Classical Studies Blog
Three Lessons from Plutarch
Maia Lindsay (Dickinson ’28) reads Plutarch’s Lives of Caesar and Cicero and finds that, for all the flaws in the “great man” view of history, stories like those told by Plutarch do have some merit. They show what a single person is capable of, for good or for ill, and remind us that we’ll never … Continue reading Three Lessons from Plutarch
Penelope’s Odyssey
Rachel Pistol (Dickinson ’25) looks at two modern re-tellings of the Odyssey from Penelope’s point of view, Milica Paranosic’s opera Penelope and the Geese (2019) and Margaret Atwood’s Penelopiad (2005) and finds that, despite their differences, both acknowledge the complexities of womanhood more effectively than Homer’s original. In the Odyssey, Penelope is depicted as having … Continue reading Penelope’s Odyssey
Why Did Aeneas Kill Turnus?
Allie Hershey (’25) argues that Vergil subverts our expectations of heroism by not painting Aeneas as a perfectly good Roman. Rather, he portrays him as a realistic role model to Roman citizens. Turnus, on the other hand, while he has many good qualities, represents “force without wisdom.” Vergil, Aeneid 10.491-10.497, 10.500-10.505, translated by Allie Hershey: … Continue reading Why Did Aeneas Kill Turnus?
The Tragic and Powerful Myth of Queen Dido
Lindsay Werner (’25) explores the powerful and passionate language used by Dido as she confronts her faithless lover Aeneas in Book 4 of Vergil’s Aeneid. Vergil, Aeneid 4.365–370, 373-376, 382-387, translated by Lindsay Werner: You do not have a goddess as your parent, nor is Dardanus the founder of your line, treacherous man; but the … Continue reading The Tragic and Powerful Myth of Queen Dido
Unraveling Turnus—The Tragic Hero of Vergil’s Aeneid (7.435-463)
Sarah Tessler (’25) examines the scene in the seventh Book of the Aeneid in which the fury Allecto infects Turnus with war frenzy. Through Turnus’ character arc, she argues, Vergil emphasizes the devastating consequences of conflict, including a loss of individual identity, and the inevitable cycle of violence and suffering. Hic iuvenis vatem inridens sic … Continue reading Unraveling Turnus—The Tragic Hero of Vergil’s Aeneid (7.435-463)
The Sacrifice of Palinurus (Aeneid 5.851-871)
Lucian Kapushoc (’25) discusses the meaning of the Palinurus episode at the end of the the fifth Book of the Aeneid, assesses two recent translations, those of Robert Fagles (2006 and Sarah Ruden (2021), and provides his own translation. talia dicta dabat, clauumque adfixus et haerens nusquam amittebat oculosque sub astra tenebat. ecce deus ramum … Continue reading The Sacrifice of Palinurus (Aeneid 5.851-871)
Translating Rumor (Vergil, Aeneid 4.173-197)
Virginia Hargraves (’27) discusses the Rumor passage in Book 4 of the Aeneid, examining the recent translations of Shadi Bartsch and Sarah Ruden, then offers an adaptation of her own, based on “Rumor Has It” by Adele. Extemplo Libyae magnas it Fama per urbes, Fama, malum qua non aliud uelocius ullum: mobilitate uiget uirisque adquirit … Continue reading Translating Rumor (Vergil, Aeneid 4.173-197)
Metrics and Style in Ovid’s Metamorphoses
Haydon Alexander (’24) argues that the relative quickness of Ovid’s hexameter lines is a key aspect of his style. Towards the end of his life, Ovid wrote letters to friends in Rome describing the misery of his exile on the frontier of the empire in what is now Romania. In a letter addressed to Cornelius … Continue reading Metrics and Style in Ovid’s Metamorphoses
Ovid and the Female Experience
Ovid’s mythological heroines can display heightened reactions to their situations which everyday women can still relate to, argues Kimberly Tyson (’25) Heroides (“Heroines”) by the Roman poet Ovid is a series of verse letters written in the voices of mythological women. Each character composes a letter to her lover, airing grievances that both her lover … Continue reading Ovid and the Female Experience
Ovid’s Thank You to Roman Women
Lindsay Werner (’25) examines the roles of women in Roman religion, as seen in Ovid’s Fasti How did ancient Roman women participate in religious rituals and pray to the gods? How did Roman religion reflect the values of Roman women? We can find partial answers to these questions in Ovid’s Fasti, sometimes translated as “The … Continue reading Ovid’s Thank You to Roman Women