It's been a slow couple of days in the Classics world
Firstly, Happy American Independence Day for those of you who celebrate on the normal calendar!
Secondly, I wanted to ask you, dear readers, a question. I came across the book The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman and was wondering if it's worth buying. It involves murders at a school and a woman returning to the school as a Latin teacher. Apparently, Carol Goodman was a Latin major herself and taught it for several years. So has anyone read this? Any thoughts? I may give in and buy it myself, unless someone tells me it's horrible.
Also, I just saw Batman Begins, and there is an interesting claim that Liam Neeson's character makes regarding Rome. I'm not sure I can believe that, but the reference amused me. On the whole, it's an excellent movie, and I would certainly recommend seeing it.
I'd also like to remind everyone about Buy a Friend a Book Week!
Lastly, Father Foster has a new program up. It's actually a couple days old by now, but I don't think I mentioned it earlier. It's about Latin words for modern concepts and how Father Foster wanted to strangle a nun for saying that Latin is dead. Again, how can you not love this man?
Edit: The next installment of The Empire should be tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 9PM EST on ABC. Check your local listings, if you really want to suffer through it.
Secondly, I wanted to ask you, dear readers, a question. I came across the book The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman and was wondering if it's worth buying. It involves murders at a school and a woman returning to the school as a Latin teacher. Apparently, Carol Goodman was a Latin major herself and taught it for several years. So has anyone read this? Any thoughts? I may give in and buy it myself, unless someone tells me it's horrible.
Also, I just saw Batman Begins, and there is an interesting claim that Liam Neeson's character makes regarding Rome. I'm not sure I can believe that, but the reference amused me. On the whole, it's an excellent movie, and I would certainly recommend seeing it.
I'd also like to remind everyone about Buy a Friend a Book Week!
Lastly, Father Foster has a new program up. It's actually a couple days old by now, but I don't think I mentioned it earlier. It's about Latin words for modern concepts and how Father Foster wanted to strangle a nun for saying that Latin is dead. Again, how can you not love this man?
Edit: The next installment of The Empire should be tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 9PM EST on ABC. Check your local listings, if you really want to suffer through it.
posted by Glaukôpis at 9:04 PM
5 Comments:
I read the Lake of Dead Languages and absolutely hated it - I thought it was complete drivel. It's basically just an extremely poor version of the Secret History, and the Latin phrases which are put into the book seem really out of place and come across as the author trying to show off. So, no. I really wouldn't bother buying it.
As to the mentioning of the sack of Rome, as if the sacks of 410 and 455 ended the Empire, you must remember the common perception of how the Empire fell. Hordes of barbarians, like Europe acquired a shag carpet of Germans or something come in and burn everything. The popular conception is one of a grand empire collapsing overnight, like 475, great Empire, 476, poof gone no Empire.
re: anonymous
I see. That's too bad, though, because it looked like it could have been fun. Oh well. Thanks for the heads up!
re: Will
Of course I know that, but with a villain like Ducard, it could have happened quite spectacularly over time too.
RE: glaukôpis
Oh yes. It would not have been hard to engineer the sack of Rome in 410. Much incompetent bungling at the Imperial Court occurred. And it is true that even if the Western Empire was able to bargain from a position of strength in a few years, the physchological effect of the Eternal City being looted was tremendous. Everyone knew where they were when they heard it. I'm not saying that his statement wasn't powerful, only that it plays on the popular misconception. It's fiction and I wouldn't change a word of it though.
Re: Will
Good, because I liked it! In fact, that would make some damn hot fanfic.
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