/lit/ - Literature

read socrates' works

Well obviously one should have a basic understanding of the pre-socratics before they start with the greeks so they understand what socrates, or at least plato's recordings of socrates, was going against.

Read the sticky.

>>9969282
plato and the tragedians

>>9969293
This, OP. Look for a good compilation of presocratic philosophers with a good introduction and a pair of books from specialist. Nothing thorough for a start, unless you really like it. From there you should start diving into Plato's Dialogues, also reading from time to time some studies.
Remember to enjoy it and get an overview. You don't need to be a specialist in greek in order to move forward.

>>9969282
Just start with Gorgias, Protagoras, Meno, Republic.

Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, Politics

Xenophon's Hiero and Cyropaedia, and Conversations with Socrates.

>>9969282
The Presocratics, including Thales and the Milesians, Parmenides, Xenophanes, Parmenides, Zeno, and then possibly Gorgias and some others before then going onto Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

I love threads like this because you can literally just read the stanford encyclopedia of philsophy for most of this shit but we love pretentious bullying

>>9969384
>Socrates, Plato

>>9969390
>we
please stop pretending to be us

>>9969481
Don't get me started on you bitch boy

>>9969282
Homer -> Presocratics -> Plato -> Aristotle

>>9969287
>read socrates' works

Iliad>Odyssey>major playwrights> per-socratics>Plato>Aristotle

The Presocratics only remain in ambigious fragments, while Aristotle is dense as fuck. Start with Homer for poetry and Plato for philosophy.

For the playwrights, start with the Oresteia of Aeschylus. For the fountainhead of Western mysticism, proceed to the Enneads of Plotinus, but only after you've Plato. Plotinus absorbs the best of Aristotle and makes a fine exposition of Platonic mysticism.

Resume with the Romans – the Metamorphoses of Ovid and The Aeneid of Virgil are essential. Top it off with The History of the Rome by Livy and you should be well on your way to patricianhood.

>>9970637
Reading Nicomachean Ethics right now for class and we've barely touched on Plato except for Euthyphro. I'm trying to absorb as much of this as I can, any tips?

>>9969282

>>9969282
I think this guide is pretty good:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y8_RRaZW5X3xwztjZ4p0XeRplqebYwpmuNNpaN_TkgM/mobilebasic?pli=1

>>9970785
From Plutarch's Lives, Chapter 7:

>It would appear, moreover, that Alexander not only received from his master his ethical and political doctrines, but also participated in those secret and more profound teachings which philosophers designate by the special terms ‘acroamatic’ and ‘epoptic,’ and do not impart to many. For after he had already crossed into Asia, and when he learned that certain treatises on these recondite matters had been published in books by Aristotle, he wrote him a letter on behalf of philosophy, and put it in plain language. And this is a copy of the letter.

>‘Alexander, to Aristotle, greeting. Thou hast not done well to publish thy acroamatic doctrines; for in what shall I surpass other men if those doctrines wherein I have been trained are to be all men's common property? But I had rather excel in my acquaintance with the best things than in my power. Farewell.’

>Accordingly, in defending himself, Aristotle encourages this ambition of Alexander by saying that the doctrines of which he spoke were both published and not published; for in truth his treatise on metaphysics is of no use for those who would either teach or learn the science, but is written as a memorandum for those already trained therein.

>>9970785
>>9971027
Besides the stylistic elements of his works that occasionally borders on the obscure, this is the main reason I said Aristotle was "dense".

His entire philosophy is primarily based on the dialectic of the Organon, with it's technical jargon being dispersed throughout his works. Equally important is the Four Causes of the Physics and On Generation and Corruption. The Nicomachean Ethics is one of his easiest works, though. While he does employ his theories of causation within his logical structure, the arguments themselfes are fairly accessible to newcomers.

It's a shame you skipped Plato, as Aristotle - when he isn't disagreeing with his former teacher here and there - is actually implementing, systematizing and refining quite a few of his theories.

In general, I would recommend the Isagoge of Porphyry translated by Edward Warren. It's an introduction to the first part of the Organon, known as the Categories. It will greatly aid you in following much of the logical jargon. Read up on the Four Causes, either online or directly in the Physics and On Generation and Corruption, and you should have a fine foundation for engaging with Aristotle.

>>9971027
>>9971030
Thank you anon! I'll definitely check that out and I'll make sure to put some more time into Plato outside of class work.

>>9971126
No problem. Glad I could help out.

Memes aside such as this goofy picture >>9970938, Plato is tremendously accommodating to newcomers and needs no background study – it does help, Greek mythology in general and Homer in particular, but it isn't essential.

His ideas are presented in an entertaining dialogue form and while he does reference the pre-Socratic philosophers, the Sophists, Hesiod, Homer and the Athenian playwrights throughout, he does so in a self-sufficient way.

>>9969282
Start with the greek myths, geography, history

It will make reading everything Greek much more sensible