Book Club

Book Club | September 2020: Plato Timaeus and Critias

Poseidon, receiving for his lot the island of Atlantis, begat children by a mortal woman, and settled them in a part of the island, which I will describe. Looking towards the sea, but in the centre of the whole island, there was a plain which is said to have been the fairest of all plains and very fertile. Near the plain again, and also in the centre of the island… Read more

Book Club | August 2020: Quintus Smyrnaeus Fall of Troy 10–14

Epeios first fashioned the feet of that great Horse of Wood: the belly next he shaped, and over this moulded the back and the great loins behind, the throat in front, and ridged the towering neck with waving mane: the crested head he wrought, the streaming tail, the ears, the lucent eyes—all that of lifelike horses have. So grew like a live thing that more than human work, for a… Read more

Book Club | July 2020: Quintus Smyrnaeus Fall of Troy 5–9

So when all other contests [aethloi] had an end, the goddess Thetis laid down in the midst great-hearted Achilles’ arms immortally wrought; and all around flashed out the cunning work with which mighty Hephaistos overchased the shield fashioned for the the dauntless-spirited descendant of Aiakos. ….. Then among the Argives Thetis dark-veiled in her deep sorrow for Achilles spoke these words [mūthos]: “Now all the contest [agōn] prizes [aethla] have… Read more

Book Club | June 2020: Quintus Smyrnaeus Fall of Troy 1–4

… peerless amid all the Amazons unto Troy-town Penthesileia came. To right, to left, from all sides hurrying thronged the Trojans, greatly marvelling, when they saw the tireless War-god’s child, the mailed maid, like to the blessed gods; for in her face glowed beauty glorious and terrible. Her smile was ravishing: beneath her brows, her love-enkindling eyes shone like to stars, and with the crimson rose of shamefastness bright were… Read more

Book Club | May 2020: Aulus Gellius Attic Nights Book 1

Other more entertaining writings may be found, in order that like recreation might be provided for my children, when they should have some respite from business affairs and could unbend and divert their minds. But in the arrangement of my material I have adopted the same haphazard order that I had previously followed in collecting it. For whenever I had taken in hand any Greek or Latin book, or had… Read more