WHY...
What’s worthwhile in the classics? While the events of the day rush past at a bewildering speed, the literature of the deep past offers a respite. Early in the pandemic, I was immersed in writing retellings of the Greek myths. Disappearing into the world of Arachne, Penelope and Medea offered a defence against the anxieties of the moment. We see ourselves reflected back in those old books. They also provide a different lens through which to see our own times. You can understand a lot about power in the time of an epidemic by reading Sophocles; you can get an intriguing perspective on modern patriarchy by reading Aeschylus.
I chose to study classics mostly because I fell in love with the stories. The world of Catullus and Euripides was so familiar and yet so thrillingly alien. Honesty is required: I also liked classics partly because Latin and Greek sounded impressive, perhaps especially to my parents, neither of whom were from the kind of background where Greek epigrams ran in the veins. Classics held lots of traditional cachet, and I wanted to partake of it.