# Reading > Forum Book Club >  November / Ancient Greek/ Roman Reading Poll

## Scheherazade

*In November, we will be reading something from Ancient Greek/ Roman Literature.

Please post your nominations in this thread by September 30th.

Please remember that:

- Only those members with 50+ posts can nominate.

- One nomination per member.

- Only the first 10 nominations will be included in the poll.


The Book Club readings are for those who would like to read and discuss books together with other members. 

If you are not able to take part or unwilling to (re)read your own nominations, please refrain from nominating book.



*

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## OrphanPip

I'm gonna cheat a little and nominate all three Theban Plays by Sophocles together, they are sold together often anyway. Also, having three relatively short readings to discuss will probably help keep discussion lively. And, while Oedipus Rex is widely read, there are probably a few who haven't read Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus.

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## Des Essientes

I nominate The Satyricon by Gaius Petronius Arbiter. It shows the reader desperate people, on the fringe of society, that, save for the paederasty, seem like our contemporaries living, in the film Pulp Fiction's terminology, "The Life".

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## Dark Muse

I nominate The Aeneid by Virgil

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## Scheherazade

*Nominations so far:

1. Theban Plays by Sophocles 

2. The Satyricon by Gaius Petronius Arbiter

3. The Aeneid by Virgil*

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

> I nominate The Aeneid by Virgil


Beat me to it.  :Nod: 

Since it's the only other book that fits the type on my bookshelf, I'll nominate Homer's _Iliad_.

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## Dark Muse

> Beat me to it. 
> 
> Since it's the only other book that fits the type on my bookshelf, I'll nominate Homer's _Iliad_.


Haha perfect, I myself was torn between those two. Though might make voting more difficult.

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## iamnobody

I nominate The Oresteia Trilogy by Aeschylus. Agamemnon, The Libation-Bearers and the Furies. As with the Theban plays, these are usually sold as one book.

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## Calidore

Just for fun I'm tempted to nominate the New Testament of the Bible, which was originally written in Greek. I'd like to see the various believers and non-believers actually read and discuss the words and ideas rather than the behavior of God and His followers.

Or is that just asking for trouble? In which case, never mind.

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## OrphanPip

> Just for fun I'm tempted to nominate the New Testament of the Bible, which was originally written in Greek. I'd like to see the various believers and non-believers actually read and discuss the words and ideas rather than the behavior of God and His followers.
> 
> Or is that just asking for trouble? In which case, never mind.


We had a Bible as literature reading group briefly, you can give a kick at restarting it in the religious subforum. We made it through two Bible stories until it imploded from lack of participation.

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

I think specific books from the Bible should be clarified. There's no way I'm reading that whole thing in a month.

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## bouquin

I nominate Homer's _The Odyssey_. 




_______________
Currently reading: _Schooling_ (Heather McGowan)

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## Cunninglinguist

I'll nominate Plato's _Republic_. Though I'm probably going to vote for the _Aeneid_ anyway  :Biggrin: 




> Just for fun I'm tempted to nominate the New Testament of the Bible, which was originally written in Greek. I'd like to see the various believers and non-believers actually read and discuss the words and ideas rather than the behavior of God and His followers.
> 
> Or is that just asking for trouble? In which case, never mind.


That's a good idea, though I would hate to read the whole thing in a month, and digesting it all in a month (especially the veracity of the historical accounts and the significances of the practices specified), let alone a few years, is quite impossible and calls for reading outside of the canon. But I would be up to partaking in a Bible lit reading group.

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## Calidore

> I think specific books from the Bible should be clarified. There's no way I'm reading that whole thing in a month.


Good point (though I'm only talking about the New Testament, as the Old was written in Hebrew and Aramaic). Most of the New Testament is the Apostles' letters, which are supremely boring. So how about just the important parts--the four Gospels + Acts at the beginning, and Revelation at the end.

As far as an ongoing Bible discussion group, I don't think the interest is there, plus I have doubts about people's ability to stick to the text of the Bible when discussing religion, plus there's plenty of other religious discussion going on at any one time anyway. I was just thinking that one month in a literary context might be interesting.

However, I'd want to get a mod's permission before even making the formal nomination.

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## lawpark

I nominate ... Arrian's _Indica_

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## lawpark

> I nominate ... Arrian's _Indica_


Oh never mind, I just finished reading it ...

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## Scheherazade

*Nominations so far:

1. Theban Plays by Sophocles 

2. The Satyricon by Gaius Petronius Arbiter

3. The Aeneid by Virgil 

4.Iliad by Homer

5. The Oresteia Trilogy by Aeschylus 

6. The Odyssey

7. Republic by Plato*

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## Scheherazade

Please don't forget to vote for the book you would like to read in November!

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## Theunderground

Thucydides,The Peloponnesian war.

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## Charles Darnay

If it's not too late to nominate....The Golden *** [Donkey] - Apuleius.

huh...

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## Scheherazade

> Thucydides,The Peloponnesian war.





> If it's not too late to nominate....The Golden *** - Apuleius.


It is too late to nominate, I am afraid.

We are already voting as you can see from the poll attached. Hope you can find something you like from the selection offered.

 :Smile:

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## Charles Darnay

Figured that was the case.....just wanted to make sure.

Ah well....all that made it to the poll are excellent and well worth a re-read.

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## Paulclem

I've gone for the Iliad which I haven't read yet.

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## Stewed

If I could vote, I'd vote for the Theban plays since they look like they'd be more fun to study or discuss than the epics, or the Satyricon because I haven't read it. -How do these things work, anyway? Book clubs, I mean.

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## Paulclem

50 posts- you get to vote. 
Otherwise you've missed the boat.
When the voting stage is done
50 or not, you can join the fun. 

I hope that explains it clearly, succinctly and with a certain aplomb. 
Otherwise I'm posted a lethal digital forum bomb.

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## Scheherazade

> 50 posts- you get to vote. 
> Otherwise you've missed the boat.
> When the voting stage is done
> 50 or not, you can join the fun. 
> 
> I hope that explains it clearly, succinctly and with a certain aplomb. 
> Otherwise I'm posted a lethal digital forum bomb.


Whatcha been having?

 :Biggrin:

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## Stewed

50 posts? A piece of cake,
If I can take a Homer break.
It's, "Have a tripod, noble boy!
(We'll squeeze it from the hoi polloi.)
That decade was a bloody shame,
Here's hoping things go on the same."
I know it's deeper, oh I know,
But lets us string some other bow.

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## Paulclem

> Whatcha been having?


It'll be the smarties again.




> 50 posts? A piece of cake,
> If I can take a Homer break.
> It's, "Have a tripod, noble boy!
> (We'll squeeze it from the hoi polloi.)
> That decade was a bloody shame,
> Here's hoping things go on the same."
> I know it's deeper, oh I know,
> But lets us string some other bow.


Superb.  :Biggrin5:

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## Stewed

Thanks!

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## cl154576

> Thanks!


You still have a week or two, you can definitely make it to 50 (and if you have trouble with that there are the Games threads and the Introductions forum).

All the options sound really good. I think I'll wait until the end to vote, if there's a close tie.

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## Charles Darnay

The Greeks are really pulling ahead. Come on: Arma virumque canite!

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## Stewed

Hey, why isn't the other good Roman writer on the voting list?

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## Charles Darnay

Are you saying there is only one other good Roman writer? Are you talking about Ovid? Because there are scores of great Roman writers, as there are Greeks.

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## Stewed

Ah ha! You knew it was Ovid!

(I'm just joking. Mostly.)

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

I have The Iliad sitting on my to read pile, not The Odyssey. I wish I could change my vote.

Also, I don't think Ovid is on there because there was recently a pretty active group reading of Metamorphoses.

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## Stewed

Tired of the Odyssey. Read it last about a month ago.

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## Scheherazade

*Going once...*

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## Charles Darnay

I can certainly handle a re-reading of the Odyssey - now which version to choose? Rieu perhaps, best Prose translation there is.

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## Stewed

Check this out. They give the first line from most of the translators. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English...tions_of_Homer

Hahahaha!

That prudent Hero's wandering, Muse, rehearse,
Who (Troy b'ing sack'd) coasting the Universe,

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

Those who think it's over, it isn't. It's tied, because someone who voted for Odyssey only has 15 posts.

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## Charles Darnay

> Those who think it's over, it isn't. It's tied, because someone who voted for Odyssey only has 15 posts.


hmm...I thought the poll automatically blocked you from voting in these cases...ah well.

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## iamnobody

In the event of a tie, do we vote on a tie-breaker?

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## OrphanPip

Scheh will pick the winner.

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## Scheherazade

Usually flip a coin but considering that we still have 24 hours to go, things might change.

Also, Mutatis is right... Votes casts by those with less than 50 posts will be disregarded.

I am excited about reading _Theban Plays_... Read them more than 20 years ago during my first year at university.

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## Charles Darnay

It's too bad Oedipus at Colonus drags this trilogy down, but Antigone makes up for it

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## Scheherazade

It is available on Gutenberg for free.

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31

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## Stewed

Come on Sophocles!

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## prendrelemick

I've just voted for the Sophocles. Once we start, do we discuss stuff on this thread?

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## Scheherazade

*Going twice...*


> I've just voted for the Sophocles. Once we start, do we discuss stuff on this thread?


I will start a separate thread, Mick.

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## TurquoiseSunset

Ah man, one more day to go and The Odyssey is losing  :Frown:

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