Troy

Book Club

Book Club | June 2020: Quintus Smyrnaeus Fall of Troy 1–4

"... peerless amid all the Amazons unto Troy-town Penthesileia came. To right, to left, from all sides hurrying thronged the Trojans, greatly marvelling, when they saw the tireless War-god's child, the mailed maid, like to the blessed gods; for in her face glowed beauty glorious and terrible. Her smile was ravishing: beneath her brows, her love-enkindling eyes shone like to stars, and with the crimson rose of shamefastness bright were… Read more

Travel

Troy: Myth and Reality, The British Museum | Part 3: Thoughts on the book and the exhibition

The British Museum’s "Troy: Myth and Reality" exhibition is its major tourist attraction for Spring 2020. It covers the stories of the myth, the archaeology of Troy, and the reception of the story. The book that accompanies the exhibition is huge, heavy, beautifully illustrated and produced. It is not an exhibition catalogue, in the sense of being a systematic list of exhibits. Rather, it is a readable illustrated text book… Read more

Travel

Troy: Myth and Reality, The British Museum | Part 2: Frescos, the Horse, Odysseus, and written transmission

When I first heard that the British Museum was putting on an exhibition "Troy: Myth and Reality" I knew I had to go, and I was so happy that friends from the Kosmos Society were able to visit at the same time so we could share the experience with each other. In this post we continue our series of impressions and highlights. Read more

Travel

Troy: Myth and Reality, The British Museum | Part 1: The judgment of Paris, signs, and the role of Helen

Meeting with several members of the Kosmos Society in London was a wonderful experience. We went together to the amazing exhibition "Troy: Myth and Reality" at the British Museum. The British Museum was packed with fans of Homeric poetry, so we were among people sharing similar enthusiasm. Now we offer some of our highlights. Read more

History

Paintings at Delphi

After we finish reading the Iliad, we might wonder what happens in Troy after Hector’s funeral. We have parts of what happens next in the Odyssey, in tragedies, and in fragments and plot-summaries. However, in his Description of Greece Pausanias writes an interesting description of a painting in Delphi which depicted “Troy taken and the Greeks sailing away," Read more