First of all, I have to say I can’t believe this site exists! It has me feeling all excited and impatient with anticipation. I can’t wait to learn.
I’ve always loved the classical word and the wonderful works it has produced. I’m a big fan of the Loeb Classical Library. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to read even the simplest of works in those languages. I’m a big reader and writer (Spanning from ancient texts to the latest modern novel, as well as comics and manga). I have a big interest in mythology and poetry. Classical poetry is some of the most beautiful I’ve read.
I’m interested in learning both Greek and Latin. I’ve been told I should start with Latin since it’s the easier one. Is this true? How hard is it for a beginner and how often should I study? Any tips? I’m also unsure of what book to start with. I’m a real novice. As you can see, I have alot of questions and tend to go on. I’m sure I’ll think of more questions later. I always tend to forget something.
I hope to meet many friends and study buddies! Be patient with me!
Welcome to Textkit! I started with Latin in school and then learned Greek on my own.
However, see this discussion “Is it a good idea to learn Latin and Greek at the same time?”
Some tips:
- Be sure you are familiar with English grammar first (I assume you are a native speaker): subject, object, tenses, moods, participles, prepositions, etc., etc.
- If you plan to teach yourself Latin and/or Greek, get a course that has a key to the exercises.
- Be sure you work, at least a little, every single day. Like the ancient painter Apelles, you should never have to say:
Nullam hodie lineam duxi!
σήμερον οὐδεμίαν γραμμὴν ἤγαγον
Today I didn’t draw any line. - Bona fortuna, ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ, good luck!
Thanks for the advice! What a coincidence. I’m currently brushing up on my English grammar as I’m somewhat rusty. Yes, I’m a native speaker and this is my first attempt to learn a language. I was thinking of starting with Latin. Any advice on what book to use first for an absolute beginner? Also, at what point can I start on the Greek or can they be started together? Would that be too confusing? I’ve heard there are different dialects when it comes to the Greek? How does that work when you study it?
Again, thanks for your help! 
At what point can I start on the Greek or can they be started together? Would that be too confusing?
It depends on how much time you have. Be forewarned: learning either of them involves a lot of work, especially memory work that some find tedious. Getting into Greek seems harder at first because you need to learn a new alphabet–but that should take just a few weeks. If you learn Greek first, I think Latin will come relatively easily; however, I’m not sure that if you learn Latin first, you will necessarily have an easier time with Greek. Greek is important for getting the most out of Latin literature beyond a certain level, but Latin is not necessary for Greek literature.
As for the Greek dialects, the usual procedure is to learn Attic Greek–the dialect spoken in Athens in the 5th and 4th centuries BCE–the language of drama, of Demosthenes and the other orators, of Thucydides, of Plato and Aristotle–and then pick up Homeric Greek. I think it’s easier to learn Attic and then pick up Homeric Greek than the other way around. If you are interested exclusively in the New Testament (which it sounds like you’re not), koine Greek, which is slightly different from Attic, might be all you need (though if you’ve studied Attic Greek, koine should not be a problem). However, Attic and Homeric Greek are the two main dialects you need to read classical Greek literature. There are some things written in something like Attic with a Doric accent (e.g., the choruses of Greek drama), but they don’t require much additional knowledge. There are also some works written in Doric, but once you have Attic down, they shouldn’t be a big problem. There are some important fragments written in another dialect, Aeolic, but again, if you know Attic and Homeric Greek, these shouldn’t be a problem. Herodotus and some poetic fragments are written in Ionic, which is closely related to Attic.
Homeric Greek is very different from Attic, but it doesn’t take long after you’ve learned Attic to start absorbing Homeric Greek by reading the Homeric poems. And there is a large body of literature other than the Homeric poems written Homeric language right down to the end of antiquity and beyond. The Homeric language isn’t properly speaking a dialect–it’s a special poetic language that incorporates elements from several dialects, including Ionic and Aeolic.