Most essential piece of Greek classic Lit?

[waryan]

I don't dabble alot into Greek classics- I've hit basics like the Odyssey, Illiad, Oedepus and Antigone, and have tried to get around to The Gold *** and the works of Aeschylus and would really love any recommendations to what might be most essential in reading or starting as a venture into greek classics specifically, play or poem welcome. there's much to choose from and its always a daunting choice.

thanks in advance

[aabbcc]

We were always taught that the "essential" were the works of the so-called "Trojan circle" and "Teban circle" (I've no idea if that is how they are correctly called in English, but in school we always made such a division), and Hesiod.

"Trojan circle" includes Homeric epics (Iliad and Odyssey), and a couple of other not-as-important works which I personally was never required to read in a classical school - Kypria, Aithiopis, Iliou persis, Nostoi, Telegony - so I guess that unless this particular cycle is of specific interest to you, it doesn't matter.
"Theban circle" consists of the following plays: Seven Against Thebes, Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, Phoenician Women. Some of them you have read already, if you've got further interest you can read the rest.

Other than those two circles, I'd recommend Theogony and you can try some Aristophanes' comedies, which are also considered 'classic'. I'd also recommend Medea and Iphigenia (both of them), and Oresteia. Oh, and Sappho's poetry. I'm also, personally, extremely fond of Prometheus Bound and Ajax. It's really hard to say which are the essentials here, as most of Ancient Greek literature are classics, but these are my favourites.

[manolia]

Read some of our more recent classics. For example "The murderess" by Alexandros Papadiamantis or "The merchants of nations" by the same author. Or "The Pope Joan" by Emmanuel Rohedes or "The sin of my mother" and "Who was the murderer of my brother" by Georgios Vizyinos ;)

"Erotokritos" by Vitzentzos Cornaros a cretan medieval poem (the music adaptation of the poem is simply superb).

If you are interested in poetry you can read the Acritic poems. It is a whole genre of poems which speak of the legendary Digenes Akritas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acritic_songs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digenis_Acritas

If you are interested in ancient greek lit and not classic i'd strongly suggest Aristophanes plays. Funny and a much easier read that the tragedies ;) . The frogs is my favourite and it is available here in litnet ;)

[JBI]

The most important work is without a doubt the Iliad. The most important play is Oedipus Tyrannus, and the most important non fiction work is Plato's Republic.

[Chester]

The most important work is without a doubt the Iliad. The most important play is Oedipus Tyrannus, and the most important non fiction work is Plato's Republic.
Agreed on all counts. The matter of Plato's Republic doesn't even seem debatable to me.

[_Shannon_]

If you haven't read it- Plato's Republic and/or some of the dialogues I think oughtn't be missed. While not plays or poetry, it fills a crucial gap in cultural literacy.

As far as plays go- I think reading through the Chicago Press' Complete Greek Tragedies volumes (I believe that there are nine in all)is a great idea!

[sofia82]

The most important work is without a doubt the Iliad. The most important play is Oedipus Tyrannus, and the most important non fiction work is Plato's Republic.

I agree, too. If you want to go through more works of ancinet literature these are the famous authors worth reading, otherwise those three mentioned by JBI is enough.

Greeks:
Homer
Plato
Aristotle
Aeschylus
Euripides
Sophocles
Aristophanes
Menander

Romans:
Virgil
Ovid
Seneca
Horace

[JBI]

Add Sappho, Hesiod and Bacchylides to the list of Greeks, and Catulus, Lucretius and Cicero to the list of Romans. Still that is a basic list, and there are many others one could add.

[mortalterror]

As far as plays go- I think reading through the Chicago Press' Complete Greek Tragedies volumes (I believe that there are nine in all)is a great idea!

I started reading the Greeks there, but as I went on, I found that there are better translations of almost every play in the series. Some of the ones Grene and Lattimore select are downright painful to read. Oxford University Press came out with a similar line called The Greek Tragedy in New Translations series with William Arrowsmith as a general editor, which on average I find to be superior. I also think that if you are going to read The Oresteia, then you should read the Fagles translation. Robert Fitzgerald, in addition to penning versions of Homer's epics, tried his hand at Sophocles with some degree of success. Let's not forget some of the older translations by E.D.A. Morshead, Gilbert Murray, and E.H. Plumptre. You can find samples of their work in the Harvard Classics volume 9 Greek Dramas.

[kratsayra]

I'm really not one for classics at all. But as someone who isn't really into this stuff in general, I like Aeschylus (The Oresteia), and Euripides (The Bacchae and Medea). I think those are definitely accessible if you are just starting out.

[waryan]

thanks everyone these responses have all been a great help

[jgweed]

I would also suggest Herodotus and Thucydides for history.

[J.D.]

For the love of Zeus, read Nichomachean Ethics and Poetics by Aristotle and Apology and Crito by Plato. I'm also quite partial to a play called Philoctetes by Sophocles.

If you're interested, check out my blog (http://whatdo-iknow.blogspot.com)-- I'm currently writing about my readings in ancient Greek literature.

[waryan]

Yes thank you very much JD

[_Shannon_]

I started reading the Greeks there, but as I went on, I found that there are better translations of almost every play in the series. Some of the ones Grene and Lattimore select are downright painful to read. Oxford University Press came out with a similar line called The Greek Tragedy in New Translations series with William Arrowsmith as a general editor, which on average I find to be superior. I also think that if you are going to read The Oresteia, then you should read the Fagles translation. Robert Fitzgerald, in addition to penning versions of Homer's epics, tried his hand at Sophocles with some degree of success. Let's not forget some of the older translations by E.D.A. Morshead, Gilbert Murray, and E.H. Plumptre. You can find samples of their work in the Harvard Classics volume 9 Greek Dramas.

LOL--see I don't like Fitzgerald's translations..at all. And I don't like Fagle's colloquial approach, it seriously bugs me to be reading a translation of ancient Greek and find some modern day expression thrown in there. :)

You are absolutely right that not all of the translations in the U of C series are stellar (just like the Loeb series), but I think it gives a pretty decent, easily contained collection of plays.

I'd like to check out that Oxford Universtiy Press collection!

[_Shannon_]

For the love of Zeus, read Nichomachean Ethics and Poetics by Aristotle and Apology and Crito by Plato. I'm also quite partial to a play called Philoctetes by Sophocles.

If you're interested, check out my blog (http://whatdo-iknow.blogspot.com)-- I'm currently writing about my readings in ancient Greek literature.Indeed! Nichomachean Ethics rocks!