In the Shadow of Herodotos

In addition to my required lectures, since returning to a university setting, I have been attending as many extra-departmental lectures as I can manage. I have been to most events at the music department as well. In most instances the talks are rewarding and interesting, and some have been fascinating and inspiring. At the beginning of the last semester, I heard a graduate student in comparative literature talk about his work, who opened: "Today I want to talk to you about corpses." He was a captivating orator. In addition to interesting information, I am constantly learning about oratory style and skill. Some speakers have interesting topics and important points to make, but are dreadfully dull or disorganized. Others could speak about anything and draw the audience to hang on their every word. Occasionally, there are speakers who ramble, perhaps out of nervousness, when they could have stated something sharply and succinctly. Apparently, according to John Myers, in his book Herodotus, Father of History, Herodotus was remembered in Olympia for "lecturing overlong", as evidenced by the proverb ἐς τὴν Ἡροδότου σκιάν.