Discovering the old things that discover you.

Consider the painting below, Francois Nome's "Landscape with Roman Ruins." Consider the ghostly figures hanging about the ruins of the old empire. How is this not a metaphor for our endeavors in our study of the classics? As in many faery tales, one must first get "the sight" in order to actually see the faery world that hangs everywhere about us, though hidden from our mortal myopia. It is as if the world, which has appeared boring to our natural vision, suddenly becomes populated with spirits and sprites, pixies and princesses, naiads and dryads, elves and ents, monsters and heroes, gods and men.

So it is with the study of the classics. Within the study of the Classical Christian tradition, the world we thought we knew suddenly becomes peopled with the ghosts and apparitions of the past, crowded with the forms and visages of kings and soldiers and knights and creatures of wonder. With the knowledge of the past comes wisdom. And with wisdom comes a kind of joy. It is the pleasure in not merely discovering the ancient ruins of Rome, for instance, but the joy in finding that Rome herself has discovered you.

Agenda for Wednesday:

1. Prayer & Catechism

2. Psalm 119 worksheet and project

3. Continue reading Prometheus (p. 45-47)

4. Discuss Prometheus as "wisdom" (wisdom as a character)

5. Discuss what an "art" is. If no arts came to men without Prometheus' gift, then what is art?

6. Discuss plans for the week

Agenda for Thursday:

1. Prayer & Catechism

2. Family Tree of the gods project

3. Students work on their projects in class

4. Hand back graded work

5. discuss "effort" and "accuracy"

6. Discuss and turn in Psalm 119 worksheet

7. Review + discuss Hesiod sections

8. Comparisons and contrasts to Genesis 1

9. Ancient world and women

10. metals of the ages

11. Read and discuss G. K. Chesterton's statement on "Mythology"

12. Continue reading Prometheus

13. Discuss Prometheus as "wisdom" (wisdom as a character)

14. Discuss what an "art" is. If no arts came to men without Prometheus' gift, then what is art?

15. Discuss plans for next week

16. Reminder for those who plan to take the PSAT to register for the PSAT before Friday.

*NOTE: there is no school this Friday.

REVIEW HW:

1. Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.

2. Pray, that you may not stumble.

3. Continue working on the Family Tree of the gods assignment

4. Family Tree due on Tuesday (10/12)

5. Dig Deep Readings (ongoing)

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NOMÉ, François de. Landscape with Roman Ruins. Oil on canvas. La Cour d'Or, Musées de Metz, Metz.