I'm reading the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece, as told by Apollonius Rhodios (who lived on Rhodes) and translated by Peter Green.
Apollonius Rhodios is a great storyteller fits action, war, gods, monsters, ill-fated love and gods in the space of four books. He also provides a vivid picture of what ancient life was like. For example, he provides a detailed description of the practical process of embarking on a sea journey...
1. dig out a track for the boat to the water
2. get the prow onto a polished treetrunk, which will be the first of several 'rollers'
3. lash the oars to the boat's benches so the handles are sticking out. Push on the handles in unison so the rollers carry the boat to the sea
4. stow the gear (sails, clothes, arms, livestock)
5. conduct a sacrificial ceremony on the shore to Apollo of Embarkations. This involves building an altar of pebbles, killing a couple of oxen, praying, wrapping the butchered thighs in fat and burning them as an offering to the god, pouring wine on the offering (libation), and having a diviner interpret the signs.
6. have a big feast with what's left of the oxen. Tell stories until everyone is obnoxiously drunk, then listen to music
7. get up in the morning and head off.
2 comments:
Sweet mother of Mighty Zeus, except for getting out of bed the next morning and going somewhere, you've just described one of my weekend bar-b-ques almost to the last detail, eerie.
I was going to say - it sounds just like a kiwi 21st party or some-such!
The mechanics of the boat launch appear (to the untrained at least) sound. very feasible. Enjoy the translation - is it a new one?
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