Anyone for tennis? (or a small challenge)

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Grant
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Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 11:28 am
Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Anyone for tennis? (or a small challenge)

Post by Grant »

I find that nothing builds confidence quite so much, when you're learning a new language (or just enjoying it), as memorising a few choice lines of its literature. I read somewhere that, if the entire corpus of Horace's works were to disappear overnight in a world conflagration, there would be enough "memories" in the heads of professors and students to piece it all back together again. I wonder whether the same could be said for other authors? Yes, I know it may be out of fashion these days to 'learn by rote', but Homer and the rhapsodists did so, or *were* so by the very nature of their business. So here's the deal: choose any TEN lines (at least) of your favourite Classical author, and MEMORISE them off pat within one week (original language ... no translations please). That's less than two lines per day, and I think well within the abilities of us all - neophytes, acolytes and others. My ten lines will be .. ummm .. what about Antigone's opening speech (exactly 10 lines long) in Sophocles' play: "Oh dearest sister of mine, Ismene dear .." And don't forget to report back. Good luck!

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