I recently finished Stephen Fry’s retelling of the Trojan War1, and as often happens with old stories, one episode lingered longer than the rest. It is the moment when Patroclus puts on Achilles’ armor. Achilles, in a fit of pride and grievance, has withdrawn from the fighting. Without him, the Greeks begin to lose ground. … Continue reading Borrowed Armor
Tag: Greek Mythology
The Bag of Winds
There is a small moment in The Odyssey that I find myself returning to more often as I get older. I am not entirely sure why this one has stayed with me. It is not one of the famous scenes; it passes quickly, as if Homer knew its meaning required little elaboration, or perhaps as … Continue reading The Bag of Winds
When Xenos Becomes Polemios
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all1. This essay began, as many reflections do, not with an argument but with a voice. While listening to the audiobook of Heroes, narrated by Sir Stephen Fry himself, I was struck by how insistently Greek myth returns to the theme of hospitality—its obligations, its violations, … Continue reading When Xenos Becomes Polemios
The Trojan connection?
Posted on Slashdot today is the article below that I intend to shanghai for a slightly different purpose:Birthplace of Indoeuropean Languages Found: phantomfive writes "Language geeks might be interested in a recent study that suggests Turkey as the birthplace of the Indo-European language family. The Indo-European family is the largest, and includes languages as diverse … Continue reading The Trojan connection?
