Reading Classical Literature

I almost added a Classics minor to my double majors in History and Sociology, until I realized that I’d have to learn both Latin and Ancient Greek. My course load wouldn’t allow it. However, that didn’t stop me from taking the equivalent of a full semester’s worth total in Ancient Greek and Roman civilization and warfare. 

I miss this classical material, until I thought, “What’s stopping me from diving back in?” So, I’m diving back in. I’ll revisit the obvious texts first: The Iliad and The Odyssey by, Homer before venturing to Ovid’s Metamorphoses. From there I think I’ll revisit the Greek playwrights Sophocles (Antigone is my favorite play), Euripides and Aeschylus. And one can’t discuss the Ancient Greeks without Plato, Plutarch, Aristotle and Socrates; there is a bounty of classical material. 

There is no “end date” for this self-project; I plan to take my time and just keep reading through as much classical literature as I can for probably the rest of my life. As I red through these texts, I also plan to refresh my memory on the common themes and literary devises common in ancient Greek and Roman text, the mythology (which is always fascinating), as well as looking up the Latin and Ancient Greek for words/phrases as needed. You can see in the photo that I have the Loeb Classical Library editions of The Iliad and The Odyssey with have the Ancient Greek parallel to the English translation. I’ll most likely use these editions as reading companions to the Penguin Classics editions. 

Do you have a literary project you’d like tackle? Also, if you have a favorite Ancient Greek or Roman text, please let me know; I’d love to add it to my list!

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