Figure of Speech Gets Own Movie

I have no idea what the plot of Charlie Kaufman's new movie, Synecdoche, New York, is about (aside from a miniature reconstruction of New York, which might well be a McGuffin). But I do intend to go and see the film because of its prominent titular reference to the figure of speech with which we are so familiar from our Vergilian translations.

Three cheers for literary references in movies! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!

(And if you're a young whippersnapper who didn't understand my reference to a McGuffin, look it up and learn a bit of cinematic history.)

Sacred Moly!

It's been quite the long while since I've posted. That's what a full-time job teaching public high school will do to one's free time...

I'm looking forward to attending a talk this coming Tuesday evening at Williams, by Classics prof Luca Grillo of Amherst College. Title: "'De Amicitia', or on the Cold War between Cicero and Caesar." It's at 7 pm in Griffin Hall - tell your friends! If you're one of my students and you're reading this, show up and get extra credit...