Monday, March 27, 2017
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Europa - Greek Mythology
The myth of Europa's abduction by Zeus
In Greek mythology Europa was
the mother of King Minos of Crete, a woman with Phoenician origin of high lineage, and for whom the continent Europe was named. The story of her abduction by Zeus in
the form of a white bull was a Cretan story; as classicist Károly
Kerényi points out, "most of the love-stories concerning Zeus originated
from more ancient tales describing his marriages with goddesses. This can
especially be said of the story of Europa".
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer (also called the Our Father or Pater Noster among other names) is a venerated Christian prayer that, according to the New Testament, Jesus taught as the way to pray.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom
come.
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
A
nd forgive us our sins, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring
us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.
Monday, March 20, 2017
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Saturday, March 18, 2017
Friday, March 17, 2017
Shield of Achilleus
The shield's design as interpreted by Angelo Monticelli, from Le Costume Ancien ou Moderne, ca. 1820.
The Shield of Achilles is the shield that Achilles uses
in his fight with Hector, famously described in a passage in Book 18,
lines 478–608 of Homer's Iliad. The intricately detailed imagery on
the shield has inspired many different interpretations of its significance,
with no definitive answer.In the poem, Achilles lends Patroclus his
armor in order to lead the Achaean army into battle. Ultimately,
Patroclus is killed in battle by Hector, and Achilles' armor is stripped from
his body and taken by Hector as spoils. The loss of his cousin prompts
Achilles to return to battle, so his mother Thetis, a nymph, asks the
god Hephaestus to provide replacement armor for her son. He obliges, and
forges a shield with spectacular decorative imagery.Homer’s description of the shield is one of the
first known examples of ekphrasis in ancient
Greek poetry; ekphrasis is a rhetorical figure in which a detailed (textual)
description is given of a (visual) work of art. Besides providing narrative
exposition, it can add deeper meaning to an artwork by reflecting on the process
of its creation, in turn allowing the audience to envision artwork that they
can't see.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Eratosthenes measuring the circumference of earth
More than 2,000 years ago
Eratosthenes compared the position of the Sun’s rays in two locations to
calculate the spherical size of the Earth with reasonable accuracy.
Eratosthenes was born in the
Greek colony Cyrene, now the city of Shahhat, Libya. As a young man, he
traveled to Athens to pursue his studies. He returned to Cyrene and made such a
name for himself in scholarly endeavors that the Greek ruler of Egypt brought
him to Alexandria to tutor his son. When the chief librarian of the famous
Library of Alexandria died in 236 BCE, Eratosthenes was appointed to the
prominent position around the age of 40.
A man of many talents,
Eratosthenes was a librarian, geographer, mathematician, astronomer, historian,
and poet. His friends at the library nicknamed him Pentathlos, or athlete who
competes in five different events. The name seemed to fit a scholar who
excelled in many fields of study. Most of Eratosthenes’s writings have been
lost, but other scholars reported his work and findings — which were extensive.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Talos the ancient robot
TALOS was a giant, bronze automoton--a
living statue forged by the divine smith Hephaistos (Hephaestus). According
to others he was instead the last of the ancient bronze race of man.
Zeus gave Talos to his lover Europa after
delivering her to the island of Krete (Crete ). The
giant was given the task of patrolling the island and circled it three times a
day, driving off pirates with volleys of rocks. He was eventually destroyed by Poeas or the Dioskouroi
(Dioscuri) twins with the aid of the magic of the witch Medea as he tried
to prevent the Argonauts from the landing on the island.
The death of Talos
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
Alexandria, Egypt was founded by
Alexander the Great in April 331 BC ,and became the capital of the
Graeco-Egyptian world. The second largest city in Egypt, Alexandria also was
called "The Pearl of the Mediterranean". The ancient port city was
home for one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - The Pharos of
Alexandria (The Lighthouse of Alexandria).
The port served as a primary
center for commerce and trade linking Europe with the Middle East and all other
points along the Mediterranean Sea. It was an important route for merchants and
travelers of ancient times that allowed for trade and cultural exchange between
emergent peoples of the region. Within a few generations Alexandria become the
largest city in the world second only to Rome. Much of the city design and
construction came under the rule of Ptolemy and his successors, later by the
Roman Empire. The city was not only a center for trade but also became the
worlds first center for cultural and scientific research.
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Mycenae-Cyclopean Walls
Mycenae (Μυκήνες) is one of
the most important archaeological sites of Greece.
The founding of Mycenae is lost
in prehistory, but according to Greek legends,
it was founded by the legendary
hero Perseus - son of Zeus and Danae, daughter
of the king of Argos, Acricios -
who left Argos for Tyrins and later employed
Cyclopes to build the
walls of Mycenae with giant stones that no human could
move (thus the characterization
of the walls as "Cyclopean").
Friday, March 10, 2017
Tunnel of Eupalinos
The Eupalinos Tunnel is considered as one of the most important engineering achievements of antiquity. It's a 1036 m long tunnel in Samos Island, Greece, built in the 6th century BC to serve as an aqueduct and therefore supply fresh water from Agiades spring the city of Samos (Pythagoreion). The Eupalinos Tunnel is an engineering feat of outstanding importance since it was the first time in the history of mankind that anyone had ventured to undertake a project of that magnitude with no similar reference. The Engineer Eupalinos built a tunnel under a mountain by starting to dig, simultaneously, from two portals diametrically opposite. All applied measurements using maths and geometry are of outstanding precision. Moreover, all evidence indicate that Eupalinos was ready to apply a solution for every difficulty that arose, due to unfavorable ground conditions that were partly encountered, as well as that he had the courage to bring his highly difficult project to a successful end. Eupalinos worked as a modern engineer 2500 year ago.
Monday, March 6, 2017
Olympias - The Trireme Replica
Olympias is
a reconstruction of an ancient Athenian trireme and an important
example of experimental archaeology. It is also acommissioned ship in
the Hellenic Navy of Greece, the only commissioned vessel of its kind
in any of the world's navies.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Hymnos for the Creator
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
2 Who coverest thyself with
light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a
curtain:3 Who layeth the beams
of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh
upon the wings of the wind:4 Who maketh his angels
spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:5 Who laid the
foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.6 Thou coveredst it with
the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.7 At thy rebuke they
fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.8 They go up by the
mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded
for them.9 Thou hast set a bound
that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.10 He sendeth the
springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.11 They give drink to
every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.12 By them shall the
fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the
branches.13 He watereth the hills
from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.14 He causeth the grass
to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring
forth food out of the earth;15 And wine that maketh
glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine,
and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.16 The trees of the Lord are
full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;17 Where the birds make
their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.18 The high hills are a
refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.19 He appointed the moon
for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.20 Thou makest darkness,
and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.21 The young lions roar
after their prey, and seek their meat from God.22 The sun ariseth, they
gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.23 Man goeth forth unto
his work and to his labour until the evening.24 O Lord, how
manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of
thy riches.25 So is this great
and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and
great beasts.26 There go the ships: there
is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.27 These wait all upon
thee; that thou mayest give themtheir meat in due season.28 That thou givest
them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.29 Thou hidest thy face,
they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their
dust.30 Thou sendest forth
thy Spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.31 The glory of the Lord shall
endure for ever: the Lordshall rejoice in his works.32 He looketh on the
earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.33 I will sing unto the Lord as
long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.34 My meditation of him
shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.35 Let the sinners be
consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord,
O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.Psalm 104
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