The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours | Gallery: Part 1
The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours is based on a course that Professor Gregory Nagy has been teaching at Harvard University since the late 1970s. The book discusses selected readings of texts, all translated from the original Greek into English. This series of galleries attempts to illustrate each Hour with visual art. This first gallery covers Hours 1–4. Read more…
Divine Deceiver: Hermes in the Homeric Hymns
“I will swear a great oath by my father’s head and vow that neither am I guilty [aitios] myself, neither have I seen any other thief [klopos] of your cows —whatever cows may be; for I know them only by hearsay [kleos].”
Following the recent posts “Divine Doppelgänger: Hermes and Odysseus” and “The Divine Doublet: Odysseus and Hermes,” I became intrigued to learn more about Hermes as deceiver, as portrayed in the Homeric Hymns. Read more…
Book Club | May 2019: Seneca Oedipus
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 Read more…
The Divine Doublet: Hermes and Odysseus
His story starts in a cave far from the company of the blessed gods in the care of a daughter of the Titan Atlas. His story often ends in a cave too. In between, he slays a giant shepherd with an unusual number of eyes, is connected with the slaughter of sacred cows, smells the aroma of broiling steak but does not partake, and is involved in meals with appropriate shares for each honored guest and the gods. He dines with the goddess Kalypsō. He is a liar, a psychopomp, and polytropos. He knows the gleaming tusks of a boar.
Are we talking about Hermes, son of Zeus? Or Odysseus, son of Laertes? Read more…
CHS Online Open House | Euripides’ Erechtheus in context, with Lucia Athanassaki
We are pleased to welcome Lucia Athanassaki, Professor of Classical Philology at the University of Crete, for a discussion of Euripides’ Erechtheus in context.
The event will take place on Thursday, April 25th, at 11 a.m. EDT, and will be recorded. Read more…
Divine Doppelgänger: Hermes and Odysseus
“When she [= Kalypsō] had thus spoken she led the way rapidly before him, and Odysseus followed in her steps; so the pair, goddess and man, went on and on till they came to Kalypsō’s cave, where Odysseus took the seat that Hermes had just left.” What is the significance of this line? After all, to sit in Hermes’ seat implies, to me, that Odysseus is taking Hermes’ place within the story narrative, at least metaphorically. Read more…
