The Minckwitz-a reading group, which has been reading Book 12 of the Odyssey, will be completing that book in mid-September. When that lists closes we will take a break for about a month, and then we’ll move on.
We’re not quite sure where we’re moving on to exactly. Thus, the poll.
My bright idea is to simply start in on a list called odyssey-a (the -a suffix indicates session number; it allows us to have a minckwitz-b if that reading group runs again). We’d start in on Odyssey 1, and keep going until the end. Given our usual pace (15-25 lines a week), this would take a few years.
Another idea is to just have an odyssey1-a list.
Yet another idea is to read one of the larger Homeric Hymns, in particular, the second, to Demeter. The larger hymns are as large as single books of Homer.
We’re going to hold off on the Iliad until the dedicated members of the Pharr-a list have completed Pharr (I assume those with us still will complete it). Then we’ll likely do Iliad Book 2 (sans catalog). Benner is still available, not expensive, and the commentaries from an older edition have undergone Perseusification.
I’ve been waiting for a new group to start, and I would love to read through the Odyssey…even at 12-25 lines per week.
I wouldn’t even mind a more accelerated reading group…I definitely like the intermediate/advanced idea, I’m not a Classical Greek stud…but if I can handle Sophocles (my 4th year Greek final was a cold reading of Oed Rex) Homer is cool by me.
I suspect 20 lines a week is about the outer limit for a reading group like this. Most, if not all, the members have day jobs, other obligations, children (or bonsai in my case) which also require attention.
but if I can handle Sophocles (my 4th year Greek final was a cold reading of Oed Rex) Homer is cool by me.
Cold?! What exactly does that mean?
And yes, if you can handle Attic drama, I doubt 20 lines a week of Homer will cause distress.
I hope eventually we can have a group for Prometheus Bound (available here), or maybe The Bacchae, in all it’s monstrous glory.
I didn’t mean to diss Homer, I LOVE Homer. As a matter of fact, for my final I translated a portion of the Sculla narrative…great stuff. WHat I meant is that Homer (in my experience) is not nearly as difficult syntactically…the vocab is tough, but to me vocab is much easier than syntax.
My question was actually about what you mean by “cold reading.” There’s no way I’d go into any class reading Oed.Rex. without serious preparation each time.
Given our usual pace (15-25 lines a week), this would take a few years.
