tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730513615909994019.post3829332085995817005..comments2024-03-18T07:44:25.387+00:00Comments on Pop Classics: Discworld: The Last HeroJuliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203399623895589924noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730513615909994019.post-69259090737827027222010-07-13T22:46:30.297+01:002010-07-13T22:46:30.297+01:00I guess that makes sense. Bit of a short term pop ...I guess that makes sense. Bit of a short term pop culture reference though!Juliettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00203399623895589924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730513615909994019.post-46894305547869578172010-07-13T21:38:59.552+01:002010-07-13T21:38:59.552+01:00The goddess Ulrika is actually a reference to the ...The goddess Ulrika is actually a reference to the British TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson, who is originally from Sweden, the land of sauna (well, apart from Finland!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730513615909994019.post-18041159276447748322010-07-06T23:31:30.710+01:002010-07-06T23:31:30.710+01:00Mazda was also a brand of lightbulbs in Britain.Mazda was also a brand of lightbulbs in Britain.Boulter's Canaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07744654003202354011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730513615909994019.post-29290485943542662252010-01-02T17:34:01.510+00:002010-01-02T17:34:01.510+00:00Hi Hanne! Thank you for your comments, I'm so ...Hi Hanne! Thank you for your comments, I'm so glad people enjoy the blog! I loved the Terrible Tudors too (and the Richard Burton/Genevieve Bujold film 'Anne of the 1,000 Days'). I still love Shakespeare, though my expertise in that area stops at A-Level! I'm hoping to go through the rest of 'I, Claudius' over the next few weeks, before starting on 'Rome'...Juliettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00203399623895589924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730513615909994019.post-3940271612115476932010-01-02T15:53:39.513+00:002010-01-02T15:53:39.513+00:00Hello Juliette!
I was watching 'I Claudius...Hello Juliette!<br /><br />I was watching 'I Claudius' and wanted to read some commentary on Livia's excessive drinking whilst poisoning Augustus, so I stumbled upon your blog. I've been reading it for a couple of hours now and I'm a complete fan, I think. Loved reading this: <br /><br />"When I was in school, I thought the Romans were very boring (chiefly because all we ever did was label the parts of a centurion's uniform or the rooms in a villa - I preferred the Tudors, especially Henry VIII, who seemed much more exciting). It was a repeat of I, Claudius on UK Gold that proved me wrong and first sparked a genuine interest in the ancient world."<br /><br />Horrible Histories brought the Tudors to my attention, and I've been smitten with them ever since (writing my thesis on Shakespeare and planning on taking a Shakespeare/Renaissance/Medieval specialization course next year in Liverpool). But 'I Claudius' (which I've watched so often when I was younger that now, without having seen the series for at least five years, I can still finish lines of several characters at times) gave me a massive interest in the ancients too, though it rubbed off even more on my sister, who got her degree in it. I'm loving your reviews of 'I Claudius' and can't wait for you to review the rest of the series!<br />All the best,<br /><br />HanneRegenharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09230784075894433430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730513615909994019.post-22005145600736012332009-12-31T17:42:48.810+00:002009-12-31T17:42:48.810+00:00Actually, with Asia I meant just with the gods and...Actually, with Asia I meant just with the gods and the architecture of Dunmanifestin. <i>Interesting Times</i> was the first Discworld book I or any of my family read and holds a special place for us. The handkerchief trick is something of a family in-joke.<br /><br />Pratchett has always hinted at things in Howondaland without ever really giving a lot of information. Quetzelovercoatl is from there, Rincewind mentions a member of the Dibbler family when he lists off a whole bunch of them in <i>The Last Continent</i>, and it's where CMOT Dibbler gets his 1000 elephants in <i>Moving Pictures</i>. So, yeah, it's pretty much everything tropical.<br /><br />Thanks for digging out the motto. Of course, it's reflecting the alleged salute by Imperial era gladiators: <i>Te morituri salutantem</i>. I seem to recall that there is no real evidence that it was ever said. I think there is one very passing reference in one of the more obscrue historians, but somebody or other picked it up and popularized it.DemetriosXnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730513615909994019.post-42045543615721689742009-12-31T16:11:50.609+00:002009-12-31T16:11:50.609+00:00Ah yes, I knew I'd missed something. I don'...Ah yes, I knew I'd missed something. I don't think Carrot especially minds the motto, though he wouldn't have come up with it himself. Thanks for the 'Mazda' info, I didn't know that but it makes sense.<br /><br />I've always viewed Ankh-Morpork as London with elements of Rome, partly becuase of the way the river runs through it (as opposed to Manhatten, which is an island) but I can see how there are elements of America in there too. Asia is almost enitrely confined to the Counterweight Continent, though some of the Middle East gets into Klatch. I'm never quite sure about Howondaland, which just seem vaguely hot/tropical... and Egypt is between Greece and Turkey, which is interesting!Juliettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00203399623895589924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730513615909994019.post-5334899201780431192009-12-31T15:44:06.970+00:002009-12-31T15:44:06.970+00:00I was also going to point out that Mazda is remini...I was also going to point out that Mazda is reminiscent of Ahura Mazda. Well, that or Japanese cars. As for Offler, the Egyptians did have a crocodile god in Sobeck, Sebek, transliterate how you will while guessing at the vowels.<br /><br />You really could do several different posts on this one. All of that mixing and matching of various classical elements with the occasional other culture tossed in (but nothing Asian now that I think about it; odd) is really a question of modern reception of Antiquity. And deep down, that's what your blog is really about.<br /><br />The only thing I can think of that you missed would be the dog Latin on the mission patches. I forget what it is, but I do recall there was a bit of a clash of world views between Carrot and Rincewind. In any case, it is very much in the vein of the various guild mottoes.<br /><br />Finally, I think Ankh-Morpork is often meant to stand in for the US at least. I believe Pratchett has said explicitly that it is largely a New York analog. The rest of the continent has to make do with a couple of representative cultures in Howandaland, which is otherwise primarily African. Canada, as usual, gets short shrift. (Although Carrot is in many ways a stereotypical mountie.)DemetriosXnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730513615909994019.post-17375595178436927452009-12-31T11:33:19.812+00:002009-12-31T11:33:19.812+00:00Hi Juliette
I am writing on behalf of the Univers...Hi Juliette<br /><br />I am writing on behalf of the University of Kent Classics and Archaeology Society. We are all avid readers of your blog and always find it an interesting and enjoyable read. The use of classics in popular culture is something many of our members are interested in and we would like to invite you to the university to give you a talk on the subject, if you are interested in this opportunity or want to discuss it further you can get in contact with me at tb213@Kent.ac.uk<br /><br />Thanks, keep writing. <br />Merry Christmas and happy new year <br /><br />Tom <br />(University of Kent Classics and Archaeology Society, Events Officer)Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01496177910000451612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730513615909994019.post-4790617598512985292009-12-31T00:00:57.842+00:002009-12-31T00:00:57.842+00:00I haven't read any of Discworld yet, but the n...I haven't read any of Discworld yet, but the name Mazda seems to come from Ahura Mazda, the god of Zoroastrianism, in whose temples fires are tended.Rupert Hippohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11625972476470777797noreply@blogger.com