Learning Greek to read Plato π§΅
After the moderate success of my thread on learning AG to read Homer, here is one for Plato.
I've met several people fluent in Ancient (Attic) Greek that have at some point used the methods I'll outline below. These are not exhaustive, but are what those people recommend.
I've met several people fluent in Ancient (Attic) Greek that have at some point used the methods I'll outline below. These are not exhaustive, but are what those people recommend.
First, get used to Greek grammar and syntax.
Second, work toward and through graded readers.
Third, activate knowledge through conversation and composition.
Second, work toward and through graded readers.
Third, activate knowledge through conversation and composition.
First, if you have no grammar experience, you should use the Oxford Athenaze.
If you do, you can go for the Italian Athenaze. It includes more AG material, and the whole book is designed to keep you 'in' the language. It is worth it, no Italian needed.
If you do, you can go for the Italian Athenaze. It includes more AG material, and the whole book is designed to keep you 'in' the language. It is worth it, no Italian needed.
I don't recommend the exercise books, spend your time re-reading. We are aiming for comprehension first.
Regardless which one you choose, you should also study the corresponding topic in a grammar such as Smyth's or Cambridge Grammar of Classical Greek.
Regardless which one you choose, you should also study the corresponding topic in a grammar such as Smyth's or Cambridge Grammar of Classical Greek.
Once you are about half way through the second textbook of either series, you'll be ready to tackle graded readers. There are many, but the best are Steadman's, geoffreysteadman.com
or on Amazon POD.
At this point you'll want to re-read frequently.
or on Amazon POD.
At this point you'll want to re-read frequently.
If you run into difficulties you should reach out in forums such as Textkit (textkit.com), the Discord Latin and Ancient Greek servers, Reddit, etc.
Once you get more comfortable with readers continue using them and join either a competent group from the forums, or get a professor that does spoken AG, such as The Patrologist, the Paideia Institute, Vivarium Novum, Polis Institute, and others.
There are innumerable resources I could list, so here are the two best:
Dictionaries: Logeion and Morpho
logeion.uchicago.edu
Online Reader w/ dictionaries and commentaries: Perseus
perseus.tufts.edu
Dictionaries: Logeion and Morpho
logeion.uchicago.edu
Online Reader w/ dictionaries and commentaries: Perseus
perseus.tufts.edu
Last words of advice: The aim is to use the language, not to know about it. Philology will do you only so much good.
Try to spend as much time 'in' the language without making it a chore.
Grammar is like seasoning, not too much, not too little, but just enough to help you.
Try to spend as much time 'in' the language without making it a chore.
Grammar is like seasoning, not too much, not too little, but just enough to help you.
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