Archive for 2009Page 2
The Business of Classical Wisdom
Apparently the business world (some of it, anyway) has discovered classics as a source of self-help and inspiration: “We’re capable, but not practiced, in the art of thinking,” says Phil Terry, CEO of Creative Good, a business consulting company, and the founder of a web-based reading and lecture organization called Reading Odyssey. “We’re all endowed […]
Sex(uality), Violence, and Spartacus: The Series!
Read all about it here: The upcoming Starz drama series Spartacus: Blood and Sand will include both gay and lesbian characters, executive producer Rob Tapert told TheTorchOnline.com today. The drama stars Andy Whitfield and Lucy Lawless in a retelling of the story of the legendary rebel Roman gladiator-slave who lived in Rome from 109 BC […]
Who’s Buried in Cleopatra’s Tomb?
Read all about it here. Cleopatra died more than 2,000 years ago, at the age of 39. Before she was a slot machine, a video game, a cigarette, a condom, a caricature, a cliché or a synonym for Elizabeth Taylor, before she was reincarnated by Shakespeare, Dryden or Shaw, she was a nonfictional Egyptian queen. […]
Greek tragedy and ‘The Wire’
Thanks to my persistent brother-in-law’s recommendation, Sean and I just finished watching the acclaimed HBO show ‘The Wire’ a couple of weeks ago. Each of the five seasons is loosely structured around a single wire-tapping case in Baltimore that sheds light on some aspect of the city’s institutions (drug trade, unions, real estate/politics, education, and […]
It’s All Greek to…Hollywood?
Apparently Hollywood is working on a blockbuster movie about the Greek gods. According to Variety: Fox 2000 has assembled a cast of Greek gods for the fantasy adventure “Percy Jackson.” Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan and Sean Bean have signed on to play Medusa, Chiron and Zeus, respectively. Kevin McKidd (Poseidon) and Melina Kanakerides (Athena) are […]
Shout-Out from Phi Beta Kappa speaker and Classicist, Tom Palaima
Gustavus must have made a good impression on Phi Beta Kappa speaker and classicist Tom Palaima, who delivered a talk about ancient and modern narratives of war earlier this month. He mentions Gustavus in his column “In education, enthusiasm matters” in the Austin American-Statesman. Read the whole column here. Many thanks to everyone for making […]
Annual Broomball Game
On Saturday December 13, 2008, Classicists and Non-Classicists alike joined together in the annual Eta Sigma Phi broomball game. The competitive match-up between Greeks and Romans took place in the Lund Ice Arena. A tight scoring game led the Greeks to believe they had won, but were distraught when the Romans revealed that information was […]
Eta Sigma Phi Welcomes New Members
The Ides of March is characteristically known as an ominous day, full of suspicion and folklore. However, events in the Melva Lind Interpretive Center were anything but auspicious. New members of Eta Sigma Phi were inducted into the society and promised to bind together in “earnest endeavor, good will, and friendship.” The ceremony included a […]
The Aeneid on Facebook!
Someone has reimagined the Aeneid as a facebook page. Sheer genius! Take a look at it here. (Click on the image to enlarge)
Prominent Classicists Find Temporary Home at Gustavus
We in Classics were fortunate to have not one, but two prominent visiting speakers, who delivered lectures on classical topics this week, both of whom discussed ways in which the study of Classics intersects with the modern world. On Thursday Feb. 26, Professor Patrice Rankine from Purdue University delivered an exciting lecture entitled “Black Athena […]