Aphrodite born of inseminated sea foam. Her name evokes the froth (aphros) and hints at deep currents. Sailors would intuitively know how they are moved by the unseen. The Twelve Olympians that appear as the definitive powers holding dominion were not the first. Like all Greek myths, they hold power only after family drama andContinue reading “Aphrodite”
Tag Archives: Aristophanes
Elitism and Aristocracy
Aristo– is a word-forming element meaning “best,” or “of the aristocracy,” from Greek aristos “best of its kind, noblest, bravest, most virtuous”” (of persons, animals, things). In its Greek form, aristos denoted that which was excellent in kind, noble in bearing, virtuous in conduct. It was not yet the title of a class. The aristoi were thoseContinue reading “Elitism and Aristocracy”
HOPLITES and PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS
I have just finished Victor Hanson’s The Western Way of War (1989). It provides a visceral depiction of what it was like to be a hoplite. It is a very unromantic portrayal that emphasizes the communal aspects of ancient warfare; the necessity of group action where doing your role in the phalanx was far moreContinue reading “HOPLITES and PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS”
Protective Arts 