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dot com. Are you a man or a woman? A man? Very well then. A dawn a man not a woman. Woman is born smooth and dainty by nature, and if she is very

hairy, she is a prodigy and is exhibited at Rome among the prodigies, But for a man not to be hairy is the same thing.

And if by nature he has no hair, he is a prodigy. But if he shaves his chin and plucks out his hairs what shall we make of him?

Where shall we exhibit him and what notice shall we post?

I will show you, we say to the audience, a man who wishes to be a woman rather than a man what a

dreadful spectacle. So Tom that was the wokest man in the Roman Empire. That was Epictetus. He's a philosopher, isn't he? He's having a dialogue. Stoic philosopher.

His views about male grooming, beards, facial hair, and indeed gender more broadly would be considered

controversial today, I think it's fair to say.

I think it would, but he's obviously reflecting the mores of the time.

Yeah, he's a fascinating man. He was a former slave.

He taught the Emperor Hadrian among other people.

And he points to the way in which the topic of today's episode, namely beards and facial hair.

It's about more than just fashion, isn't it?

It's about more than grooming.

It touches on all kinds of political and philosophical and indeed religious sensitivities.

So a fascinating topic.

It's bizarre how this topic opens up so many lines of inquiry. Public health, masculinity, the relationship

between Russia and the West, all of these things are wrapped up in the beard.

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