#aasachp9

Athens and Sparta Adventures: Chapter 9: Libation Bearers pg. 19

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Xenia: The Ancient Greek concept of hospitality and guest-host relationships. Taking care of a guest was generally considered a moral obligation as well as a reciprocal one.

Himation: A type of mantle or cloak, often worn over a chiton or a peplos (or by itself) by both men and women.

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Athens and Sparta Adventures: Chapter 9: Libation Bearers pg. 16

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Tyrrhenians: Also Tyrsenions. A catch-all word for non-Greeks, especially pirates. Here Corinth is specifically describing Etruscans.

Megara Hyblaea: One of Megara's early colonies on the island of Sicily destroyed by Syracuse. The colony is the "Little Meg" referred to here and page 5 of this chapter.

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Athens and Sparta Adventures: Chapter 9: Libation Bearers pg. 17

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Doric Greek: As I may have mentioned before, Corinth (and Sparta) speak the Doric dialect of Greek. Here, she says "O Poteidan" for "O Poseidon" and "pros ton sion" rather than "pros ton theon" for "by the gods".

Poseidon: Greek god of the sea, earthquakes, horses, and the patron god of Corinth. Apparently likes to leave wrecks on the beach for her to find.

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Athens and Sparta Adventures: Chapter 9: Libation Bearers pg. 18

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Saffron: A spice made from crocus flowers. Apart from flavouring food and dyeing clothing, saffron could also be dried into tablets and used as a therapeutic medication. It's possible it was used as a treatment for PMS and menstrual cramps.

Hypericum: Also known as St. John's Wort, these yellow flowers make a surprisingly red medication when the glands are crushed. Because of its colour, it was associated with blood and also used to treat depression.

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Athens and Sparta Adventures: Chapter 9: Libation Bearers pg. 2

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The Libation Bearers: The second play in Aeschylus' Oresteia, which describes the fallout in the house of Atreus after Clytemnestra's murder of Agamemnon. Siblings Electra and Orestes reunite and plot vengeance against their mother, fearing that she will doom them to slavery or death.

The Eumenides: The third and final play in the Oresteia, which follows Orestes being chased by the Furies after murdering his mother Clytemnestra. Orestes eventually flees to Athens, where he stands trial. The quotes on this page are from the last lines of the play, when the Furies are welcomed into Athens to be worshipped as the Eumenides, or the "Kindly Ones".

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Athens and Sparta Adventures: Chapter 9: Libation Bearers

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Updates Saturdays (ideally) :)

It's been a while! Welcome back to the thirty years of peace (continued...)

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Athens and Sparta Adventures: Chapter 9: Libation Bearers pg. 6

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Didyma: While Megara consulted the oracle at Delphi, Miletus consulted the oracle at Didyma, and the two seemed to act in concert with each other somewhat. The name literally means "twins" as the sanctuaries to Artemis and Apollo were both located there.

Comments:

Athens and Sparta Adventures: Chapter 9: Libation Bearers pg. 15

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Ostrakon: a shard of pottery used to write on, the scrap paper of the ancient world.