Triumvir Clio

Greek Myth XLV: Pseudo-Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca Book III, Chapter IV – Cadmus, Semele, Actaeon, or Meet Dionysus’s Grandpa

Meet Dionysus’s family. Okay, this episode also made me think of this statue of Hermes and baby Dionysus. Discussion Prompts Semele, Zeus, and Hera. Discuss. Why do you think Athena tells Cadmus to sow the dragon’s teeth? How do you think Harmonia feels about being married to Cadmus? Which reason for Actaeon’s death sounds rightContinue reading “Greek Myth XLV: Pseudo-Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca Book III, Chapter IV – Cadmus, Semele, Actaeon, or Meet Dionysus’s Grandpa”

Roman Epics XXI: Virgil’s Aeneid Book 12, or I Wonder If That’s How Virgil Wanted It To End

Wait. That’s the end?!? And as long promised, here is my favorite episode of Wishbone: Discussion Prompts Having watched the above, will you ever be able to read The Aeneid the same way again? What do you think of Aeneas’s actions at the end of Book 12? Juturna and Turnus. Discuss. Is this epic optimisticContinue reading “Roman Epics XXI: Virgil’s Aeneid Book 12, or I Wonder If That’s How Virgil Wanted It To End”

Roman Tragedy X: Seneca’s Hercules on Oeta, or The Long Kiss Goodnight

Hercules goes on and on and on and on and on… Discussion Prompts Do you think Seneca wrote this play? Explain. What does this play say about love? Who is the best stoic in this play? What does Alcmena show us about grief? Faith? The usual directing questions: How would you stage this? Dream cast?Continue reading “Roman Tragedy X: Seneca’s Hercules on Oeta, or The Long Kiss Goodnight”

Greek Myth XLIV: Pseudo-Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca Book III, Chapter III – Glaucus, or Who Knew Honey Was So Dangerous?!?

Glaucus dies. But don’t be nervous. It will all be all right in the end. Discussion Prompts Why do you think the color-changing cow is important? Why do you think that is the test for identifying the person who will save Glaucus? Spit-swapping. Discuss. Are there other myths or legends that involve drowning in honey?Continue reading “Greek Myth XLIV: Pseudo-Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca Book III, Chapter III – Glaucus, or Who Knew Honey Was So Dangerous?!?”

Roman Epics XX: Virgil’s Aeneid Book 11, or It’s Funeral Time!

It’s truce time! At least for a bit. Until it’s not. And once it’s not? It’s really not truce time anymore. Discussion Prompts AP Credit: Compare/contrast the funerals described in this book with those described in the Iliad. What do you think happens on Olympus after Apollo helps Arruns kill Diana’s beloved Camilla? Why isContinue reading “Roman Epics XX: Virgil’s Aeneid Book 11, or It’s Funeral Time!”

Roman Tragedy IX: Seneca’s Phoenissae, or I Think I Missed Something

What Phoenician women? No. Really. Where are they? Discussion Prompts Who is the best stoic in this play? What does this play have to say about parenthood and the relationship between parents and children? Write the fifth act of this play. Why do you think this play is called Phoenissae? Add a chorus to thisContinue reading “Roman Tragedy IX: Seneca’s Phoenissae, or I Think I Missed Something”

Greek Myth XLIII: Pseudo-Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca Book III, Chapter II – Catreus, or Agamemnon’s Dad is Who Again?

Catreus has some kids, and they also have some kids, and that’s the story in today’s episode. Discussion Prompts How fast of a runner is Apemosyne? Tell her story from her point of view. What do you think would have happened if Catreus hadn’t hid the oracles? Or hadn’t gone to the oracle at all?Continue reading “Greek Myth XLIII: Pseudo-Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca Book III, Chapter II – Catreus, or Agamemnon’s Dad is Who Again?”

212. Roman Epics XIX: Virgil’s Aeneid Book 10, or A Study in Scarlet

My professor described this book as “a study in violence,” so… fair warning? Discussion Prompts AP Credit: Discuss the deaths in this book as sacrifices for the founding of Rome. AP Credit: Compare/contrast the events of this book with The Iliad. Why do you think Fate is more powerful than the gods? Does Aeneas haveContinue reading “212. Roman Epics XIX: Virgil’s Aeneid Book 10, or A Study in Scarlet”

Roman Tragedy VIII: Seneca’s Thyestes, or Well, That Explains the Curse

And this is why the House of Atreus can’t have nice things… Discussion Prompts AP Credit: Discuss human sacrifice in the family of Tantalus. Who is the best stoic in this play? Why? What do you imagine Seneca’s source material might have looked like? How might it have told this story differently? Why do youContinue reading “Roman Tragedy VIII: Seneca’s Thyestes, or Well, That Explains the Curse”

Greek Myth XLII: Pseudo-Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca Book III, Chapter I – Europa, Minos, Pasiphae, or A Lot of Bulls

First there’s the Zeus bull. Then there’s the Poseidon bull. Then there’s the Man-Bull… I couldn’t find a free image I could easily drop into this post about Minoan bull-leaping, so instead I recommend this excellent article about the practice. Discussion Prompts Why bulls? AP Credit: Discuss these myths in relation to what we knowContinue reading “Greek Myth XLII: Pseudo-Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca Book III, Chapter I – Europa, Minos, Pasiphae, or A Lot of Bulls”