You explaining Lysistrata was making me giggle! My Mama would call it off-color or uncouth 😂 I have plans to read the Aeneid next year. I’m trying to acquire McCarter’s translation Metamorphoses. I want to read it from a female translator perspective and she is the first woman to have done it! Heroditus needs to be reread soon - it is a fun memory! Did you forget your Sappho? Letters from a Stoic by Seneca, Aesop Fables, Plutarch’s Lives are some favorites you didn’t mention. Oh! & one I want to read you didn’t mention- Petronius, Satyricon!
HAHA! Lysistrata is difficult to describe when one wants to leave others some room for discovery! Female translators of ancient works seem to be all the rage. I do want to try Emily Wilson's work. I do have a copy of Aesop's Fables! I forgot about it. The Sappho I have read was from the library. What a great memory you have! I desperately want a copy of Plutarch's Lives.
@@Shellyish I read the Modern Library Dryden translation edition of Plutarch’s Lives and I loved it because they left it paralleled! (Not split into Greeks and Romans) It’s funny and in a similar spirit of Herodotus Histories . I think Ovid is especially important to read from a female translator with all that is perpetrated against women in the epic.
The Satyricon by Petronius is an absolutely WILD ride. First century Roman novel. The Bacchae by Euripides is my favorite Greek Tragedy. Vengeful god story. Classic.
Hi Shelly, if you ever decide to read Metamorphoses and do a buddy read let me know. My copy is looking at me from the shelf, but I need some incentive. 😃 We may need a couple of months to get through it.
Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes! Whenever you want to start, I can start. We can read it over the course of a couple of months if need be. :) Thanks for thinking of me.
I normally have very little interest in the ancients but your enthusiasm is contagious. I have read The Odyssey and liked it so I plan to read The Iliad, but that's the extent of what I currently own. I tried reading The Meditations but I found it tedious. It is page after page of snippets as you mentioned so reading a page a day may be a better way to read it than straight through in a few days as I tried. I would also like to read the Theban plays.
I don't have a recommendation, sadly, but because of my Filipino heritage I bought and started reading Noli Me Tangere by Jose Rizal. This is fiction about the history of the Philippines.
Consider Gargantua and Pantagruel by Francois Rabelais. Its a collection of French folklore and a sampling of pub stories and political commentary of the 14th C. It was very popular among both common and elite, and even the king who shared copies with friends but when someone discovered a copy of this very secular and scandulous book among the pope's things, he got egg on his face and convinced the king that Francois should be punished. So francois was persecuted, arrested, tortured, and imprisioned in solitude. So as Francois spent his years confined in a dungeon, he began his second edition.
Plenty of good choices here, Shelley, though Terence is still a great one. He is less bawdy than Aristophanes but just as funny. Be careful with Marcus Aurelius. His meditations are sort of like notes and reflections across a great deal of time, so they’re best in small doses, and it’s good to remember that he was possibly the most powerful person in the world, with plenty of slaves, as he complains about the challenges he faces. Cheers, Jack
Jack, From your description, Terence might be more my speed. And I've heard critiques of Aurelius' meditations, but somehow have a piqued interest in his work still. Thank you for your wonderful comment. Best, Shelly
On the shelf with my ancient literature ( _The Odyssey, The Metamorphoses,_ etc.) I also have Edith Hamilton’s _Mythology,_ a definitive telling of the Greek, Roman, and Norse myths.
Emily Wilson's translation of the Odyssey is excellent. Her translation of the Iliad will be released in Sept. 2023 and I will definitely be reading it. 😊
The only thing I can add is Medea, Medea, Medea. It is the only ancient work I’m really deeply familiar with and mainly in that I’ve seen more theatrical productions based on the story then any other piece performed and in so many variations. I’ve always had a fascinating with the story and I’ve become more and more sympathetic towards her as time goes forward. One of the best theatrical experiences ever was a Broadway production with Diana Rigg. At the climax huge rusted metal panels of the stage walls start literally dropping, collapsing and crashing onto the stage. The world is literally destroyed around her with justifiable anger. Women have unfortunately never have the level of power men have had and have had to resort to desperate extremes. When they do exert it, misogynist labels like witch, sorceress and ultimate evil are hoisted upon them, but it’s society that’s backed them into a corner and left them with few other options. War, death and destruction is the only language Jason is going to understand and despite the old aphorism revenge is not a dish best served cold. I was really interested to read the new nonfiction book We Were Once a Family about the wives/mothers who became family annihilators and drove their van of six adopted foster kids off a cliff. I wanted to hear the theories of why they did it, but the book isn’t that at all and doesn’t even speculate about that. It’s more an indictment of the foster and adoption care system, particularly in Texas and giving back the story of the biological mothers. Again very much about how society backs women into impossible situations that they can never win and have little to no power. There’s also the added intersection of race with a complication of one of the biological moms being Black and one being White, though the Biracial children faired no better in the process and situations. Some of the sympathy, at the Facebook level, did skewer towards the White mother and it’s interesting that some of the mods made that realization and spoke to it. Fascinating read. The larger arching question that I have is how did these few scraps of work survive, when the majority of them did not? Why these stories, was it fate, was it random, were they the stories we needed to be told again and again and again to try, try and try to understand like why a mother would kill her own children? I could see Medea as a work you in particular as a mother of two young boys would not want to engage with, but it has survived all these centuries and will be there waiting for you if and when you do.
Michael, After your comment, I ordered Medea from the library. I'm excited to get my hands on it. We Were Once a Family - that sounds really interesting. Ted's family has a history of fostering which can be such heartbreaking work and recently, we've been made friends with folks who are fostering to adopt which is a fascinating journey. Demon Copperhead was one of my recent favorites which was a fine critique of the foster care system. Anyhow, I will have my paws on Medea soon and cannot wait to crack it open. Best, Shelly
@@Shellyish Of course after writing that I continued to think and read about Medea discovering new things. Three women have won the Tony, including Diana Rigg, for playing Medea on Broadway making it the single role that has won the award the most times for its performer. Audra MacDonald was nominated for Marie Christine, which was an updated musical version of Medea set in New Orleans within the Black community. Shockingly she did not win despite being the actor who has won the most Tony’s ever with a total of six awards and the only person to win in all four gendered actor categories. It’s a play that still captures and holds the attention of its audience and has a central character you can’t stop looking at, interpreting and trying to make sense of her. It would be interesting to read translations done by a woman vs a man, and contemporary versions versus Victorian or older ones. I think you’re just about to fall down a rabbit hole!
Recent subscriber just here to tell you how much I have enjoyed your content! Best recommendations I’ve had in YEARS! Great work!
Oh goodness! Thank you!!
I typically have struggled with the ancients, but you inspire me to try again!
So sweet! Thank you!!
You are an intelligent academically gifted person Knowledge is amazing I love Literature and Ancient Cultures I Love Epic Poems
You explaining Lysistrata was making me giggle! My Mama would call it off-color or uncouth 😂
I have plans to read the Aeneid next year.
I’m trying to acquire McCarter’s translation Metamorphoses. I want to read it from a female translator perspective and she is the first woman to have done it!
Heroditus needs to be reread soon - it is a fun memory!
Did you forget your Sappho?
Letters from a Stoic by Seneca, Aesop Fables, Plutarch’s Lives are some favorites you didn’t mention.
Oh! & one I want to read you didn’t mention- Petronius, Satyricon!
HAHA! Lysistrata is difficult to describe when one wants to leave others some room for discovery!
Female translators of ancient works seem to be all the rage. I do want to try Emily Wilson's work.
I do have a copy of Aesop's Fables! I forgot about it. The Sappho I have read was from the library. What a great memory you have!
I desperately want a copy of Plutarch's Lives.
@@Shellyish I read the Modern Library Dryden translation edition of Plutarch’s Lives and I loved it because they left it paralleled! (Not split into Greeks and Romans) It’s funny and in a similar spirit of Herodotus Histories .
I think Ovid is especially important to read from a female translator with all that is perpetrated against women in the epic.
The Satyricon by Petronius is an absolutely WILD ride. First century Roman novel.
The Bacchae by Euripides is my favorite Greek Tragedy. Vengeful god story. Classic.
Ah, thank you for this! I'm going to look up these immediately!
Hi Shelly, if you ever decide to read Metamorphoses and do a buddy read let me know. My copy is looking at me from the shelf, but I need some incentive. 😃 We may need a couple of months to get through it.
Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes! Whenever you want to start, I can start. We can read it over the course of a couple of months if need be. :) Thanks for thinking of me.
I normally have very little interest in the ancients but your enthusiasm is contagious. I have read The Odyssey and liked it so I plan to read The Iliad, but that's the extent of what I currently own. I tried reading The Meditations but I found it tedious. It is page after page of snippets as you mentioned so reading a page a day may be a better way to read it than straight through in a few days as I tried. I would also like to read the Theban plays.
Your not the first to think Meditations was tedious. HA! The ancients are SO interesting and The Iliad is incredible - a true treat. :)
Classical Literature is amazing I find ancient civilizations fascinating Ancient Philosophers were very intelligent people
I don't have a recommendation, sadly, but because of my Filipino heritage I bought and started reading Noli Me Tangere by Jose Rizal. This is fiction about the history of the Philippines.
Consider Gargantua and Pantagruel by Francois Rabelais. Its a collection of French folklore and a sampling of pub stories and political commentary of the 14th C. It was very popular among both common and elite, and even the king who shared copies with friends but when someone discovered a copy of this very secular and scandulous book among the pope's things, he got egg on his face and convinced the king that Francois should be punished. So francois was persecuted, arrested, tortured, and imprisioned in solitude. So as Francois spent his years confined in a dungeon, he began his second edition.
Thank you for sharing! I really appreciate it!
Plenty of good choices here, Shelley, though Terence is still a great one. He is less bawdy than Aristophanes but just as funny.
Be careful with Marcus Aurelius. His meditations are sort of like notes and reflections across a great deal of time, so they’re best in small doses, and it’s good to remember that he was possibly the most powerful person in the world, with plenty of slaves, as he complains about the challenges he faces.
Cheers, Jack
Jack,
From your description, Terence might be more my speed. And I've heard critiques of Aurelius' meditations, but somehow have a piqued interest in his work still.
Thank you for your wonderful comment.
Best, Shelly
On the shelf with my ancient literature ( _The Odyssey, The Metamorphoses,_ etc.) I also have Edith Hamilton’s _Mythology,_ a definitive telling of the Greek, Roman, and Norse myths.
Oh! I've heard of Edith Hamilton! :) Maybe I'll check her out sooner rather than later.
Great stuff.!
Thanks!
That passage from Sophocles was fantastic.
Such an excellent work. ☺️
Freud was a neurologist, though he practiced psychoanalysis his training was as a medical doctor
Thx
i bought ovid’s metamorphosis this week n that readin totally lit a fire under me!!
Amazing!
♥
You are so pretty, just saying. Your smile and personality would light up any room. Love from Australia. Thank you for the list. ❤
You are too kind! ☺️
Emily Wilson's translation of the Odyssey is excellent. Her translation of the Iliad will be released in Sept. 2023 and I will definitely be reading it. 😊
I’ve heard incredible things about Emily Wilson’s translations. ❤️
The only thing I can add is Medea, Medea, Medea. It is the only ancient work I’m really deeply familiar with and mainly in that I’ve seen more theatrical productions based on the story then any other piece performed and in so many variations.
I’ve always had a fascinating with the story and I’ve become more and more sympathetic towards her as time goes forward. One of the best theatrical experiences ever was a Broadway production with Diana Rigg. At the climax huge rusted metal panels of the stage walls start literally dropping, collapsing and crashing onto the stage. The world is literally destroyed around her with justifiable anger.
Women have unfortunately never have the level of power men have had and have had to resort to desperate extremes. When they do exert it, misogynist labels like witch, sorceress and ultimate evil are hoisted upon them, but it’s society that’s backed them into a corner and left them with few other options. War, death and destruction is the only language Jason is going to understand and despite the old aphorism revenge is not a dish best served cold.
I was really interested to read the new nonfiction book We Were Once a Family about the wives/mothers who became family annihilators and drove their van of six adopted foster kids off a cliff. I wanted to hear the theories of why they did it, but the book isn’t that at all and doesn’t even speculate about that. It’s more an indictment of the foster and adoption care system, particularly in Texas and giving back the story of the biological mothers. Again very much about how society backs women into impossible situations that they can never win and have little to no power. There’s also the added intersection of race with a complication of one of the biological moms being Black and one being White, though the Biracial children faired no better in the process and situations. Some of the sympathy, at the Facebook level, did skewer towards the White mother and it’s interesting that some of the mods made that realization and spoke to it. Fascinating read.
The larger arching question that I have is how did these few scraps of work survive, when the majority of them did not? Why these stories, was it fate, was it random, were they the stories we needed to be told again and again and again to try, try and try to understand like why a mother would kill her own children? I could see Medea as a work you in particular as a mother of two young boys would not want to engage with, but it has survived all these centuries and will be there waiting for you if and when you do.
Michael,
After your comment, I ordered Medea from the library. I'm excited to get my hands on it.
We Were Once a Family - that sounds really interesting. Ted's family has a history of fostering which can be such heartbreaking work and recently, we've been made friends with folks who are fostering to adopt which is a fascinating journey. Demon Copperhead was one of my recent favorites which was a fine critique of the foster care system. Anyhow, I will have my paws on Medea soon and cannot wait to crack it open.
Best, Shelly
@@Shellyish Of course after writing that I continued to think and read about Medea discovering new things. Three women have won the Tony, including Diana Rigg, for playing Medea on Broadway making it the single role that has won the award the most times for its performer. Audra MacDonald was nominated for Marie Christine, which was an updated musical version of Medea set in New Orleans within the Black community. Shockingly she did not win despite being the actor who has won the most Tony’s ever with a total of six awards and the only person to win in all four gendered actor categories. It’s a play that still captures and holds the attention of its audience and has a central character you can’t stop looking at, interpreting and trying to make sense of her. It would be interesting to read translations done by a woman vs a man, and contemporary versions versus Victorian or older ones. I think you’re just about to fall down a rabbit hole!
Ramayana ❤
My suggestion is The odyssey but only the Emily Wilson translation 🥸
Emily Wilson, Emily Wilson, Emily Wilson.... she apparently soooooooo great!