As our summer readings draw to a close, we look ahead to the Fall season of the Book Club. We will be reading selections from secondary sources, and from ancient Greek primary texts, with a focus on drama. September: Menander October: selections from Edith Hall Greek and Roman Actors November: Euripides Look out for further announcements in September, October, and November with details of the selections, links to free online… Read more
When Thetis had got a babe by Peleus, she wished to make it immortal, and unknown to Peleus she used to hide it in the fire by night in order to destroy the mortal element which the child inherited from its father, but by day she anointed him with ambrosia. But Peleus watched her, and, seeing the child writhing on the fire, he cried out; and Thetis, thus prevented from… Read more
Hercules was taught to drive a chariot by Amphitryon, to wrestle by Autolycus, to shoot with the bow by Eurytus, to fence by Castor, and to play the lyre by Linus. … Even by the look of him it was plain that he was a son of Zeus; for his body measured four cubits, and he flashed a gleam of fire from his eyes; and he did not miss, neither… Read more
Sky was the first who ruled over the whole world. And having wedded Earth, he begat first the Hundred-handed, as they are named: Briareus, Gyes, Cottus, who were unsurpassed in size and might, each of them having a hundred hands and fifty heads. The Book Club selection for June is the first installment of Apollodorus Library (or Bibliotheca in some editions). We will read Book 1, which starts with a… Read more
The Book Club selection for May is a drama: Seneca the Younger’s Oedipus. The discussion will start and continue in the forum, with a live conversation on Tuesday May 28th at 11 a.m. EDT. There will also be a community reading on Tuesday May 21st at 11 a.m. EDT; estimated duration 2–3 hours. We are familiar with the treatment of the myth by Sophocles from The Ancient Greek Hero in… Read more