Postumus - original song about studying Classics

[@GeorgeWashingtonReincarnated]

This song seems deeper than simply studying classics. It almost seems like a metaphor, though that might only be me.

[@Marijke-Perry]

well, I wrote it in the early fall of 2020 in a time where I was very nervous about the future of America. I wish it were less... topical now.

[@alexperry8561]

"I care more for the footnotes than the kings they call divine" is the best lyric I've heard in a very long time. I'm so lucky to be your sibling

[@Marijke-Perry]

I'm lucky to be yours

[@Gennaropacchiano]

"we'll be watching your career with great interest"

[@user-jn1ob9he9z]

Yes! I love it! When learning about historical periods and societies, I always find myself wondering about the daily lives of "the little people." I want to know their likes and dislikes, what they believed in, and what their little triumphs and trials were. I like to think about how our shared humanity connects us stretching backward and forward through time.

[@Marijke-Perry]

There's so much beauty in the mundane and in learning about everyday people. It's kinda cheesy to say but... people have always been people. It's nice to remember how similar we are to what we've been.

[@cr0taline_180]

And this is why my best test at jcl conventions is roman life ...

[@corrieloren8661]

the feeling when your subject of interest has so much missing sources and you have to battle with the existential dread that the possibility of finding that sources becomes less likely with each passing second.

[@LP-tf7cy]

Now I do find there to be a lot to talk about in those two, but I do hate how most textbooks(and tbh most classicists) can spend 3 chapters on Julius and another 3 on Augustus, but the barely half a page is given to explaining the other peoples of Italy, or how a Roman colony worked.

[@Marijke-Perry]

There's definitely been a refocusing in modern years, but... public interest tends to go for flashing things, which often makes it difficult for researchers to get funding to focus on things like "how the average person lived" as opposed to "what was the most beautiful palace like"

[@LP-tf7cy]

@Marijke-Perry that's very true. I focus on Roman religion, and people always want the most extreme cults or sacrifices( and always think this is the eastern cults and don't realize how orientalist this is) rather than wondering what thr average sacrifice might look like.

[@TheRoseFrontier]

I think of this one book I found at the library years ago, and I'm sad that I do not remember the title, but it was a collection of stories of the lives of these random people at the very start of the Middle Ages, during and after the fall of Rome: a peasant farmer, a merchant, a low-ranking noble... They were people that had limited information that could be found for them, while still having far more information than most of their kind, probably, but they were still stories of people. With *names*. And that struck me so hard. It felt so valuable to me to have something like that, and so novel, too. Because yeah, most of the history we get is the kings and conquerors, especially in that time period. The "greats," if you will. But it does seem like such a shame that they are the only ones we seem to know, sometimes, with any talk of the actual masses living out peaceful lives regulated to vague generalities. The tough thing is, many people don't have much info left behind, but I think, it's still good, to think about them. These people deserve to be remembered

[@HansPNiemand]

Claude 3.5 suggests it might be "Life in a Medieval Village" by Frances and Joseph Gies? Does that sound right?

[@TheRoseFrontier]

@@HansPNiemand That doesn't, but thanks for trying! I am fairly certain it had "people" in the title, and by its nature it was a collection of stories of people from various places and times, rather than being focused on a unit like a village. Perhaps sometime, I will try to search for it again...

[@buggymah]

Omg just came because I wanted to listen to is Scylla a cannibal and saw you dropped this gem. I love this so much this is AMAZING. Iconic.

[@Marijke-Perry]

I'm really glad you like it. It's definitely more serious than Scylla, and more... personal (I have personally never been a giant sea monster), so I'm glad it can still connect.

[@KnittingTinker]

@@Marijke-Perry will this drop on Spotify? And will Troy Was Drowning go on Spotify?

[@Marijke-Perry]

I'm planning on putting a collection of songs on Spotify at the end of the month!

[@charlessiegfriedlevy6973]

criminally underrated masterpiece

[@Marijke-Perry]

Honestly I think it's just very cool people are listening at all; I'm very much Not a professional, and so getting the response I have already is kinda buckwild to me. That said, I'm always glad to entertain.

[@charlessiegfriedlevy6973]

​@@Marijke-Perry You're not professional?But your performance is amazing.The text is beautiful and has a deep meaning. And the singing... well, it's heavenly wonderful.Sorry if there's gonna be some mistakes.Its just,I'm not native English speaker.

[@whilenya4714]

This song was beautiful from start to finish. It was poetry at it's finest and I am fortunate to have heard it. Thank you for sharing this sentiment.

[@Marijke-Perry]

You're very kind! This song is a bit unusual since I so rarely write about my own feelings, but... it felt right to revisit this one.

[@sarahellie4113]

Hi, I study history whenever I get the chance and just applied for college and wrote my college essay partly on why the little stories in history matter. I hate statistics, 10,000 died at this battle 7,000 at the next… all of those people we just have no idea of what amazing people they might have been. Nobody wrote there life down because they weren’t important. I hate this so much. I hate that it still happens. What happens in 100 years when we are all dead? Will we be a memory of relative, that will die out in a few generations? Why do only the extremely rare get remembered? Your song is really amazing. “But I fear the forgotten far more than I fear my self” is just so good… Also I have no idea if you will read this but if you do can you tell me if you’ve ever watched the show MASH? It deals with a lot of these themes. And I love it so much and everyone should watch it.

[@applesforzombie6211]

Love this! I don't think I ever heard a song that dealt with these themes this way (the so called "great man history" ) and it's super compelling on a more personal note I have been struggling to find a perfect song for a playlist for one of my D&d pcs and this is perfect, so you're truly a lifesaver

[@Marijke-Perry]

I am *always* here for DND character playlists. I'm absolutely delighted to have a song on one And I'm, even in concept, excited for a character that'd match these sentiments. And I'm glad you find it compelling!

[@augustinejho9117]

thanks for reminding me i have to study for my classical greek quiz. back to the grind :')

[@AshTheRat]

I need this on spotify ASAP

[@Marijke-Perry]

I'm planning on posting a bunch of songs I've worked on recently at the end of the month!

[@AshTheRat]

@Marijke-Perry :D

[@aadityayanamandra8846]

my LORD this is real i'm a hobbyist historian at best, but i gotta send this to my anthropology major friends

[@Marijke-Perry]

Hopefully they get a kick out of it instead of finding it surface level! There's only so much nuance you can put in meter, but I try.

[@aliceinwonderbruh6433]

I always end up coming late to your songs when they release 😭😭 but I absolutely love your voice in this one! Your original songs are some of my favorites of all time

[@Marijke-Perry]

You're very kind! And it's not like they're going anywhere, so you're always welcome whenever you have time 💓

[@OneRealSilverRaven]

This is an excellant opening to a conversation about how the existence of Ceaser led directly to modern atrocities, and that is a conversation that could be 1000 pages long. What a wonderful, Intelligent statement on the flaws of great man history

[@MLiskindagay]

I think this may leave a lasting impression on my soul

[@avitallichtenfeld813]

This song always hits but it hits particularly hard right before the inauguration

[@jasonmaserton]

Incredibly written, incredibly horrifying emotions torn out of me

[@specil-k]

how ironic that I would find this while looking for information on Postumus, the historical figure

[@williwiebe]

This is unexpectedly on theme with my day. I have randomly had lines from Shakespeare's Julius Ceasar stuck in my head all day.

[@Marijke-Perry]

Great play. I think about how it depicts the Romans... a lot.

[@selahhingston7620]

Evey single song you make is a BANGER. This is such an interesting sentiment I have never quite seen it like this but it is so true, the art is really hood and love the fast beat of the piano under the poetry of your lyrics

[@Marijke-Perry]

*I'm glad you like the piano.* It's really tiring to play in person because of the wrist strain, but I've done it I think... twice?

[@abbycollins4820]

This is pretty cool!!! I absolutely ADORE all your original songs!!

[@Marijke-Perry]

Thank you! It's very sweet of you to listen to all of them

[@abbycollins4820]

@@Marijke-PerryYou’re Welcome!!!

[@PonyoJimon]

Yah the covers are good, but the original songs are incredible

[@abbycollins4820]

@@PonyoJimon Agree!!!

[@MyPetalmouth]

Beautiful sentiment sung brilliantly

[@Marijke-Perry]

thank you!

[@esther2197]

Oh my goodness, this was beautiful! (And very powerful, considering Current Events™.) I can't believe how underrated it this.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

Wat een geweldig idee voor een lied!

[@Marijke-Perry]

Bedankt!

[@Ekiaio]

This sounds amazing! Don’t stop what you’re doing! ❤

[@Marijke-Perry]

Writing songs brings me a lot of joy, so I intend to keep going !

[@TaigaCatOfficial]

This is really such a great song!! Although I personally find the “great warrior kings” of history fascinating, I often find myself wondering about the common people and what they would’ve thought about what was happening if they even cared and how their lives were- We wouldn’t have a lot of history without them yet we never hear them or their stories And your voice and the lyrics are absolutely beautiful!!

[@yaakovlahmany7477]

Your voice is so so beautiful. like really you are amazing!!!!!!!!!❤

[@ocernia1895]

I think this is one of my favorite songs you have written!

[@Marijke-Perry]

I'm glad! I think it's one of the more meaningful ones

[@madame.rosier]

This song put so many feelings i’ve had into words🩷🩷

[@Marijke-Perry]

💙 I wish there were less to relate to but I'm glad it's connecting

[@IAmBored347]

Well this song aged well. Especially the time today. We need to know history and learn from the past more than ever. To not be like them. But....who knows

[@Marijke-Perry]

We try to have hope, since nothing gets better without the belief that it can.

[@AlysIThink101]

As always, this is a very good song.

[@Marijke-Perry]

Thank you for listening!

[@RespectfullyBiasedReader]

I absolutely love the fractured emotion and love that went into this 💙 💙

[@millili7980]

Loved the song, very cool voice and lyrics! You and Bertolt Brecht (or his ghost I suppose) should form a club!

[@RespectfullyBiasedReader]

The lyrics are absolutely amazing

[@RespectfullyBiasedReader]

I also love your description

[@Marijke-Perry]

I'm glad--I am very pro-critical thought and we don't improve things by rejecting academics

[@ByrdieFae]

Oh wow. This just popped up on my feed, I'm glad I clicked it. This was a pleasant surprise! Unpleasant subject, tho...

[@MyNameIsMashmallow]

This is really cool

[@yaakovlahmany7477]

absolutly AMAZING again! how do you do this

[@Marijke-Perry]

the real answer is that I studied music for a very long time and I feel very strongly about many things

[@thesmilyguyguy9799]

Cool Song

[@carolkoski4875]

It was an alright song up until we reached the last pre chorus, it instantly got so real and vivid and I can reasonate with it so much. I'm a languages and literature major, so I don't come in contact with as much uncritical praise of real people as much as a history major might, but a lot of ancient literature had that extremely pro establishment characteristic and making the connections between all that was said then to all that is said now can be very harkening

[@Marijke-Perry]

Tbh this song is for all the scholars who have to live with the ramifications and terrible opinions of those that came before them. I almost said "humanities scholars" but most stem fields also have their fair share of horror stories, especially biologists.

[@RespectfullyBiasedReader]

history is written by the victors

[@Marijke-Perry]

Sometimes history is written by the victors. Sometimes it's written by Some Guy hundreds of years later who's really happy to excuse the atrocities

[@RespectfullyBiasedReader]

@@Marijke-Perry can i please please please quote this-

[@abbycollins4820]

Could this be a metaphor about how people (especially the internet) glorifies horrible people who’ve done monstrous things?

[@abbycollins4820]

Or how we glorify famous people (musicians, actors) who are terrible people (and sometimes literal criminals) while downplaying the importance of people with less glamorous but arguably more important roles in society(nurses, teachers, firefighters, parents)?

[@Marijke-Perry]

I had been thinking about political figures when I wrote it, but you're right that it can be applied much more broadly.

[@sylph8005]

The internet doing this is not new. At most it’s more frequent and faster

[@corrieloren8661]

Its so corny for people to idolize current famous celebrities and politicians but i think its outright EMBARASSING to idolize historical figures. Like DUDE imagine falling for a 2000 year old propaganda.

[@insufferableanarchist]

Is this on Spotify?

[@Marijke-Perry]

Yes! open.spotify.com/album/4dveXC5sCyODrhg1KwMwDB?si=Rbyq0hIzQdW4bZZKMNpMGw

[@wolfgang8391]

so its a beutifule song but I feel it should be mentioned that the the message isn't exactly strange or new. Ground up/revisionism has been the leading form of historiography for the last 40 years.

[@Marijke-Perry]

You're right, and it's working with my professors and peers that are frustrated with the things that came before them that led me to these feelings. A lot of sources I work with are well older than 40 years, and it's always an ongoing process trying to work with thinkers from the past while being critical of what they say

[@One_step_above_is_here]

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