Aeschylus (525/524–456 BCE) is often regarded as the “Father of Tragedy,” a Greek playwright who laid the foundation for Western drama. He was one of the earliest tragedians whose works have survived and is credited with transforming the theatrical tradition by introducing innovative storytelling techniques and profound philosophical themes.
Early Life and Historical Context
Aeschylus was born in Eleusis, a town near Athens, during a time when the city-state was rising to cultural and military prominence. He lived through significant historical events, including the Persian Wars, in which he participated as a soldier. His experiences on the battlefield, particularly at Marathon and possibly at Salamis, profoundly influenced his works, infusing them with themes of human suffering, divine justice, and the fragility of human achievements.
Innovations in Drama
Before Aeschylus, Greek drama primarily relied on a single actor and a chorus to convey the narrative. Aeschylus revolutionized this format by introducing a second actor, allowing for more complex interactions and conflicts between characters. He also expanded the role of the chorus, integrating it more deeply into the drama’s thematic and emotional resonance.
His use of elaborate costumes, stage machinery, and poetic language elevated the theatrical experience. Aeschylus’ work bridged the gap between religious ritual and dramatic storytelling, making theater a powerful medium for exploring moral and philosophical dilemmas.
Surviving Works
Out of the estimated 70–90 plays he wrote, only seven have survived in their entirety:
1. The Persians – The only surviving Greek tragedy based on historical events, this play explores the Persian defeat at Salamis, offering insight into Greek perspectives on their enemies.
2. Seven Against Thebes – A story about the conflict between Oedipus’ sons over the throne of Thebes, emphasizing themes of fate and family curses.
3. The Suppliants – One of the oldest surviving plays, it tells the story of the Danaids seeking asylum in Argos, focusing on issues of justice and the gods’ will.
4. The Oresteia Trilogy – A monumental trilogy consisting of Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides, which traces the tragic aftermath of the Trojan War and the eventual establishment of justice through the intervention of the gods. This trilogy is his most celebrated work, marking a turning point in Greek drama.
5. Prometheus Bound (attributed) – While its authorship is debated, this play portrays the Titan Prometheus’ punishment for defying Zeus, reflecting themes of rebellion, suffering, and foresight.
Themes and Legacy
Aeschylus’ works often delve into profound themes such as divine justice, human suffering, and the tension between individual action and collective destiny. He emphasized the moral order of the universe, where hubris (excessive pride) invites the wrath of the gods, and balance is eventually restored.
His influence on Western drama is immeasurable. By introducing dramatic structure and exploring universal themes, he paved the way for later playwrights like Sophocles and Euripides. His works continue to be studied and performed, offering timeless insights into the human condition.
Notable Quotes
• From Agamemnon: “Wisdom comes through suffering.”
• From Prometheus Bound: “Time, as it grows old, teaches all things.”
Aeschylus in Modern Context
Aeschylus’ themes resonate in contemporary times, particularly his exploration of justice, governance, and the individual’s relationship with power. His enduring relevance is a testament to the universality of his insights and the foundational role he played in shaping the dramatic arts.
So I recently just finished reading The Metaphysics by Aristotle. Discussed in the book is this concept of the unmoved mover, a divine force that moves all things. The concept is straightforward: for something to be set in motion, there must be an ultimate cause or source behind it.
Could this source be God?
Flux
My current favorite philosopher is Heraclitus. I actually just recently went through an old notebook of mine from college from about 10 years ago, and I wrote about him in some of my notes as the “weeping philosopher.” I feel like I relate to this idea of being a weeping philosopher, as when you recognize the impermanent nature of life, it is quite a somber thought that looms over you each and every day. For instance, before I go to sleep, I feel like it’s time to weep, because the day is now over, the darkness covers the sky, there’s no more light for me to be outside. However, it’s more like a joyful weeping or feeling; I am simply so overjoyed with life, that I am eager to go to sleep just to wake up the next day.
When I wake up in the morning, with my eyes wide open, I’m just so eager to get out there into the world, to start my day. I think this is the superpower of photography, as my camera simply becomes this excuse for me to set my body in motion.
You Cannot Make the Same Photograph Twice
When I stand on top of the cliffside behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art and gaze out towards the beautiful Schuylkill River and make a photograph, I affirm life through the click of the shutter. Through this life affirmation, I increase my curiosity, simply wondering what the reality will manifest to be in the photograph. Despite viewing the same scene, the same vista, the same view every day, I will never make the same photograph twice. This abundance flows through me like the river flowing, full of energy, movement, and change.
How to Flourish
The most profound takeaway that I’ve realized through living a hyper-Spartan, military-discipline, ascetic lifestyle for the past two years is that through increasing your vitality, everything becomes effortless. I think we try to optimize productivity too much in this modern world by being busy worker bees, but actually, if we focus our attention towards physicality, increased strength, and vitality, everything else just falls right into place. The obvious way to increase energy is through deep sleep, eating good meat, and lifting weights on repeat, every single day, with no excuses. I actually find that the more that I lift, or when I lift, or do something physical, my energy increases. For some days, when my energy feels low, if I actually just drop and do a set of push-ups, or squats, or any simple stretching, my energy goes from like 0 to 1000 right away. I feel the stronger I become, the more free I feel. This feeling of freedom is through effortlessness.
As a random sidenote, apparently slaves were not permitted to train in the gymnasium in ancient Rome… Only free men trained in the gym.
Living Gloriously
I read through all the Friedrich Nietzsche this year, and this concept of the Übermensch is still on my mind. I feel as though we can all define what it means to be the Overman, the Superman, through embodying self-discipline, self-overcoming, self-conquering. I think the idea, at least for me as an artist, is very simple. I try my best to deplete all of my creative energy from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to sleep. Not only do I do this physically through walking, lifting, and being in motion all day, but also by writing, reading, or photographing. There’s a variety of ways in which we can augment our thoughts, our lives, our art in this modern world given the technology that we currently have with iPads, compact cameras, GoPro, and voice technology. Living gloriously is all about affirming life and suffering, despite how mundane, banal, or meaningless life may seem. You champion your everyday life through curiosity and courage.
Meet Me at the Eagle
My curiosity led me to the Wanamaker Building sometime in the fall of 2022. I remembered that my grandmother worked in the building, in the beauty department, and was curious to check it out. I fell in love with the architecture immediately and spontaneously happened to be there at the time that the Wanamaker Organ played. There’s a beautiful sculpture of an eagle at the center of this building, with the tall looming ceiling above, beautiful archways and columns, and the world’s largest pipe organ that plays every day. Apparently, this is a meeting place, and after chatting with a nun who was there one day, she told me that all of the nuns would come here to meet up during their breaks from the convent or when they went to get lunch from the terminal or whatever.
Anyways, I view this space as very divine. The eagle, to me, is a symbol of power, freedom, but also transcendence. I feel as though we all have the ability to zoom out like an eagle and view life from a third-person perspective. You recognize how connected everything is and your role within the cosmos, the universe, or whatever. I view the space as divine because, to me, the trifecta—the combination of architecture, music, and art—elevates the human experience to a new height, reaching for God, by quite literally defying gravity and working within the laws of physics to craft this gigantic structure, the Wanamaker Building, the organ, the sculpture, etc. The space is divine. The experience of listening to the organ by the eagle under the tall ceiling is a transcendent experience because the combination of these artistic mediums feel like you are reaching for God.
Gravity Bound
Maybe freedom is the ultimate illusion…
You think of freedom as free will, the ability to decide whether you want to go left or right. However, when I’m walking along the Schuylkill River Trail, if I go left, I’ll fall in the river and drown. If I go right, I’ll get hit by a train on the train tracks. The only option I have is to move onward and upward. I think this is where freedom is found: through the elimination of all the choices, recognizing that we are bound by gravity, flesh creatures who bleed, who feel pain, joy, and sorrow. I feel closest to God when I’m closest to the ground, to the Earth, with my hands in the dirt, my feet in the sand, my face in the sun.
Transmute Anger
I think I understand why people get so angry when they’re stuck in traffic. You’re trapped in the tiny quarters of this car, locked in on a grid, and if you’re in bumper-to-bumper traffic, that’s gotta be an absolute headache. I understand why people yell and scream and lash out. I actually think that, instead of completely suppressing anger, we should transmute it into creative pursuits or weightlifting. When you feel sad, turning that sadness, that suffering, into an act of creation, or into an act of life affirmation, is a much more useful approach than wallowing in bed, depressed all day. I actually think that feeling sensations or emotions of anger and happiness and joy and sadness are vital to the human experience of what makes us human. It’s what makes life worth living, to be honest. When I feel anger, I like to channel that energy. If I feel sorrow, I like to revel in it, affirm it, and recognize that to feel is to be human. We’re mortals, we’re not gods, but we can strive to become god-like through the transmutation of our emotions into acts of creation.
Society is a Consumer-Driven Machine
So it was recently Black Friday, the day where everyone shopped till they dropped. But I can’t help but realize that most advertisements are geared towards women. Think about all of those beauty products, this entire industry, the millions or probably even billions of dollars that flow into this. A lot of these products are advertised towards people that feel as though they need them in order to augment their appearance and become more beautiful. I think the problem with this is it’s actually a bit unethical, especially in realms like Instagram, where the ads are targeted towards individuals’ preferences and drive insecurity overall. Now we have all these lame masculinity trends towards grooming products, or stupid baseball hats, and this idea that to be a man you need to have a perfectly groomed beard, drive a cool car, or have a fancy watch. The good thing is that it’s an option—you decide what you want to spend your money on. I view spending money or consumption habits almost like a miniature vote. We vote every day, with our wallets and our time. Maybe it’s best that we all spend our time producing instead of consuming? But that’s just my philosophy and the way that I would like to live my life going forward. Anyways, I’d rather give more than I take before I hit the grave.
Weakness is slavery
When I think of weakness, I’m not only thinking physically, but emotionally or mentally. Think of lust, and succumbing to this urge. I think this is maybe one of the hardest battles that men must overcome as we get older. It’s so easy to get lured in through lust. Because it’s such a temptation in this modern world, to overcome lust, mental fortitude is a really important virtue to have as a man. I think when you have a weak mind, it’s inevitable that you will become a slave to these urges, these temptations or habits that feed us pleasure.
Weak body, weak mind…
Fast food and microwavable meals?
So I think with the fast-paced nature of modern life, always being on call, ready to check your email, listen for the pinging of the phone, productivity, etc., comes this neglect of the physical body. Or even better yet, a neglect of the physical world in general. As we advance technologically or digitally, we neglect the physicality of the outside, the real world. Yeah, it may seem like we’re evolving with AI, artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, and all these digital things, but we’ve definitely lost the ability to create grand architecture, sculpture, and grand projects in the real world. Anyways, this is beside the point, I’m thinking about these HelloFresh meals, microwavable meals, or Snap programs. I did notice that the company Snap shut down, or just isn’t around anymore, that was here in Philadelphia, selling these microwavable meals. What I noticed, however, is this business was operating specifically during COVID. When I think of COVID, I remember working from home, being a busy bee. I quite literally had no time. You were always in a Zoom call, always being monitored, I had no time to even cook for myself. I would often get Chipotle, or some grub or nasty shit from the food courts nearby. I think this is a problem, though, as we prioritize work over our health. The more we neglect the real world, and real health, the worse the quality of our lives becomes.
Modern life is stressful?
Stress leads to imbalance or deregulated hormones. High cortisol, firing through the masses. Mass neurosis? Are people anxious? Why do I see the same person smoking the same cigarette every single day at the same location outside of the same office? Is this a denial of life? Is this somebody who wants to die faster? Does it even matter? All I know is, it’s all a response or a reaction to the way that we live our lives. Maybe we don’t enjoy our lives anymore? I don’t think that most people like their jobs, and I don’t blame them, because why would you if you’re stuck at a computer all day doing tedious tasks?
Primal living
Could you survive without checking your email or your text messages?
This question becomes an existential, modern dilemma, where the emails and messages we receive are like our lifeline. They give us opportunities for jobs, meetings that we must attend in order to receive our salaries, our money, to then carry out our daily chores or lives. It all becomes quite humorous to me, that we are so reliant on this technology to the point where it disconnects us entirely from what it means to be a human, a self-autonomous, free, individual. I like the idea of returning to nature through primal force or primal living. I’ll just talk about my personal experience.
During the pandemic, I was working as a field organizer for the Democratic Party during the Biden campaign. When I look back at this time, it’s all a blur. It was the most “productive” I was ever in my entire life. Not having a single time to think or live for myself. It was a disaster frankly. You just had to keep cranking those numbers, dialing the phone, sending emails, attending meetings, etc. All damn day. What bothered me the most is that it’s all happening within the digital realm, on the Internet, and I never attended an in-person meeting once in my entire year of working on the campaign.
Now, I work as a horticulturalist, in a park, and spend most of my day in solitude, landscaping, pruning plants, deadheading, shaping bushes, chopping down trees, raking leaves, and planting things. It’s the complete night-and-day difference from the work I did previously to the work I do now. I absolutely love it, though, and it resonates with who I am and how I align as a human in this world in general. I remember being peace corps volunteer and loved working on the farms as an acquaculture promotion specialist in Zambia. I also volunteered on a kibbutz in Israel. I loved working as a landscaper in the gardens there. I just know that I have this warrior spirit within me, that likes to exert myself physically throughout the day. I need to be moving, I need to be making things, I need my hands in the dirt, and I wanna feel like I’m actually making a change within the physical world around me. I think this is what’s missing with modernity and the way that we work now, as everything is in the digital realm. I prefer the physical realm, the real world, and making a difference there, no matter how small it may seem.
What do I really need?
I just need a piece of meat and a place to sleep… What I’ve learned through living in simulated poverty, by fasting, not eating breakfast or lunch, walking barefoot, is that I really don’t need much from the material world around me. I get it, you need money to buy food, pay for rent, or have a place to sleep, but these things are base level. What I need, what I crave, is my lust for adventure, and creativity. I was always an explorer and a creative person from a very young age. I grew up with the Wissahickon Forest in my backyard, where I would build teepees with sticks, build bridges with stones, climb trees, swing from vines, sharpen spears, and attempt to hunt deer, and ride bikes through the dirt trails. I remember setting up little toy figures—gladiators, Crusaders—in intricate scenes, giving dialogue, and creating stories through play. I loved writing little comic strips, and making books when I was in the first grade.
I think that inner creative, childlike spirit is what I need the most. I need curiosity because that’s what fuels my lust for life itself and sets my body in motion. Through photographing, and walking, and observing life in all its intricate detail, I exist outside the passage of time. After all, maybe I can’t live forever, but I can at least make a photograph…
Curiosity wakes me up in the morning. Curiosity is what drives me to step onto the frontlines of life. I don’t need anything from this world. I need curiosity. Without curiosity, I am nothing.
It’s Dante here, strolling through the streets of Philadelphia with my hood up on this chilly day.
Starting the Day: Elevation and Espresso
Every day begins with a need to escape confinement. Modern life can feel like being caged—like animals in a zoo. I don’t want to be a caged chicken; I want to roam freely, free-range style.
Morning Routine:
Slam an espresso.
Head straight out the door.
Avoid the confines of four walls.
Walking to an elevated, open space connects me to the vastness of life. It’s a reminder that the world is infinite, full of possibilities.
“I think the goal is to remain an amateur forever—to never feel like a master, to always have room for curiosity.”
Photography Workflow: Constraints That Liberate
Lately, I’ve been shooting with the Ricoh GR IIIX. My settings are minimal:
High Contrast Black and White
Small JPEG Files
P Mode: Single-point autofocus, automatic ISO (minimum shutter speed of 1/500s).
Aperture Priority Mode (AV): Adjust exposure compensation, keep it simple.
These constraints free me creatively. By setting limitations, I focus on composition and storytelling instead of the technical.
“You cannot make the same photograph twice. Light changes, we change, and everything is in flux.”
The Joy of Remaining an Amateur
There’s immense joy in staying an amateur. It keeps photography playful, like a visual diary of life. Treating every walk as an exploration fuels curiosity—the ultimate goal in life.
Snapshot Philosophy:
Capture the mundane.
Treat every photo as part of a bigger story.
Embrace the imperfections and surprises.
“Photography is art, even in its most candid and unposed forms. The goal is to respond to life as it is—raw and unfiltered.”
On Flux and Creativity
The philosophy of Heraclitus—“You cannot step into the same river twice”—resonates deeply. Photography embodies this concept. Every moment, every shot, is unique.
“The world is a canvas, a playground for creation. By following our curiosity, we can make beautiful works of art.”
Switching to black-and-white photography two years ago was transformative. It liberated me to:
Embrace high-contrast aesthetics.
Explore new subjects like sculptures and landscapes.
Break free from the monotony of past habits.
The Dichotomy of Chaos and Order
Philadelphia is a city of contrasts. On one hand, there’s the bustling chaos of markets and streets; on the other, serene spaces like Lemon Hill Trail. This balance inspires my photography.
City Streets: A paradise for street photography—gritty, raw, and full of character.
Green Spaces: Nature trails offer solitude and beauty.
“Philadelphia’s architecture—like the Wanamaker Building—is a testament to human creativity, combining sculpture, music, and design into a transcendental experience.”
Reflections on Nature and Seasons
The East Coast’s changing seasons keep life dynamic. Winter has its charm, but there’s always a yearning for the next season—spring’s renewal, summer’s warmth, autumn’s colors.
“Nature is chaos and order intertwined. Leaves fall, decay, and grow again. This cycle mirrors life’s constant motion.”
The Importance of Play
Photography isn’t just about capturing moments; it’s about playing with them. Experiment with compositions. Photograph sculptures, landscapes, and mundane objects. Reinvent yourself.
“Stop trying so hard. Open your mind to possibilities. Find joy in the everyday.”
A City of Endless Inspiration
Philadelphia offers the perfect balance for a photographer. The gritty streets and serene green spaces make it an ideal playground for creativity. Growing up in Andorra and Roxborough gave me a deep appreciation for community and exploration—building teepees in the Wissahickon forest, sharpening spears, and riding bikes.
“I suggest moving to Philadelphia if you’re a street photographer. It’s a city of raw charm, beautiful architecture, and walkable streets.”
Closing Thoughts
As the sun sets earlier in winter, I’m reminded of life’s brevity. But the key is to keep walking, to keep exploring, and to remain curious. Whether it’s the streets, the trails, or the changing light, every step is a new opportunity to create.
“Can you just walk all day? I feel like this is where we should be as photographers—walking endlessly.”
Dante Sisofo views the eagle as a symbol of transcendence, particularly in the context of art and spirituality. This perspective is rooted in his reflections on the Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia, where he was captivated by the interplay of the eagle statue, sculpture, and architecture. To Dante, the eagle represents the apex of beauty and art, complementing the world’s largest playing organ.
He considers this combination of architectural mastery and musical brilliance as a trifecta of divine artistic experience, a rare opportunity to elevate beyond the mundane and connect with something higher. This connection aligns with Dante’s broader philosophical and spiritual beliefs, which often emphasize moments of transcendence, art, and the search for deeper meaning.
Many believe that freedom is free will—our ability to decide whether we would like to go left or right. But what if freedom was the elimination of choice entirely? When I walk the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia, if I go left, I fall into the river and drown. If I go right, I will walk over the train tracks and get run over. This leaves me with only one option—to move onwards and upwards towards the cliffside behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Freedom is an illusion if the choices offered lead to the same end. While walking along the Schuylkill River, if I go left, I fall into the river and drown. If I go right, I get hit by a train. Neither path grants escape. Real freedom lies in eliminating unnecessary options and choosing the one path that leads forward and upward. This is the essence of Bitcoin: an option, but the only one that makes sense in a world sinking under the weight of corruption and inflation.
Gravity and the Nature of Power
When Moses approached the burning bush, God commanded him to remove his shoes. To be close to God, one must first feel the earth—gravity binding us to the soil and the heat from the fire of the sun, a reminder of our connection to the divine. The eagle, a symbol of Zeus, hunts with strategic precision. It flies alone, nudging its prey—a goat—off the cliff, letting gravity do the work. The eagle is both a predator and a reminder of power’s duality.
Prometheus, defiant against the gods, stole fire and gave it to humanity, empowering us with technology. For this, he was punished—bound to a rock where an eagle feasted on his liver. But Bitcoin changes this narrative. Bitcoiners, like Prometheus, defy the gods of centralized control. Yet we will not be tied to a rock, nor crucified like Jesus when he flipped the tables of the money lenders. Bitcoin is an opt-out technology, a lifeboat for those seeking freedom. It is not rebellion for rebellion’s sake but a tool for constructing a hopeful future.
The Engineered Perfection of Bitcoin
Bitcoin is perfectly engineered money, born from technological fire. Unlike the debased currencies of ancient kingdoms—gold coins mixed with copper to inflate supply—Bitcoin is incorruptible. Its hard cap of 21 million coins ensures scarcity, a feature lost in the endless printing of fiat money. The Federal Reserve’s “money printer” is nothing but a modern version of the ancient king diluting gold with lesser metals, stealing value from the people.
The frustration is palpable. City workers in Philadelphia, myself included, are paid just enough to scrape by. Rent, groceries—barely covered. There’s no room to thrive, only to survive. Recently, SEPTA workers demanded higher wages or else they would go on a strike. Their demands were met, but now the price of bus fare with increase. It may seem good on paper that people are being paid more money, but at the end of the day, this is a telltale sign that the system is broken. This broken system isn’t sustainable, and the only bridge to a better future is Bitcoin. Like a steel bridge engineered to endure, Bitcoin provides stability in a volatile world.
Volatility, Vitality, and the Sun
Volatility is often seen as a weakness, but I see it as vitality. A bridge sways under the weight of cars and pedestrians, yet it holds firm, carrying people safely across. Bitcoin, too, is a bridge—engineered to endure the storms of market fluctuations. Its energy, derived from proof of work, ensures resilience.
This energy parallels the sun, the original fire that powers life on earth. Our bodies are like batteries, absorbing this energy to fuel movement and creation. Technology, from the fire of Prometheus to the computational power of Bitcoin miners, channels energy into progress. But like fire, technology can be wielded for good or evil. Artificial intelligence, drones, and other advancements hold this same duality. Will they uplift humanity or plunge us into darkness? The choice is ours.
The Kingdoms of the Past and the Promise of Bitcoin
In ancient kingdoms, power rested with the monarch. If the king was virtuous, the kingdom thrived. But corruption seeped in through the debasement of currency, the mixing of gold with copper. Inflation eroded trust, and empires fell. Today, fiat currency continues this legacy of corruption, printed endlessly, devaluing the labor of the people.
Bitcoin returns us to a gold standard—bar for bar, value for value. It’s decentralized, open, and free from the whims of kings or banks. Peer-to-peer transactions remove intermediaries, allowing individuals to reclaim their financial sovereignty. It’s a new kingdom, one where power is distributed and trust is embedded in the code.
Onwards: The Only Choice
As the Titanic sank, lifeboats became the only option for survival. Bitcoin is that lifeboat in today’s collapsing financial system. It offers an escape from a sinking ship, a way forward when all other paths lead to ruin. The eagle that punished Prometheus no longer has power here. Bitcoiners can flip the tables of the money lenders and walk away unscathed. It’s not just a rejection of the old system—it’s the construction of a new one.
Freedom is not in choosing between left and right when both lead to death. Freedom is in choosing the path onward—toward vitality, resilience, and hope. Bitcoin is more than money; it’s a fire, a bridge, and a lifeline. For those willing to embrace the danger of the unknown, it’s the only way forward.
