Matthew Lloyd > Recent Status Updates

Took a break from the gospels to read about how they suck

I found the Good News According to Lukas a bit more readable, but I'm excited to be done with the repetitive gospel and get on to the wildly different and weird one

People are always saying that Dionysos is like this subversive rebel, but in The Bacchae he's kind of a religious conservative forcing everyone to worship properly and do what he says.

Classical Greek literature is extremely harsh about Helen, so I'm glad that Euripides' 'Helen' exists to show a more positive attitude toward her. That being said, I'd prefer it if it didn't have to use the 'eidolon' story to rewrite the traditional myth about her. I also think it barely touches on the most interesting aspect of the 'the Trojan War was about nothing' storyline, to be completely honest.

Odysseus and the Satyrs in Cyclops has a bit of a Michael Cain in The Muppets' Christmas Carol vibe

I'm not sure why the notes thought I'd find Alcmene unsympathetic in her treatment of Eurystheus; the guy is a piece of work throughout her son's entire life and has no redeeming features as a tyrant.

Amphitryon is the most beautiful man in Greek mythology and is totally Heracles' real dad

I used to think Hippolytus was an arsehole, and I do still think that, but I'm open to the interpretation that he's being persecuted for failing to meet the requirements of mainstream religion

Euripides' 'Alcestis' offers the weird situation in which the nicest guy in Greek tragedy is dealing with the consequences of asking his wife to die instead of him. It's a little like an ancient trolley problem, asking whose life is worth more - a parent or an adult child; a husband or a wife? But also, on the virtue of doing something good for powerful friends, if Herakles happens to stop by while you're mourning.

I've now read the Gospels according to Markos (Mark) and Maththaios (Matthew; that is a transliteration of the ancient Greek version of the name; I'm more familiar with the modern Ματθαίος, Matthaios). Honestly, reading the VSI of the New Testament as literature vastly improved my experience. Much of these gospels is non-sequitur scenes of some guy spouting riddles and calling his friends stupid if they don't get it.

When Medea wants to murder her ex's new girl, the Chorus is like "this is justice"; but when Medea wants to murder her own children, all of a sudden the Chorus is like "that's the worst thing you could possibly do." Guess they don't support other women, after all.

I've listened to the audiobook of this (planning to read the ebook and take notes next) and my only substantial complain is that OUP needs to tell their audiobook readers how to pronounce 'Argive' (hard G! Not Arjive!!)

Brilliant audiobook of a brilliant poem; I enjoyed this translation but I cannot comment on its quality. Sad to learn that Centaurs are transphobic but glad that Ovid isn't.

I don't know if I post this every time I sit down and read some of these interviews but I remain conflicted whether I wish Octavia E Butler were still alive so we'd have her voice in these times or if I am grateful she was spared learning that Parable of the Sower was, in fact, a prophecy