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 with the bow nor with the javelin.[1] Apollodorus, among others, provides a number of stories about Hēraklēs in The Library (Book 2, chapters 4 and 5), and such stories provided inspiration for… Read more
The themes depicted in the myth of the fall of Troy inspired ancient Greek tragedies, such as the Trojan Women of Euripides, and other works by writers and dramatists of ancient Rome and of later periods. The subject has also inspired many artists from ancient times to the current day. The universal and powerful themes of the suffering of the most vulnerable—women, children, and the elderly—still have relevance and resonance.… Read more
A “heroized” edition of the Trojan Women We are pleased to share in the Text Library a revised translation of the Trojan Women of Euripides that tracks Core Vocab words in the same way as the Sourcebook of Primary Texts in Translation used in HeroesX.[1] This was the result of a community-driven collaborative “heroization” project. The group revised a translation to indicate each and every occurrence of a Heroes core vocabulary term… Read more
The maidens I brought up to see chosen for some marriage high, for strangers have I reared them, and seen them snatched away. Nevermore can I hope to be seen by them, nor shall my eyes behold them ever in the days to come. And last, to crown my misery, I shall be brought to Hellas, a slave in my old age. Our Book Club selection this month is 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