Such, then, are the memorable things about Romulus and Theseus which I have been able to learn. And it appears, first of all, that Theseus, of his own choice, when no one compelled him, but when it was possible for him to reign without fear at Troezen as heir to no inglorious realm, of his own accord reached out after great achievements; whereas Romulus, to escape present servitude and impending… Read more
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
As usual, over the holiday season there will be no Book Club in December, but we will resume in the new year when we will be reading selections from non-fiction texts. Here is a preview of what is coming up; look out for announcements at the beginning of January, February, and March with details of the selections, links to free online versions, and the dates for live discussions. Hippocrates Plutarch… Read more
Being at a convenient distance from the houses, we stood still, in the midst of a most dangerous and dreadful scene. The chariots, which we had ordered to be drawn out, were so agitated backwards and forwards, though upon the most level ground, that we could not keep them steady, even by supporting them with large stones. The sea seemed to roll back upon itself, and to be driven from… Read more
What should I tell of autumn’s storms, and stars, and what men must watch for when the daylight shortens, and summer becomes more changeable, or when spring pours down showers, when spiked crops bristle in the fields, and wheat swells with sap on its green stem?[1] Our October selection is from the Roman poet Virgil: the pastoral poem Georgics. This work is divided into four books: Book I discusses agriculture… Read more