I’m off to Iceland soon, a trip booked early this year. I hope to see the Northern Lights. Considering the cost, I really hope to see the Northern Lights. But man proposes, and God disposes, and it will be very well in either case.
This evening I was wondering if there was any classical angle to Iceland, and I found myself remembering Antonius Diogenes, The incredible wonders beyond Thule. This is a Greek novel of unknown date, preserved now only in Photius’ Bibliotheca, codex 166. I made a translation of this from the French here long ago.
I don’t know anything about the classical idea of “Thule” at all. I find a certain amount in the Wikipedia article, which gives a series of classical sources including Strabo and Pliny.
I have doubts that any classical traveller ever made it so far as Iceland, however.