Cultural diversions

It's remarkable that the entertainment that fascinated audiences thousands of years ago somehow still manages to fascinate 21st century theatergoers. Across centuries upon centuries, surviving translation and performed in whatever space is available, classic dramas such as Aeschylus' Agamemnon and Sophocles' Elektra continue to enthrall us. Recent back-to-back performances of these two Greek tragedies in downtown New York offered an expert alchemy of forebodings, intense dialogue, much-needed comic relief, bloodcurdling screams and, well, blood. However, neither the sight of a gory Clytemnestra striding across the stage, swinging an ax, nor the sound of the agonized cries of Elektra could deter one attendee from furtively texting her (no doubt urgent) messages. Perhaps Aeschylus had to deal with distracted Athenian audience members back in the day, although without mobile phones and playbills to conceal the phones, it's doubtful that such improprieties were as easy to get away with! 

Tempus fugit!

Festivities are underway in Rome to commemorate the founding of the city in the 9th century B.C. According to tradition, one day in April in the year 753 in the pre-Christian era, Romulus founded a community on the Palatine Hill. Some decades ago, archaeologists discovered what appear to be remnants of this early settlement, substantiating the persistent legend. During the imperial period, the magnificence of the residences of the emperors on the Palatine was unrivaled, engendering the term "palace." Today, surveying the magnificent ruins on the Palatine and in the Roman Forum below is what would be called in literary terms an "ubi sunt" experience. Gazing upon the triumphal arches and temple facades, and recalling that this was once the center of the world, even the most casual visitor cannot help but think, "Where are they now?"