Greek Quiz

by **Ozzie Geoff** » 21 Jan 2007, 07:13

Let's see how you go on these...

a) The Archbishop of Cyprus is the only one on the island allowed to....

b) In 1983 what was banned from being grounds for divorce?

c) In ancient Greece what was the penalty for adultery?

Go to it, peoples..

by **D and E** » 21 Jan 2007, 14:41

a) dress up as, and call himself, the Archbishop of Cyprus

b) dressing up and calling oneself the Archbishop of Cyprus

c) being transported to Cyprus and being appointed the Archbishop.

Must stop watching reruns of Month Python on Sky !!!

by **Allan** » 23 Jan 2007, 23:57

I discovered, after a lot of digging, that the Archbish is allowed to sign his name in vermilion ink. That can't be it surely? Then again, it sounds obscure enough for an OG quiz

As for the other two questions, I'd be guessing and trust me, you wouldn't want to hear the guesses!

by **Ozzie Geoff** » 24 Jan 2007, 02:20

Pretty good, Allan, yep, he's the only one allowed to write in purple ink. I'd like to know the origin of that.. :?:

Now, the other two, do you want the answers or are you all still digging? :twisted:

by **Allan** » 24 Jan 2007, 14:48

Still digging OG.....

I've found a source that could answer B :-
"Absence, Sexual Impotence, Mental Alienation or Leprosy"

I'm guessing you were after leprosy as the answer? :twisted:

by **Ozzie Geoff** » 25 Jan 2007, 06:44

Yep Allan, leprosy is indeed correct.

Right up to 1983!
Now, those pesky adulterers... :twisted:

by **Bina** » 25 Jan 2007, 13:00

C: Death penatly? :twisted:

by **Ozzie Geoff** » 26 Jan 2007, 03:35

Not quite, Bina. But death may have been a welcome alternative. :twisted:

by **Adriana** » 26 Jan 2007, 10:38

According to James Davidson in 'Courtesans and Fishcakes', the cuckolded husband had to be paid compensation and it was not uncommon for couples to make a quick buck by setting up a rich man in a compromising situation with the wife. :twisted:

The indignant husband bursts in and the lover has to hand over his fortune to save his reputation.

by **Allan** » 26 Jan 2007, 17:20

Given the Ancient Greek's fascination with all things carnal (have you seen those statues?

) adultery was probably an Olympic sport!

by **Mille** » 26 Jan 2007, 17:40

The answer to C is:
Adultery was tolerated for men, but was grounds for divorce in the case of women.

In other words, it was ok for a man to have his way with every breathing female, but if a woman so much as looked at another, she would loose everything :evil:

I guess nothing has changed!

by **Kojak** » 26 Jan 2007, 17:49

Er.... what's wrong with that?

by **Mille** » 26 Jan 2007, 18:42

Kojak wrote:
[quote="Mille"]

Oh God, Allan!
You've just made my day!
[/quote]HTH :mrgreen:

by **Allan** » 27 Jan 2007, 23:22

Isn't the Internet a wonderful resource?

After a few glasses of good white and typing phrases into Google that could result in arrest in most countries I came across the Australian Skeptics site (no, I'd never heard of it either) where in the question was asked:- "What is this peculiar foreign habit - Raphanizein?".

There were 25 "wrong answers" given, my favorite being:

"Raphanizein: The cruel practice of ancient Greeks who punished those slaves who ate too much horseradish by making them watch "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" for the rest of their natural lives."

by **Ozzie Geoff** » 28 Jan 2007, 01:43

Thats a very funny site, Allan, it appealed to my Aussie sense of humour.

by **Mille** » 28 Jan 2007, 12:08

OG, I still need some kind of proof, evidence of the radish in bum penalty

by **Richard** » 28 Jan 2007, 15:17

Mille,

You're a moderator. Please, please, please do not let Geoff put photographic evidence up on this site.

by **Mille** » 28 Jan 2007, 15:41

Richard, cameras weren't invented in Ancient Greece

by **symivisitor** » 28 Jan 2007, 16:14

Here's some proof Mille-from 'The London Review of Books':

"Depictions of punishment figure prominently in images of ancient Greece: Prometheus bound to a mountainside in the Caucasus, his liver eagle-meat, for stealing fire, mankind punished with womankind for receiving said stolen goods; Ixion revolving across the sky tied to a winged wheel, recommending to anyone who would listen the importance of respecting one's host; Erysichthon ravenously hungry, beginning to eat himself; Andromeda tied to a rock, tasty morsel for a sea-monster, because of something her mother said; Niobe petrified, watching her children die one by one of supernatural causes because of something she said herself; Cassandra unbelieved. Probably the most sublime image of punishment is Socrates drinking hemlock in prison and discovering opportunely the undying soul. Probably the most ridiculous is the schoolboys' favourite piece of vocab, rhaphanidosis, a punishment inflicted on adulterers by cuckolded husbands, a radish up the arse."

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v22/n16/davi02_.html

by **Richard** » 28 Jan 2007, 16:37

Amazing what OG can do with Photoshop and an illustrated copy of the Iliad. Don't let him make you a salad.
Poor old Cassandra, always speaking the truth and never believed. Exactly the opposite to modern politicians.

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