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Tales about the cradle of Western civilisation, from Socrates and the first democracies to the fall of the Roman Empire, the Ottoman yoke, and Britain’s part in the fight for independence.

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Speech Therapy

By Plutarch

Demosthenes was about sixteen when he decided he wanted to be a lawyer, but he was the most unpromising advocate imaginable.

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Picture: © MM, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.. Source.

Posted March 27 2021

14

‘Macedonia Is Too Small for Thee’

By Plutarch

Plutarch tells us how Alexander the Great came to bond with Bucephalus, the mighty stallion that bore him to so many victories.

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Picture: By Antoine-Jean Gros (1771-1735), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

Posted March 16 2021

15

St John of Konitsa

Hassan slipped across to Ithaca because it was in British hands and the Turkish authorities on the Greek mainland must not know what he was going to do.

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Picture: © Jean Housen, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.. Source.

Posted December 13 2020

16

Rhetoric and the Beast

By Plato

God alone can save civilisation, said Socrates, when clever campaign strategists teach aspiring politicians how to play on the public’s hopes and fears.

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Picture: By Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (1802-1873), via the Yale Center for British Art and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

Posted November 6 2020

17

The Holy Table of St Sophia

By Émile Henri Carnoy

According to legend, when the Venetians tried to kidnap it the Holy Table of St Sophia in Constantinople made a dramatic escape.

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Picture: © FaceMePLS, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0 generic.. Source.

Posted September 12 2019

18

The Battle of Thermopylae

In 480 BC Leonidas, King of Sparta, frustrated the advance of Xerxes the Persian just long enough to change the course of the war — and history.

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Picture: © Davide Mauro, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.. Source.

Posted September 2 2019

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★ The Most Unkindest Cut of All Greek revolutionary Nikitarás gives his ungrateful men a sharp reminder of what really matters.

For Today • April 10 • The End of the Third Siege of Missolonghi

In This Sign Conquer Bishop Eusebius recalls what Constantine told him about the vision that brought him the crown.

Posted February 26 • The Copy Book

Phrases Use phrases such as ‘to the town’ in sentences, with nouns or with verbs.

Posted February 26

The Marks of a Tyrant Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle explains what it is that defines a tyranny.

Posted February 25 • The Copy Book

Keep It Short Plutarch argues that it when it comes to strong speech, less is always more.

Posted February 24 • The Copy Book

Anagrams Shuffle the letters of each of these words to make new ones. See if you can match the number indicated.

Posted February 23 • Think and Speak

Polyword: Mere Make as many words as you can using the letters of one nine-letter word. Can you beat our score?

Posted February 21 • Think and Speak

Go to the Ant Solomon recommends taking lessons from one of God’s smallest but most hard-working creatures.

Posted February 20 • The Copy Book

Chariots of Steam Erasmus Darwin imagines how steam power will change the world.

Posted February 16 • The Copy Book

Music Video Modest Mussorgsky: Sorochinsky Fair: Gopak

Posted February 16

Fragments Develop these short phrases into complete sentences.

Posted February 15 • Think and Speak

The Moral Case for Family Farms Richard Cobden called on Parliament to support small, family-owned farms.

Posted February 14 • The Copy Book

Hiawatha Takes a Photograph Lewis Carroll records a suburban photoshoot in the style of Longfellow.

Posted February 13 • The Copy Book

Nouns of Number William Cobbett gives his son James some helpful examples of collective nouns.

Posted February 13 • The Copy Book

Hiawatha’s Inspiration Henry Longfellow tells us how his tale of a heroic Native American warrior came to him.

Posted February 12 • The Copy Book

Near Synonyms These words have very similar meaning but they are not the same — can you show the difference?

Posted February 12

Music Video Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Hiawatha: And They Said Farewell Forever

Posted February 12

Music Video Leroy Anderson: Irish Suite: II. The Minstrel Boy

Posted February 11

The Travellers and the Axe Two men find an axe, and then find some trouble, but they aren’t keen on sharing either of them.

Posted February 11 • The Copy Book

Train

Posted February 9 • Think and Speak

The Prophecy of Peter of Pomfret Peter foretold that King John would cease to be England’s sovereign, and he was right, though John still wore his crown.

Posted February 9 • The Copy Book