TM A publication of the American Philological Association Vol. 2 • Issue 1 •Spring 2003 Editorial HORACE, HUMANITAS, by Margaret A. Brucia AND CRETE n the first issue of Amphora, Anne-Marie and I explained our choice of a name for by Janice M. Benario I this fledgling publication. We commented omer speaks of Crete as a rich hard-pressed people of Crete. on the symbolism of an amphora, a vessel Hand lovely sea-girt land. The At nightfall on April 26, 1944, Leigh as common in the Greek as in the Roman island has long been the setting Fermor and Moss, with the aid of some world, a container that could be both sim- for strange and exotic stories, many in Cretan locals, kidnapped the forty- ple and elaborate and that held a wide Greek mythology. Here, for instance, eight-year-old German General Karl variety of commodities. A year-and-a-half Zeus was born, and Theseus met Ari- Heinrich Kreipe, who had been sent and two issues later, a new analogy adne before slaying the Minotaur who from Russia, in February 1944, to com- prowled the labyrinth. Today, historical mand the occupying forces in Crete. Sit- between Amphora and its classical name- events that took place in Crete during ting in the front of a chauffeur-driven sake has occurred to me. Like an amphora, World War II are fast becoming legends. car, Kreipe had been on his way from our publication stands tall and upright, but Residents continue to recount the headquarters to his lodging in the Villa it cannot nor is it designed to do so unas- deeds of two eminent classical archaeol- Ariadne near Knossos (see Fig. 2), sisted. You, our readers, have been and ogists (John D. S. Pendlebury and which had been built originally by Sir must continue to be its base and its support Thomas J. Dunbabin) who played key Arthur Evans as a storehouse for arti- roles in the Greek Resistance during the facts from the nearby Palace of Minos. by providing literary contributions, new German occupation of Crete. They also Both Leigh Fermor and Moss wore Ger- ideas, and valuable feedback. Amphora still tell the story of the daring kidnap- man uniforms. Kreipe’s chauffeur was needs your help if it is to fulfill its mission: ping in 1944 of a German general by knocked out and removed, and the gen- “to convey the excitement of classical stud- two British officers and a few guerrillas. eral was hidden in the rear of the car. ies to a broad readership by offering On May 20, 1941, the German para- With Moss driving Kreipe’s car, and accessible articles written by professional chute attack on Crete started the quick Leigh Fermor pretending to be Kreipe defeat of the Allies followed by the long (wearing the general’s hat and speaking scholars and experts on topics of classical and strong Greek Resistance – one of German like a native), they bluffed interest that include literature, language, the most moving dramas of World War their way through more than twenty mythology, history, culture, classical tradi- II. By June 1, 1941, the Allies had evac- German checkpoints before vanishing tion, and the arts, and by featuring reviews uated thousands of troops from Crete, into the mountains. As they traveled by of relevant books, films, and Web sites.” leaving behind, with the Greeks, a few foot from Heraklion in the north to the We are, to be sure, grateful for the arti- Britons, Australians, and New Zealan- beaches on the southern shore (see ders. British Major Patrick Leigh Fer- Fig. 1), they evaded the pursuing cles and reviews that you have generously mor, who worked for the Special Opera- Germans. provided. And we are happy to report that tions Executive in Cairo, Division of On the night of April 29, while we now have articles reserved for future Crete, had organized guerrilla opera- abductors and abductee hid in a cave, issues. But we hope that you will continue tions on the island for two years. While Leigh Fermor discovered that the gen- to keep Amphora in mind whenever you on leave in Cairo in December 1943, eral was a fair Greek and Latin scholar are tempted to write a piece about a classi- Leigh Fermor and British Captain W. who had spent ten years attending the Stanley Moss conceived a plan to kid- classical (humanistic) gymnasium. The cal subject in a footnote-free environment. nap the island’s enemy commander. two then spent the evening exchanging Please don’t hesitate to suggest topics for The purpose was to strike a blow to articles and reviews on classical themes, continued on page 2 German morale and to boost that of the whether they pertain to the past or to the Book Review: “The Athenian Film Review: present. Trireme”.................................................................3 “Clash of the Titans” (1981) ..................10 When, as a member of the Committee Novel Approaches to On Good Teaching ..................................10 the Classics: Part I.......................................4 on Outreach of the APA, I accepted the Book Review: “The Sappho The Nashville Athena: Companion” .....................................................12 task of helping to launch a new and differ- Rebirth of a Goddess................................6 Mount Olympus ...........................................12 ent kind of APA journal, I decided to serve Book Review: “Climbing Parnassus” ...7 Book Review: “The Love-Artist” ........14 “There and Back again” – continued on page 2 Inside Guidelines for Odysseus and Bilbo Baggins...............8 Contributors................................................16 Editorial Horace, HUMANITAS, and Crete continued from page 1 continued from page 1 verses from Sophocles, much to the And the laboring trees no longer as co-editor until the new publication had a amusement and amazement of the other bear their clear identity and strong leadership. kidnappers. Leigh Fermor had a good Burden, and rivers have become Amphora now has both, thanks to the inde- command of Latin and Greek. Instead frozen Because of the piercing cold, fatigable efforts of Adam Blistein, Jennifer of attending university, however, he had Roberts, and a cadre of referees and proof- made his way alone, in 1933, from Hol- and so on through the remaining five land across central Europe, living like a readers, but especially thanks to my co-edi- stanzas to the end. The general’s blue tramp and a wandering scholar. One of eyes had swiveled away from the tor, Anne-Marie Lewis. With just the right the books he carried with him was the mountain top to mine – and when I’d editorial touch and a deep commitment to first volume of Horace’s poetry from the finished, after a long silence, he said: promoting the classics in the world of aca- Loeb Classical Library. While walking, “Ach so, Herr Major!” “Ah, yes, Major!” demia and beyond, Anne-Marie has suc- he memorized many of his favorite It was very strange. As though, for a long moment, the war had ceased to ceeded admirably in shaping Amphora. odes, poems which he described as “infallible mood-changers.” exist. We had both drunk at the same This is my last issue as co-editor, but I In his book, A Time of Gifts (1977), fountains long before; and things were step down knowing that Amphora is in the different between us for the rest of Leigh Fermor describes the moment our time together. capable hands of Anne-Marie Lewis, the when Horace helped create a profound editor-in-chief. I have enjoyed the challenge sense of humanitas, “humane conduct Recently, Leigh Fermor wrote to me and the excitement of being one of the toward others,” between himself and his that Kreipe, in addition to this ode (Ode founders of this publication, and I hope that enemy: 1.9), also knew the ode to Aristius Fus- our readership will continue actively to sup- cus (Ode 1.22) and that together they It was a time of anxiety and danger; port Amphora and its crucial mission. and for our captive, of hardship and were able to reconstruct the last part of distress. During a lull in the pursuit, the Regulus Ode (Ode 3.5). Horace, we woke up (April 30) among the known for moderation and decorum, rocks just as a brilliant dawn was proved to be the stimulus for continuing gentlemanly behavior between captor and captive. The journey to the beaches in the south lasted about two more weeks. On the night of May 14, they were picked up by a small motorboat and taken safe- ly to Egypt. From there, the general was flown to London, interrogated, and transferred to a prison camp near Cal- gary, Alberta, from which he was released in 1947. As a result of the suc- cessful undertaking, Leigh Fermor received the Distinguished Service Order and was made, in 1947, an hon- orary citizen of Heraklion. Moss received the Military Cross. In 1950, Moss published a stirring day-by-day account of the kidnapping, breaking over the crest of Mount Ida. Ill Met By Moonlight. The book was Fig. 1. Map by Tom Elliott. Copyright made into a black-and-white movie in 2003, Ancient World Mapping Center. We had been toiling over it through snow and then rain, for the last two 1957 by British director J. Arthur Rank. days. Looking across the valley at this It appeared a year later in the United flashing mountain-crest, the general States as Night Ambush, with Dirk murmured to himself: Bogarde as Leigh Fermor, David Oxley as Moss, and Marius Goring as Kreipe. Vides ut alta stet nive candidum Described as “stiffly made,” it was only Soracte . moderately well received (the Horace You see how Soracte stands white episode is not in the movie).