Thoughts on Antiquity, Patristics, putting things online, information access, and more
I’m trying to push forward a couple of projects. I’ve written to the translator for the Encomium on St Nicholas of Myra by Andrew of Crete, to see if the sample is available yet. I have also changed my plans slightly for the translation of Methodius from Old Slavonic. The lady who was to do the […]
There is an article published by the Guardian Newspaper in London in 2010, written by a certain Heather McDougall, which gets trotted out at this time of year. It rejoices in the title The Pagan Roots of Easter. Easter is, of course, the festival of Christ’s death and resurrection. Malicious or dishonest – but unscholarly […]
A new job at the start of November, so I have been rather preoccupied. But a little progress has been made. I’ve commissioned a translation of the fragments of Theodore of Mopsuestia on Genesis. The main part of this was published by Sachau from the Syriac, but there are also Greek fragments. The tendency towards […]
One of the most famous discoveries in Mithraic studies is the text painted on the wall of the Mithraeum of Santa Prisca in Rome which reads “et nos servasti eternali sanguine fuso” – “and you have saved us through the shedding of the eternal blood.” This has been widely compared to Christian ideas, and, outside […]
The first complete draft of Severian of Gabala, De Spiritu Sancto, has arrived. More to the point, I have now read through it all and given feedback. One section of it is distinctly hard to follow in the original, because Severian is not being as clear as he might be. In consequence he has to keep asking […]
The sales figures for the books have come in. The Eusebius is still selling, although not in great numbers; the Origen has yet to really get underway, although it may do better once the reviews appear. I’ve continued to work on the Mithras website. For the most part this is reactive; e.g. somebody posts an […]
It’s hotter than hell in the office in which I work, which is not helping me get anything done! However I’m also close to Cambridge University Library, and I’ve made two trips there in the evening this week, in search of books and articles. I’m still thinking about Severian of Gabala. I’ve now obtained a […]
Over the last couple of months, I have become aware of another individual who, quietly, and without any fanfare, is making a real difference to ancient history online. Her name is Carole Raddato, and she writes the Following Hadrian blog. What she is doing is travelling all over the Roman Empire, and photographing its material […]