Near to the ancient Greek theatre of Syracuse is a limestone cave known as ‘The Ear of Dionysius’. The name was given by the painter Michelangelo da Caravaggio (1571-1610), who heard the legend that local tyrant Dionysius 1st (432-367 BCE) used the cave as a prison for his political enemies and was able to listen to their subversive plans thanks to the acoustic qualities of the cave. The echo is remarkable and is said to form a 16*repeat in it’s sweetest spot. These photos were taken in September 2008.
July 3, 2024
The Ear of Dionysius Cave, Syracuse, Sicily
The Peacham Drawing: Titus Andronicus
'Titus Andronicus' is notable for being the subject of the only contemporary illustration of a Shakespeare play. Known as the Peacham drawing, and currently in the Library at Longleat House in Wiltshire, the seat of the Marquis of Bath, the dr…
New Place, Stratford-Upon-Avon
Featured in episode 123: The History of New Place
Here are three images to help you visualize Shakespeare’s house in Stratford-Upon-Avon, New Place.
The first is a view of the site as it stands today. The side of the house you can see i…