My Really Old Classics Choices
I’m excited to delve into the world of Really Old Classics. By the end of next July, I hope to read five works. I don’t know what the others will be, but I intend for three of them to be:
- The Illiad by Homer
- The Odyssey by Homer
- The Aeneid by Virgil
Yes, the basics.
Want to read some too? Find out about the Really Old Classics Challenge here.
Related Posts on Rebecca Reads:
- Speak, Child: The Illiad as the Infancy of Children’s Literature
- Really Old Classics Mini-Challenge Round-Up
- Really Old Classics Challenge Retrospective
- Really Old Classics Challenge
- Really Old Classics Challenge
- Really Old Classics Mini-Challenge + Giveaway
- Abandoned Book (for Now): Dante’s Inferno + My Books to Read Before 40 List
- The Odyssey by Homer, trans. Robert Fagles
- 35th Bookworms Carnival: Really Old Classics
- Really Old Classics Challenge Reviews
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I would have to be in the right mood to tackle those!
Kathy, Yes, I’m intimidated. But that which does not kill you makes you stronger, right?
I will probably read the Aeneid also. If it’s hard to get through, it may help knowing someone else out there is trying it too!
Chain Reader, that’s one of the reasons I want to make it into a “challenge”! So we’re in it together.
Hi Rebecca,
Having read all three for a Classics module at university I’d definitely say that the Aeneid is by far the best of the three. That’s not saying that either of Homer’s classics are bad, because they’re certainly not. It’s more to do with Virgil’s classic being so good. So good in fact that it even made it on to my Books Through Time that Have Truly Touched Me list at Flashlight Worthy.
Anyway enjoy the challenge Rebecca. I look forward to following your progress.
Warmest
Rob
Robert, Thanks for the insight! I think I’m going to start with Homer’s two first and then get to The Aeneid. Which translations did you read?
Rebecca – Apologies for the delay in replying! Translations:
Aeneid – Penguin Classics (0140449329)
Illiad – Stanley Lombardo Translation (0872203522)
Odyssey – Stanley Lombardo (0872204847)
I have three different translations of Odyssey and Lombardo’s (the one recommended for the course, is by far the best)
Warmest
Robert Burdock, Thanks for the translation recommendations! I’m starting The Illiad first so I will make sure to find Lombardo’s translation!
Rebecca – I loaned my library’s copy of The Aeneid yesterday, and I’m planning on starting it sometime today. I wish I’d done some research on translations beforehand! The copy I have with me now is (a dated) prose translation, which I don’t mind for now, seeing as I’ve never read Virgil before. Maybe I’ll try the Lombardo later on – I also want to read it in verse!