Exegi Monumentum Aere Perennius

"I have raised a monument more lasting than bronze!"

RE: Horace, Odes III.30

So Long, and Thanks...

RE: Luke 24:28-53

Speech bubble: "Peace to you all and thank you for all the fish."

label: "Piece of baked fish."

Another New Testament comic. We read about the resurrection again this week and the ascension. No doubt this comic could be offensive... Let me explain: Jesus demonstrates to his disciples that he has returned in the flesh by asking them for something to eat. They give him some fish and he eats it in front of them to prove he's alive. Also, when he appears to all the disciples at first he says "Peace unto you" (probably a translation of Hebrew, "Shalom"?). And before he is taken up into heaven he holds up his hands and blesses them. I've combined all these things here.

I had to improvise the "Thank you" because we never learned how to say that in Ancient Greek. In Latin you say "gratias tibi ago," so I tried the Greek equivalent of that. I wasn't too far off. According to Woodhouse's English-Greek Dictionary, it should be "χαριν εχειν" or "χαριν ειδεναι" with a dative object. I said "χαριτα υμιν αγω." Close enough. *shrug* 

AMAPTIA: "χαριτα" is not the correct accusative singular of "χαρισ" (I can't figure out how to type a final sigma here.) It should be "χαριν." 

Bedazzling Threads

"In dazzling clothes" (Luke 24:4)

In Greek New Testament we have been reading Luke's account of the resurrection of Jesus. When the women encountered the two angels at the tomb "in dazzling clothes," I thought of this. They were even a little sassy in Luke: "Why are you looking for a living man among the dead?" 

Don't Trust the Georges

"...and he rented it to Georges..."

RE: Luke 20.9-18 : Parable of the Evil Tenants 

For Greek New Testament today we read the Parable of the Evil tenants from Luke. In this parable, a man plants a vineyard and rents it out to some tenant farmers (γεωργοι). "Georgoi" is, incidentally, the origin of the name "George." So, the man rented his vineyard  to some Georges. 

From right to left: Curious George, George Costanza (from Seinfeld), George W. Bush, and George Washington. 

Return of the Prodigal Son

"Show mercy to me, father, for I have sinned against you. Make me like your wage-laborer."

RE: The Parable of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32

My attempt a a modernized version of the prodigal son. Instead of the younger son taking his inheritance to go eat, drink, and be merry, I imagine a college student who is squandering his "inheritance" by screwing around at school. Now he comes begging to become an employee of his father since he won't get any other job. Meh...

Lamb Chop

RE: Parable of the Good Shepherd (Luke 15:3-7)

Self-explanatory. 

Nunc est bibendum

RE: Battle of Actium and the Death of Cleopatra, 31 BC

Poetry: esp. Propertius 3.11 and 4.6 and Vergil, Aeneid VIII.675ff., and Horace passim

For Augustan Literature today we were assigned two of Propertius' elegies which celebrate Octavian's victory over Cleopatra and Antony at Actium in 31. This victory marked an end to the civil wars and the Hellenistic Age, and the beginning of the Roman Empire to come. And poets get really excited about it and write about the wicked queen Cleopatra in thinly-concealed male fear of a powerful woman. Albeit there were some other issues at play...but that Cleopatra, a female monarch of the East, was the target and not Antony says something. 

Anyway, whenever I read these patriotic/chauvinistic victory poems about Actium, I imagine the Romans as the Munchkins from the old Wizard of Oz movie, only in Roman dress celebrating a triumph while singing, "Ding, dong, the witch is dead," etc. 

Don't Worry

Bird: "Don't worry." (Lit. "Don't be suspended in the air.")

Jesus, first speech bubble: "Don't you worry about a thing because every little thing is going to be alright." (rough translation)

Jesus, second speech bubble: "Don't worry. Be Happy." 

T-Shirt: "Verily I say to you"

RE: Matthew 6:25-34, Luke 12:22-32. 

For Greek New Testament Today we read part of Luke, chapter 12, which itself strongly echoes Matthew. This is just my irreverent take on Christ's admonition not to worry about things like what you'll eat or drink or how you'll be clothed, but worry about doing God's will and all that will be provided to you. The sentiment seems not unlike those lyrics from a Bob Marley song.

Also, his t-shirt says "Verily I say to you" because that seems to be Jesus' catch-phrase in a lot of the readings we've done--the kind of thing you'd put on a t-shirt.

Our Heroes!

OK, so the Supercommittee was a while ago. But the situation remains the same. Endless bickering and finger-pointing on Capitol Hill and at the White House. 

And now our heroes have pushed us over the sequester cliff instead of pulling us back from it. 

I like the joke I heard on "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" today--Instead of diffusing the bomb in the nick of time the hero just hits the snooze button. *sigh*

And, yes, there will be comics about things besides Classics on here.