Medea Through the Centuries
By Maggie Yuan
A witch. A sorceress. An enchantress. Each of these terms have been ascribed to Medea, the Colchian princess who married Jason and aided him in his quest for the Golden Fleece. Her story has fascinated audiences for centuries, inspiring writers to craft their own versions of the myth…
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Representations of Memnon in Archaic Greek Pottery
By Maggie Yuan
Ancient Greek literary sources paint a complex picture of race and ethnicity, in which no consensus surrounding the parameters of identity exists. In particular, these sources differ in the way they portray Aethiopians; while some describe them as a “savage” people, others like Herodotus create an aura of mysticism around them (3.20-3.22). Material artifacts, such as pottery, only complicate this narrative further…
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The Very Best Men in Greek Mythology
By Maggie Yuan
Nearly every classics student that I’ve met was obsessed with Greco-Roman mythology as a child. It didn’t matter whether we read D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths or Percy Jackson, we were all fascinated by this ancient world filled with trickster gods and dashing heroes. But looking back, the stories themselves were pretty intense for a readership of children…
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Book Review: Harper’s The Wolf Den
By Maggie Yuan
From 2018’s Circe to the Illiad retelling The Silence of the Girls, the women of antiquity have taken the literary world by storm in a recent wave of feminist mythological retellings. Though the subjects differ, the common thread is the authors’ complex reimagining of the often one-dimensional women. Surprisingly, the lives of Rome’s most mysterious, enigmatic, and real women were…
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A Tiered Ranking of Roman Emperors: Buckle Up
By Maggie Yuan
Though some Roman emperors have become a mainstay in American culture, such as Nero and Augustus, other emperors’ accomplishments have been all but lost to history. Here, I have compiled a list of facts and accomplishments of the Roman emperors in an attempt to rank them.
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A Guide to Mythological Retellings
By Maggie Yuan
From Circe to Lore Olympus, today’s literary landscape features more than just a few retellings of classical mythology. Whether you’re eager to learn more about Greco-Roman mythology or are simply in search of a new and interesting read, keep reading to find out which contemporary title should be the next addition to your list.
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Orpheus as a Muse
By Maggie Yuan
What do a tragic love story, the Can-Can, and a critique on industrialization have in common? All are rooted in the ancient tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. Everybody loves a good love story, and as far as the Greeks were concerned, the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice represents a version of true and pure love devoid of any ill intentions. At the core of the story, however, is the importance of divine faith, even over such passion…
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