"The herald came near, bringing with him a singer, very trusted, whom the Muse loved exceedingly. She gave him both a good thing and a bad thing. For she took away from him his eyes but gave him the sweetness of song." The gifts of the gods are ambiguous and double-edged. Read more
In this part of our series on marriage in ancient Greek texts, we look at the courtship phase. Benveniste shows that there is no Indo-European term for marriage but a "persistence of usages inherited from a common past and of the same family structure, where the husband “led” the young woman, whom her father has “given” him, to his home." In the ancient Greek tradition, how do fathers reach the… Read more
In December many of us have to find the perfect gift to offer to family and friends. Giving presents was essential in the ancient world. There is a strong tradition of exchanging or giving gifts. This gallery will show some gifts which might have been offered. The Sourcebook contains many passages about presents. Read more
