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Topic for Discussion,  Word Study

Health and healing | Mythological healers: Cheiron and Asklepios

The recently published Gallery | Health and healing introduced us to the world of medicine, including Asklepios and Hygieia, and some Homeric passages. This post explores a few more references in ancient Greek texts to healers, doctors, drugs, and health, looking at a few passages on Cheiron and his teachings; and on the cult of Asklepios. Cheiron and his teachings Cheiron is a centaur and healer who teaches various heroes… Read more

Visiting Scholars

Open House | Teaching and Learning the Greek Classics in Prison, with Laura Slatkin

We were excited to welcome back Laura Slatkin for an Open House entitled “Teaching and Learning the Greek Classics in Prison.” The event took place on Friday, January 22 at 11:00 a.m. EST and was recorded. In preparation for this event, you might like to read these passages. You can find the passages in the Sourcebook. Iliad: Rhapsody 16 lines 823–867, and Rhapsody 22 lines 90–166. Libation Bearers 881–930 You… Read more

History

The Battle of Sybota | part 1: The siege of Epidamnus, and embassies to Athens

By 433 BCE, the trade network of Athens reached from the Crimea to Egypt and as far west as Marseille. The navy served to protect the trade routes between the colonies and the mētropolis. Corinth was an ally of Sparta. Corcyra (Corfu) was an unwilling colony of Corinth and not part of either the Athenian or the Peloponnesian League. Corcyra operated a fleet of 120 galleys.[1] Figure 1: Gorgon at… Read more

Gallery

Gallery | Health and healing

Asklepios sits between his daughter Hygieia and a man. This Gallery will take you to the well celebrated world of medicine. In Homeric poetry doctors are precious, valued and well respected. As Idomeneus says to Nestor in Iliad 11.514–551: “A physician is worth more than several other men put together, for he can cut out arrows and spread healing herbs.” (Sourcebook[1]) In Iliad Scroll 4, when Menelaos is wounded, Agamemnon… Read more

Book Club

Book Club | January 2021: Hippocrates

I swear by Apollo the physician, and Asclepius, and Hygieia and Panacea and all the gods and goddesses as my witnesses, that, according to my ability and judgement, I will keep this Oath and this contract. Our Book Club readings for January are from Hippocrates, the so-called “Father of Medicine”. In the surviving treatises (which may have been by Hippocrates himself, or by his followers) we can see that instead… Read more