"A Few Days In Athens" Zoom Book Club Meeting #1: Who Was Frances Wright, Introduction, and Chapter One (Jan 30 8:00 PM EST)

Regularly Checking In On A Small Screen Device? Bookmark THIS page!

This will be the first session on "A Few Days In Athens.' We will talk about (1) Who was Frances Wright? (2) The Introduction, and (3) Chapter One. The plan will be to move on to Chapter Two next week.

The rough agenda for our one hour session is:

1 - Twenty Minute or so overview of Frances Wright, the Introduction, and Chapter One by led Cassius and any other volunteer regular forum participants who have read the whole book.

2 - Brief introduction of everyone on the call. (We will go around the zoom list and ask everyone to say their first names (real or otherwise) and tell us about their background and interest in Epicurus. For example: "My name is Joshua, I am from (country), and I have been interested in Epicurus ever since _______________. I have read (describe how many books on Epicurus you have read) and I have / have not read the entire "A Few Days In Athens."

3 - After we do the introductions, we will then open the floor for open discussion of Chapter one from all participants. Depending on how many people we have we will probably use the "raise your hand" method of going around the table. with Cassius or other moderator calling on people to keep the conversation organized. We will monitor the text chat also and people can use that to indicate that they want to speak, and what about.

We will see how his format works and make adjustments in future meetings.

Note: The use of video is strictly optional. We anticipate many of our friends will choose to use audio only.

A ZOOM LINK WILL BE ADDED HERE SHORTLY BEFORE THE MEETING.

Cassius Amicus is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: A Few Days In Athens Zoom Meeting

Time: Jan 30, 2022 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting
Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across…
us06web.zoom.us

Meeting ID: 814 0578 7401

Passcode: 203583

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,81405787401#,,,,*203583# US (Washington DC)

+13126266799,,81405787401#,,,,*203583# US (Chicago)

Dial by your location

+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)

Meeting ID: 814 0578 7401

Passcode: 203583

Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdRzXZ4CDP



Link to Book: http://www.afewdaysinathens.com/   

https://archive.org/.../fewdaysinathe.../page/n5/mode/2up...

Link to Ongoing Discussion of Chapter One (the place to discuss Chapter One into the future). AFDIA - Chapter One


Links:

"A Few Days In Athens" Zoom Book Club Meeting #1

https://www.facebook.com/events/332030028928098

https://www.facebook.com/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/posts/4715137858535137/

Participants 5

These users have confirmed their participation:

The closing date for this event has passed.

    • Charles
    • January 24, 2022 at 11:03 PM

    • Joshua
    • January 25, 2022 at 3:14 PM

  • I will participate, audio only, no video.

    • Matt
    • January 30, 2022 at 7:47 PM

    • Scott
    • January 25, 2022 at 12:36 PM

Undecided Participants

These users have not made a definite decision yet:

    • Kyle
    • January 24, 2022 at 8:03 PM

Non-Participants

These users are definitely not participating:

    • SimonC
    • January 26, 2022 at 2:00 PM

    Too late to make it, will read along anyway

    • smoothiekiwi
    • January 27, 2022 at 4:18 PM

    wayyy too late into the night!

Invited Participants

These users have been invited:

    • ayraj
    • January 26, 2022 at 10:52 AM

    • brett
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Bryan
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Don
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Elayne
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Elli
    • January 26, 2022 at 11:46 AM

    • EricR
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Geoff
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Godfrey
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Haris
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Ilkka
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Intermundia
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • JAWS
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • jbaker
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Lee
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Marco
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Michael
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Paquin
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • Susan Hill
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

    • treyh32
    • January 24, 2022 at 7:37 PM

Comments 12

January 31, 2022 at 5:36 AM
Author

Also I will be looking to see if we can post the audio or video or both for those who may have missed this.
January 31, 2022 at 5:26 AM
Author

Unless I miscounted we had seven people attend, and I think the first effort was highly successful. We will definitely continue and I will post new event announcements as we proceed. Thanks to all who participated.
January 30, 2022 at 9:13 PM
Author

I think that went very well! Thank you everyone!
January 30, 2022 at 7:46 PM

I will jump on for a bit tonight, mostly to say hi, but I'll cut out at some point. Maybe an Irish goodbye. ;)
January 30, 2022 at 7:32 PM
Author

Cassius Amicus is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: A Few Days In Athens Zoom Meeting

Time: Jan 30, 2022 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81405787401?…2FCYTE2TnNDZz09

Meeting ID: 814 0578 7401

Passcode: 203583

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,81405787401#,,,,*203583# US (Washington DC)

+13126266799,,81405787401#,,,,*203583# US (Chicago)

Dial by your location

+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)

Meeting ID: 814 0578 7401

Passcode: 203583

Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdRzXZ4CDP
January 30, 2022 at 11:05 AM

Looking forward to the Zoom meeting tonight!

In the second paragraph of chapter 1:

Quote

Thus did Theon give vent to the indignation which the words of Timocrates had worked up within him. Timocrates had been a disciple of the new school; but, quarreling with his master, had fled to the followers of Zeno; and to make the greater merit of his apostacy, and better to gain the hearts of his new friends, poured forth daily execrations on his former teacher, painting him and his disciples in the blackest colours of deformity; revealing, with a countenance distorted as with horror, and a voice hurried and suppressed as from the agonies of dreadful recollections, the secrets of those midnight orgies, where, in the midst of his pupils, the philosopher of Gargettium officiated as master of the cursed ceremonies of riot and impiety

This paragraph could be partially based on Diogenes Laertius Book X?

Something about this got me wondering about historical cultural context...wondering what life was like back in ancient Greece.

Here is an article on courtesans in ancient Greece,

"hetaira" which translated as "female companion":

https://theconversation.com/philosophy-and…y-divide-168940

And this one on homosexuality in ancient Greece:

https://www.theguardian.com/comment/story/0,,266669,00.html
January 30, 2022 at 3:28 PM
Author

Monica do you mind pasting that info HERE: AFDIA - Chapter One
January 30, 2022 at 8:56 AM
Author

Reminder - our first meeting of the A Few Days In Athens Book Review is tonight at 8:00 PM Eastern USA Time. Zoom link will be posted about a half hour prior to the meeting!
January 27, 2022 at 4:17 PM

wait, I just now realized that 8 pm EST is like 2 am in Europe?... if EST is 6 hours "behind" European time, then European time is 6 hours ahead of EST, and thus in the middle of the night. On the other hand, its very, very hard to find a time acceptable to all participants. Anyways, I fear that I won't be able to make it- it's a bit sad for me, but 2 am is just not feasible :/
January 27, 2022 at 4:21 PM
Author

I understand and thanks for commenting. We WILL find a way to make something available to Europe!
January 26, 2022 at 9:04 AM
Author

I have set up this thread as the place to discuss this Chapter and mermorialize the discussion that comes out of Chapter One: AFDIA - Chapter One
January 25, 2022 at 1:17 AM

Right now I'm undecided.

Unread Threads

    1. Title
    2. Replies
    3. Last Reply

    2. Who are capable of figuring the problem out 5

      • Patrikios
      • June 6, 2025 at 6:54 PM
    3. Replies
      5
      Views
      320
      5

    4. Patrikios

      June 6, 2025 at 6:54 PM

    2. What fears does modern science remove, as Epicurean physics did in antiquity? 31

      • sanantoniogarden
      • June 6, 2025 at 2:05 PM
    3. Replies
      31
      Views
      935
      31

    4. Don

      June 6, 2025 at 2:05 PM

    2. Porphyry - Letter to Marcella -"Vain Is the Word of the Philosopher..." 17

      • Cassius
      • June 3, 2025 at 11:17 PM
    3. Replies
      17
      Views
      5.8k
      17

    4. Bryan

      June 3, 2025 at 11:17 PM

    2. Daily life of ancient Epicureans / 21st Century Epicureans 38

      • Robert
      • May 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM
    3. Replies
      38
      Views
      2.9k
      38

    4. Pacatus

      May 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM

    2. Emily Austin's "LIving For Pleasure" Wins Award. (H/T to Lowri for finding this!)

      • Cassius
      • May 28, 2025 at 10:57 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      253