Herculaneum

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Former waterfront area where Vesuvius' victims found

  We took the train to Herculaneum today and saw the place along what used to be its waterfront where the human remains were found in that 1988 National Geographic video, “In the Shadow of Vesuvius.” Group members presented three houses: the House of the Deer, of the Mosaics, and of the Telephos Relief. I rented an audio-guide and did a little more on my own. Then I took the train back by early afternoon after eating lunch. My legs have a rash, my feet and ankles are swollen, my knee hurts, and I was too tired to spend more time at the site. It is time to rest.

The "Telephos Relief:" an ancient doctor at work

 Sort of. I caught up on some of the stretches I have been skipping on my knee for lack of time. I had laundry to wash out by hand and hang from the window. I also have a presentation on Cicero, Ad. Att. 13.52, due Monday, so I took some time to read that. It has words in ancient Greek, and I don't quite understand the context of the letter, so I spent time on Perseus Project trying to figure it out. I made a little progress. Then our group had a discussion and translation session from 6 until 7:30 with a brief break before dinner. Tonight I am uploading my pictures and finishing up typing this while I prop my throbbing feet and knees up on my bed. Tomorrow others in the group are going to travel to the beach. I will not leave Castellammare di Stabia, although I plan to walk around downtown and find lunch here. The place we are staying serves vegetarians cheese for three meals a day, and I fear I am turning into a big fat mouse! Maybe even a constipated one.

My friend, Leigh, is a geologist by training but teaches now

 Leigh, one of our group members, is tentatively planning a  trip to a local bath complex that has supposedly been in operation here since antiquity. If she can find it and it's open, I might go with her to soak my sore feet in a tub there. We'll see.

My eternal thanks go to the National Endowment for the Humanities for making this portion of my trip possible, despite the sore feet. :)