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We might take it for granted that writing should go from left to right. Some languages like Hebrew or Arabic go right to left. But what about a combination of the two? That's where the boustrophedon comes in, something the Greeks and Romans experimented with in the beginning of their written languages.
culture minutiae
One of the bits of Latin pronunciation that tends to get my own students is the consonantal i. This video intends to give tips on how to recognize when i is a consonant or a vowel.
background introduction
Aeneas has provided for his men by getting them food and wine, but the Trojans need something else: a rousing speech that reminds them of the difficulties of the past while promising them the glory of the future. But does Aeneas truly believe what he's saying? Or does he just feel the weight of leading?
aeneid
Safe in Africa, Aeneas decides to search for his men. Failing to see them, he does catch sight of three stags, and goes deer hunting. Aeneas provides meat for his men and begins to calm their sorrows with words.
After the storm, Aeneas and his seven ships finally arrive at a safe harbor in Africa. This section has our first ekphrasis as Vergil describes the geography of the place in vivid detail.
Neptune arrives onto the scene of the storm and quells the turbid waters. He does this much like an orator calms an angry mob. A pious orator, and a mob fueled by rage.
Neptune arrives on the scene of the storm and sees the wreckage of Aeneas' fleet. He summons the winds and rebukes them for daring to overturn the seas and Neptune's power. Then he sends the winds back to Aeolus, promising a much greater punishment.
The storm arrives and destroys much of the Trojan fleet. Many of Aeneas' ships are lost, driven either into sand bars and reefs, or sucked into a devouring whirlpool. Vergil uses a lot of metrical effects to emphasize the devastating nature of this storm.
The storm arrives with the clashing of winds, and huge waves are driven to the shore. We also get our first appearance of Aeneas, our hero. He wishes for death and reminisces on the glories of the Trojan War and the past.
Ancient Rome didn't have a part of its government devoted to collecting taxes. In fact, Rome didn't have much of a government at all under the Caesars. So how could the public be exploited through taxes? Enter the publicani, equestrians with tax collecting contracts.