Mostly printed in full; some redacted for reasons of space of preference (with links to online originals). 1. Australian Book Review (Julia Kindt) 2. The Telegraph (Nikhil Krishnan) 3. The Times (Patrick Kidd) 4. Wall Street Journal (Jamie James) 5. … Continue reading
The Frogs Chorus in Aristophanes Frogs: competing with Dionysus Dionysus is rowing across the lake of the Underworld to a steady rhythm when he is interrupted by the frog chorus, singing to the accompaniment of the aulos (a double pipe, … Continue reading
Kaineus Rising: A Trans Generational Myth Kaineus always knew he was meant to be a girl. Growing up amid the hills and vales of Thessaly in what is now northern Greece, he … Continue reading
Judgment and Misjudgment in Ancient Greece Paper delivered to the New Imago Forum, 15 September 2019 There’s a joke about a rabbi who was greatly respected for his judgment. Two neighbours had a dispute and came to him to adjudicate. … Continue reading
Paper delivered at the New Imago Forum Conference on ‘Money’, September 2015 The uselessness of money and the perversity of unlimit A fable of Aesop tells of a man who hid his gold at the foot of a tree in … Continue reading
[An abbreviated version of a talk I gave to the Horatian Society in London in 2005, in which I take a critical view of the idea that poets and authors insert acrostic or other ‘codes’ into their works.] The profanum vulgus, … Continue reading
The poet Catullus (c. 84-54 BC) imagines showing off to visitors a toy boat, and listening to it describing in its own voice the journey it could claim to have … Continue reading
The unexpected death (at the age of 77) on 13 July 2015 of Martin West, the greatest classicist of his generation, has left a hole in the world of scholarship and philology. It also leaves me with a sense of profound … Continue reading
‘Nobody has ever made head or tail of ancient Greek music, and nobody ever will. That way madness lies’. Quoted by Wilfred Perrett in a talk given in 1932 to the Royal Musical Association. ‘Research into ancient Greek music is … Continue reading
Herodotus’ mentions of Heineken constitute a hitherto unsuspected instance of product placement in ancient Greek writing. In Histories 1.2.2, Heineken — εἵνεκεν in ancient Greek — is found in connection with the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts to Colchis. The implication is … Continue reading