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13031176 No.13031176 [Reply] [Original]

Do I need to read a book on mythology before reading the Iliad and the Odyssey?
I read that mythology from edith hamilton is the go to.

Should I buy the regular paperback or should I spring for the special illustrated hardback?

>> No.13031189

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

>> No.13031226

>>13031176
>buying books by dead authors
Pirate it.
If you have a basic bitch understanding of Greek myth you don't need to read anything else, the Iliad and the Odyssey is the best teacher.

>> No.13031312

>>13031176
don't need to know anything about mythology, just enjoy the ride.
If you get interested in mythology I'd recommend buying a dictionnary of mythology, they usually explain all of the myths well

>> No.13031326

>>13031312
>>13031226
Thanks for the advice. I'll just jump write into the books then and look up info when necessary.

Also, even though this is asked to death, what translation of the Iliad/odyssey is the best? I planned on getting the Fagle's translation but I'd like to hear other's opinions

>> No.13031501

You do know that you can get any book you want for free right?

>> No.13031645

>>13031326
>jump write into
never gonna make it

>> No.13031653

>>13031176
just read everything in that book until it starts talking about the iliad and then stop. should take like an hour.

>> No.13031659

>>13031326
Fagles is the best translation to start with. There is nothing wrong with reading other translations later.

>> No.13031667

>>13031326
Get Lattimore's translation and Willcock's companion.
The companion answers most questions you would have.
Hamilton's book is good to have as a reference for the mythological tales/parables that are alluded or referred to.
And yes, they are all on Libgen.

>> No.13031690

Read Hamilton and Strauss first obviously

>> No.13032078

>>13031176
>tfw almost finished starting with the Greeks
Only some Plato and Aristotle left for me.
Feels like only yesterday I was starting the Iliad. It's been a wild ride, lads.

>> No.13032155

>>13031326
>I planned on getting the Fagle's translation but I'd like to hear other's opinions
Fagle's is fine. Just be sure that it has a glossary in the back. Mine did. Made reading it cake without having to have a companion book or even read fagles notes on certain passages

>> No.13032161

>>13032078
>tfw almost finished starting with the Greeks
How does Thucydides compare to Herodotus?

>> No.13032540

>>13031326
Only Chapman captures the spirit of the work

>> No.13032544

Read Ovid's Metamorphoses; it's a work of art on its own and the only source material for a lot of myths.

>> No.13032622

>>13032544
>the only source material for a lot of myths.
Hesiod would like a word

>> No.13032791

>>13032161
Thucydides takes his work seriusly trying to be as impartial and factual as an ancient author could

Herodotus "the father of lies" embelishes constantly outrite stating on several ocasions that he had herd several versions of the same story but only chose to write down the most intresting (the most fantastical) so you get stuff like million man armys and portryals of persians as decedant degenerates as a part of his narative that the persians lost due to low moral character

>> No.13032820

All editions of the iliad and odyssey have fantastic introductions and footnotes.
Anything you don't understand can be googled

No you don't need to read anything before hand.

Hamilton is still an extraordinarily accomplished book. Read it anways.

go back and read the odyssey and illiad at various points in your life and you'll find details that weren't apparent to you or understandable to you will spring out at you.