James Romm, Professor of Classics at Bard College, friend and board member of Reading Odyssey, provides in this podcast a guide to prononuncation in Homer.
This short podcast is intended for anyone reading Homer and especially for Reading Odyssey readers tackling Homer for the first time.
—
About this guide to pronunciation
Tips on pronuncitation are very important for first-time readers of the Iliad. Readers often get intimidated by the names or experience some doubt when subvocalizing (subvocalization is silent speech) yet part of the power and beauty of the poetry comes from the music of the names.
Professor James Romm has faced this question of helping first-time readers pronounce the names when teaching his students at Bard. He has them read aloud sections of Homer and they invariably experience anxiety attacks becauase they don’t know how to handle the names.
He also faced this questions when writing his recently published and well-reviewed book, Ghost on the Throne, the first thorough account for the general reader about what happened after the death of Alexander the Great – a moment in history that many historians not to mention average readers know very little about but was quite important in the development of the Hellenistic world and the later Roman Empire
—
About Professor James Romm
James Romm is an author and the James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics at Bard College in Annandale, NY. He specializes in ancient Greek and Macedonian history, but has also worked on imperial Rome. He has held the Guggenheim Fellowship (1999-2000) and various fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and is currently Birkelund Fellow at the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Writers and Scholars at the New York Public Library (2010-11). He’s a member of the board of Reading Odyssey and lives in the Hudson Valley with his wife, artist Tanya Marcuse, and three children.
27. December 2011 by Phil Terry
Categories: Commentary, Commentary, Homer-Iliad, Homer-Odyssey |
Tags: Homer, Iliad, James Romm, pronunciation |
Comments Off on The Music of the Proper Names in Homer – A Guide to Pronunication
Here’s the audio recording for the Arrian Book 7 conference call (Andre’s group). Listen online or download the mp3 file and listen to it as a podcast on your ipod.
08. November 2011 by astipanovic
Categories: Arrian-Alexander, Reader Call |
Comments Off on Arrian Book 7 Conference Call Recording (Andre’s Group)
James Romm, editor of The Landmark Arrian, which we are reading now in two Reading Odyssey groups and the author of the newly published, Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and the War for Crown and Empire, will be speaking at the New York Public Library tomorrow, Wednesday, November 2, 2011 from 7pm to 9pm.
Would you like to join other Reading Odyssey readers for this wonderful event?
If so, you can register free here:
http://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2011/11/02/james-romm-and-daniel-mendelso…
Thanks,
Phil
01. November 2011 by Phil Terry
Categories: Uncategorized |
Tags: Alexander the Great, Landmark Arrian |
Comments Off on James Romm at the New York Public Library, Wed Nov 2?
It’s not much of a review, but I’ll pass on the link to my post on James Romm’s recent release Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and the War for Crown and Empire. If you have enjoyed The Landmark Arrian you will definitely enjoy Romm’s book–highly recommended. It expands the first eleven sections of his Epilogue “The Breakup and Decline of Alexander’s Empire” and goes into greater detail. After the break I’ll include the paragraph I specifically included for anyone in the reading group interested in reading this book:
Continue Reading →
20. October 2011 by dwightgreen
Categories: Arrian-Alexander, Commentary |
Tags: Alexander the Great, Landmark Arrian |
1 comment
1. Life after the East [7.1-7.3 , pp. 273-278]
What were Alexander’s long range goals after exploring the Persian gulf? What would have made the most sense at this point? Arrian’s assertion that Alexander “would have sought beyond the known for something unknown, vying with himself in the absence of any other rival” (p. 274) suggests two things. What drove Alexander to seek for the most? making the unknown known? or being challenged by someone at his level (i.e. consider how he regarded Darius)? This early part of book VII is concerned with mortality and how one should live. What do the examples of Indian sages like Dandamis and Kalanos bring up with respect to Alexander and his character? How does Arrian himself seem to blend eastern and western customs, somewhat like the pictures on p. 277 suggest?
2. Macedonian-Persian tensions [7.4- 7.6, pp. 278-282]
Arrian’s historical narrative resumes here where the end of Book VI left off as Alexander discovers how his subordinates have been administering their respective satrapies while he was away in the East. Punishment of irresponsible administrators is contrasted with generous rewards to others, including lavish wedding ceremonies uniting Macedonian men with Asian brides. What are Alexander’s intentions for re-gaining power at this point (7.4)? How are these intentions received by his people? In 7.5, Alexander’s generosity of offering to pay all his soldiers’ debts is met with skepticism. Why? In 7.6, how do Alexander’s decisions to integrate Persian and Macedonian troops fit into his overall strategy to either maintain his empire or expand it? What criticism could be made about Alexander’s judgment at this point? Overall, is Alexander’s identity more Persian or Macedonian at this point?
3. Soothing the Macedonian rancor [7.7-7.12, pp. 282-291]
In 7.7, Alexander is concerned with the waterways in Babylonia. Coupled with the decommissioning of Macedonian veterans in 7.8, how might these decisions fall into line with a larger strategy for future operations? Why are the Macedonian veterans still reluctant to trust Alexander’s judgment? Do you believe that Alexander is trying to reward these veterans or get rid of them (or both)? Sections 7.9-7.10 record a speech that is an effective overview of Philip’s and Alexander’s achievements as kings of Macedonia. What is the main theme of this speech and what does that tell us about Alexander’s goal in trying to win over his men? Based on Alexander’s main concerns in this speech, what did Alexander believe his men were most unsure about? In the concluding paragraphs (7.10.5-7), what do you suppose Alexander is most concerned with concerning his discharged troops? After the speech, what does Alexander do to help win over his troops the most? What does the celebration banquet (7.11.8-9) do to re-emphasize Alexander’s main goal for his empire?
4. Hephaistion’s death [7.13-7.14, pp. 291- 294]
After Hephaistion’s death at Ecbatana, Arrian relates many stories about Alexander’s reaction and grief (7.14.1-7). Whether true or false, the plethora of stories alone seems to testify to a certain public importance that Hephaistion had for Alexander. Which (if any) of these stories does Arrian endorse and why? How did Alexander’s closest companions react to Hephaistion’s death? Did they do this out of reverence for Hephaistion or for Alexander?
5. Alexander’s entrance into Bablyon [7.15-7.18, pp.294-302]
Alexander’s reverence for the Babylonian seers is quite a different matter. For instance, he is said to have quoted Euripides: “The best of seers is he who guesses well” (296). Does Arrian hold Alexander’s disavowal of the prophets to blame for Alexander’s death? How does Arrian characterize Alexander’s upcoming death in the greater scheme of things? How much stock does Arrian put into prophecies like Peithagoras’ (7.18.1-5) and Kalanos’ (7.18.6)?
6. Preparations for Arabia [7.19-7.21 , pp. 302-306]
How does Arrian characterize the military plans and preparations for a supposed campaign against Arabia? On the other hand, how does Arrian explain Alexander’s judgment concerning the gods with respect to this upcoming Arabian campaign? Why is Arabia so difficult to circumnavigate? How is it proving as difficult to conquer or discover as perhaps India had been? Are Alexander’s efforts with the Pallacotta canal at all helpful towards the goal of invading Arabia?
7. Alexander’s Death [7.22- 7.30, pp. 307-315]
How does the omen of the diadem (7.22.2-5) read symbolically of Alexander’s upcoming death? How close is Alexander getting towards deification as he nears his death? Does Arrian believe in just punishment for man’s hubris? How does the omen of the unknown criminal sitting on the throne relate (if at all) to the omen of the diadem in terms of Alexander’s death? How does the account of Alexander’s fever and illness sound in terms of his almost superhuman reputation and power? According to Arrian, how effective would it have been to put Alexander in the temple of Sarapis? How can we read his “better” comment? How objective is Arrian in terms of the final description of Alexander’s character? his legacy?
8. After Alexander [Epilogue, pp. 317-324]
After reading James Romm’s epilogue, how efficiently managed was Alexander’s empire? Was there any difference in the level of management after Alexander’s death? How could the empire have been administered differently? How much better than the Persians did Alexander administer the empire? How well had Alexander managed to integrate the Greeks back in Europe with Macedonia? Were the chances good that a blood relation to Alexander could have taken over Alexander’s throne? Was it possible for any of the surviving generals to have taken Alexander’s place of authority?
15. October 2011 by astipanovic
Categories: Arrian-Alexander, Study Questions |
1 comment
Here’s the audio recording for the Arrian Book 6 conference call (Andre’s group). Listen online or download the mp3 file and listen to it as a podcast on your ipod.
04. October 2011 by astipanovic
Categories: Arrian-Alexander, Reader Call |
Comments Off on Arrian Book 6 Conference Call Recording (Andre’s Group)
Professor Paul Cartledge, A.G. Leventis Professor Greek Culture, Cambridge University and Hellenic Parliament Global Distinguished Professor in the History and Theory of Democracy at New York University, delivered on September 21, 2011 in front of a live global webinar audience the final lecture of the Reading Odyssey’s Marathon2500 program.
Other scholars joined Professor Cartledge including Professor James Romm of Bard, Professor John Marincola of Florida State, Professor Thomas Harrison of Liverpool University and Independent Scholar Robert Strassler. Further, a number of scholars sent in their thoughts on the significance of the anniversary (see the slides below for their quotes).
Listen here to Professor Cartledge’s final Marathon2500 lecture delivered on the actual date of the 2,500 year anniversary of the Battle of Marathon – September 21, 2011:
See the slides:
About Marathon2500
With the support of several of the world’s best Hellenic scholars and sports historians, Marathon2500 commemorated the 2,500-year anniversary of the Battle of Marathon with nine lectures between September 2010 and September 2011 on the cultural, intellectual and athletic legacy of the battle. Delivered before live audiences, webcast online and archived for listening on demand, Marathon2500 was a program of the Reading Odyssey chaired by Professor Paul Cartledge. To multiply the impact around the world, the Reading Odyssey worked with libraries, community centers, universities, colleges, high schools, museums and sports organizations to create satellite listening centers (see more about the remote lecture network here).
Marathon2500 Podcast Library
Professor Paul Cartledge and the Reading Odyssey have preserved the Marathon2500 lecture series in podcast format for readers, students and scholars.
To access the whole library, click here: http://www.marathon2500.org/podcasts
– – –
Professor Paul Cartledge Biography
For Professor Paul Cartledge’s full biography, please visit this link (and scroll to the bottom): http://readingodyssey.com/paul-cartledge-marathon2500-launch
25. September 2011 by Phil Terry
Categories: Marathon2500 |
Tags: Battle of Marathon, James Romm, John Marincola, Marathon2500, Paul Cartledge, Robert Strassler, Thomas Harrison |
Comments Off on Paul Cartledge “The Context and Meaning of the Battle of Marathon – Why We Have Been Celebrating the 2,500 Year Anniversary of the Battle of Marathon” – Marathon2500 Lecture #9
1. The trip downriver begins [6.1-6.5, pp. 237-241]
Alexander seems interested in exploring the Indus river valleys as his army travels southward toward the Indian Ocean. What is his interest in the geography of India at this point? Does his curiosity about new lands or military goals seem more important to him? Does Alexander’s army seem to be retreating in despair or gallantly marching forward as they begin their way back west? Why is the god Dionysos mentioned again in 6.3-5? What threats does Alexander’s army still have to face even though they are supposedly returning home? What seems to be more of a threat at this point, the geography or the tribes of India?
2. Alexander the hero [6.6-6.10, pp. 241-245]
When encountering the Malloi, Arrian portrays Alexander as personally leading assaults and even sanctioning the massacre of enemy forces. How do Alexander’s Macedonian troops perform with respect to other forces under Alexander’s command? What do Alexander’s personal heroics accomplish with respect to his men? Why does Alexander continue to risk his own personal safety? Is Alexander being more or less reckless at this point?
3. The telling of Alexander’s exploits [6.11, pp. 246-249]
What do Arrian’s questions about historical accuracy tell us about his own reliance on sources? What are his primary concerns about the accuracy in telling Alexander’s story? Are we in any way convinced about Arrian’s argument and conclusions concerning the “real” story?
4. Alexander’s mortality [6.12-6.16, pp. 249-252]
Alexander’s close encounter with death brings out grave concern in his men. What are his men most concerned about? Why is Alexander unable to keep himself safe in the midst of battle? How are diplomatic relations with Indian tribes different after the campaign against the Malloi? What legacy does Alexander intend to leave in the Indus river valley? Why did Alexander feel the need to kill the Brahmans?
5. Indus delta exploration [6.17- 6.20, pp. 253-256]
After dealing with resistance from the delta tribes, Alexander must have felt secure enough to “draw down” his forces by sending off Krateros with some of the Macedonian army westward along an inland route. Meanwhile, Alexander leads the rest of his army and as well as his navy toward the Indian Ocean coast. What do you suppose the reasons are for this split up of the army? Why does Alexander insist on taking a different route? Why is Alexander’s encounter with the Indian Ocean marked with ceremony and what could it symbolize with respect to his campaign intentions? Why is Alexander concerned with establishing cities in this region in particular? Does it seem that he is in any way planning to return to India relatively soon?
6. Campaign against coastal tribes [6.21-6.23, pp. 256-259]
How does Arrian describe the tribes that Alexander encounters along the coast (i.e. Oreitae, Arabitai, Gedrosians)? What do they have, if anything, that is of value to Alexander in this coastal region as his army continues west? Which is more formidable here, the unsubdued tribes or the geography itself? Do you suppose that Alexander’s judgment is in any way in question concerning army and navy operations in this area? How difficult is it becoming to supply both land and naval forces while traversing this region?
7. Water [6.24-6.26, pp. 260-262]
Many speculations have been written as to why Alexander chose this coastal route to travel with this part of his army as well as his whole navy. What does Arrian think about Alexander’s motives for crossing this Indian Ocean coastal region on his way back West? How does Arrian assess Alexander’s strategy at this point? Does Arrian condemn Alexander for making a bad decision or does he sympathize with him and his army for having to undergo such a trial by necessity? How is Alexander’s ability to lead his troops affected by the hardships of this route? Why was even an abundance of fresh water a liability as well as its periodic scarcity?
8. Out of the desert [6.27-6.30, pp. 262-270]
It seems that even in the desert Alexander had adequate communications with his subordinates elsewhere in the empire. Once he and his army have cleared the worst of the desert march, what new threats does Alexander face? Based on his decisions regarding his subordinates and satraps, how does Alexander view the well-being of his subjects in these eastern regions? What stories are being circulated about him at this point? Does Alexander still seem Macedonian or does he seem to be more of a Persian king? How do Alexander’s decisions regarding Cyrus’ tomb and the palace complex at Persepolis support your answer?
25. September 2011 by astipanovic
Categories: Arrian-Alexander, Study Questions |
Comments Off on Arrian – Book VI Discussion Questions
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
1:00 PM New York Time (Brief lecture and then Q&A with listeners from all over the world)
Speaker: PAUL CARTLEDGE
Register free here:
http://marathon2500-9.eventbrite.com/
Paul Cartledge, Hellenic Parliament Global Distinguished Professor in the History and Theory of Democracy at New York University and A.G. Leventis Professor Greek Culture, Cambridge University will lead the celebration today of the 2,500 year anniversary of the Battle of Marathon by reviewing the yearlong lecture series that he’s chaired and by answering questions from the global audience about any of the topics discussed during the previous 12 months.
A world expert on Athens and Sparta in the Classical Age, Professor Cartledge was chief historical consultant for the BBC TV series The Greeks and the Channel 4 series The Spartans, presented by Bettany Hughes. He is also a holder of the Gold Cross of the Order of Honour (Greece), an Honorary Citizen of (modern) Sparta and a board member of the Reading Odyssey.
Marathon2500 Lecture Series
Professor Cartledge has chaired the yearlong Marathon2500 lecture series and will be reviewing key themes and answering questions in this final lecture/discussion.
People around the world have participated in this commemoration of the battle of Marathon, thanks to the world’s best Hellenic scholars and sports historians who delivered eight lectures on the cultural, intellectual and athletic legacy of the Battle of Marathon. The talks were delivered in a variety of contexts: live audiences at NYU and Georgetown, global webinars and webcasts and all podcasts have been archived for listening on demand.
21. September 2011 by Phil Terry
Categories: Marathon2500 |
Tags: Marathon2500, Paul Cartledge |
Comments Off on Final Marathon2500 Lecture
The conference call on Arrian Book 4 & 5 in Andre’s group had an interesting “side topic” discussion on people left to provide a garrison for Alexander’s empire. I thought a post to continue that topic would be worthwhile since it seemed the discussion could have gone on longer.
Many times in Arrian’s text Alexander leaves mercenaries, injured soldiers, and trusted companions to man and control a city. During the soldiers’ revolt at the Hyphasis River, Koinos highlights the disappointment or resistance against this forced population (from 5.27.5): “Of the other Greeks, those who have been settled in the cities you founded do not remain there entirely of their own will”.
Continue Reading →
14. September 2011 by dwightgreen
Categories: Arrian-Alexander, Commentary |
Tags: Alexander the Great, Arrian |
Comments Off on They “do not remain there entirely of their own will”
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The Music of the Proper Names in Homer – A Guide to Pronunication
James Romm, Professor of Classics at Bard College, friend and board member of Reading Odyssey, provides in this podcast a guide to prononuncation in Homer.
This short podcast is intended for anyone reading Homer and especially for Reading Odyssey readers tackling Homer for the first time.
—
About this guide to pronunciation
Tips on pronuncitation are very important for first-time readers of the Iliad. Readers often get intimidated by the names or experience some doubt when subvocalizing (subvocalization is silent speech) yet part of the power and beauty of the poetry comes from the music of the names.
Professor James Romm has faced this question of helping first-time readers pronounce the names when teaching his students at Bard. He has them read aloud sections of Homer and they invariably experience anxiety attacks becauase they don’t know how to handle the names.
He also faced this questions when writing his recently published and well-reviewed book, Ghost on the Throne, the first thorough account for the general reader about what happened after the death of Alexander the Great – a moment in history that many historians not to mention average readers know very little about but was quite important in the development of the Hellenistic world and the later Roman Empire
—
About Professor James Romm
James Romm is an author and the James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics at Bard College in Annandale, NY. He specializes in ancient Greek and Macedonian history, but has also worked on imperial Rome. He has held the Guggenheim Fellowship (1999-2000) and various fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and is currently Birkelund Fellow at the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Writers and Scholars at the New York Public Library (2010-11). He’s a member of the board of Reading Odyssey and lives in the Hudson Valley with his wife, artist Tanya Marcuse, and three children.
27. December 2011 by Phil Terry
Categories: Commentary, Commentary, Homer-Iliad, Homer-Odyssey | Tags: Homer, Iliad, James Romm, pronunciation | Comments Off on The Music of the Proper Names in Homer – A Guide to Pronunication