Hull Classical Association

A reminder that our next talk will be this Friday, 24th April at 7pm at the usual venue, Oasis Hub on Newland Ave (310 Newland Avenue, Hull, HU5 2NB)

We look forward to welcoming Anne Everest, who will be revisiting the mythological theme of many Hull Classical Association talks and speaking to us about the Ancient Greek tragedians' heroine, Antigone. Was she a hero or a victim?

All are welcome - particularly those with an interest in Greek mythology!

Free tickets can be reserved here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1986466639192?aff=oddtdtcreator

As always, this event is free with donations gratefully received.

See you there!

The Stamford Bridge Heritage Society invites you to join them on Saturday 9th May for a lecture from Dr. Kevin Leahy on "Arthur, King of Lindsey". It looks like a wonderful day!

Have you ever not wanted to do something so badly, you just want to wrap yourself in your duvet and be left alone?

Well, you wouldn't be alone. In this respect, you're just like one of the greatest Ancient Greek warriors, Achilles.

Achilles refuses to re-enter the Trojan war because his honor has been deeply wounded. Agamemnon, the Greek commander, publicly insults him by taking Briseis, the woman awarded to Achilles as a prize of war. To Achilles, this is not merely personal loss but a direct attack on his status, pride, and reputation among the Greeks (his timê). Feeling disrespected and unappreciated despite his unmatched skill in battle, he withdraws in anger and chooses not to fight. His decision is driven by rage, wounded pride, and a desire to prove that the Greeks depend on him, forcing them to recognize his worth and dignity.

I am certain that we have all felt such indignation, at one time or another. And so, behold, Achilles as a blanket burrito as depicted on a red figure vase.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

It may be a surprise to learn that the daffodils which are presently so splendidly gracing our roadside verges in celebration of Spring have classical connotations with Death.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the name "daffodil" comes to us via old French and Latin from the Greek asphodelos (ασφοδελος). The initial "d" is thought to have been added from the Dutch article "de", the Dutch being a main supplier of daffodil bulbs.

But the asphodel is an entirely different plant. It is a hardy herbaceous perennial with spiky narrow leaves, an elongated stem and white or pink flowers, and is not considered beautiful at all. According to Homer's Odyssey, in Hades the pale lifeless shadows of the dead walk through the "asphodel meadow" . Some think that the association with Hades comes from the asphodel flower's greyish, ghostly quality.

What could be in starker contrast to the joy of golden daffodils? However the confusion between the two plants first arose, it seems that the name daffodil came, in the 16th century, after a period of interchangeable use, to exclusively signify the "genus narcissus".

Even if the meadows of Hades were not carpeted with daffodils, this golden bloom is still connected with Death. For, according to the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, they were deliberately set as a trap for Proserpina. Charmed by their beauty and reaching out for one, Proserpina's distraction gave Pluto just the opportunity he needed to suddenly rise up from the Underworld and sn**ch her away in his chariot to be his Queen and to preside over the Dead.

The sad situation is described in Winter's Tale:

"O Proserpina,
For the flowers now that, frighted, thou let'st fall
From Dis's waggon! Daffodils
That come before the swallow dares, and take
The winds of March with beauty.."

Image depicts asphodelus plants flowering under a forest of trees. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Come one, come all to the next Hull Classical Association talk!

We are thrilled to share that we have yet another exciting talk coming up!

On Friday April 24th at 7pm, Anne Everest will give a talk entitled "Antigone: Hero or Victim?" where she will discuss the tragic Theban princess who appears in several 5th century BCE Greek plays.

Before the talk, we will host a reading group to which everyone is invited. We will read part of the play in translation at Hull University library on 16th April at 6.30pm.

Please either comment below or email [email protected] if you intend to join, so that we know how many copies to print!

Thank you to everyone who made it to Dr. Peter Halkon's talk on Friday evening!

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.

Happy spring!

In these lighter days as we see trees gradually resume their joyful green, we might reflect on the metaphor of leaves as hopeful symbols of renewal and regeneration in spring, but in autumn as sad reminders of mortality.

These are themes which are central to the Iliad. Like a feeble leaf, the warrior hero has a glorious but brief life. In Book 6, in the heat of battle, one warrior has time to say to another,

"As is the family of leaves, so it is also with men:
The wind scatters the leaves on the ground, but the forest breaks
Into bud and make more when the spring season comes round.
So with the family of men, one generation grows and another ceases."

The pathos is heightened by the brutality of war. But, of course, the same is true of humankind generally - not just warriors. In Book 21, one god (Apollo) reflects to another (Poseidon) that humans are:

"Wretched creatures, who like leaves at one time flourish in a
Blaze of glory, feeding on the fruits of the tilled earth and
At another wither spiritlessly away."

Virgil applied the same metaphor in Book 6 Aeneid, where in the underworld Aeneas sees vast numbers of dead spirits by the river,

"as many as the leaves in the woods which loosen and fall at the first frost of autumn."

The leaf metaphor has a long rich history in literature, including the Bible, Dante, and of course Simon and Garfunkel:

"Time hurries on
And the leaves that are green turn to brown.
And they wither with the wind
And they crumble in your hand."

Image depicts a wall painting from Stabiae (close to Pomepii, also destroyed in the earthquake of 79 CE). Against a vivid green background, a woman with fair hair and facing away from the viewer, walks with a cornucopia in her left arm and gently running her right hand through tall flowers. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons.

In Greek mythology, Perseus and Heracles represent two different models of heroism. Perseus’s success is connected to the direct assistance of the gods, who provide him with the tools necessary to accomplish his heroic task. Before confronting Medusa, Perseus receives several divine gifts: Athena gives him a polished shield that allows him to view Medusa’s reflection safely, while Hermes provides a sword and winged sandals to aid his movement. Additional magical items, such as a bag to contain Medusa’s head, further enable Perseus to complete the task successfully.

By contrast, Heracles is characterized primarily by his extraordinary physical strength and endurance. Although he is the son of Zeus, his achievements rely less on magical tools and more on his own abilities. His most famous accomplishments occur during the Twelve Labours of Heracles, a series of extremely difficult tasks that require immense power, courage, and perseverance. Unlike Perseus, Heracles demonstrates a form of heroism based on personal strength and resilience rather than divine equipment.

Both heroes were revered by the Greeks and Romans alike, but what social function did such stories serve? Why did they remain popular for so many centuries? And why are they still popular today?

Image depicts decoration from a Corinthian black-figure amphora in which Perseus is rescuing Andromeda from the sea monster, Ceto. Over his arm, he carries a bag containing Medusa's head. Dated: 575-550 BC
Source: Wikimedia Commons

This is papyrus fragment number Oxyrhynchus Pap. 2331, also known as the "Heracles Papyrus". It is a 3rd century CE text from the Egyptian desert, which contains a poem - written in Greek - about the Twelve Labours of Herakles (Roman: Hercules).

What is remarkable about this papyrus is not only its state of preservation, which is very good in comparison with the thousands of other fragments we possess, but also the drawings contained within it. The coloured line drawings depict the first of Herakles' labours: the killing of the Nemean Lion.

This fragment contains one of the very few extant examples of classical literary illustration, and one wonders what purpose it served. Was it a children's story? Was it for personal use? Was it simply writing practice? Was someone bored? As with many papyri, we will never know.

Did you know how much ancient history is on our doorstep?

The Roman site of Petuaria was founded around AD 70 as a Roman auxiliary fort shortly after the Roman conquest of northern Britain. The fort occupied a strategic position controlling river crossings and trade routes, especially the road leading to Eboracum (modern York).

After the army left around AD 125, the fort developed into a civilian town, or "civitas", which became the administrative centre for the Celtic tribe known as the Parisi. The town expanded and was eventually enclosed by a strong stone wall several feet thick.

Archaeological excavations have uncovered defensive walls, buildings, pottery, coins, and other artefacts that show the town continued to be occupied into the late Roman period. Today, much of the site lies beneath the Burrs playing fields in Brough, though ongoing archaeological projects continue to reveal new information about the settlement and its importance in Roman Britain.

Join us on 27th March at 7pm as we welcome Dr. Peter Halkon of the University of Hull to talk to us about the ongoing excavations at Petuaria. Dr. Halkon is one of the dig directors of the Petuaria Re:Visited project, which runs accessible excavations in Brough.

As always, tickets are free with donations gratefully accepted. Tickets can be reserved here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1984420364730?aff=oddtdtcreator

For more information on the on-going archaeological work happening at Petuaria, please visit:

https://petuariarevisited.co.uk/

A very exciting opportunity for any teachers in the Hull area who may be interested!

NEC bursaries - The Classical Association A Level Classical Civilisation with the National Extension College The Classical Association is offering up to three* study bursaries for state sector teachers to take online A level Classical Civilisation with the National Extension College (NEC): APPLY HERE Learners enrolled

Thank you to everyone who made it to Dr. Janet Watson's talk last week! We had a wonderful evening and look forward to seeing you at our next talk in March, when we will welcome Dr. Peter Halkon to discuss the archaeological work happening on our doorstep, in Brough, at the ancient Roman site of Petuaria.