This thread is for the discussion of anything related to Greek and Latin, including learning them, literature in these languages, linguistics, „meta" discussions about the field of classics or medieval studies, etc. If you know of any, post a funny short poem in either language so we can get some discussion going. I'll start with one of Ausonius' poems: >Silvius hic Bonus est. "Quis Silvius?" Iste Brittanus. >"Aut Brito hic non est Silvius, aut Malus est"
My contrarian view is that something like 90% of the benefits from the classics can be attained by just engaging with the scholarly apparatus around classics. I would advise people to do everything *except* reading the actual languages. So, like, read ancient history, read ancient philosophy, read comparative translations of literary classics, read the dueling reviews of translations, read the classical encyclopedia and pick up vocab, but just don't bother forcing yourself to learn how to properly use the language very well. That's the stuff that has driven generation after generation to loathe and despise the classics.
Disagree but I’m not going to post a super long response rn. I will say that even if you ignore the fact that poetry is untranslatable (& even many elements of prose), there are TONS of untranslated Patristic & medieval texts in both languages and post medieval texts texts in Latin so there certainly is use in learning them. However if you’re only interested in reading the major texts that have a dozen good translations each for the meaning, you’re basically right. I don’t think reading the NT or Plato in Greek is like unlocking a secret code. I also think people disliking the classical languages is more because of how they’re taught than the languages being inherently difficult, Latin especially.
>>750 I once read that Hamann had a weird Latin tutor who thought that he could totally skip grammar and go directly into dialectic. I have wondered if that was an important factor in how Hamann was such a distinctive stylist, so disrespectful of convention, and so willing to make epic leaps in argument.
I have no clue about classics because my school was free. But a better heeled university housemate taught me a joke I like a lot. > Beati hispani, quibus vivere bibere est. > Translation: Fortunate are the Hispani, for whom living is drinking. D'ya get it? The joke relies on the knowledge that B and V merged in the early medieval period in Spanish, rendering bibere and vivere homonyms.
I am thoroughly enjoying Olympia Kyklos. A Greek man time travels regularly to Japan in the 1960s to discover about sports and the Olympics. It is hilarious and made by nerds, so a lot of accurate stuff.