Pyrrhus, the Warrior King.  Father of the "Pyrrhic Victory."  Smuggled out of the palace at two years old.  Raised in exile by Illyrians.  Pyrrhus grew to be the "greatest commander of his day" according to observers like Hannibal and Antigonus.

[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.

See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]

In this episode:
-Find a mentor
-Transcend a mentor
-Identify the Master Skill in your field, and focus
-How to master fear
-Seizing opportunities to expand your network

Thanks to our sponsor, historical fiction author Jackson Riddle! www.jacksonsriddle.com

Check out his new book, A Potter's Vessel, an alternative telling of the conflict that became the US Civil War.


Pyrrhus of Epirus (319-272 BC) was a cousin of Alexander the Great.  He was the first man to take battle elephants to Italy. He defeated the Romans on several occasions in what became known as the Pyrrhic Wars.

In Part 1, we meet Pyrrhus as a 2 year old, as he is snatched from his crib in a deadly coup.

As he struggles to establish himself in his kingdom through his teenage and early adult years, he learns that the only path toward self-reliance for him and for his kingdom is through the sword.  

Some lessons:

It's always useful to have a mentor.  But you may not have to bind yourself to that person forever.

“As his former mentor and now esteemed arch enemy, Demetrius put Pyrrhus through the best school of war anyone could hope for – strategy, tactics, hand to hand combat – Pyrrhus could learn it all from the best - if he could keep his head.”

Also, seize any opportunity to expand your network both professionally and personally. Case in point: Pyrrhus in Asia, and Egypt.

Find a master a skill in your own field. If there is one thing Pyrrhus exemplifies, it is the power of personal courage in a leader.  So if that’s an area you need to work on (hint: you can never have too much courage), start now.  Courage is physical.