Fig 1.1:Parchment, unearthed in Jan's back room in Ithaca, New York. Trans.: "Meow meow meow rrrrrr/ meow meow meow meow meow/Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr/ meow meow meow"

This specimen at first seemed to be a remarkably preserved manuscript of lyric poetry by the renowned Greek poetess Myrtis, who counted among her pupils such bright literary lights as Pindar and Corinna (indeed, these two are mentioned in Suidas' Lexicon not only on their own merit but as "students of the woman Myrtis"). As no other specimens of Myrtis's work have come down to us, this was a discovery that set the pulses of classical scholars racing. Further study proved the piece to be the work of a far more modern Myrtis, the lovely tortoiseshell pictured below (Fig. 1.2). The torn and ragged edges of the manuscript, at first thought to be the result of centuries of exposure to the elements, turned out to be, in fact, chew marks. The poem is no less delightful for its modern date; the repeated use of "rrrrrrrrrr" seems to indicate purring, suggesting that this was written in one of the author's happier moments.

Fig 1.2:Thoroughly modern Myrtis.

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