It’s been a bad week. Not for me, particularly – but all week I’ve been hearing from people who are miserable. For some it’s just the general gloom that January seems to bring with it – but others are dealing with chronic pain, bereavement and other awful things.
So I’ve spent the week doling out extensions and extending sympathy. And now I think it’s time for another round-up of the finest classical silliness the internet has to offer, for everybody who’s having a rotten January. Enjoy!
(Next week I’ll be heading to the British Museum for the Troy exhibition, so expect LOTS of pictures!)
(And if you want more, here’s a compilation I made earlier…)
This week’s classical links
News
A world-class Roman attraction in York – Northern Echo
The secret fort – Chronicle
Antigone review – The Guardian
Sappho and Christie’s – Faces and Voices
Comment and opinion
In the shadow of Vesuvius – Spectator USA
The advantages of learning dead languages – Reader’s Digest
When women translate the Classics – The Week
Hesiod on Eros – The Historian’s Hut
Teaching Classics in schools – CUCD Bulletin
Reflections on Classics in America – Ad Meliora
The history of Mount Olympus – Classical Wisdom Weekly
Latin phrases to make you sound smarter – Reader’s Digest
Insights from philosophers – Thrive Global
On guilty pleasures – Eidolon
Coming up…
2020 Undergraduate Awards now open (until June) – The Global Undergraduate Awards
The 2020 International Lego Classicism Day is coming up in February (yes, I’ll be doing something – but I don’t know what yet!) …
Classical Studies Support 
Well, not to rub any salt in the wound but to say it’s January I’m pretty chipper! Throwing myself headlong into research usually helps take my mind off the woes of the world! Although I am on my 5th email of the day to yet another library in desperate hope of tracking down a bloody book.
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This could turn out to be the hardest part of your research, Tony…!
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January ay.. I haven’t seen the sun in 5 days.. vitamin D tablets ususally does the trick. Block 3 TMA coming up.. not depressed, just feeling the pangs of panic is all..
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Based on the phonecalls I’ve had this week, many people are feeling the panic too…!
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What did depress me was meeting some friends of friends last weekend two of whom just finished their phd’s.. they told me that I was wasting my time because no university would employ me even if I had a phd, because my MA is from the OU.. I don’t believe them for a second, but the confidence in which they said threw me a bit…
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Ha! I bet others will chip in on this… but a lot of studies have shown that employers are very impressed by the initiative and dedication of OU students. In my experience, that’s really true – and I’ve helped lot of people to find jobs!
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Hope you have a great time at the Troy exhibition. I enjoyed it very much. Did you see my comments about it that I sent to you last week – particularly the placement of the exhibit labels?
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No, Pam, I didn’t… wonder what happened there… Is the placement of the labels odd?
Really looking forward to it…!
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Yes, some of them are at ankle height, so if anyone steps in front of the LED lighting shining from the ceiling onto the exhibits, the labels are cast into shadow. I’m not sure what your current e-mail address is, so if you would like to send it to me, I’ll re-send you my rambling thoughts on the exhibition.
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That sounds irritating! Will send current email address – always interested in rambling thoughts!
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Thanks Cora Beth.. and thats what I thought anyway.. just the arrogance and confidence of telling me I was wasting my time.. that’s so weird right? I’ll keep steaming ahead and enjoying the course..
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@Pamherbert… the mithreaum exhibition was a bit like that.. sounds and structure made the exhibition but the lighting was odd.. i’d rec4the mithreaum exhibition in London.. its free
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Costas – I keep meaning to go to see the mithraeum, but on the odd occasion I’m in London, I don’t seem to get time. I think a longer break would be in order!
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Hi Pam.. it’s free, but you have to book a time online, they only let a certain amount of people in at one go. It’s worth it..
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Recommended…. sausage fingers
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https://www.londonmithraeum.com/visit/
The chanting is amazing. (Even if it might not have actually sounded that way) it creates the perfect atmosphere surrounded by the structure.
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