Tag: Classics

Renting with Romans

During a summer seminar at the University of Illinois, I got the opportunity to attend an optional session on papyrology, the study of reading ancient materials written on…

Reflections on the Banks of the Tiber

Like so many significant events throughout the history of the Western world, my humanities moment begins on the banks of the River Tiber in Rome. I had just…

The Power of Mythological Thinking

As a teacher of classical mythology, Poliakoff explains that the challenge he presents to his students—and that myths present to contemporary readers—is to understand how such ancient stories…

Haunted by Homer’s Sirens

“About seven months ago, our son was in a tragic ski accident, and was in a coma for close to a month. And during that really painful time,…

The Golden Line

I started learning Latin in seventh grade because I decided it was the most difficult course I could take, and I had something to prove. I was an…

Reading St. Augustine’s Confessions in Latin

Carol Quillen describes how, growing up, her initial insights and perceptions came from what she calls promiscuous reading — reading anything and everything and then finding connections among…

Meeting the Last Man on Planet Earth Who Could Speak Latin

A single question changed the course of my life. When I first began studying Latin in 1996, it was a dead language, no doubt about it. It was…

“For the Sake of a Cloud”

While taking Latin in high school, I became fascinated by the story of the Trojan War. I loved the interconnected perspectives of soldiers, royalty, deities, and ordinary people….