rachel
@stonefruits.bsky.social
she/her, librarian & semi-retired classicist • posting about the roman republic, translation, fandom, and etc • MILF (Man I Love Fruit) • writing at https://deadlanguages.substack.com/
Pinned
the courtesan and the muse, or: persuasive oratory, incest allegations, and lady ox-eyes
a speedrun through my favorite toxic, disastrous relationship trio
deadlanguages.substack.com
it's here!! hold my hand as we speedrun through the roman republic's best, worst, most toxic relationship triangle. it's even a toxic relationship pentagon if you squint.
showing up to therapy this week having done all of the things my therapist asked me to do
January 6, 2026 at 12:12 AM
showing up to therapy this week having done all of the things my therapist asked me to do
Reposted by rachel
Doing this challenge called “January” where I try to make it through the whole month of January
January 4, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Doing this challenge called “January” where I try to make it through the whole month of January
actual tears in my eyes from laughing at this
January 5, 2026 at 2:35 AM
actual tears in my eyes from laughing at this
in full seriousness, i'm reading ron chernow's washington biography right now and it's been very sobering especially in These Circumstances... he sacrificed so much and we remember so little, and he foresaw so much of what could go (+ has gone) wrong with american democracy. rolling in his grave etc
January 4, 2026 at 1:26 AM
in full seriousness, i'm reading ron chernow's washington biography right now and it's been very sobering especially in These Circumstances... he sacrificed so much and we remember so little, and he foresaw so much of what could go (+ has gone) wrong with american democracy. rolling in his grave etc
btw e-pistulae is currently going through cicero's letters from exile if anyone wants to receive regular updates on his trials and tribulations
January 4, 2026 at 12:23 AM
btw e-pistulae is currently going through cicero's letters from exile if anyone wants to receive regular updates on his trials and tribulations
can you guys believe cicero is 2131 years old today and he's still alive and well. his head is attached and everything
January 4, 2026 at 12:20 AM
can you guys believe cicero is 2131 years old today and he's still alive and well. his head is attached and everything
Reposted by rachel
Ever relevant, this poem by Mary Oliver, especially today.
January 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Ever relevant, this poem by Mary Oliver, especially today.
Reposted by rachel
#OnThisDay - 3 January - in 106 BC the Roman orator & statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero is born at Arpinum. His letters & speeches provide an unparalleled (if not unbiased!) insight into the Late Republic. #AncientHistory 🏺
Image: Musei Capitolini (MC0589). Link - museicapitolini.org/en/percorsi/...
Image: Musei Capitolini (MC0589). Link - museicapitolini.org/en/percorsi/...
January 3, 2026 at 12:58 PM
#OnThisDay - 3 January - in 106 BC the Roman orator & statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero is born at Arpinum. His letters & speeches provide an unparalleled (if not unbiased!) insight into the Late Republic. #AncientHistory 🏺
Image: Musei Capitolini (MC0589). Link - museicapitolini.org/en/percorsi/...
Image: Musei Capitolini (MC0589). Link - museicapitolini.org/en/percorsi/...
stewing in a pit of anxiety for the past week. Great
January 2, 2026 at 6:06 PM
stewing in a pit of anxiety for the past week. Great
Reposted by rachel
For New Year’s Day 2026, a hellenistic glass vase shaped like a pomegranate. 2nd century BC - 1st century AD.
A symbol of abundance and good luck for the year ahead!
📷 Phoenix Art phoenixancientart.com/work-of-art/...
#Archaeology
A symbol of abundance and good luck for the year ahead!
📷 Phoenix Art phoenixancientart.com/work-of-art/...
#Archaeology
January 1, 2026 at 11:17 AM
For New Year’s Day 2026, a hellenistic glass vase shaped like a pomegranate. 2nd century BC - 1st century AD.
A symbol of abundance and good luck for the year ahead!
📷 Phoenix Art phoenixancientart.com/work-of-art/...
#Archaeology
A symbol of abundance and good luck for the year ahead!
📷 Phoenix Art phoenixancientart.com/work-of-art/...
#Archaeology
anyway, if there's one thing about me, it's that i will collect historical men like they're trading cards
January 1, 2026 at 10:14 PM
anyway, if there's one thing about me, it's that i will collect historical men like they're trading cards
legitimately head in my hands about this exchange
January 1, 2026 at 10:09 PM
legitimately head in my hands about this exchange
thinking about how completely mortified some important historical figures would be if they knew their private personal correspondence was being widely read, published, and researched centuries after their deaths
January 1, 2026 at 7:45 PM
thinking about how completely mortified some important historical figures would be if they knew their private personal correspondence was being widely read, published, and researched centuries after their deaths
2025 year in books. yay
January 1, 2026 at 7:00 PM
2025 year in books. yay
Reposted by rachel
it's here!! hold my hand as we speedrun through the roman republic's best, worst, most toxic relationship triangle. it's even a toxic relationship pentagon if you squint.
the courtesan and the muse, or: persuasive oratory, incest allegations, and lady ox-eyes
a speedrun through my favorite toxic, disastrous relationship trio
deadlanguages.substack.com
December 30, 2025 at 5:04 PM
it's here!! hold my hand as we speedrun through the roman republic's best, worst, most toxic relationship triangle. it's even a toxic relationship pentagon if you squint.
everyone i know is watching heated rivalry and i’m out here hyperfixating on revolutionary war-era relationship dynamics
January 1, 2026 at 1:03 AM
everyone i know is watching heated rivalry and i’m out here hyperfixating on revolutionary war-era relationship dynamics
i’ve been reading the private correspondence between george washington and the marquis de lafayette and the wildly tender sentiments in this pseudo father-son relationship are making ME feel wild. they don’t make ‘em like this anymore
January 1, 2026 at 12:57 AM
i’ve been reading the private correspondence between george washington and the marquis de lafayette and the wildly tender sentiments in this pseudo father-son relationship are making ME feel wild. they don’t make ‘em like this anymore
i've always hated end-of-year wrap-ups and this year is really like... i did a lot of cool things and became more confident about a lot of other things but also my dog of sixteen+ years died and that has drowned out the rest!
December 31, 2025 at 11:19 PM
i've always hated end-of-year wrap-ups and this year is really like... i did a lot of cool things and became more confident about a lot of other things but also my dog of sixteen+ years died and that has drowned out the rest!
my biggest Thank You to everyone reading/saving/commenting on this because it is truly my favorite subject ever and i loved writing about it. clodia is the woman of all time to me. i would be BEYOND delighted to recommend books or chat about or expand on anything mentioned in the essay 💛
it's here!! hold my hand as we speedrun through the roman republic's best, worst, most toxic relationship triangle. it's even a toxic relationship pentagon if you squint.
the courtesan and the muse, or: persuasive oratory, incest allegations, and lady ox-eyes
a speedrun through my favorite toxic, disastrous relationship trio
deadlanguages.substack.com
December 30, 2025 at 9:44 PM
my biggest Thank You to everyone reading/saving/commenting on this because it is truly my favorite subject ever and i loved writing about it. clodia is the woman of all time to me. i would be BEYOND delighted to recommend books or chat about or expand on anything mentioned in the essay 💛
it's here!! hold my hand as we speedrun through the roman republic's best, worst, most toxic relationship triangle. it's even a toxic relationship pentagon if you squint.
the courtesan and the muse, or: persuasive oratory, incest allegations, and lady ox-eyes
a speedrun through my favorite toxic, disastrous relationship trio
deadlanguages.substack.com
December 30, 2025 at 5:04 PM
it's here!! hold my hand as we speedrun through the roman republic's best, worst, most toxic relationship triangle. it's even a toxic relationship pentagon if you squint.
positive reflection about 2025: as silly and self-indulgent as my newsletter is, it has really strengthened my skill & discipline as a translator. it’s kept me going when i no longer have formal classes to keep me accountable! and frankly i would never have translated this much cicero in isolation.
December 30, 2025 at 3:33 AM
positive reflection about 2025: as silly and self-indulgent as my newsletter is, it has really strengthened my skill & discipline as a translator. it’s kept me going when i no longer have formal classes to keep me accountable! and frankly i would never have translated this much cicero in isolation.
it's 3500 words excluding footnotes and if it were any longer, substack would not fit it all into an email
i hope everyone wants to read a really long drama-filled essay because the length of this thing.... it's dire
December 30, 2025 at 3:21 AM
it's 3500 words excluding footnotes and if it were any longer, substack would not fit it all into an email
found a near-empty peanut butter jar in the fridge that i must have been saving to give to b before she got sick. devastated all over again! grief sucks!
December 30, 2025 at 1:11 AM
found a near-empty peanut butter jar in the fridge that i must have been saving to give to b before she got sick. devastated all over again! grief sucks!
question for the newsletter crowd: when i include longer translation chunks, would it be helpful if i bolded the extra-significant parts (in english)? i think the non-poetry translations sometimes look intimidating especially with my context footnotes 🥲
December 29, 2025 at 10:40 PM
question for the newsletter crowd: when i include longer translation chunks, would it be helpful if i bolded the extra-significant parts (in english)? i think the non-poetry translations sometimes look intimidating especially with my context footnotes 🥲
i hope everyone wants to read a really long drama-filled essay because the length of this thing.... it's dire
December 28, 2025 at 6:06 PM
i hope everyone wants to read a really long drama-filled essay because the length of this thing.... it's dire