Well, as usual, it took longer than I'd like, but I've now got a draft up of the story of Romulus and Remus over at the Humanities Program. Any suggestions would, of course, be welcome.
Next challenge: It seems like one can't do the founding myths of Rome without talking about Brutus and Tarquin, and yet how do you talk about the mythological Brutus expelling the last king of Rome without dealing with the rape of Lucretia? And when writing for children, does one write about things like the rape of Lucretia?
Writing pagan stories for young (non pagan) children has its own peculiar difficulties...
You could always call it "hurt" Lucretia.
ReplyDeletePS: Romulus (Romolo in Italian) and Remus were the names of my great uncles. My Great-Grandmother bore 10 kids. I think she was running out of names.
Though the key part of Lucretia's story (the part that really convey's Roman-ness) is where she tells her husband and brothers that she's been disgraced, and has only lived with the disgrace thus far so that she can ask them to avenge her, after which she kills herself. The focus on revenge and on honor (and death as a means of cleansing dishonor) is what is so "Old Roman" about Lucretia, but it's a hard thing to package up for the 1st-3rd grade set.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe I don't give them enough credit. Kids seem to have quite a capacity for tragic stories.
The Victorians had a good deal of practice on this point. The link may still be aimed a bit high for the audience you have in mind, but it might give something to work with, inasmuch as it is already packaged for somewhat older school children.
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