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about the quality of the edition
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Beginning Greek With Homer
Frank J. Beetham
Manufacturer: Duckworth Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Homeric Greek: A Book for Beginners
Homeric Vocabularies: Greek and English Word List for the Study of Homer
Greek, Classical Vocabulary Cards: Academic Study Card Set
Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect

ASIN: 1853994804

Product Description

This is a course for those who wish to read Homer in the original tongue but know no Greek, or are only just beginning to work through a course in Classical Greek and wish to read Homer from a very early stage. It assumes no previous knowledge of Greek. The first six sections of the book deal with the fundamental elements of grammar that are a necessary preliminary to study. From the seventh section onwards the course proceeds through the "Odyssey", Book Five, with grammatical explanations and exercises. It provides an introduction not only to the Greek language but also to one of the great classics of world literature.

Customer Reviews:

about the quality of the edition.......2007-06-09

In Italy there are no tools for the self study of Latin and Greek: the many traditional handbooks, some good, some better, all require a very competent teacher and much determination because of the very sound, comprehensive but oh-so-dull approach and exercises.

There being a very large number of secondary schools where Latin at least is still taught, sometimes by very dedicated teachers, there is probably little need for self study tools.
Therefore I was overjoyed finding out some well reviewed handbooks for adults such as myself and I bought ALL OF THEM.

Their worth as textbooks I still do not know: it will obviously take me time to ascertain it and I shall edit my reviews later on to comment on that.
What I need to say now is that I was APPALLED by the lack of quality of all these books as editorial objects: I love and cherish my books and wish them to be quatity stuff, I am ready to pay more if necessary.

The binding look solid enough, which is lucky, even if a sewn spine would have guaranteed more comfort of read.
The paper is of devastatingly poor quality, blinding white in colour.
The inking being no more than mediocre and the font just tolerable, you can imagine the fun of reading them, especially under artificial light!

The layout of the pages is utterly unappealing, different paragraphs and or sections ill distinguishable. Texts are not even justified on the right margin!

Books like these need to catch and keep the eye of the reader who is going to refer to them for many years to come: beauty and clarity of typesetting are NOT an optional feature - do not forget they are quite expensive and the publisher should have taken much more care.

I am disappointed. Let us hope that at least the content is worth my money.

start with the best!.......2007-05-12

in terms of the roots of western civilization, Homer is everything (to a language guy like me, at least ;-). don't start learning Greek with the New Testament; start with Homer (who was earlier). this Beetham book has you fully into reading the Odyssey book V by page 45; nothing like it.

learning Greek isn't so hard; put in some time with it and you begin to be able to see the Greek in everything. fluency with the alphabet is key, and that takes a little work for first-timers; but it's so worth it. and this Beetham book is a great intro!

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