Author Topic: Classics Forum (Read 352779 times)

JoanK · « **Reply #720 on:** January 25, 2015, 02:15:46 PM »

The Classics Forum

Paestum

Paestum, a complex of Greek Temples in Southern Italy.

Welcome to our Classics Forum, which is our public discussion for those interested in the Classics. Since our Latin Classes are not visible to the public but we have a great many people interested in talking about the Classics, we've put this discussion up for your interest.

Please share here news, clips, magazine or newspaper articles, movies or television shows and especially books you find that would be of interest to those of us who love the classics world.

Everyone is welcome!

Congratulations to the Class of 2014 and their awesome results on the National Latin Exam! See post 654 below!

It's never too late to learn Latin!

Interested in learning more about our Latin Courses? Click here: Learn More About Our Latin Courses

"And blended pulsing life with lives long done,
Till Time seemed fiction, Past and Present one."

that's the way I felt in Florence.

Frybabe · « **Reply #721 on:** February 27, 2015, 09:52:04 AM »

Featured in Ruth Downie's third book of her Medicus series, Persona non Grata:

The Port of Augusta:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%AEmes#mediaviewer/File:N%C3%AEmes_La_porte_Auguste.png

The Amphitheater at Nimes:
http://mondesetmerveilles.centerblog.net/161-les-arenes-de-nimes
The text is in French, but the pix are great. They apparently use the amphitheater for bull fights. Amazing.
(Bullfights in France?)

If you are interested in Roman Medicine and Roman historical fiction, this is a good mystery series. It is set around 100A.D. during Trajan's reign.

ginny · « **Reply #722 on:** February 27, 2015, 10:33:32 AM »

Super, thank you for those recommendations.

Yes and in the south of France, in the summer, some places in France has different kinds of "bullfights," in which the idea, if I understand it, is to grab and live through the process, little bits of ribbons or such tied to the bulls horns, it's bloodless and fun and not cruel. That supplants the normal bullfights which I think do return later on. They have a name but I can't recall it, perhaps somebody else has seen one or knows the name.

MarieR · « **Reply #723 on:** February 28, 2015, 10:44:27 AM »

Fellow logophiles may be interested in A.Word.A.Day, which emails a word and its definition to its subscribers every day (Monday to Friday). Every week has a theme, and this past week's was "Latin terms in English".

http://wordsmith.org/words/yester.html

Frybabe · « **Reply #724 on:** March 09, 2015, 01:18:44 PM »

While sitting in the service center waiting for my car to be inspected, I continued my reading of Christopher Kelly's, End of Empire: Attila the Hun and the Fall of Rome. In it he told about how Constantine VII (905-959) felt about libraries, "the vast quantity of material induces fear and dismay." He ordered his minions to "break up that great mass of scholarship which is so ponderous and dull that just thinking about it is exhausting." The result was 53 volumes. This cut and paste job, of which much was lost, still escaped as much loss as most of the rest of the written histories, according to Kelly.

The chapter I am on now describes dinner with Attila the Hun. I read the account years ago in a book edited by John Carey titled Eyewitness to History. So now, I see that this compendium made for Constantine is the source for the account. Priscus of Panium had written the account in his History of Attila. Priscus' eight volumes got reduced to thirty-five fragments in the compendium; the dinner account was one that made it intact into the compendium. It appears that Priscus' original eight volumes did not survive the ages. The "Dinner" is worth read. And here it is:
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/attila.htm

BTW, I don't agree with Constantine's assessment of libraries. The guy must not have liked to read or didn't have time.

Frybabe · « **Reply #725 on:** March 11, 2015, 07:41:02 PM »

Another interesting tidbit. I am reading the fourth of Ruth Downie's Medicus series, Caveat Emptor, which is set in part in Versalium (near present day St. Albans). What interested me is the statement below the translations that the bit about Domitian was badly defaced. Domitian was not a nice guy. I wasn't aware that there was a "Damnatio memoriae" issued against his memory, so most likely it was done on orders. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verulamium_Forum_inscription

Frybabe · « **Reply #726 on:** March 12, 2015, 06:29:44 AM »

Me again. Just discovered an essay on ManyBooks.net titled The Economist by Xenophon. It is written in dialog form between Socrates and Christobulus about profitable estate management along with a retelling to Christobulus of a conversation on economics Socrates had with Ischomachus.

One of these days I will actually get around to downloading Pliny's writings regarding grape horticulture. For some odd reason I haven't done that yet.

PatH · « **Reply #727 on:** March 14, 2015, 07:45:27 PM »

Frybabe, you've been posting all sorts of interesting things here, and I've been enjoying without responding. I went to Nimes half a century ago (yikes, time flies) and saw the amphitheater, though we couldn't get in, but the thing that really impressed me was outside the city, the Pont du Gard, the bridge carrying the aqueduct that supplied Nimes over the river Gard. Aside from how beautiful it is, you can actually walk on it, in the dry aqueduct channel. Here's a link to the official site.

http://www.pontdugard.fr/en/groups

The picture is a little different from my memory; I remember the walls being shoulder height, but I also don't remember the wood planks underfoot. Maybe they built up the footing to give a better view.

Maryemm · « **Reply #728 on:** March 15, 2015, 04:35:13 PM »

THE IDES OF MARCH

JoanK · « **Reply #729 on:** March 15, 2015, 04:39:13 PM »

BEWARE!!

Frybabe · « **Reply #730 on:** March 24, 2015, 09:01:17 AM »

Smithsonian report on ancient Roman fort found near Trieste, Italy.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/oldest-known-ancient-roman-fort-has-been-discovered-italy-180954616/?utm_source=smithsoniantopic&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20150322-Weekender&spMailingID=22322331&spUserID=NzQwNDU4NDU5NTIS1&spJobID=522060268&spReportId=NTIyMDYwMjY4S0

I expect BBC or the Archeology Magazine website will have info too. Will look later.

Frybabe · « **Reply #731 on:** March 27, 2015, 07:45:03 AM »

An interesting tidbit I found in a book from Project Gutenberg called English Industries in the Middle Ages by L. F. Salzman (1913) in which he begins with a section on mining.

Quote

...Yet excavation has proved beyond all doubt that coal was used by the Romans, ashes and stores of the unburnt mineral being found all along the Wall, at Lanchester and Ebchester in Durham, at Wroxeter in Shropshire and elsewhere. For the most part it appears to have been used for working iron, but it was possibly also used for heating hypocausts, and there seems good reason to believe that it formed the fuel of the sacred fire in the temple of Minerva at Bath, as Solinus, writing about the end of the third century, comments on the 'stony balls' which were left as ashes by this sacred fire. That such coal as was used by the Romans was obtained from outcrops, where the seams came to the surface, is more than probable. There appears to be no certain evidence of any regular mining at this period.

He went on to say that after the Romans left, coal use was discontinued until it was rediscovered at the end of the 12th century.

He also mentioned this observation made by Caesar:

Quote

Julius Cæsar relates that iron was produced along the coast of Britain, but only in small quantities, its rarity causing it to be considered as a precious metal, so that iron bars were current among the natives as money.The coming of the Romans soon changed this. They were not slow to see the value of the island's mineral wealth and to turn it to account.

Frybabe · « **Reply #732 on:** April 04, 2015, 03:02:39 PM »

Researching a little bit about Alesia, the site of Vercingetorix's last stand against Caesar, I found this site with old postcards from the town and excavations.
https://cartes.bougeret.fr/index008.php

If you like old postcards, this is an interesting site. Click on "accueil" and it will take you directly to the general page listing for countries, etc.

Frybabe · « **Reply #733 on:** April 12, 2015, 07:06:08 AM »

This interest in translating books (especially children's books) into Latin is not new. Here is one published in 1914, Pericla Navarchi Magonis (The Adventures of Captain Mago) by Léon Cahun translated by Dr. Arcadius Avelanus. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/48681

I found this information about "the excellent Dr. Arcadius Avellanus." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcadius_Avellanus Apparently there was some controversy over his translations.

ginny · « **Reply #734 on:** April 12, 2015, 10:00:44 AM »

Oh how interesting all your research is, Frybabe! I'm going to the Museo Parc in which they have built a new museum about Caesar's clash with Ariovistus in June and that Place de la Gare - Les Laumes - Alésia is the very train station stop I need to get off at. There have been some protests from the archaeologists that this is, in fact, not the spot but apparently Napoleon declared it WAS, and it's so interesting to see the old postcards talking about the very place one has to go today.

Thank you for sharing your interesting discoveries!

And hello Maryemm! Thank you for doing the Ides and that bust of Caesar. We were out for Spring Break and it was good to see that put here upon our return.

I saw an hilarious cartoon last year on the Ides. It was somebody in a toga saying "People are losing the spirit of the Ides of March. It's not about just stabbing. It's about coming together to stab in groups." hahahaha

I COULD put it here but it would probably violate copyright so I won't. But it's so funny and so 21st century.

Love coming in here!

PatH · « **Reply #735 on:** April 12, 2015, 10:28:26 AM »

Ha ha. I don't say much here, but I always enjoy the tidbits you all bring in. Frybabe, are the Latin children's books aimed at adults?

Frybabe · « **Reply #736 on:** April 12, 2015, 03:31:54 PM »

I'm not entirely sure PatH. He translated at least one volume mostly for his children, per the book intro. He believed, and practiced what he believed, that everyone should know Latin and be able to converse in it. Among the other books he translated were Treasure Island and Robinson Caruso . I can't find much information on him. His name is a Latin translation of his birth name, Mogyoróssy Arkád, according to Wikipedia. Wikipedia is about the only place I can find info on him, everything else posted refers back to that. What a shame.

Frybabe · « **Reply #737 on:** April 12, 2015, 05:59:09 PM »

Gosh, I'm finding all kinds of interesting things lately. I am reading a non-fiction book essentially about Kim Philby (remember him?) and his friends, and how he managed to dupe them all. Anyhow, Philby was asked to head up a group within MI6 called Section V. They were operating out of St. Albans (Verulamium). Their cover for being there was that they were a group of archaeologists from the British Museum who were excavating the Roman ruins there.

JoanK · « **Reply #738 on:** April 13, 2015, 04:57:39 PM »

I do remember Kim Philby. When he became famous, it came out that he had been living in a house a few blocks from where I was living, and I remember feeling creepy that we had had a spy in the neighborhood!

Maryemm · « **Reply #739 on:** April 14, 2015, 09:35:32 AM »

Greetings Everyone.

In 2007 Kenneth Williams' famous quip "Infamy! Infamy! They've all got in for me!" was nominated the funniest line in movie history.

He uttered the words as Julius Caesar in the 1964 film "Carry On Cleo."

(As you can see, I am getting more and more flippant in my old age!)

JoanK · « **Reply #740 on:** April 15, 2015, 03:33:20 PM »

Of course! What better time to do it!

here's a scene from the movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZWo8Sxmlc8

PatH · « **Reply #741 on:** April 15, 2015, 05:09:41 PM »

Heeheehee.

Frybabe · « **Reply #742 on:** April 15, 2015, 08:37:16 PM »

Never heard of Carry on Classics. I especially liked "Marcus et Spencius"

ginny · « **Reply #743 on:** April 16, 2015, 01:06:57 PM »

Well there's always Horrible Histories and the Rotten Romans, I am particularly fond of them: how about Caligula invading Britain?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwvfyvyZldM

Frybabe · « **Reply #744 on:** April 21, 2015, 06:00:24 AM »

Congratulations to all our NLE winners.

ginny · « **Reply #745 on:** April 21, 2015, 08:01:16 AM »

OH absolutely right, Frybabe! Let me put this here so everybody can know:

Every single one of our 20 students from SeniorLearn who took the National Latin Exam this year won a first prize!

Every single one! All 20!! The scores are incredible. On 4 levels of the test.

Every single one is a winner!

Out of 153,000 students in 20 countries, every single one!

Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations, all 20 students!!! This has got to be a record which will never be broken!

WHOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

Unbelievable, and just to make it perfect, all 5 Furman students also got firsts.

Never be another year like this one, let's enjoy it! We are proud of all of our students, those who took the test and those who did not; we are all operating on the same levels.

PatH · « **Reply #746 on:** April 21, 2015, 11:38:03 AM »

WOW!

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #747 on:** April 21, 2015, 04:38:21 PM »

https://www.youtube.com/embed/dY_3ggKg0Bc

I don't know if this link will work, but it is an animation of the end of the city of Pompeii. It is from the Melbourne Museum. (if the link doesn't work) Nicely done animation.

JoanK · « **Reply #748 on:** April 21, 2015, 04:38:27 PM »

SENIORLEARNERS ROCK!!!!!

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #749 on:** April 21, 2015, 04:38:46 PM »

Hey, I tried it and it worked!

JoanK · « **Reply #750 on:** April 21, 2015, 04:50:32 PM »

OMG that was scary! I was going to send it to my grandson who just returned from Italy, visiting Pompeii. But I don't think I will.

pedln · « **Reply #751 on:** May 08, 2015, 12:03:02 AM »

Fantastic!! Congratulations to all.

Maryemm · « **Reply #752 on:** May 08, 2015, 03:30:13 PM »

Belated CONGRATULATIONS to ALL and to GINNY.

[/b]

ginny · « **Reply #753 on:** May 08, 2015, 08:10:22 PM »

Thank you, Mary, and Pedln, and Joan K, and Pat H and Frybabe!

This is really one of our best years ever!!

Frybabe · « **Reply #754 on:** May 23, 2015, 05:45:17 AM »

During my morning's web browsing, I found these quotes, both attributed to Herodotus.

"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects." Many sites attribute this to Herodotus in his Histories, but one site claims that he did not write it. Mark Twain actually wrote it, attributing it to Herodotus, in A Horse's Tail. It supposedly reflected what Mark Twain thought was Herodotus' attitude toward history.

"It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the men and horses that stand along the road, each horse and man at the interval of a day’s journey; and these are stayed neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed." Now I know where the Post Office got its motto.

Maryemm · « **Reply #755 on:** May 26, 2015, 11:34:04 AM »

Something I missed last year!

Read all about it here at:

http://www.vindolanda.com/_blog/press-releases/post/press-release---earliest-known-wooden-toilet-seat-discovered-at-vindolanda/

PatH · « **Reply #756 on:** May 26, 2015, 02:07:57 PM »

Ah, progress.

Maryemm · « **Reply #757 on:** June 12, 2015, 07:15:10 AM »

If you enjoy light reading occasionally Lindsey Davis's latest book "Deadly Election" might be of interest to you.

About the Author

She has won the CWA Historical Dagger, Dagger in the Library, and a Sherlock for Falco as Best Detective. She has been Honorary President of the Classical Association, and Chair of the Crimewriters Association. In 2010 the city of Rome gave her the Premio Colosseo, awarded `for enhancing the image of Rome` and in 2011 she was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement.

Frybabe · « **Reply #758 on:** June 12, 2015, 08:41:58 AM »

MaryEmm, good to hear from you again. Thanks for the heads up on the next book in her Flavia Albia series.

I've been reading R.W. Peake's Marching with Caesar series. I am in the middle of the Civil War and have just taken a ride down the Nile with Cleopatra and Caesar. It is a lengthy book. The next two are about Anthony and Cleopatra. The first focuses Anthony and the second on Cleopatra. I am not sure I want to read those two because I am not that interested in Cleopatra and her liaisons with Caesar and Anthony. But, if I find a copy at a really good price, I may. The battle scenes should be interesting, anyway. Otherwise I'll skip to The Rise of Augustus and The Final Campaign which ends Titus Pullus's involvement as narrator/chronicler. The newer ones are about his adopted son and grandson who follow in his footsteps. Interesting historical fiction from a lowly legionary's point of view.

Maryemm · « **Reply #759 on:** June 21, 2015, 09:29:37 AM »

Apologies for my infrequent postings. I am getting on now and I don't seem to want to use my PC/i-Pad these days. Am forgetting my Latin. Sad, that!

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Author Topic: Classics Forum (Read 352779 times)