Category: | Our Mythical Childhood Survey

Monika Rekowska

A Day in the Museum, or Caius Probinus’ Tale about Life in Ancient Rome [Dzień w muzeum, czyli opowieść Caiusa Probinusa o życiu w starożytnym Rzymie]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue, Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp.School children visit Park Arkadia in Nieborów. It is a historic, English style garden, with numerous themes recalling ancient architecture. A new guide, Monika, is a young archaeologist fascinated by the ancient world, es(...)

literary

YEAR: 2011

COUNTRY: Poland

TAGS: Ancient Religious Practices Pottery / Vases Roman Baths Roman Education Roman Empire Roman Funerary Customs Roman Gods Roman History Roman Religion Roman Theatre

Terence (Terry) David John Pratchett

Pyramids (Discworld, 7)

Pyramids is set in the fictional Djelibeybi (or the Djel), the tiny, powerless remains of an empire whose only importance is as a strategic block between its neighbours, Tsort and Ephebe. Pteppic/Teppic, the crown prince, has been training at the Assassin’s Guild in Ankh-Morpork. Returning to the kingdom following his father’s death, Teppic discovers that he has no real power, and the real ruler is Dios, the ancient high priest. After an unfortunate series of misunderstandings in whi(...)

literary

YEAR: 1989

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop Ancient Religious Practices Ancient Sacrifice Ancient Warfare Aristophanes Aristotle Athens Cleopatra VII Democracy Egypt Egyptian Mythology Founding Legends Greek Philosophy Homer Plato Ptolemaic Egypt Pythagoras Sparta Sphinx Symposium Thermopylae Trojan Horse Trojan War Zeno of Elea

Yann Le Bras, Yan Marchand

Socrates Steps Out of the Shadow [Socrate sort de l’ombre]

A sacred ship from Delos arrives in Athens on its return from a mission to the Temple of Apollo. While the citizens enjoy the festival of the Delia, an imprisoned Socrates prepares to drink poison hemlock, as required by his sentence. After death, his soul joins a queue of others who prepare to appear before the three judges personifying the three parts of the psyche – a many-headed bronze beast (desires and pleasures), a silver lion (justice) and a golden man (the reason). There Socrates (...)

literary

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: France

TAGS: Ancient Religious Practices Apollo Democracy Destiny Fates Greek Philosophy Homer Metempsychosis Moirai Plato Socrates Tartarus

Yan Marchand, Donatien Mary

The Mysteries of Heraclitus [Les Mystères d'Héraclite]

Young Heraclitus falls in love with Népias, the daughter of the wealthiest citizen of Ephesus. To gain favour with her father, Mélancontes, the young man, begins to actively participate in the life of the city: religious ceremonies and Assembly meetings. Being a descendant of Athenian kings, under whose direction are held the Mysteries of Demeter Eleusinia, Heraclitus departs for the ceremony of initiation, where he is to join the cult and realize that his soul is immortal. After d(...)

literary

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: France

TAGS: Ancient Religious Practices Ancient Temples Artemis Demeter Eleusinian Mysteries Eleusis Ephesus Greek Philosophy Greek Religion Heraclitus (of Ephesus) Immortality Mysteries