Blog
Articles and reflections on visits, art and history.
PhedreMar 122020
In this part of the dialogue Phedre (246a-248c), Plato describes the nature of the soul as a power composed by a celestial winged chariot that leaves its home to participate in the heavenly march. Souls strive to reach the vault of heaven to contemplate from its back, truth, justice, science and wisdom. Many, wounded by the tumult, do not reach the summit. But once the revolution is over, each soul returns to its home to feed the horses with what it has been given to contemplate... before setting out again.
Read more →Marivaux, Slave islandFeb 122020
In a fantasy antiquity, Iphicrate, a young Athenian nobleman, finds himself thrown on the shore of an island with his servant Harlequin. The master and the valet were joined by another duo formed by a mistress, Euphrosine, and her next, Cleanthis. Trivelin welcomes them by explaining the laws of the island: power relations are systematically reversed. The newly arrived masters and slaves had to exchange their clothes, conditions and even their names.
Read more →Love according to DiotimeFeb 112020
In Plato's “Banquet”, a few people gathered for a social gathering exchange views on the meaning of love. It is there that Socrates declares that as a young man, the "philosophy of Love" was taught to him by Diotime, priestess and prophet. Socrates asks Diotime several questions about love.
Read more →Meeting of King Chilperic and Priscus according to Gregory of ToursFeb 112020
This excerpt from book 6 chapter 5 of the History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours relates the meeting of King Chilperic and one of his subjects of the Jewish religion named Priscus as witnessed by the author.
Read more →first evening of the “Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds”Sep 112019
Published by Fontenelle when astronomy was in vogue after the comet of 1681, the “Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds” are an explanation of the world's different systems.
Read more →the strangerSep 62016
A stranger is ordinarily a person that is coming from another country. In the question-answers that follows, all is taking place as if the one that is answering is not the stranger _of_ anybody else. To enjoy with moderation!
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