Classics and the Western Canon discussion
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Planning for Spring 2012 read
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If ya'll haven't settled the issue yet I would throw in my vote for C and P. I like the Greeks but would like to move around time a bit more.
The vote is NOT yet decided. If you think you will be involved with the read, you can vote in the poll. (See upper right-hand side of this page. Currently the vote is 10 for Odyssey and 6 for C&P.) If you could make a persuasive case for C&P, you might be able to change some votes.
Mharper wrote: "If ya'll haven't settled the issue yet I would throw in my vote for C and P. I like the Greeks but would like to move around time a bit more."Tomorrow is the last day to vote -- go to the polls option and cast your vote!
Well, the poll is over. And it's leaves me with the question whether to declare a winner, or set up a runoff.The Odyssey was well ahead with 11 votes. Crime and Punishment had 6. That looks fairly convincing.
There were 10 votes for other books. Assuming that in a runoff the same people would vote for O and C&P, 8 of those 10 voters would have to vote for C&P and only 2 for O for C&P to pull ahead 14-13. That seems unlikely.
So, I'm leaning strongly toward just declaring The Odyssey the winner and getting on with it. Unless there are people who think this is very wrong, and that fairness demands a runoff, that's how it'll be. But I'll give a chance for the C&P adherents to make their case. And if I remember to, I can agree to automatically include C&P in the next poll to give its supporters another chance.
I'm comfortable with this. A five vote margin seems decisive given the number of people voting.Since I don't want to read either at this particular time, I consider myself unbiased. :-)
Everyman wrote: "Well, the poll is over. And it's leaves me with the question whether to declare a winner, or set up a runoff. The Odyssey was well ahead with 11 votes. Crime and Punishment had 6...."Certainly sounds like the C&P interested readers deserve a future chance, but I would not be one of them at this point in time. I may even pass on the The Odyssey for the weeks ahead, although I like the story and it would be a re-read; recently I haven't even been able to keep up with all the possibilities I'd like to enjoy.
I am sadly, sadly there myself. I hope to read over the shoulders of the Odyssey readers...but haven't the time to commit to reading the Odyssey itself.
I know, I know.
I HAD been planning to read "Wings of the Dove" in January. But it didn't win the vote. So I joined The Iliad over here. AND---I---HAVE---LOVED---IT! But it's on the schedule now. And I did more that just "vote" for it. I actually spoke up for it. So, honor bright, I better be there. Which is going to make March a really tough month. AND, I think I'm going to stay at my mother-in-law's for two weeks pretty much straight.
Still, I really will be peaking over your shoulders and catching glimpses of Odysseus as he travels back home.
I HAD been planning to read "Wings of the Dove" in January. But it didn't win the vote. So I joined The Iliad over here. AND---I---HAVE---LOVED---IT! But it's on the schedule now. And I did more that just "vote" for it. I actually spoke up for it. So, honor bright, I better be there. Which is going to make March a really tough month. AND, I think I'm going to stay at my mother-in-law's for two weeks pretty much straight.
Still, I really will be peaking over your shoulders and catching glimpses of Odysseus as he travels back home.
Patrice wrote: "Adelle wrote: "I am sadly, sadly there myself. I hope to read over the shoulders of the Odyssey readers...but haven't the time to commit to reading the Odyssey itself."Adelle, I hope you change your mind! "
So do I! Your comments have been wonderful. We'll read it slowly, and it's shorter than the Iliad (and much less fighting!)
If you do a book a week, I'll participate. But I have The Wings of the Dove also and poetry.
Bill wrote: "If you do a book a week, I'll participate. But I have The Wings of the Dove also and poetry."Well, I think we'll have to do two books a week; twenty four weeks would stretch it out I think too long, almost six months, but the books are generally shorter than those of the Iliad. The Iliad is in excess of 15,000 lines, the Odyssey is just over 12,000, or about 20% shorter.
Yeah, I know. I realize that few people want to take as much time with books as I do. :-)
Welcome! No, we don't normally try to read the same translation, and in fact we often will cite a passage from two or three translations if there seems to be a subtle difference. At which point we turn to Thomas, who actually reads Greek, to see which is closer to the original.