Society & Culture
"How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! Here will we sit and let the sounds of music Creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night. Become the touches of sweet harmony." -from Shakespseare's 'The Merchant of Venice' The moon has held a special place in cultures across the globe. An object of mystical wonder and focus of scientific inquiry, the moon is an enduring subject for artists, poets and writers. To land on the moon represented not only a remarkable technological achievement, but one that created in human history a shared moment of optimism. An achievement for human ambition and scientific discovery, born out of the geopolitical competition between nations. In the second episode of this series, join Dr Sonia Pertsinidis as she looks at the lost works of Pythagoras. Pythagoras is one of the most famous, controversial and mysterious philosophers of the ancient Greek world. Although none of his writings survive, the influence of his ideas upon Western thought has been immense. This is especially evident from Pythagorean contributions in the fields of music and harmony, mathematics and geometry, astronomy and astrology. Sonia explores the theory known as the ‘harmony of the spheres’: the idea that the moon, planets and heavenly bodies generate wondrous music as they travel through space. What was the basis for this idea? How did it influence writers and thinkers in subsequent centuries? And does it hold meaning for us today? Discover and register for future events in the series at cass.anu.edu.au/wtstw Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Contact Us for more information.