I am a 115 IQ midwit- what is some good secondary literature on the greeks?
>>23313973Madeline Miller - The Song of Achilles.
>>23313973Read as many primary sources as possible, both for enjoyment and so you don't fall for modern acagaymic meme interpretations. Preferably even learn Ancient Greek, it's not that hard. Start with the Iliad, then the Odyssey, then Herodotus. Then you can branch off to Plato, or the tragedians, or keep reading the historians with Thucydides, or other poets. >The Ancient City Coulanges>History of Greek Culture Burckhardt ^ these are based classics in the field. Their theses haven't been refuted.Ppl itt will recommend all sorts of modern acagaymeia slop but you should for the most part ignore it until you're firmly grounded in both the primary sources and the classics of the field, especially people who call things "outdated". If you want to see why look for the series of Warosu posts about how the Germans completed classics. The only areas where our knowledge is actually increasing are genetics and archaeology. Otherwise it's just new interpretations of the same texts 19th and 20th century scholars had (and these 19th and 20th century guys could fluently read Pindar too while most modern acagaymics can barely struggle through Xenophon).
>>23313973I've been curious for a while now on 110-120 IQ range. Who are your favorite authors? What do you do for a living? What is your favorite genre of writing? Do you spend any time on other genres of Art? How did you fare in the sciences? Etc.,. I want to know as much as possible about this often overlooked swath of the population. As for the Greeks, I think the best way to go about it, is to read it first and only rely on commentary or secondary literature after you've read it and thought about it yourself. Of course, look up any terminology or words you don't understand. Even some of the Gutenberg translations come with helpful notes.
>>23314006What's your opinion of Donald Kagan or Victor Davis Hanson. I used their work to complement Thucydides during a deep dive. Furthermore what's your opinion of Havelock.
>>23314157>Who are your favorite authors?Hm, I like Bulgakov(I myself am Russian). As a kid I read a lot of Joules Verne, which I really enjoyed, as well as HG Wells(I have War of the Worlds in folio) and Mark Twain(Collected stories, also in Folio), and Oscar Wilde(Picture of Dorian Gray was superb)>What do you do for a living? I am a student, but my parents are getting me into law(marching orders iykwim)>What is your favorite genre of writing?I look to cope and say that I prefer non-fiction, but that is , in truth, not the case. I really enjoy adventure, war novels(I loved Farewell to Arms, so maybe some Romance too- Jane Eyre was a great read).>Do you spend any time on other genres of Art?There are plenty of museums in my city- I go every month or so to see a new exhibition on Japan or something else- whatever is free and accessible. >How did you fare in the sciences?I did well- I simply did not care much for it. In maths, I didn't revise for my final exams, still gt the highest grade(although now I am studying maths and I actually have to put in effort)Somehow I have also managed not to become a normie liberal(instead of moving on from the likes of Stephen Crowder and Ben Shabibo, and become a normie leftie, I simply moved deeper, idk how)My greatest disappointment is how little I read... it seems as if I can't get off this bloody board... I sometimes even go on the /lit equivalent on 2chan(russian 4chan equivalent)- Pathetic. Ask me anything ig.
>>23314233Thank you for answering. You've already given me so much information; I have to think on it. You see, I have my own suspicions on the 110-120IQ range—in particular, 115 (I actually tried to run a thread on the subject on /sci/ once, without much success—too many scoffers). I suspect this category of people plays a critical role in making the world go round. I would like to get a bit nearer to understanding what is unique their thinking and general mode from anyone else's. You've already given me a lot too think about. If I do think of anything else, I'll take you up on your offer and ask. Thanks again.
>>23314233>>23314470Since no one really gave you any answers, I'll give a few recs. Bear in mind I have not read these most of these, but they are books I intend to read which may be of use to you. Homer and His Age; Andrew LangPaideia: The Ideals of Greek Culture (three volumes); Werner JaegerChristianity and Paideia; Werner JaegerEarly Greek Philosophy and the Orient; M. L. WestCambridge Ancient History, Vol. V., "Athens"Greek Religion; Walter BurkertThe Theology of the Early Greek Philosophers; Werner JaegerAncient Greek Mathematics, Volumes I & II; Sir Thomas HeathWell, that's a start.
>>23313973You’ll need a mix of primary and secondary sources. I recommend:>Cory O’Brien - Zeus Grants Stupid Wishes: A No-Bullshit Guide To World Mythology>Mary Pope Osborne - Hour of the Olympics>Nathanial Hawthorne - Greek Myths>Sarah Kate Istra Winter - Kharis: Hellenic Polytheism Explored>Timothy Jay Alexander - Hellenismos Today>Steven Pressfield - Gates Of Fire>Rosemary Sutcliff - Gods Before Troy>Rosemary Sutcliff - The Wanderings Of Odysseus>Homer - The Iliad and The Odyssey (tons of translations. I highly recommend Emily Wilson’s)>Nikos Kazantzakis - The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel>Virgil - The Aeneid>Josephine Angelini - Starcrossed>Aimee Carter - Goddess Test>Madeline Miller - A Song Of Achilles>Madeline Miller - Circe>Alexandra Bracken - Lore>Julie Berry - Lovely War>Rebecca Caprara - Spin>Emily Wilson - The Death of Socrates: Hero, Villain, Chatterbox, Saint>The Labrys Community - Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship>Drew Campbell - Old Stone, New Temples>Rick Riordan - Percy Jackson & the Olympians>Frank Miller - 300>William Moulton Marston - Wonder Woman: The Golden Age Omnibus>George Perez - Wonder Woman By George Perez Omnibus
>>23315831WAY too many women in that list.
>>23313973(OP here)(mainly looking for stuff on philosophy, just wanted to clarify)
>>23314173Nta, but Havelock isn't any good. His book on "the liberal temper" in Ancient Greece is full of tendentious forceful interpretations of the Pre-Socratics, sophists, and poets, and a surprising amount of the time, he argues from mistranslations of said figures.>>23314006Coulanges is good, and I do recommend him, but he's not invulnerable. He has to be read with more caution and more vigorous examination of his sources. I do second Burckhardt.>>23315826A lot of this is good, but I'd be cautious of Jaeger, sometimes he's as willful as Havelock in forcing things to conform to what he wants, for example, his Documentary Hypothesis-style approach to dating strains in Aristotle's Metaphysics, which is totally speculative.
>>23316463>sometimes he's as willful as Havelock in forcing things to conform to what he wants, for example, his Documentary Hypothesis-style approach to dating strains in Aristotle's Metaphysics, which is totally speculative.Good to know. I'll bear it in mind.
