With oligarchy, a few power took power and so all poets lived in fear. It became impossible to openly make fun of anyone, they could take you to court. Eupolis criticized Alcibiades in his work “Batpae” and decided to drown him in the sea. This created even more fear in poets as “Baptae” means “Bathers”.… Continue reading Censorship, Greek style
Month: May 2015
Fifty shades of gay Spartans
When you got married, the first night, your Spartan bride got a haircut like a man’s. She was dressed by her attendant in male clothes and left in a dark bedroom on a couch. You came to her carefully from the military quarters because nobody must hear you or catch you. This goes on for… Continue reading Fifty shades of gay Spartans
In Praise of Baldness
Some bald people entertain by showing how their heads can cope with everything. They pour boiling liquids over themselves, charge headlong with a ram running from a distance, break pottery over their bald heads and anything else which will impress the audience. In Praise of Baldness – Synesius
How long does a dramatist have to wait?
Sophocles career started with a victory from his first play. But Euripides started competing but didn’t win first prize until the 14 year of efforts. Aeschylus had to wait even longer, he wrote plays for 15 years before finally winning!
Flies respect the Olympics
All the time that the Games are on, the flies seems to keep a truce with the visitors and the locals in the area. This happens even though there is much blood and meat hanging freely due to the many sacrifices to the Gods. The flies voluntarily go to the other side of Alpheus… Continue reading Flies respect the Olympics
Extreme party games
Some people in Thrace hang themselves as a game during drinking parties. They make a noose above a stone that is easily overturned if you stand on it. The noose is at just the right height. Then, a person is chosen by drawing a lot and he has to get on the stone.… Continue reading Extreme party games
Knowledge transfer, the godly way
In “Against Celsus”, Origen analyzes a a mural from Samos in which Hera is showing fellating Zeus by explaining it thus: “…he is misinterpreting the painting of the unspeakable act. It is symbolic. Here is receiving the words of the God Zeus, his seed of wizdom, and keeping these words within her in order… Continue reading Knowledge transfer, the godly way
How to get her to bed
Catch a bat and use myrh to draw this shape on its left wing. Also the seven names of the god and then the words “May (name of woman) , the daughter of (her father’s name) , not get any sleep until she sleeps with me”. Then let the bat away. -Greek Magical Papyri
Tragedy saves lives
After the disastrous events in Sicily, many Athenians were saved thanks to Euripides. The Greeks that lived far from Athens yearned for his poetry. Sicilians were no exception. Even a small sample of his poetry recited by a traveler pleased them a lot. They memorised it and passed it on with great pleasure. Many of… Continue reading Tragedy saves lives
The real Fight Club
It was almost evening at the Nemean Games when Creugas from Epidamnus and Damoxenus from Syracuse were boxing. So they agreed that they would each allow the other on free punch to decide the match. In those times the boxers wore soft gloves and their fingers were left uncovered. Creugas started and punched Damoxenus in… Continue reading The real Fight Club