Kosmos Society

Odysseus
Book Club

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

Travel

Troy: Myth and Reality, The British Museum | Part 2: Frescos, the Horse, Odysseus, and written transmission

When I first heard that the British Museum was putting on an exhibition “Troy: Myth and Reality” I knew I had to go, and I was so happy that friends from the Kosmos Society were able to visit at the same time so we could share the experience with each other. In this post we continue our series of impressions and highlights. Upon entering the first part of the exhibition… Read more

Visiting Scholars

Open House | Exploring the relevance of Odysseus’s words about kingship, with Leonard Muellner and Douglas Frame

We were excited to welcome Leonard Muellner and Douglas Frame for an Open House. The title of the discussion is: ‘An exploration of the relevance of Odysseus’s words about kingship in Odyssey 8 to the Ionian setting of Homeric poetry’.  The event was live-streamed on Thursday, January 23, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. EST, and was recorded. To get ready for the event, you might like to read this article: An… Read more

Reading Homer

Homeric Greek | Odyssey 1.230–238: Invisible man, skein of war and movable nu

We are pleased to share this segment in the series on reading Homeric epic in ancient Greek. In each installment we read, translate, and discuss a small passage in the original Greek in the most accessible way. If you’ve ever dreamed of reading Homer in the original, here is your chance to do so with teachers who have spent a lifetime thinking about this poetry. With their guidance even new… Read more