Help!

[zheng89120]

Hi, im a grade school student that is rather new to reading classical literature. I was wondering if i could get some help from pros on which ones i should start with. I would appreciate it if you guys can name several quality classical books that are relatively easy to read. Thanks :)

[Blackadder]

What do you mean by Classical? Do you mean like Classical Western literature or from another canon?

If you mean Classical Western literature, here's some suggestions:

Homer's Iliad and The Odyssey--these epics are considered the Classics of Classical literature.

Also, Oedipus Rex (I forget the author. Also called Oedipus the King)--this is one of the best plays which tells this myth that constantly recurs in Western literature, art, etc.

Another important Classical work is Ovid's Metamorphoses. This is challenging, if only because of its length and the fact that the only unifying theme is transformation.

Also, Virgil's Aeneid. It continues the story of one of the Trojan warrior mentioned in the Iliad. This one is kind of heavy on the Roman propaganda, but, again, it has a huge influence on western literature and art.

Most of Western Classical literture is Greek (from before the time of Alexander the Great) and Roman (from the Republic and the Empire eras), and there is a surprising amount of literature that has survived to this day. The works I listed here are up near the top of any list of Classical literature.

I hope this helps.