Greek and Roman
Wisdom of the Ancients
THE SCENE: On topics as diverse as “what’s the right age to get married?” to “should I shit in a river?”, the 8th Century BC writer Hesiod has an answer to all your ancient etiquette […]
Greek and Roman
Greek and Roman
Origins of Human Civilization
“The sounds they made were at first unintelligible and indistinct, yet gradually they came to give articulation to their speech, and by agreeing with one another upon symbols for each thing which presented itself to them, came to know among themselves the meaning attached to each term. ” […]
Greek and Roman
The Most Powerful Fruit Addict in the World
“For he says that Albinus, when hungry, ate give hundred dried figs, a hundred Campanian peaches, ten Ostian melons, twenty pounds of Labican grapes, a hundred fig-peckers and four hundred oysters.” […]
Greek and Roman
Sex Scandals of the Ancient Emperors
“It is of interest to know the way in which he is said to have taken his stepmother Julia as his wife. She was very beautiful and, as if through carelessness, had uncovered the greater part of her body.” […]
Greek and Roman
Dairy Delirium
“The island was one great cheese, quite firm, as we afterwards ascertained by eating it, and three miles round.” […]
Greek and Roman
History of Heracles
“. Likewise, both the club and the lion’s skin are appropriate to their ancient Heracles, because in those days arms had not yet been invented, and men defended themselves against their enemies with clubs of wood and used the hides of animals for defensive armour.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Emperor Addicted to Vegetables
“He ate sparingly, being very addicted to his native vegetable, sometimes found of wine, often abstaining from meat.” […]
Greek and Roman
Greeks in the Land of Dreams
“The dreams themselves differed widely in character and appearance. Some were well-grown, smooth-skinned, shapely, handsome fellows, others rough, short, and ugly; some apparently made of gold, others of common cheap stuff. Among them some were found with wings, and other strange variations; others again were like the mummers in a pageant, tricked out as kings or Gods or what not.” […]
Greek and Roman
Magic of Gnats and Scorpions
“He came to Antioch, and on being besought by the inhabitants (since Antioch was tormented with scorpions and gnats), he made a brass scorpion and buried it in the earth.” […]
Greek and Roman
A Vision of Paradise
“All round stand great trees of pellucid crystal, whose fruit is drinking-cups of every shape and size. A guest arriving plucks a cup or two and sets them at his place, where they at once fill with wine. ” […]