Pennies crash down from the sky

[sovay]

I did not sleep at all last night. This is much less entertaining than it sounds. I am hoping not to repeat the trick tonight.

I know the last time I read Watership Down (1972) was in seventh grade, two years before I started Latin, but I still have no excuse for realizing only this afternoon that it is completely the Aeneid if someone had listened to Kassandra. The book's first epigraph is even some stichomythia from Agamemnon: φόνον δόμοι πνέουσιν αἱματοσταγῆ (line 1309). Hey, Dawn, how're the wife and kids? Marblehead says hello.

Comments

[chomiji]

That's an awesome bit of information, that about Watership Down. I hadn't realized it either, but it makes sense. Adams is a devoted student of the classics.

My daughted hated Watership Down, which made me sad. I don't necessarily think it's the best thing since sliced bread, but it has mythic charm and derring-do, which should be an unbeatable combination.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Hey, I have a piece of music from the Rustavi Choir--what are the chances? (Not that piece, though)

Watership Down is an Aeneid retelling... if someone had listened to Kassandra. Oh I see... you mean, if they had gotten out early, not had the whole war.

Interesting!

But tell more?

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

That's not a trick to get good at. I try failing at it every chance I get, and I hope you have better luck than I do when the NyQuil bottle's empty.

...

And, YES. That's obvious now that you mention it.

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

A fascinating insight about WATERSHIP DOWN (further confirmation of my suspicion that the Ancients first wrote all the stories we've simply been retelling - and reliving - ever since ...)

Have you had a chance to read Margaret Atwood's THE PENELOPIAD yet? I'd be interested in your reaction.

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

Bother, I tried to reply but lost what I'd written whilst attempting to google the line from Aeschylus. (And I hope I'm correct in thinking that's the author of Agamemnon. ;-)

Any road, I'm sorry that you didn't sleep and I hope that tonight's a better night.

I've never read Watership Down. I suppose I should correct that at some point. I did read Maia, which, along with US$ 1.96, will get me a grande tea in Starbucks.

I think you've got an excuse, personally. It's sometimes hard to sort things out, with having them sideways to each other like that.

[genarti]

Man, I never even thought of that. But you're totally right. Wow, how fascinating!

Now I really want to reread Watership Down. Which I've been meaning to do for ages, anyway.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Except without the women. I mean I suppose I can see it as the rape of the Sabines, but if they had all left Troy and had those adventures Hekabe and Andromache would have been there.

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

You are SO WEIRD. *g*