Eros at the Banquet (Oklahoma Series in Classical Culture)

by Pratt

After studying ancient Greek for a year, students often become discouraged when presented with unabridged classical texts that offer only minimal supportive apparatus. In welcome contrast, this intermediate-level textbook reinforces the first-year lessons and enables students to read Plato's Symposium , one of the most engaging works in Attic Greek, the dialect taught in most first-year courses. To meet the needs of students who are reading extended passages of challenging Greek for the first time, Louise Pratt, a classical scholar with more than twenty years' teaching experience, has lightly condensed the early readings, supplementing them with review exercises and new vocabulary. She includes the remaining portion of the dialogue in its entirety to give students the experience of reading Plato's imaginative dialogue in all its richness. All readings are glossed, with explanatory notes appearing on the same page as the relevant texts. Enlivened by twenty-five illustrations, Eros at the Banquet also features an introduction explaining the Symposium's historical and philosophical significance, a comprehensive glossary, and an up-to-date bibliography. Instructors may also supplement this volume with Pratt's The Essentials of Greek A Reference for Intermediate Readers of Attic Greek , which includes many examples from the Symposium.

Genres: Classics

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2011

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent textbook to use for my class on Plato. I loved the review exercises that the author provided as well the footnotes beneath the passages to assist with vocabulary. Because of the author's help, reading was a lot easier and it helped me keep up with grammar throughout the semester. I love this book!