The classic Camilla and the modern Camilla

If I may tear myself away for a moment from the papal death-watch and briefly look forward to the "impending" marriage of Prince Charles to Mrs. Camilla Parker Bowles next weekend, I would like to draw your attention to a very interesting interview by Elaine Fantham, professor emerita of classics at Princeton University, who makes a fascinating comparison between the classic Queen Camilla in Virgil's epic poem The Aeneid with the modern Camilla. Among the similarities apparently are the appearance of the goddess Diana in Camilla's story as well as the appearance of horses. Hmmm. Interesting. As you know, the modern Camilla, as with most members of the British royal family, belongs to the horsey set.

Anyway, Fantham doesn't just stop with this comparison between the classic and the modern. She comments on the impending marriage. She calls it a "relationship of equals," more comforting to look at than the unequal marriage between a young aristocratic lady and a price who is over 10 years her senior.

This interview from National Public Radio is only 5 minutes and 30 seconds long. Listen to it here.