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purple motes

Artifacts to help you imagine more.

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Highlights

  • Abelard castrated
  • Byzantine wife saves husband
  • Amphitryon & Geta duped
  • Chastelaine de Vergi tragedy
  • Aristotle’s advice to Alexander
  • Empress Theodora: woman leader
  • Tristan & Isuet
  • Xanthippe & Socrates
  • New Modern Sexism Scale

Athenaeus

Telesphorus tortured & killed for witty criticism of Arsinoe

Ascalabus criticized the goddess Demeter’s drinking. Telesphorus criticized Arsinoe for boozing. As always, criticizing women is disastrous for men. … Read the post Telesphorus tortured & killed for witty criticism of Arsinoe

funny monkey: Parmeniscus laughing at statue of Apollo’s mother

In context in Athenaeus, Parmeniscus laughing at a statue of Apollo’s mother Leto came from the Delphic Oracle’s wisdom about the ugly divine mother. … Read the post funny monkey: Parmeniscus laughing at statue of Apollo’s mother

al-Jahiz’s misers offer rich framework for reading Athenaeus’s banqueters

Al-Jahiz’s readers appreciated literary works like Athenaeus’ Learned Banqueters. Cultural heritage conflicted the Roman Empire like the Abbasid Caliphate. … Read the post al-Jahiz’s misers offer rich framework for reading Athenaeus’s banqueters

Bacchis gives necklace to Colophon so he could sleep with Plangon

In ancient Greece, Bacchis showed loving generosity for her boyfriend Colophon by giving him her necklace so he could sleep with the courtesan Plangon. … Read the post Bacchis gives necklace to Colophon so he could sleep with Plangon

Cato the Elder understood Pythionice’s public prominence

Drawing upon wisdom of Cato the Elder, one recognizes that women like Pythionice are the most powerful persons in urbanized human societies. Women rule. … Read the post Cato the Elder understood Pythionice’s public prominence

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