Category Archives: Prose

Freedom of Suppress

Posted on April 20, 2020 by Peter Kruschwitz

Having watched a few episodes of the daily POTUS press briefing screechorama recently, I was reminded of a particular gem among the fables of Phaedrus. The piece is called Simius Tyrannus, King Ape. Its text, somewhat unusually surviving in prose … Continue reading →

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Devastating Isolation

Posted on April 3, 2020 by Peter Kruschwitz

Splendid isolation is a phrase that was coined to describe British diplomatic policies of the nineteenth century. Nothing ‘splendid’ about isolation, many will feel at present, no matter which of the six degrees of separation they have reached: not at … Continue reading →

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Community spirit under siege

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Peter Kruschwitz

The coronavirus-induced lockdown has many effects on us, individually and collectively, wherever we are. And we all respond in different ways. There are many aspects of this situation that worry me. The idea that I might catch the virus myself … Continue reading →

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Io, Saturnalia? Merry Happy Whatever!

Posted on December 18, 2019 by Peter Kruschwitz

Few ancient exclamations inspire the internet as much as io Saturnalia, allegedly shouted by the Romans in the streets during their celebration of the Saturnalia (and as it is December 18th today as I write this, we are already bang … Continue reading →

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Gory, gruesome, and grotesque: two ancient vampire tales

Posted on October 31, 2019 by Peter Kruschwitz

It is Hallowe’en today, and as I have not blogged much recently, a post appearing on here on this very occasion must feel like someone has returned from the dead just in time for this ominous date . . . … Continue reading →

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Happy New Year!

Posted on December 30, 2018 by Peter Kruschwitz

1,870 years ago, Marcus Cornelius Fronto wrote the following letter (Fronto 5.45) to Marcus Aurelius, then heir apparent to the throne of the Roman Empire: Domino meo. Annum novum faustum tibi et ad omnia, quae recte cupis, prosperum cum tibi … Continue reading →

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Craving facts: the new graffito from Pompeii

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Peter Kruschwitz

Yesterday news broke about the discovery of a graffito from Pompeii that was, in the usual sensationalist way, hailed as a text that would require us to rewrite our history books: View this post on Instagram Pompeii, Regio V. Casa … Continue reading →

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People of Changing Colour

Posted on October 3, 2018 by Peter Kruschwitz

In a vitriolic letter to Marcella about one Onasus, dated to A. D. 385, St. Jerome, one of the Christian fathers, makes a remarkable, commonly overlooked statement (Letters 42.2): non et lucus ideo dicatur, quod minime luceat, et Parcae ab … Continue reading →

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‘You’re dead, you’re a joke,’ or: How should one respond to that image of a Pompeian who was struck by a massive piece of rock?

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Peter Kruschwitz

Contrary to what most people think, there is not only one certainty in life, namely that we all must die: there is a second one, and that is that, before we die, we must live with the certainty of death. … Continue reading →

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Blazing with passion

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Peter Kruschwitz

It has been just over one year now since the devastating fire of Grenfell Tower in London – a horrendous, fast-spreading blaze that killed dozens of people and left over two-hundred of the tower block’s inhabitants in the sudden need … Continue reading →

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