In the beginning, especially, married people ought to be on their guard against disagreements and clashes, for they see that such household vessels as are made of sections joined together are at the outset easily pulled apart by any fortuitous cause, but after a time, when their joints have become set, they can hardly be separated by fire and steel. from ‘Advice to Bride and Groom’, translation by F. C.… Read more
Galanthus nivalis, a flower that blooms in January and is native to Greece and the surrounding region. The Kosmos Society’s sponsoring institution, the Harvard University Center for Hellenic Studies, will be phasing out its support during the next two months such that by October 1, 2023, Kosmos will be fully independent of the Center. In practical terms, what this means is that you should watch this space for further information… Read more
Alexander saw that the campaign against the Gandaridae would not be easy, but he was not discouraged. He had confidence in the fighting qualities of his Macedonians, as well as in the oracles which he had received, and expected that he would be victorious. He remembered that the Pythia had called him “unconquerable,” and Ammon had given him the rule of the whole world. 17.93.4, tr. Oldfather For August we… Read more
It’s summer in the northern hemisphere, and for many regions there have been severe heatwaves. Even the Acropolis in Athens had to be closed to visitors in the hottest part of the day. And with the wildfires raging in many places we hope everyone is staying safe. So we wondered what we could find in the ancient Greek texts about summer. The ancient Greeks tried to explain the seasons; for… Read more
To accompany our July–August Book Club readings about Alexander the Great, here is a gallery of just a few of the many images, ancient and more modern, depicting Alexander. Plutarch, in his ‘Life of Alexander,’ says: The outward appearance of Alexander is best represented by the statues of him which Lysippus made, and it was by this artist alone that Alexander himself thought it fit that he should be modelled.… Read more