Are there good grammar books on classical attic greek that would be easy. Biblical greek is the form of koine greek that was used to write that christian new testament and koine greek is a particular dialect of ancient greek that was spoken from the beginning of the hellenistic era around 323 bc until the end of antiqui. John williams whites first greek book was a standard for quite a while, and. Jan, 2005 from what ive readvox graeca uses attic pronunciation.
Another nice thing is the choice of book 5 as the basis for learning homeric greek. Thanks to bedwere and markos on for calling attention to a prose paraphrase of the iliad, in attic greek, by the fifteenthcentury greek humanist theodorus gaza. Pericles funeral oration listen to the full text read in original ancient greek duration. This introduction to homeric greek series was created by members of the kosmos society then called hour 25 community in coordination with professor graeme bird as a communitygenerated, open access educational resource. If attic greek is the horse, and koine greek is the donkey, well, septuagint greek is something of a mule. How different is the ancient greek language from the modern. The best books on learning ancient greek five books expert. This classic text provides you with a comprehensive introduction to homeric greek. I am now wondering what the relation is between homeric and attic. This book is an outstanding introduction and reference to the homeric langauge. Jul 25, 2011 i think attic is very valuable for the study of the nt, lxx, intertestamental, and early christian lit. Clyde pharr wrote a textbook based on the premise that xenophons anabasis is not.
When i was studying greek in college we basically skimmed over the differences themselves second year when we read the first book of the iliad, having used hansen and quinn first year, and although i can identify when something is different, im often unsure if the. This is the first possible ancient greek dialect to begin studying. A book for beginners greek edition, a great book in its day. There are a number of editions of books 68 available all for students starting out. Get the best prices on these homeric greek resources. Both greek english and english greek vocabulary lists are provided for easy reference.
Homeric greek refers to the language of the iliad and odyssey and that it actually a mixture of mainly ionic with some aeolic elements as well as a bunch of later. After a period of time getting comfortable with attic, i decided to try to tackle homeric on my own. But if you know a reasonable amount of attic greek, the homeric text and gazas paraphrase can be mutually reenforcing. If i were to study homeric greek, classicalattic greek and biblical. Four reasons to master koine and to leave attic alone. Koine is easier and a lot closer to modern greek, attic was the prestige greek dialect and if you want to read classical works youd need it. Homeric is a literary dialect with elements of ionic, aeolic and arcadocypriot. Homer, odyssey a127 spoken in reconstructed ancient greek. Second, most attic authors quote homer and the poets regularly, so you might as well get in some homer in the original first. How difficult is to learn attic greek compared to koine greek. Not exactly a modern day dilemma, where personal happiness and love reigns. Epithet comes from the greek for putting something on something. Ancient greek was a pluricentric language, divided into many dialects. Clearly laid out charts and tables give you easy access to the information you need, when you need it, and concise exercises help you solidify what youve learned.
Attic or homeric first textkit greek and latin forums. Attic greek is the greek dialect of the ancient citystate of athens. Others distinguish between homeric greek and classical greek. If youre interested in learning homeric greek, here is a link to a free textbook. Attic greek is sometimes included in the ionic dialect. Homer, odyssey a127 spoken in reconstructed ancient. Ill take random short portions of ancient greek texts from various authors and eras specifically. Four reasons to master koine and to leave attic alone february 23, 2018 by. A book for beginners 9780806119373 by pharr, clyde. Pharr explains in his eloquent introduction why the ideal approach to the language is with homer rather than with the writers of attic greek. Ill bite the bait and do what most of the other 65 people who already answered this question didnt do. Protecting or maintaining ones honor comes before protecting ones family. Homeric greek is the form of the greek language that was used by homer in the iliad and.
Even today its not a bad place to make your start in homeric greek, but if youre looking for an introduction that goes a little slower, theres another one out there. Resources for reading homeric greek ryan baumann etc. If you know the basics of attic or koine, id suggest just diving in. Would you like to support the mission of open culture. The chicago homer by far the coolest resource i learned of during my seminar was the chicago homer. Homer s iliad book 20 homer greek to gcse, part 1 alpha advanced attic learners zeta gsce2 intermediate attic kappa gcse1 beginners attic omicron. The ancient greek writers in attic greek tended to quote homer and ancient poets.
Optimized in logos for use with homeric greek texts, this resource allows you to move seamlessly between homer s poetry, rich lexical entries, and over 100 images. In the fall semester of greek 1 there were twenty students in the class. In the spring semester that number had dropped to ten. Now, im not naturally gifted in languages, but i worked really hard. The difference is about the same as that between modern english and shakespearean english. Are you interested in learning ancient greek or teaching your children.
The only extant works in homeric greek are the iliad and odyssey. Transition to attic greek helps students bridge the gap between homeric greek and attic greek. How different is the ancient greek language from the. I worked through an old copy of this book one summer while in college between my first year of introductory attic greek and a homer course i planned to take the following fall. I was pretty comfortable with koine when i took classical greek. What is the difference between the biblical greek, ancient. Oct 28, 2019 usually called an epithet or a homeric epithet, but sometimes called a homeric epitaph, it is one of the most noticeable features of homers works the iliad and the odyssey. Wright, john and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Would he have distinguished homeric greek from his own language. Made available online by harvards center for hellenic studies, the playlist of ancient greek lessons will be added to our collections, learn 48 languages online for free. The iliad is set during the trojan war, the tenyear siege of the city of troy by a coalition of greek kingdoms. Wrights newly revised text will undoubtedly spark fresh enthusiasm in both students and professors of greek.
Because this book covers homeric greek ionian dialect, it differs quite a bit from attic greek and some of the forms might seem a bit foreign if youve had some training in attic already. Wrights newly revised text will undoubtedly spark fresh enthusiasm in. Apr, 2015 how to choose an ancient greek dialect to study are you interested in learning ancient greek or teaching your children ancient greek as suggested in teaching the trivium. Learning ancient greek for beginners the great courses plus. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. This book attempts to trace military history of the mounted horse and the chariot, both of which are represented in art and poetry, as they were used from the dark age to the end of the sixth century bc.
This classic text provides a comprehensive introduction to homeric greek. Jan 01, 1985 a reading course in homeric greek, book one, third edition is a revised edition of the well respected text by frs. A supplement to a reading course in homeric greek by schoder, raymond v. A supplement to a reading course in homeric greek schoder, raymond v. It focuses on a quarrel between king agamemnon and the. The further back you go the more difficult it becomes for modern greeks to understand more ancient forms of our language. Of course you say that alexander was youre favorite well koine has sometimes been called alexandrian g. It was later named epic greek because it was used as the language of epic poetry, typically in dactylic hexameter, by. All later greek poetry relied on epic practice to a greater or lesser degree. Homeric greek certainly wouldnt hurt, but i dont think youll find much that is of immediate value. A reading course in homeric greek, book 1 by raymond v. Attic and homeric greek are so rare that it would be.
Homeric vs koine study textkit greek and latin forums. Overall, i like the text, when you can read it, that is. This book teaches homers greek in a way that will stick, using book i of the iliad. How to choose an ancient greek dialect to study classically. Where can i learn ancient greek of homer, plato, etc. This collection is perfect for both students and enthusiasts interested in reading this timeless treasure in the original greek for the first time. If i were to study homeric greek, classicalattic greek and biblicalkoine greek, in which. Is vox graeca considered the most accurateas in, the way it is considered the ancient greeks would have. Its a handy reference for aspects of the language that will be unfamiliar to those who have taken an approach to greek through homer. In years past, latin was introduced in the first year of high school, followed by greek in the third year. Even though i have pharrs homeric greek and he spells out the pronunciation, id prefer an audio site with the real basicssuch as how each letter is pronounced and also the. This text provides an introduction to ancient greek language as found in the greek of homer.
This comprises a series of video presentations made by leonard muellner professor emeritus of classical studies at brandeis university and belisi gillespie. To fit the dactylic hexameter, an epic poet may use one form from ionic and in the very next line, use a different form from attica. You are introduced to meter at an early stage, and this will carry you through your studies into attic, koine, and beyond. The quality of the copy is very poor and for the first 80 or so pages, some of the copies are. The purpose of the homeric greek resources site is to offer a range of materials e. Ionic greek is closely related to attic greek and is the form the first greek prose appeared in. Attic greek in school, it is very easy to study koine, or read the new testament. Each lesson is a passage consisting of ten to twentyfive lines of text and includes a memorization list of frequently found words, thematic commentary in shaded boxes, and expanded and revised grammatical notes. The further back you go the more difficult it becomes for modern greeks to understand more ancient forms. Ive studied ancient greek for several years now, so at the very least, i can give you what experience has shown me. In addition to covering standard grammatical and lexical categories, pharr provides reading lessons from excerpts of the iliad for guided lesson. The homeric literature is the managers key to almost all other ancient greek and roman literature. Some dialects are found in standardized literary forms used in literature, while others are attested only in inscriptions there are also several historical forms.
It is a literary dialect of ancient greek consisting mainly of ionic and aeolic, with a few forms from arcadocypriot, and a written form influenced by attic. Describes a noun or pronounfor example, a tall girl, an interesting book, a big house. We are pleased to share the first volume of this learning module at the kosmos society. Clyde pharrs distinct grammar offers thorough instruction on classical greek through reading one of the greatest literary works of all timehomers iliad.
Apr 18, 2012 that goes back to pharrs homeric greek. I will speak from tge perspective of a native greek speaker. The genitive singular of masculine nouns ends in or, rather than for. Of the ancient dialects, it is the most similar to later greek and is the standard form of the language that is studied in ancient greek language courses. Well, pharr is the standard homeric greek textbook. For homeric greek the best textbook still in print is clyde pharrs homeric greek. For attic greek, theres a book called vox graeca by w. The one thing that could be better for me is the size of the typeface. The grammar sections are compact, concise and much use is made of tables for. Greek has been important in the intellectual life of western civilization, but not to the extent of latin except for ecclesiastical matters.
John wrights thorough, uptodate revision of clyde pharrs homeric greek is presented by the university of oklahoma press for use in firstyear greek courses in colleges and preparatory schools. Getting started in homeric greek confessions of a language. Homeric greek is the form of the greek language that was used by homer in the iliad and odyssey and in the homeric hymns. Jan 26, 2018 the only extant works in homeric greek are the iliad and odyssey. Experience an ageless epic of greek verse the way its original readers would have, with the introduction to homers iliad. Together, attic and ionic are the primary influences on modern greek. The homeric method has, indeed, met with remarkable success. This revised edition adds concise sections on grammar that will be of immense aid to the student who has not previously learned latin grammar.
Sidney allen that inspired a shift to something sometimes called restored classical pronunciation that i believe has gotten a lot of traction in universities not so much in seminaries. Nov 18, 20 a homeric hero never sacrifices his reputation. Theres a good smattering of vocabulary to be learned there and useful vocabular. A book for beginners you can download a pdf of an earlier edition of the same text from. It was a written only language used by ancient authors such as homer and hesiod. Geoffrey steadman has some high quality reading editions of homer available for free.
How much of a stretch will it be for me to read attic and homeric greek. It is a little awkward since the lessons and the grammar readings are in two separate sections of the book. The main dialect groups are attic and ionic, aeolic, arcadocypriot, and doric, many of them with several subdivisions. Also consider following open culture on facebook and. The book is arranged as parallel text, with homer s original verse on the left and gazas paraphrase on the right. Homeric greek is like ionic greek, and unlike classical attic, in shifting almost all cases of long. Homeric greek is used in the first epic poems, the iliad and the odyssey, and the homeric hymns, traditionally attributed to homer and written in dactylic hexameter. In part, its a mishmash of various greek dialects that reflects the history of its oral composition. Epic greek or homeric greek was never actually spoken. Are the differences similar to the great differences of oe, me, and mod. Actually, over time the language simplified as many languages do, the the later koine is simpler than earlier attic. If you want to be able to read broadly, starting with either attic or homeric is probably best. Homeric greek is the managers key to all later ancient and midaeval greek.
Below is the latest weekly activities posting for the greekstudy list. The margins are huge which is convenient, but im often challenged to read the breathing marks. I followed an excellent intro to attic greek course at the university of ottawa, using this book, then fell out of practice but kept the book because i want to dive back in. What is the best introductory book for someone who wants. After reading around ive decided with homeric greek as a starter. Wright, john and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books. Ancient greek in classical antiquity, before the development of the common koine greek of the hellenistic period, was divided into several varieties most of these varieties are known only from inscriptions, but a few of them, principally aeolic, doric, and ionic, are also represented in the literary canon alongside the dominant attic form of literary greek. Classical greek online series introduction winfred p. The works of homer the iliad, the odyssey, and the homeric hymns and of hesiod were written in a literary dialect called homeric greek or epic greek, which largely comprises old ionic, with some borrowings from the neighboring aeolic dialect to the north. Horsemen and chariots in the homeric and archaic ages. Reading course in homeric greek, book two, third edition presents the odysseys books 6 and 12 in their entirety. Ionic greek is closely related to attic greek and is the form the first greek. First you need to decide which ancient greek dialect to study as ancient greek has several. Koine hello stephan, let me give you a learners perspective on the differences.
Clearly laid out charts and tables give you easy access to the information you need, when you need it, and concise exercises help you solidify what youve. And based on my preference of type of class, which textbook selfstudy so i need something that actually has an answer. For introductory greek, based on pharrs homeric greek, 4th. But i wouldnt expect too many people to be able to do much with homeric if all they understood was koine.
However like with latin, i really want to get my pronunciation sorted before really getting into it. The other day i was told that koine greek and attic greek are the same language. Homer and greek epic teaching yourself latin and greek. Jan 09, 2014 if homer is your first ancient greek, an attic paraphrase wont help. The series is designed as a gentle introduction for absolute beginners. Classical greek online university of texas at austin.
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