Response: CLASSICS-L Digest - 2 Jul 2019 to 3 Jul 2019 (#2019-147)

I came to study Latin in public high school and college in the 1960s because it was popular and had broad-ranging and interesting activities and lessons, and there was a fun Latin Club! 

I completely agree with Brandl’s #2 and 3 responses. 
What hooked me was the experience of seeing the depth and scope of  “humanity” i.e., those commonalities across the millennia-thoughts, needs, issues. I have felt the same as people 2000 years ago, the political and social issues still resonate the same, and environmental issues have been equally important, to name a few.

Thus I see relevance in knowing how people felt in earlier times, how they understood knowledge and meaning( philosophy)and in knowing the roots of my English and the various Romance languages which have come into wide use around the globe.

Influence? Well, I just retired after 42 years in a career of Latin teaching! It took over my life! I always enjoyed my job (many people do not enjoy their career jobs) and I benefitted greatly from my acquaintance with many other classicists who constantly led me to consider new ideas and larger issues and to advocate and be involved at regional, state and national levels in language legislation initiatives, standards writing, Latin student and adult events, innovative Latin curricula and regional Classical Association leadership in MI and CA. As a woman, these mentors also showed me by example what women can do in the Classics discipline and the community. 
 I hope these comments help!
Katie Robinson
California
[email protected]
Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 3, 2019, at 12:00 AM, CLASSICS-L automatic digest system <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> There are 3 messages totaling 160 lines in this issue.
> 
> Topics of the day:
> 
>  1. Still seeking answers to four questions regarding my relationship with
>     CLassics (3)
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Date:    Wed, 3 Jul 2019 06:35:35 +1000
> From:    M Brandl <[email protected]>
> Subject: Still seeking answers to four questions regarding my relationship with CLassics
> 
> Miguel Abrantes:
> 
> You asked:
> 
> "1- What led you to study Classics?
> 2- What is the most unexpected thing you learned through your study in
> Classics?
> 3- What impact did studying Classics have in your life?
> 4- If you could recommend a single book or article to other readers, what
> would it be, and why?”
> Here is my reply.
> 
> "1- What led you to study Classics?
> At age 11 I entered a religious girls’ high school in 1948 and was taught Latin by the nuns.  Greek was no longer then taught by the nuns - but was still taught in some public high schools I believe. I did well and went on to matriculate and then study Latin at University. By then I deeply regretted not having been taught Greek - which was the the constant referent in Latin studies (and Roman history). In Ancient Civilisations I came across Greek history and Greek tragedies and  HOMER! I loved Vergil and Horace and Catullus. I did something about the lacunae in my Greek language  60 years later thanks to the advent of online classes. What a shock! It still is - all those verb endings :-)
> 
> 2- What is the most unexpected thing you learned through your study in
> Classics?
> That human and life and aesthetic themes and issues dealt with in the Classics are ever-constant and the outcomes always relevant. Quite extraordinary. Always surprising.
> 
> 3- What impact did studying Classics have in your life?
> A profound impact. And still does - as basic as knowing the meanings of words… Everyday - and everywhere. Even in my work as an anthropologist  in third world and pre-literate cultures and societies.
> 
> 4- If you could recommend a single book or article to other readers, what
> would it be, and why?”
> 
> The ancient Greek tragedies. Plato’s “Republic”. Horace’s odes. Catullus’s love poems.
> 
> Please add these replies to your other 25 answers and more from all over the world. And please share your compilation with us.
> 
> I have lived a long life and wouldn’t have missed the Classics for anything!  
> 
> Sincerely,
> M. Brandl
> Australia
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Date:    Tue, 2 Jul 2019 16:59:14 -0400
> From:    Paul Anderson <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: Still seeking answers to four questions regarding my relationship with CLassics
> 
> Mine:
> 
> "1- What led you to study Classics?"
> 
> I started out studying history, but found it incredibly dry. There was far more focus on facts than on stories. I took a Greek civ course and fell in love. 
> 
> "2- What is the most unexpected thing you learned through your study in
> Classics?"
> 
> The myth of Sinis the Pine-bender. That will always be my favourite, it's straight out of a cartoon. 
> 
> 
> "3- What impact did studying Classics have in your life?"
> 
> It gave me tremendous insights into human nature, and exposure to some of the greatest stories. Also, I enjoy being able to say random things in Latin and Greek. Also constructing new words using same. 
> 
> "4- If you could recommend a single book or article to other readers, what
> would it be, and why?”
> 
> If you're interested in myth, you need a copy of Frazer's translation of the Library by Apollodorus. The footnotes are absolutely extraordinary. 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Jul 2, 2019, at 4:35 PM, M Brandl <[email protected]> wrote:
>> 
>> "1- What led you to study Classics?
>> 2- What is the most unexpected thing you learned through your study in
>> Classics?
>> 3- What impact did studying Classics have in your life?
>> 4- If you could recommend a single book or article to other readers, what
>> would it be, and why?”
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Date:    Tue, 2 Jul 2019 16:47:39 -0700
> From:    Marianne McDonald <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: Still seeking answers to four questions regarding my relationship with CLassics
> 
> Brava M Brandl! My history is basically the same as yours...nuns first. 
> I would recommend all you did...particularly the Greek Tragedies, my 
> life work. I suppose I would single out Sophocles's /Antigone/ and her 
> heroic stance defending what she saw was right.
> 
> 
>> On 7/2/19 1:35 PM, M Brandl wrote:
>> Miguel Abrantes:
>> 
>> You asked:
>> 
>> "1- What led you to study Classics?
>> 2- What is the most unexpected thing you learned through your study in
>> Classics?
>> 3- What impact did studying Classics have in your life?
>> 4- If you could recommend a single book or article to other readers, what
>> would it be, and why?”
>> Here is my reply.
>> 
>> "1- What led you to study Classics?
>> At age 11 I entered a religious girls’ high school in 1948 and was taught Latin by the nuns.  Greek was no longer then taught by the nuns - but was still taught in some public high schools I believe. I did well and went on to matriculate and then study Latin at University. By then I deeply regretted not having been taught Greek - which was the the constant referent in Latin studies (and Roman history). In Ancient Civilisations I came across Greek history and Greek tragedies and  HOMER! I loved Vergil and Horace and Catullus. I did something about the lacunae in my Greek language  60 years later thanks to the advent of online classes. What a shock! It still is - all those verb endings :-)
>> 
>> 2- What is the most unexpected thing you learned through your study in
>> Classics?
>> That human and life and aesthetic themes and issues dealt with in the Classics are ever-constant and the outcomes always relevant. Quite extraordinary. Always surprising.
>> 
>> 3- What impact did studying Classics have in your life?
>> A profound impact. And still does - as basic as knowing the meanings of words… Everyday - and everywhere. Even in my work as an anthropologist  in third world and pre-literate cultures and societies.
>> 
>> 4- If you could recommend a single book or article to other readers, what
>> would it be, and why?”
>> 
>> The ancient Greek tragedies. Plato’s “Republic”. Horace’s odes. Catullus’s love poems.
>> 
>> Please add these replies to your other 25 answers and more from all over the world. And please share your compilation with us.
>> 
>> I have lived a long life and wouldn’t have missed the Classics for anything!
>> 
>> Sincerely,
>> M. Brandl
>> Australia
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> End of CLASSICS-L Digest - 2 Jul 2019 to 3 Jul 2019 (#2019-147)
> ***************************************************************