After a week long hiatus, I finally have time to resume my studies.
On the agenda today:
-Mastronarde unit 14 exercises.
-Hopefully start Mastronarde unit 15.
After a week long hiatus, I finally have time to resume my studies.
On the agenda today:
-Mastronarde unit 14 exercises.
-Hopefully start Mastronarde unit 15.
Hello!
Today I’m going to study my analytic geometry till the night. Then I’ll learn a few Latin words using Textkit Vocabulary Tool (rather useful thing ). And for dessert I’m going to read Pharr.
Sorry for such an ignorance, what is Mastronarde?
I managed to complete unit 14 exercises. I’m not sure when I will next have time to study, maybe Monday or Tuesday.
what is Mastronarde?
He wrote the book Introduction to Attic Greek which I am using for self-study:
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Attic-Greek-Donald-Mastronarde/dp/0520078446
I admit that sometimes it is hard going, but I’m sure that the effort will pay off.
Today I will proceed checking all Greek grammar and Syntax with Gunion Rutherford. Sometimes, it becomes me boring because he says a lot of things which I already know but… I consideer it neccesary.
Χαῖ?ε, ῶ Πλoυκεῖδες!
Nice avatar Gonzalo!
It is Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, correct (it is surely Antonine, at least)? He is one of my favourite emperors. Despite his physical weakness, he fought on the borders against invading northerners for a good chunk of his reign. It really was a desperate war for survival, with a horrible plague decimating the army in the background; in fact northern Italy itself was invaded. This northern war was an ominous portent for the calamities of the next century.
Too bad that the prime ancient source for the war (Cassius Dio) survives only in a pathetic summary with some meagre fragments, or that the only only other source is the infamously poor Historia Augusta, which we unfortunately are not in a position to toss out because it has a lot of irreplaceable information not found anywhere else (with a lot of falsehoods as well!). What exciting reading Cassius Dio would have provided. However, some of the letters between the Emperor and his former tutor Fronto survive; they were recovered from a palimpsest in the 19th century.
Well, to balance the view about Marcus Aurelius in this two paragraph blurb: one ugly blot on his record was the persecution of Christians, many of which died horribly. Persecuting people for their beliefs (to say nothing of nothing of executing them) is quite inexcusable. Some persecution was purely local, but some was with his explicit consent.
Hey…he wan’t as bad as Nero though…and he wrote some great stuff! I have his Meditations in Greek and when the mood hits me (usually a somber one) I like to read them in the tub with a nice cup of tea.
Today, I am planning on doing some Database work (at least 8 hours worth) and having a BBQ (pork ribs, slow cooked over charcoal) and remembering all of the soldier that have given there lives and those that are currently serving, including my cousin Bill who is in Iraq.
Agreed, Marcus Aurelius definitely wasn’t all bad, but this is a blot on an otherwise fairly impressive record (though IIRC it was in his reign that torture started to be applied to Roman Citizens who were poorer “Humiliores”…more gray than I thought before).
Concerning Iraq, this is a “small” subject change, but please allow me to wish that your soldiers come home safely and as soon as possible.