Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve noticed a lot more people are getting to this website by searching some variation of “Milo and the bull”, Milo and the calf”, Milo of Croton”, etc.

I wasn’t sure why it was happening. Perhaps final papers in freshman intro to classics class were due? Was Milo mentioned on a crossfit blog? Everyone suddenly clamouring for knowledge on greek mythic heroes?

I really had no idea until I got about 2/3rd of the way through Christopher McDougall’s new book, Natural Born Heroes  and then it was obvious.

McDougall’s new book (which I’ll write a full review of soon) is a wide ranging (probably too wide ranging) look at fitness, both ancient and modern, tied together by the narrative of a group of British officers and Greek resistance fighters who battled the Nazi’s on Crete. The book is a bit of a hodgepodge, but a good read. And it goes into some detail on the Milo myths.

Hence, I believe, the rise in traffic here from the term.

So, if you got here because you want to know more about Milo of Croton, I suggest you check out the resource page I’ve developed which collects the classical sources and provided links to the posts here that reference Milo. And while you’re at it, read some of the Aurelius quotes. No one ever reads those.