Hypocrisy is a moral failing we find in deceitful, duplicitous people. But this word—which originally comes from a Greek verb that simply means "to reply"—wasn't always associated with deception or compromised principles. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus and the novelist George Eliot give us literary examples to consider how our notion of hypocrisy came to us today.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

We negotiate with friends and rivals alike in the modern world: at the dinner table, in the workplace, and among relatives. The notion of "negotiating," however, has its roots in ancient Latin vocabulary—chiefly, in the noun negotium. In this episode, we consider how Romans understood work and leisure, and we look to Shakespeare to see how this ancient idea evolved in later English literature.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://originalpublicmeaning.com or https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)