Nine British women were facing prostitution charges after being arrested at the weekend for taking part in an oral sex competition in the Greek holiday island of Zakynthos, police said on Monday.

Six British and six Greek men, including two bar owners, were also charged in the incident, which took place at Laganas beach in the south of the Ionian island, which lies off the west coast of mainland Greece, police said.

April.  A dorm room.

College Guy #1: Finally.
College Guy #2: YES.
College Guy #3: I cannot WAIT for July.
College Guy #2: The greatest island in the world.
College Girl: [rolls eyes]
College Guy #1: An entire island totally full of them.
College Girl: [sighs audibly]
College Guy #3: Dudes.  In three months, we’ll be there.
College Guys #1-3: Lesbos.
College Girl: [leaves room]

July.  An Internet cafe, Lemnos town, Lesbos Island, Greece. College Guys #1 and #2 are frustratedly checking email; College Girl is browsing Reuters.

College Girl: I told you guys.
College Guys #1 and #3: Shut UP.
College Girl: I can’t believe you really thought it was going to be 100% populated by—
College Guys #1 and #2: JUST. Shut UP.
College Girl: Right.  Well.  Do you remember how I said we should go to Zakynthos, because it has nicer beaches, and a better party scene?
College Guy #2: We’re not talking to you anymore.
College Girl: Here.  Read this.
College Guys #1-3:  GOD DAMMIT.

Tags: travel, greece, zakynthos, lesbos, sex, college students are bad at research, prostitutes

Delving into a 3,000-year-old mystery using astronomical clues in Homer’s “The Odyssey,” researchers said Monday they have dated one of the most heralded events of Western literature: Odysseus’ slaughter of his wife’s suitors upon his return from the Trojan War...According to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, [the slaughter occurred] on April 16, 1178 BC.

This follows closely on the heels of last month’s discovery near Mt. Etna, Sicily, of stone tablets that seem to conclusively date another of Odysseus’ most famous exploits—the deception and blinding of Polyphemus, the Cyclops.  A translated excerpt from one of the tablets follows:

March 23, 1168 BC.

Dear Diary,

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!

Me fucking blinded!!!!!!!

Yours,
Polyphemus

Tags: literature, greece, polyphemus, classics, eyeball stabbing, the odyssey, history