Weekly Roundup of History, Archaeology and Writing Wisdom Nov 28- Dec 4

This week I lost my best buddy, Socrates the philosopher dog. He succumbed to cancer. I will miss him under my desk keeping me at my writing and warming our hearts with his generous, sweet nature. Every morning after his walk, he would fuss at me until I sat down and got to work. His favorite day was a quiet one with mom at her desk after a sociable walk with his canine and human friends. He was smart and intuitive. We were always amazed at how much he understood when we talked to him. My husband and I are crushed that we’ve lost our happy, sensitive companion. He always knew just what each person needed. Socrates was the best of dogs.

Here are some posts I enjoyed this week from around the web:

Did the amphipolis tomb commemorate Hephaistion? The huge tomb at Amphipolis, Greece, which to date has revealed 3 sets of bones, 1 female, 2 male, mosaics and statues, still poses the question: for whom was it built? The archaeological team apparently gave a talk proposing the tomb was built in Hephaistion’s honor, the companion of Alexander the Great. This post analyses that evidence and finds it weak. This explanation certainly doesn’t answer who is buried there since we know Hephaistion’s body was burnt on a huge pyre in Babylon. Click here for Greek Reporter “Did the Amphipolis Tomb commemorate Hephaistion?”

A gorgeous volume of the Mycenae Museum is available online for free viewing. It is one of an impressive collection funded one per year by the Latsis Foundation (Thebes, Acropolis, Pella, Piraeus, etc). Click through to view any of them, whether for research or sheer enjoyment. Both the commentary and the photos are breathtaking. Here’s the Foundation’s mission: “a volume dedicated to an archaeological museum of the country is published each year, aiming to create a series of albums which, with their scientific validity and their aesthetic approach, contribute to the deeper knowledge and understanding of the individual pages of the history of Greek culture.” How’s that to brighten a day? Click here for Latsis Foundation Mycenae Museum book along with links to all the other museum books in the collection

An interview with Caroline Alexander about her new translation of the Iliad. I suspect she’s met her goal when she says she aimed at the “translation of record.” Everything she says about this translation makes me want to read it. Personally I’ve never liked the Fagles translation which has taken over lately—here characterized as “muscular”, which is correct, “bombastic” might work and his read of Achilles is dreadful. I’ve recommended the Lombardo translation since my teaching colleague Robert Crawford introduced me to it years ago. There has been a minor flurry of translations lately, but this one feels right to me so far. I’ll have to get it and put it in the pile of must-reads. Click here for Wall Stree Journal interview with Caroline Alexander