle.
- Ready to captain your fate with a smirk and a 78‑rpm spin.
Lyrics
Invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.