When we see the golden artefacts found at Mycenae and the so-called “treasure of Priam,” it shows an incredible abundance of gold, silver and bronze in the Mycenaean period. Even in Homeric poetry there is mention of “Mycenae rich in gold,” and there are references in Homeric and Hesiodic poetry to silver, gold, iron, copper and bronze. So we wanted to know more about how these metals were mined. Read more
we all pronounce music to be one of the pleasantest things, whether instrumental or instrumental and vocal music together at least Musaeus says, ‘Song is man’s sweetest joy,’ and that is why people with good reason introduce it at parties and entertainments, for its exhilarating effect, so that for this reason also one might suppose that the younger men ought to be educated in music. Read more
Semele and Selene, one was born a mortal and the other a goddess. Both have enchanting and melodious names in ancient Greek with the same type of resonance. No wonder we sometimes confuse one for the other. However their stories are very dissimilar and poles apart. Read more
Last time we looked at food and drink for health and well-being. This time we look at less salubrious examples of eating and drinking, many of which have disastrous consequences. We invite you to share in the Forum any other examples you come across, mythological and otherwise, accidental and deliberate, in which people suffer as a result of inappropriate eating and drinking. Read more
Who really is Achilles? Is he just the son of lovely-haired Thetis who lets him be raised by Cheiron the Centaur, but comes to console and help him when he is devastated and even tried to hide him at the court of the King Lycomedes so that Achilles would not… Read more
