Review: Philip Matyszak’s Classical Compendium

This is a delightful little book containing a wide array of miscellaneous anecdotes, lists, jokes and historical facts primarily from Ancient Greece and Rome. It’s very much the kind of book that can be read in little bits over a long period of time, or all at once (which is what I did).

There are quite a few wry jokes in, and not just from the author. Sarcastic comments from chaps like Augustus and Vespasian, amongst others, are included, along with many traditional Greek jokes about Elithio Phoitete (who is the Hellenistic equivalent of Tim-nice-but-dim).

There are occasional passages of poetry, as well as bits of graffiti and curses. The book takes a scattergun approach (as must be expected with a book of miscellany) but does better than most to actually make the ancients seem a bit more real. Reading the jokes and curses and strange occupations that no longer exist may make it easier to imagine the people of Rome and Greece millennia ago than the almost superhuman feats of Hannibal, Caesar and Alexander. After all, the epic crossing of the Alps is harder to imagine than Vespasian narrowly avoiding an Elvis-style death on the toilet (although the emperor was older and thinner).

Throughout the book are many attractive illustrations, including some mosaics and similar items from the ancient world. I particularly enjoyed the almost perversely obscure facts (Sterculinius, god of spreading manure, is presumably the modern day patron of party political broadcasts).

Thaddeus

Review: The Greek and Roman Myths: A Guide to the Classical Stories by Philip Matyszak

This book is a concise introduction to and overview of the myths of classical Greece and Rome. It begins right at the start of the universe’s (or cosmos’) creation and proceeds until the Odyssey and Aeneid which tell the tale of two heroes after the Trojan War ended.

Although far from dry it is more strait-laced than the other books (the Legionary and Gladiator Unofficial Manuals, which I highly recommend) I’ve read by the author. Having read a few works of classical literature it’s easy to appreciate the difficulty of sorting the entangled and various accounts of myths into anything approaching a coherent narrative, and Dr. Matyszak does a good job.

It should be stressed that whilst there are summarised accounts of a few major myths (the likes of Perseus, Aeneas and so forth featuring particularly prominently) this is not so much a collection of abridged stories as an over-arching guide to the entire canon of Greek and Roman myths.

There are multiple references to the later impact of classical myths upon the world, such as where words derived from the myths, works of art inspired by various divine shenanigans and so on. In addition, there are a number of photographs and illustrations of the gods and heroes.

The parts I found most interesting were actually the earliest bits and pieces, as the Trojan War and its aftermath for Odysseus and Aeneas are pretty well-known. I didn’t, for example, realise that Aphrodite was actually the oldest of the Olympians.

Another aspect of the book that was new to me and helpful as well as interesting was the concise explanation of how Greeks and Romans viewed their gods. This is my own example, but to an extent they might praise Zeus for rain in the same way a modern person might say “Thank God for that” (ie not necessarily a literal thanking, just an expression of relief at a handy change in the weather). The Olympians and heroes as forces of civilising order arrayed against the monsters and wilderness of chaos was another perspective I hadn’t considered before.

It is somewhat tangled, with multiple references throughout to characters who are involved in multiple myths, however, this is the nature of classical mythology. Everything’s interwoven and there are often multiple accounts of single events.

If you’re after an overview of classical mythology, this is nice and concise, clearly written and covers the major stories (although Dr. Matyszak was a bit rude about Telamonian Aias, my favourite hero of The Iliad).

There’s a slightly short section at the end on further reading, and I was surprised to see that I’d read many of the suggestions. The Iliad (apparently Lattimore’s version is excellent, but I’ve got the Rieu translation recommended in the back) and Odyssey are obvious starting points, and the Aeneid, though later, is also worth reading. To be honest, I found West’s translation of Hesiod’s Theogony and Work & Days to be the most easy to read of classical literature, but it is quite brief.

The author also refers to a number of other books, including Graves’ Greek Myths, which I’ve been intending to buy for about four years now.

Thaddeus

Review: Gladiator: The Roman Fighter’s (Unofficial) Manual, by Philip Matyszak

I must admit I was a bit hesitant about buying this. I’d already got a good book on gladiators (Gladiators: History’s Most Deadly Sport, by Fik Meijer) and was uncertain whether this would have anything extra. As it turns out, it’s the best book in a small but growing series of excellence.

Mr. Matyszak brilliantly blends wittiness with an easy-to-read but informative style. Some of the captions (typically to mosaics) are quite hilarious and the dry wit the author employs helps add some comic relief to a topic that is actually rather horrific.

The book takes a concise look at the rise of gladiatorial popularity, from funeral games to pre-election bribes for the masses to saturating the Colosseum with blood during the reigns of Commodus and Trajan.

Different gladiator types are briefly explained, along with the daily routine of the men (and, occasionally, women) in question. There’s a slightly paradoxical view of them held by the Romans, in that gladiator games are hugely popular yet gladiators are shunned socially.

In addition to gladiatorial combats there’s a quick look at similar/alternative events, such as the beast hunts (a kind of morning matinee for Ancient Rome); the bizarre practice of blindfolding condemned prisoners, giving them swords, pushing them into the arena and telling them to kill each other; and shows involving dwarves and women fighting one another.

The author’s also made good use of the Ludus Nemesis, a German re-enactment group who have, through practical exploration of gladiator armour/weapons, discovered some cunning tricks their bloody forebears might have employed.

I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the topic.

For those wondering about getting this or Fik Meijer’s book, I’d say that Meijer’s is more sober and in-depth, but Matyszak’s is more entertaining (without becoming low-brow).

Thaddeus