Show us the money! The Renaissance Society of America is accepting proposals for their grants in supporting Renaissance studies in high schools. Secondary level educators are called to propose innovative projects that could include such opportunities as theatrical or musical performances, guest speakers, or museum/special collection visits. Did the Portland Symphony Orchestra pop into your head? Or the Boston Museum of Fine Arts? Apply to the RSA for a grant by June 30th here. One of the 2023-2024 winners was a Mainer – let’s get another one up there!
Science and Classics meet once again – and they have pointy ears. Romulus and Remus, two of the three dire wolves brought back from extinction by the Colossal group, are already 6 months old and showing the world the power of genetic engineering. Let’s just hope they don’t follow in the exact footsteps of their namesakes. Read more about them and the science and reasoning behind them here.
The Romans may have been interested in this new Romulus and Remus for darker reasons. A man’s skeleton found at a suspected gladiator graveyard in York had bite marks from a lion. While artistic depictions and literary tellings of bestiarii exist, these skeletal bite marks help us visualize further the violence of gladiatorial combats. And while others are pondering 100 men vs. 1 gorilla, perhaps we shall consider 1 man vs. 2 dire wolves?
Earlier this month, another type of burial was discovered along the banks of the Danube. A mass grave, most likely a mass military grave, was discovered under a soccer field in Vienna, Austria. Dating to around the late 1st early 2nd century AD, this grave seems to have been the result of a devastating Roman loss to Germanic tribes. Various armor pieces were also discovered in the grave, and many of the examined remains have evidence of serious injuries. The unceremonious burying of the bodies in this grave also highlight the intense speed at which tragedy arrives in war.
Also discovered in Austria was a 2nd century AD Roman bridgehead fort – the first ever found in Austria. For years the site was thought to have been an abandoned castle, but in 2024 a team of archaeologists revisited it and uncovered the truth.
Edith Hall has written a lauding review of the most recent translation of The Odyssey by Daniel Mendelsohn. His approach to the ancient epic stands out particularly because of his decision and effort in keeping the poem to its original meter – dactylic hexameter.
Translating the past to the present, or vice-versa, is a battle we have all fought at some time. How to convey the cultural precedences, societal mores, the era-specific unspoken rules and dogmas that guide language and tongue – that question can lead to connection or clashing. With our ever-evolving understanding of the spectrum that is sex and gender, the above question finds itself both connecting and clashing. Latin and Ancient Greek, unlike many modern languages, have the neuter option, allowing many to step outside a traditional binary worldview. On the other hand, the sub-question must be asked (when) does moving away from that binary overstep those cultural, societal, and generational rituals, specifically those of the past. Oxford University recently highlighted this struggle when it decided to revise its traditional, ceremonial Latin speeches for degree conferrals to gender-neutral language, moving away from the linguistic custom of masculine plural for non-uniform people groups. The switch has its supporters and questioners, as emphasized by this article.
Thanks for reading – now excuse me while I rush out the door – I’m late for the MCA Spring Meeting!