Learning Classics is a bit like putting on a magic pair of 3-D glasses. Once you start delving into the language and the culture, you'll start to see it all around you. This blog is a record of the club's journey through the worlds and language of ancient Rome and Greece... and through modern times, too, searching for the influence of classics all around us. You'll also be able to find vocab, home tasks, links and generally enlightening info here, too.

11 October 2014

Lesson 4 - annuit coeptis* Iuppiter (Zeus likes what we're doing)

Message received, Zeus
Can it really be a coincidence that when we do a lesson about the gods and goddesses of Olympus, an almighty storm descends over Greig City Academy and rattles the windows with the rumble of thunder? I think not! Zeus (or Jupiter to the Romans) is the god of thunder and lightning, and uses them to communicate with mere mortals. I think he approves of what we're up to ;-)

 So today we took a look at the Olympian gods and goddesses their 'specialist' areas, their symbols and/or special animals. We watched a clip from Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief that showed us how the gods can be an argumentative lot, and how they support their champions and heroes on earth. We also saw a perfect illustration of how myths are used to explain natural phenomena, with the tale of how Persephone has to spend four months a year in the hellish company of Hades (and that's the reason for winter). Here's the clip if you want to watch it in full.


If you've read the Odyssey or Percy Jackson, you'll know that gods have their mortal favourites whom they help out. But who's your patron god or goddess? You can find out here.



* If you can get your hands on a US dollar bill, you'll see the Latin phrase 'annuit coeptis', which means, 'He approves of our undertakings' ('He' meaning God). These words come from a prayer spoken by one of the characters in The Aeneid, an important epic poem about the foundation of Rome. More on this in due course!