Smartful
Learn something every day
Word
Fun facts
Artist
Historical figure
Historic event

November 21, 2024
Nov 21, 2024
Word
tetralogy
noun
Definition
a series of four connected literary, artistic, or musical works
Example
The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy: A Trilogy in Four Parts (as it was published in England) is, as the name rather coyly intimates, a tetralogy of Douglas Adams novels. "Vintage has reissued Ford Madox Ford's Parade's End, a massive tetralogy of novels about England's cascading misfortunes during World War I." - From a review by Scott Eyman in Palm Beach Post (Florida), April 15, 2012
Origin
The original tetralogies were sets of four plays (three tragedies and a comedy) performed serially on the Athenian stages of ancient Greece. These sets of plays were similar to the "trilogy," a group of three serial Greek tragedies. The word "tetralogy" is from the Greek combining form "tetra-," meaning "four," joined with the combining form "-logia," which in turn comes from "logos," meaning "word." Other "tetra-" words include "tetrahedron" (a solid shape formed by four flat faces) and "tetrapod" (a vertebrate with two pairs of limbs).
Webster's Dictionary
Fun facts
  1. In Texas, it is illegal to graffiti someone's cow.
  2. The hippopotamus has the capability to remain underwater for as long as five minutes.
Snapple's under-the-cap 'Real Facts'
Artist
Martin Kippenberger
Feb 25, 1953 - Mar 7, 1997

Martin Kippenberger was a German artist and sculptor known for his extremely prolific output in a wide range of styles and media, superfiction as well as his provocative, jocular and hard-drinking public persona.

Kippenberger was "widely regarded as one of the most talented German artists of his generation," according to Roberta Smith of the New York Times. He was at the center of a generation of German enfants terribles including Albert Oehlen, Markus Oehlen, Werner Büttner, Georg Herold, Dieter Göls, and Günther Förg.

Learn more »
Wikipedia, Google Arts & Culture
Historical figure
Ashurnasirpal II
Died 858 BC

Ashur-nasir-pal II was king of Assyria from 883 to 859 BC.

Ashurnasirpal II succeeded his father, Tukulti-Ninurta II, in 883 BC. During his reign he embarked on a vast program of expansion, first conquering the peoples to the north in Asia Minor as far as Nairi and exacting tribute from Phrygia, then invading Aram conquering the Aramaeans and Neo-Hittites between the Khabur and the Euphrates Rivers. His harshness prompted a revolt that he crushed decisively in a pitched, two-day battle. According to his monument inscription, while recalling this massacre he says:

Their men young and old I took prisoners. Of some I cut off their feet and hands; of others I cut off the ears noses and lips; of the young men's ears I made a heap; of the old men's heads I made a minaret. I exposed their heads as a trophy in front of their city. The male children and the female children I burned in flames; the city I destroyed, and consumed with fire.

Learn more »
Wikipedia, Google Arts & Culture
Historic event
Dutch East Indies campaign
Dec 8, 1941 - Mar 9, 1942

The Dutch East Indies campaign of 1941–1942 was the conquest of the Dutch East Indies by forces from the Empire of Japan in the early days of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Forces from the Allies attempted unsuccessfully to defend the islands. The East Indies were targeted by the Japanese for their rich oil resources which would become a vital asset during the war. The campaign and subsequent three and a half year Japanese occupation was also a major factor in the end of Dutch colonial rule in the region.

Learn more »
Wikipedia, Google Arts & Culture