Archive

Open House | Hammering A Nail With A Nail: Reading Collections of Ancient Greek Proverbs, with Joel Christensen

We were pleased to welcome Joel Christensen (University of Texas at San Antonio/Brandeis University) for a discussion about ancient Greek proverbs, which was recorded. Joel Christensen prepared several blog posts for us to focus on. Paroimiai: Proverbs from Ancient Greece to Star Trek A Selection of Proverbs “Two Ears, One Mouth”: Hunting a Proverb from Zeno to Paul’s Mom Marcellus Rests from the Arian Heresy to Complain about Greek Proverbs… Read more

Thersites: An Unbridled Tongue

Mixing bowl (volute krater)Museum of Fine Arts of BostonAccession Number 03.804 He is one of those bit players in Homer who are so unforgettable. Caustic, repulsive, and comedic all at the same time, Thersites has always been the source of controversy. Who was he? And was he intended to be dangerously insurrectionist or only entertaining? It is an often overlooked aspect of the Thersites story that he was said by post-Homeric… Read more

Heralds and Messengers

A guest post by Sarah Scott I have become interested in the role of the herald. Does this carry a special status and have particular responsibilities? Is a herald the same as a messenger, or do they have separate functions? They are different words in Greek, κῆρυξ, plural κήρυκες, dual κήρυκε [kērux, kērukes, keruke], and ἄγγελος plural ἄγγελοι [angelos, angeloi]. Here are a few examples to start the conversation.  But Agamemnon did not… Read more

Nestor’s Epic Success?

Bourdelle, Telemakhos at Nestor’s Palace in Pylos, Plaster (1883) Bourdelle Museum Nestor in the Odyssey is home in Pylos. He got a safe nostos, he  is surrounded by his beloved wife and his children: six boys and several daughters and  daughters-in-law. He seems ageless. In this passage from the Sourcebook, a wonderful scene with his guests and family is shown. The setting  is perfect. The sacrifice is detailed beautifully. Athena herself is… Read more

Online Resources at the Center for Hellenic Studies

We would like to share some online resources from the Center of Hellenic Studies. The Center has online publications that you can access free of charge. You can visit Publications which include the Hellenic Studies Series, Classics@, Curated Books, Curated Articles, and Classical Inquiries. Hellenic Studies Series include: Monographs, collections, and proceedings of colloquia published in the Hellenic Studies series and The Milman Parry Collection. Titles are available in print via… Read more