After The Greeks

What am I in for?

the realization that half of all fiction is stolen from greek myths

It does, thanks!

What is the benefit of starting with the greeks? Honestly... what should one expect to learn?

Would it be a good way of raising children? Starting them out with the greeks when they're like to get them on Jordan Peterson's level when they're in 5th grade?

A collection of wikipedia articles on myths with 2 dimensional understanding of the meaning and purpose of them.

I would borderline literally kill to have been raised with an understanding of Greek and Latin writing, culture, and language. I started with the Greeks at 21 after college and resent that I have to basically personally remedy my mediocre (even if successful by contemporary standards) education. Also I think the personality changes I've undergone thanks to the Greeks/Romans would have done wonders for me in college. Instead I missed the boat, so to speak, and have never really managed to get a foothold in "normal" social, especially romantic, life.

They put that in the lists because when the Iliad begins Homer assumes the reader (really, listener) to be already acquainted with a number of deities and stories. It's there because people (i.e. Americans) have frequently zero knowledge on the topic, and both Hamilton and the authors of the Start With The Greeks things were thinking of them. For example there are people on Veeky Forums that would like to set their games in Ancient Greece but then their fellow players go: "What's a Zeus?"

>Honestly... what should one expect to learn?
Familiarizing yourself with language, characters, problems and themes that reappear in later myth, fiction, poetry, plays, philosophy...

>Would it be a good way of raising children?
I found pic related in the library back in the day.

I loved this one as a kid

That book was fucking lit, I don't know if it had any magical impact on me or my thinking but I sure as fuck enjoyed it.

>What is the benefit of starting with the greeks?
>on Jordan Peterson's
Not surprised that's your metric with a question like that. Greeks are incredibly influential to both western canon and philosophy, but more than that they have an intangible aspect that makes them unlike anything in history. Oddly enough they remind me of Elves in Tolkien, ancient, noble, and the philosophies have an almost mystical aspect.

This is a meme
>>proceed with the Prussians
What? You continue with the Christians obviously,then re-engage the Renaissance

>You continue with the Christians obviously
No.

Tiny Varg is adorable.

>Ovid
>Cicero
>Seneca
>Bible
>Shakespeare
>The Romanticists
>whatever you want
anything other than this is meme if you're reading in English. Even if you want to read chronologically, all the translations you'd be reading would be drawing heavily from this list. If you want to read the Middle English works (Chaucer, Malory, Spenser, etc) work your way backwards from Shakespeare to acquaint yourself with the terms.

>Ovid
>Cicero
>Seneca
>Juvenal
>Plutarch
>Terence
>Plautus
>Bible
>Montaigne's Essays
>Shakespeare
>The Romanticists
>whatever you want
anything other than this is meme if you're reading in English. Even if you want to read chronologically, all the translations you'd be reading would be drawing heavily from this list. If you want to read the Middle English works (Chaucer, Malory, Spenser, etc) work your way backwards from Shakespeare to acquaint yourself with the terms.

>but more than that they have an intangible aspect that makes them unlike anything in history. Oddly enough they remind me of Elves in Tolkien, ancient, noble, and the philosophies have an almost mystical aspect.
How do think the romans compare in this regard

read to the bible next. after the greeks Christianity's the most important foundation of the european tradition. After that, maybe read Augustine and Aquinas

Which version? I'm actually slowly working my way thought the KJV. It's not high on my priority list, but a little each week.

Christian here.
I would not recommend the kjv at all as it contains some errors. For example; the KJV is wrong for translating two Greek words “αδης (Hadēs)” and “γεεννα (Gehenna)” both as the same term, “hell.”

Not only that but the kjv was written at a period when there were fewer manuscript and resources to draw from.

I would recommend newer versions such as the ESV, ISV, NIV etc. Be vigilant as some versions are blatant mistranslations/memes such as the queens james version

fair enough. But historically the KJV is important and the history nerd in me will read it for that alone. I've been thinking about going back to church so whatever bible the priest there recommends I'll read.

if you're looking to read the Bible for the additional historical reasons, read the Douay-Rheims Bible. It's an english translation older than KJV (NT Douay version in 1582 // OT Rheims version in 1609-1610[two volumes were made]). It's way better than KJV and it's approved by a Church with a direct lineage to year 33 when Jesus establishes His Church too so.....

I know about DR and at some point, but I've heard it's in old English or something that would be hard to read and I just don't have the time to put into that right now.

As a Christian your reply worries me. I would disagree that the Kjv has been all that impactful on the world in the grand scheme of things, i would recommend reading The King James Only Controversy by James White for more context on the subject. Also, I think you may be coming to the bible for the wrong reasons, wouldn't one want to find a translation that is closest to the original?

>so whatever bible the priest there recommends I'll read.

Why? How about you do your own due diligence?

I never said I wouldn't go deeper with it. But for the short term I'll just go with whatever the "official Catholic bible" is right now.

>the "official" Catholic Bible

Why?

cause that's the denomination I'd be going to?

Are you a blind follower?

Just like the Numenor, somewhat descendant, lacking the sublime grace but making up for it in splendor.

Not exactly. Just want something to believe in and don't feel like going full pagan Odinist LARPer without giving Catholicism a real chance first.

End with the Greeks.

That is incredibly honest and relatable. Well, if anything just keep in mind the bible makes this abundantly clear.

Jesus + anything= nothing
Jesus + nothing= everything

This simple biblical doctrine normally does not mix well with the many catholic dogmas.

God bless

>Jesus + anything= nothing
>Jesus + nothing= everything
care to give me the tl;dr on this real quick?

...

was already on the list. Thanks pal

I have not done much towards looking into this 'mere Christianity' stuff. I heard w.l.c mention it a while ago and I believe Dr. James white may have had an issue with it. m.youtube.com/watch?v=5OeliMEW9Ak

I was just referring to the biblical concept that grace alone saves.