Maggots are creatures born in death. They evolve around decay to later breed upon rot; multiplying by the hundreds in the most decrepit of places. Yet beauty can always be found in the macabre. In his work Μυίας Ἐγκώμιον, Lucian eloquently makes a case for the neutrality and beauty of the most common household pest:… Continue reading Audrey’s Literary Analysis: Lucian’s “Praise of the Fly”
Category: Erga
Creative Adaptation – Francis
For this ergon, I decided to make a zine! I am in the zine club at Bryn Mawr, and during the meeting I was struck with inspiration to draw a (very) pared down version of our first Herodotus reading. I found this reading really funny, so I wanted to write from the perspective of Solon… Continue reading Creative Adaptation – Francis
Literary Analysis Ergon by Jie
In his article “Of Sacrifice” (De Sacrificiis), Lucian presents a sharp satirical critique of the religious practices of the ancient Greeks, particularly the ritual of sacrifice. Through a series of poignant observations, he highlights some of the ironies inherent in the way people worshipped their gods. At the onset, Lucian underscores the anthropomorphism of Greek… Continue reading Literary Analysis Ergon by Jie
Ana’s Literary Analysis Ergon
Lucian’s On Sacrifice Satire is a complicated genre; and it is extremely hard to write effectively. Often satirical works today fail to get their message across by being too offensive and/or angry, the jokes and jabs simply do not land as intended. Which is why it is so amazing when you are able to… Continue reading Ana’s Literary Analysis Ergon
Tiger’s Literary Analysis Ergon
This Ergon is a Literary Analysis of Herodotus’ Histories, 1.205-1.216. The theme of this excerpt is Cyrus’ campaign against the Massagetai, which, according to Herodotus, was the last expedition Cyrus undertook. The Massagetai were a neighboring people of the expanding Persian empire ruled by Cyrus, who, after conquering Lydia and harnessing the support of Croesus,… Continue reading Tiger’s Literary Analysis Ergon
Cutting-Edge Classics Ergon – Ellie
Dr. Robin Osborne of King’s College began his lecture with an excerpt from James Whitley which discusses the burial practices of different ancient cultures through the years. He explains that though this passage can seem merely descriptive, it has embedded in it mountains of assumptions on which archaeologists and historians alike have been operating for… Continue reading Cutting-Edge Classics Ergon – Ellie
