Classic Book Recommendation.

[Nossa]

I decided to read one classic book this summer. Problem is, I still don't know what I should read first. They all seem pretty difficult to be honest. But I'll have to read them sooner or later, so I thought I should start now.
Here's a list with the ones I have now:

The Iliad - Homer
The Odyssey - Homer
The Aeneid - Virgil
Antigone - Sophocles
Oedipus - Sophocles

So, which do you recommend? :D

[Niamh]

Read Oedipus. Its amazing. But also read Antigone, because they are both classed as the Theben Plays (or the Oedipus Cycle).

[Guinivere]

Read Oedipus. Its amazing. But also read Antigone, because they are both classed as the Theben Plays (or the Oedipus Cycle).

I agree. Start with something smaller, if not lighter. But then again, classics aren't meant to be for light reading :) .I mean when you get to the Illiad you might be a bit overwhelmed. I was when I read Homer's work for the first time.
Anyway, I really enjoyed Antigone, we did it as a play at school.

[Erichtho]

Of course I recommend to read all of those works.

Homer is the obvious starting point, read first Ilias and then Odysseia - the only thing you must make sure is to pick up a good translation, preferably written in hexameters like the original (if such an Arabic translation exists). Translations differ quite a lot, so I suggest to read some pages of several translations and then stick to what feels most suitable for you.

Sophokles might be the better choice though, if you feel that the epical works of Homer are a bit too overwhelming for the beginning. I would read those works not in chronological but in biographical order: first Antigone, then the two Oidipous plays. Maybe you can also see a theatre performance somewhere.

Read Vergil later. And I can becalm you - those works aren't nearly as difficult as I thought them to be before I read them.

[jgweed]

I would agree that the best point of departure would be the plays: Oedipus and then Antigone. Note: listen to Stravinky's "opera-oratorio" Oedipus Rex after reading the play.

[Nossa]

Thank you everyone for your recommendations :D
I think I'll start with Oedipus and Antigone tomorrow then :D