DiscussMormonism.com

I feel sort of crummy tonight. I need to read the scriptures for comfort. The Odyssey, Book II, line 320 is where I will begin.

There is something very meaningful about this book of scripture. The characters speak to me.

A youth full of Book of Mormon reading prepared me for it.

Goodnight, fabulous people,

Zee.

I bought paperback copies of the Iliad and the Odyssey at a garage sale for probably a quarter each when I was 10 or 11 and read them.

bcspace wrote:I bought paperback copies of the Iliad and the Odyssey at a garage sale for probably a quarter each when I was 10 or 11 and read them.

Then you must have a solid foundation on which to learn the deeper truths. Let the words speak to your soul.

I still enjoy them. Official LDS doctrine encourages me to make friends with good literature.

I was always partial to the Iliad. But I love both poems. I agree that there are deep spiritual insights in these great epics.

I might add that nothing quite beats reading them in Greek.

Kishkumen wrote:I might add that nothing quite beats reading them in Greek.

I wish!

You must hear them whispering to you in your dreams.

Turn thine ear to the word honorable Zeezrom:

For Prayers are the daughters of Almighty Zeus,
and they always come limping along behind Sin,
sad creatures with wrinkled skin and down cast eyes.

So sayeth Phoenix to Achilles, Book 9, lines 572 to 579.

zeezrom wrote:

Kishkumen wrote:I might add that nothing quite beats reading them in Greek.

I wish!

You must hear them whispering to you in your dreams.

Try this series:

Reading Greek

Read that every day instead of the Book of Mormon, and you will get a long way.

or if you prefer a school-style textbook, try

Athenaze

In that book, you learn the vocabulary for polite addresses to gods almost at the beginning, so that may suit you.

Of course there are many other ways into ancient Greek. One very good thing about ancient Greek is that once you have a grounding, it is very easy to learn Modern Greek, which makes a visit to Greece extra rewarding. The language has changed, but a good bit less than (for instance) the change from Latin to Italian.