Andy Keen

@keenerclassics

Teacher of Greek, Class Civ, Latin, Cuneiform, Middle Egyptian, EPQ. Bristol, UK

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Andy Keen@keenerclassics· 7d

Well, no Microsoft Word - that's kind of the point... #Book19 #Homer #Odyssey #Penelope

A translation of the Odyssey (Emily Wilson's) - the end of Book 19. The phrase "she cried for her dear husband" has a pop-up box from MS Word, with the words "Grammar: Possible Word Choice Error" and the word "dead" to replace the word "dear"...

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· 11d

Looking forward to today's seedtalks #Ancient #History Summit online. Speakers: Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (on #Babylon), @drcdavenport.bsky.social on Emperors, @shelbyjudge.bsky.social on Medea, Steph Holton on Epicureanism, and Eve MacDonald on Carthage! #ancienthistorysummit

Promotional graphic for Seed Talks’ “The Ancient History Summit”, an online event on Sunday 2 August from 11am to 5.10pm. Large white lettering appears on a dark blue background, with stylised ancient Greek warriors, shields, spears, an owl and clouds along the bottom. The graphic includes “@seedtalks” and “#ancienthistorysummit”.

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· 23d

A #Roman sarcophagus fragment from #Pula, with accompanying dubious description. Apparently the Battle of #Marathon was a sea battle…

Fragment of a Roman marble relief depicting a chaotic battle scene, mounted against a rough stone wall. Several armoured soldiers are shown in high relief, though many heads and limbs are missing through damage. One figure in a short Roman military tunic stands over a fallen opponent, while another raises an arm in combat. Despite its fragmentary condition, the carving retains deep folds in the clothing and a strong sense of movement and violence.

Museum label for a Roman sarcophagus fragment depicting Greeks and Persians. Curiously, it identifies the scene as a “sea battle at Marathon”—despite Marathon (490 BC) being famous as a land battle rather than a naval one.

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· 23d

And the original, now in Pula. Note the letters spilling off the right hand side showing the sculptor’s lack of forward planning!

The original Roman limestone funerary stele, weathered by age and displayed against a rough stone wall. Beneath a triangular pediment with a carved flower motif, a husband and wife are shown in half-length relief, facing forward with one hand across the chest; the man holds a scroll. A deeply carved Latin inscription occupies the lower half of the monument, with sunlight highlighting the worn details of the stone.

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· 24d

Replica Roman tombstone of the Molia family at the Pazin museum, Istria, Croatia

Roman funerary stele carved in pale limestone, showing two half-length figures standing side by side beneath a temple-like pediment. Both wear Roman tunics and cloaks with one hand across the chest; the figure on the right holds a scroll. Below them is a long Latin inscription recording the monument. The stele is displayed indoors against whitewashed walls.

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Jul 13

It has just struck me that we are seeing a rerun of #Aristophanes’ Knights in Clacton, with Farage as Cleon and Count #Binface as the Sausage Seller…

Ancient Greek black-figure vase painting. At left, a seated bearded man on a throne raises one hand while attendants stand behind and in front of him. A flute player performs between the throne and a large horse. The horse is supported on a platform and has a rider seated on its back. A small figure climbs a ladder into the horse while another crouches beneath it with an axe, apparently making final adjustments. Above the horse, a winged figure runs carrying two large circular objects. The scene is a stylised depiction of the construction and presentation of the Trojan Horse.

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Jul 11

Lookalikes… #DemetriusI #Bactria

Screenshot of a Private Eye readers’ letters page headed “Lookalike”. Side-by-side images compare a proposed US dollar coin featuring Donald Trump with an ancient coin of the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius I. The ancient portrait’s distinctive swept-back hairstyle and stern expression closely resemble Trump’s. The accompanying letter says the similarity was spotted at Lisbon’s Gulbenkian Museum after news of a proposed Trump coin.

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Jul 11

Another bit of Classics in this Private Eye cartoon… #odyssey

Cartoon of two people chatting indoors. One asks, “So how was The Odyssey?” The other, wearing a coat and backpack as if only just arriving home, replies, “Really long – I thought I’d never get home.” The joke is that the speaker is describing both Homer’s epic journey and the unusually long runtime of Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming film adaptation.

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Jul 11

Another classically-inspired cartoon from Private Eye

Cartoon of the Trojan Horse standing outside the huge gates of Troy. The horse is shabby, with its wooden covering falling apart, while two Trojan guards look down from the city walls. Caption: “Well, I guess that’s what happens when you don’t tackle a military spending deficit.”

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Jun 24

Another one from Private Eye

A line drawn cartoon from Private Eye. Man reading big book with picture of character on the front wearing pointy hat carrying a sword. Woman looking at man. Book title says “THE NODDYSSEY”. Man is saying “It’s from Enid Blyton’s Homeric period.”

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Jun 24

From this fortnight’s Private Eye…

A cartoon from Private Eye, signed James. Two gladiators drinking from water bottles as a woman walks past with a tray titled “DORMICE”. One gladiator is missing a hand, which is lying on the ground oozing blood. This gladiator is saying “Are these hydration breaks really for gladiator welfare, or is there a commercial motive?”

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Jun 2

Just finished making this lyre from a Build Your Own Lyre kit. Now to use it for a Latin Play!

A blue painted lyre with a yellow sun emanating from the hole in the soundbox. It has seven strings. The painting is a bit rough and ready but charming nonetheless…

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· May 1

An Aventine Hill cake made by my Y11 GCSE Latin students today… with pallid heads and warm blood on the floor! They’re calling it “Hercules and Cake-us”…!

A green iced cake in the shape of a hill with a cave half way up with pink icing and white spheres with black dots to look like eyes.

A green iced cake in the shape of a hill with a cave half way up with pink icing and white spheres with black dots to look like eyes. (Close up of the cave)

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Apr 18

Classics in the current Private Eye…

Article from Private Eye: “THE TIMES NEW ROMAN
• April Fools Day 279BC
KING PYRRHUS DECLARES 'TOTAL AND COMPLETE VICTORY' by Our Military Staff HUGH CYDIDES
celebrated a triumphant defeat of the entire Roman civilisation in a series of recent battles.
King Pyrrhus said the Epirote army had "met and exceeded all military objectives" and that the defeated Romans were begging him for a peace treaty.
"These mad bastards have surrendered in the face of Operation Epirus Fury," the king said. "This is the last you will ever hear of the Roman Empire, and I certainly won't be deposed in a few years' time!"
Pyrrhus added that the Roman 10-point peace plan, which includes Rome retaining total control over the Ancient World, was "not a problem" and showed that, "we will win big TOGETHER!"
Last week the king had been given a message from the Oracle at Delphi that, "A great empire will suffer a crushing defeat", and reposted the message on his tablet, saying, "Even loser Oracle supports me! Make Epirus Great Again!"
However, there are worries that King Pyrrhus might be overstating the nature of what he calls, "this great Pyrrhic victory that will go down in history and never be forgotten, and the name of Donald Pyrrhus will live for ever! Thank you for your attention to this matter."”

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Apr 11

Turns out a speculative bet on a horse with a Roman name has paid off… #Maximus

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Apr 9

Created and printed a GCSE Class Civ Myth and Religion revision board game. Now to test it out!

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Apr 7

One of my highlights of the Ramses exhibition at Battersea: Ostracon Depicting a Cat Herding Geese Limestone, Ink New Kingdom, Dynasties 19-20 Egyptian Museum

Ostracon Depicting a Cat Herding Geese
Limestone, Ink
New Kingdom, Dynasties 19-20
Egyptian Museum

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Feb 23

Excellent. No cheating, your last saved pic of a celebrity is your therapist.

A woman wearing an enormous fluffy hat with tassels. She is singing in front of a microphone. It is one of the musical duo Mermaid Chunky performing live.

Andy Keen@keenerclassics· Feb 21

I went to Ravenglass yesterday. Last time I was there was 2015. The bath house was built alongside the Roman fort which once stood here. Once nearby the wooden buildings in the vicus lay along cobbled roads which were alive with soldiers, women and children, traders, sailors, and craftsmen.