Anniversary

marcus · Post by **marcus** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:56 pm

Pothosians,

We should remember that today (1 October) is the anniversary (according to many) of the Battle of Gaugamela.

Love those scythed chariots ...

ATB

Paralus · Post by **Paralus** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 12:02 am

Yes: myself and a bunch of similar aged flatulents formed up and charged the bar for a mate's retirement. Myself and the others, forming a wedge of drinkers hypaspitae basilikos made for the gap at the taps and routed the black and gold beers in a guzzle that could not be checked.

I felt "Alexandrian" the next day. Unfortunately, due to the inconvenience of work, I could not sleep, as Plutarch says, until midday or the entire day for that matter.

marcus · Post by **marcus** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 12:07 am

Paralus wrote:Yes: myself and a bunch of similar aged flatulents formed up and charged the bar for a mate's retirement. Myself and the others, forming a wedge of drinkers hypaspitae basilikos made for the gap at the taps and routed the black and gold beers in a guzzle that could not be checked.

I felt "Alexandrian" the next day. Unfortunately, due to the inconvenience of work, I could not sleep, as Plutarch says, until midday or the entire day for that matter.

Good on you, sir. I, instead, spent the day dodging the scythed chariots that 9BS hurled at me, while trying to discuss 19th century European Imperialism. Once I had countered that move, I had to deal with the pesky Year 11 skirmishers, who caught my comments about the Kent State Massacre on their shields and countered with darts of distracting questions about current US foreign policy. Having routed them, I had to battle my way through 8AD and the slave trade ... it was a victory, ultimately, but a Pyrrhic one, I fear ...

ATB

Paralus · Post by **Paralus** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 12:13 am

marcus wrote:... it was a victory, ultimately, but a Pyrrhic one, I fear ...

I'm rather afraid that any "victory" involving the discussion or the teaching of history is, nowdays, Phyrrhic. Amazing the prevalent view that history is inconsequential.

The Bush administration is a case in point...

marcus · Post by **marcus** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 10:44 am

Paralus wrote:
marcus wrote:... it was a victory, ultimately, but a Pyrrhic one, I fear ...
I'm rather afraid that any "victory" involving the discussion or the teaching of history is, nowdays, Phyrrhic. Amazing the prevalent view that history is inconsequential.

The Bush administration is a case in point...

Largely I would agree there. Having said that, more than half of our Year 10 cohort chose History as a GCSE subject this year - more than any other optional subject. So we must be doing something right at our nice little Catholic College.

That said, of course, History is so dumbed down even at GCSE level, and they have such a poor general knowledge, that the thought of them knowing a single thing outside what they have been taught in their course, is anathema.

ATB