ARRIAN: NEITHER CONTRARIAN NOR MADAM LIBRARIAN

Always judge a book by its cover

Arrian (i.e. Lucius Flavius Arrianus "Xenophon," or Ἀρριανός) wrote the Alexandrou Anabasis (Ἀλεξάνδρου ἀνάβασις), published by Landmark as The Campaigns of Alexander. Arrian -- something of a fan-boy -- sought to emulate Xenophon, whom he name-drops repeatedly, both in style, mode and title, not to mention taking the name "Xenophon" itself as a preferred pseudonym. Almost in spite of himself, however, Arrian manages to create a unique work chronicling Alexander's romp across the Asian landmass. One interesting thing he does is incorporate material from differing sources (remember he wrote nearly four centuries after Alexander's death) and insert all of it in his own text, meaning certain events either play out in several different ways or certain statements contradict one another. This creates a neat sort of literary as well as scholarly effect. At times he draws attention to where his sources derive from (actually he opens, with rather audacious sobriety for a second-century A.D. work on Alexander, with a list of his principal sources (Ptolemy, Aristoboulos)) and considers their possible biases. Always fun to see a little rudimentary historiography. Probs his weakest pt, particularly in comparison to the Polybius (the Spielberg of classical historians), is his rather unclear descriptions of battles -- the Landmark annotations suggest this is a result of his sources being primarily firsthand and therefore muddled in the middle of a battle, a fortiori his crystal clear descriptions of the orders of battle. But Arrian's Greek is supposedly superb, so I'm looking forward to rereading it in the original at some pt in the near-ish future. Next up: Peter Green's translation of the Argonautika!

i. TAKING A GANDER AT ALEXANDER, ii. LINKS, AND iii. SANTA SIMIA (WITH KITTEN)

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Just finished Book IV of Landmark's Arrian: The Campaigns of Alexander (Ἀλεξάνδρου ἀνάβασις). The account is terse and succinct except when it isn't, and Arrian goes soaring off into a flight of rhetoric and fancy, rather like my image of a business-like, no-nonsense Alexander occasionally succumbing to a wild storm of irrationality. Perhaps Alexander was a bottler of emotions as well as a drinker. Arrian may've more/less thought this as well, although he takes pains early on to emphasis Alexander's virtue.

Favorite moment #1. The Siege of Tyre was spellbinding.

Favorite moment(s) #2. Alexander's favorite seer Aristandros pops up almost at random through Book IV to prophecy and interpret omens. The sudden, offhand way he just interjects Aristrandros adds an almost comedic element to the narrative, "No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!"-style.

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Because who needs an excuse to post a link of vintage travel posters.

Fantastic interview with Gérard Diffloth (the god-, grand- and allfather of Austroasiatic language studies).

Also, thesis from a student at the Uni of Birmingham I may speed read at some pt. Because dreams.

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And, last but not least, Discarding Images posted the (16th century) illumination below. Gotta love the beatific expression on the monkey's face.

Santa Simia

HISTORIES OF POLYBIUS: CARTHAGINIAN BABEL. AND 17TH CENTURY TAPESTRY

Enjoying Robin Waterfield's translation of the Histories of Polybius. Writes a real riproaring batte scene, I must say. Also, a fun little historical anecdote of linguistic interest: he mentions the enormous variety of languages spoken by the mercenaries in the Carthaginian army during the First Punic War, which made direct commands impossible and, as Waterfield renders it, causes a "complete jumble of uncertainty, distrust, and failed communication." Something about B.C.-era cosmopolitanism has always fascinated me.

Besides cinematic battle descriptions, Polybius cultivates a certain drily understated tone. Vide "So the lemboi sailed back home and King Agron received his officer's report of the battle. It afforded him enormous pleasure to think that he had defeated the arrogantly self-assured Aetolians, and he gave himself over to celebration, with so much drinking that he contracted pleurisy and died just a few days later." (79)

I recently read and enjoyed Waterfield's translation of the Anabasis which prompting me to read this. So here we is.

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Neat post over at the Getty tumblr. It's oh so proto-rococo, no?

Frigg's Day: Brief Update on Writing Plans & Phoenician Religion

I've decided to go ahead w/ my (working title) De Inanibus for NaNoWriMo. I've got more than enough material to work w/, so it's just a matter of sitting down and forcing myself to write. Also compiling notes for An Iceman Always Keeps His Cool. Alas, too many ideas and too little motivation.

Enjoying Giambattista Vico's Scienza Nuova. Vico mentions a certain Sancuniate (p. 60 of this edition), also known as Sanchuniathon. To my eternal shame, I was unacquainted with this reticent philological specimen until now, but Wikipedia has shown me the light. He's the purported author of several works on religion in the Phoenician language. Eusebius of Caesarea, quoting (perhaps rather liberally) a Greek translation by Philo of Byblos, provides our only source for the material. So, ancient near eastern cosmogonies FTW! Phoenicia's always had a special aura for some reason. Tyrian purple. Cedars. The Sea Peoples. Swan-prowed ships. Númenor.

Also: Because who doesn't like eggcorns (courtesy of Languagehat).

And...