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Reflections on a Year of Reading Greek Literature

Books Read: 

1)Politics by Aristotle 

2)The Iliad by Homer

3)The Odyssey by Homer

General Reflections:

I was only able to get to three of the four books I bought, but there were some similarities in the books that I read. Even though one was solely about politics and the other two were poems by the same author, they had things in common. All three books had a common philosophical theme to them, which properly displays how insightful the Ancient Greeks were. In Politics, Aristotle shares his knowledge of how different types of government should be run while predicting how people would behave under different governments. With the different descriptions of different governments, he is ultimately searching for the best form which would bring the most virtue and happiness to the general public. Aristotle believed that this, along with keeping order, was one of the main aims a government should have, whether it is a republic or not. The other two books, The Iliad and The Odyssey, are both by Homer. The Iliad being the first book tells the story of the Trojan War in, according to google, dactylic hexameter. The Odyssey is a continuation of the Iliad, focusing mostly on Odysseus and his travels back home after the war that takes place in the first book. Both of these books had lots of quotes to choose from because they’re beautifully written. They both also had lots of moments where it forced the reader to think profusely about them. This shows how the people of Ancient Greece, not only the authors, were very introspective. Their literature and entertainment were pathways to next-level thinking.

Word Count: 257

Life in Ancient Greece:

I spoke a little about life in ancient Greece in the last section, but that is what I found out about people in that time. They most likely were very intelligent people due to the literature they were exposed to. Prior to their time, there wasn’t much literature as beautifully written and as insightful as theirs. So to have all of that available was a very special thing for the people of Greece. Not only their people though, as these books were passed down, and still entice people to think over 2000 years later. These books, their religion, still live on today because of how much of an impact they had on the public.

Word Count: 114

What I Learned About Myself:

Through reading these books over the school year, the first thing I learned was that I’m pretty irresponsible and I should’ve kept up with it more, considering I barely even finished three books. But from what I read, I still learned a pretty good amount. I had always wondered how countries decided on what type of government to instill and Politics gave me some insight on how to consider each one, because even though republics seem better than most, other types of government do have a lot of benefits to them too. What I learned from the other two books is the story of the Trojan War and Odysseus, but mainly that dactylic hexameter is really, really hard to read. I never got to my fourth book but the three I read were enjoyable and I wish I kept up with it during the year.

Word Count: 145

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“If you delay, he will not let you go, but he’ll descend on you in person and imperious;”

— Homer, The Odyssey, p. 274

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“Sinews no longer bind the flesh and bones together—the fire in all its fury burns the body down to ashes once life slips from the white bones, and the spirit, rustling, flitters away…flown like a dream.”

— Homer, The Odyssey, p. 255

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“Whoever gets around you must be sharp and guileful as a snake; even a god might bow down to you in ways of dissimulation.”

— Homer, The Odyssey, p.239

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“In the small hours of the third watch, when stars that shone out in the first dusk of evening had gone down to their setting, a giant wind blew from heaven, and clouds drive by Zeus shrouded land and sea in a night of storm”

— Homer, The Odyssey, p. 220

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It was Aigísthos who designed my death, he and my heartless wife, and killed me, after feeding me, like an ox felled at the trough.”

— Homer, The Odyssey, p.198

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At this I felt a weight like stone within me, and, moaning, pressed my length against the bed, with no desire to see the daylight more.

—Homer, The Odyssey, p.180

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"Earth sounds my wisdom, and high heaven my fame."

— Homer, The Odyssey, p. 159

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"So peaceful shalt thou end thy blissful days, And steal thyself from life by slow decays."

— Homer, The Odyssey, p. 147

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“Helen emerged from her scented, lofty chamber striking as Artemis with her golden shafts and a train of women followed...”

— Homer, The Odyssey, p.129

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"What if his great father came from the unknown world and rove these men like dead leaves through the place?"

—Homer, The Odyssey, p. 113

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“Oh for shame, how the mortals put the blame on us gods, for they say evils come from us, but it is they, rather, who by their own recklessness win sorrow beyond what is given.”

—Homer, The Odyssey, p. 101

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“The court of Zeus must be like this on the inside, such abundance of everything. Wonder takes me as I look on it.’ Menelaos of the fair hair overheard him speaking, and now he spoke to both of them and addressed them in winged words: ‘Dear children, there is no mortal who could rival Zeus, seeing that his mansions are immortal and his possessions.“

— Homer, The Odyssey, p.78

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“The blade itself incites to deeds of violence.”

— Homer, The Odyssey, p. 68

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“Of all creatures that breathe and move upon the earth, nothing is bred that is weaker than man.”

— Homer, The Odyssey, p. 56

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“... all the sea was like a cauldron seething over intense fire, when the mixture suddenly heaven and rises.”

— Homer, The Odyssey, p. 41

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“There is nothing more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.“

— Homer, The Odyssey, p. 24