Why Study Classics?: First-person Answers From Around the World

By Miguel Carvalho Abrantes

Are you curious about Classics and wondering why you should study it? Do you want to know how the study of Antiquity is still relevant in today's world? Look no further than this captivating book!
Featuring interviews with professors, students, independent researchers, and other individuals from all corners of the globe, this book explores the personal experiences and insights of those who have delved into the world of Classics. Through a series of in-depth questions, each interviewee shares their unique perspectives on why Classics is important, what unexpected discoveries they have made, how it has impacted their lives, and what books they would recommend to others.
Discover the fascinating stories of individuals who have pursued a path in Classics and see how this area of knowledge has influenced their personal and professional lives. From uncovering the roots of modern Western civilization to exploring the deep philosophical concepts and literary masterpieces of the ancient world, Classics has much to offer those seeking a well-rounded education.
Whether you are considering a major or minor in Classics or simply want to broaden your horizons, this book is an invaluable resource. Gain a deeper appreciation for the world of Antiquity and find out how studying Classics can enrich your life and understanding of the world. Don't miss out on the chance to learn from those who have already embarked on this exciting journey!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Miguel Carvalho Abrantes
• Release date: Aug 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9788834155653

Book preview

Why Study Classics?

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First-person Answers from Around the World

Table of Contents

Title Page

Why Study Classics? First-person Answers From Around the World

0- Introduction

1- Answers in English

2- Answers in Portuguese

3- Answers in German

4- Final Words

Miguel Carvalho Abrantes

Copyright © 2019 Miguel Carvalho Abrantes

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.

0- Introduction

Perhaps this is an unusual book. Struggling with some personal matters, together with the fact that some of the Classics professors who inspired me to pursue the area retired (or died) recently, I found myself thinking about the finite nature of knowledge. When someone retires, or dies, that action represents a huge loss of knowledge; that person’s stories, the sum of what they learned across their entire lifetime, is too often lost forever. And that saddened me, because we don’t know how many pearls of wisdom, how many more lessons, they still could have taught us.

Consider, for example, all the authors of the past, from whoever first composed the Homeric Poems up to that student who just self-published his very first book last night. What do they have to teach us? Undoubtedly many things, but unless we ask them the right questions (either directly or indirectly), we will never get to know their answers.

That’s precisely what I attempted to do for this small book. I decided to contact people involved with Classics all over the world, and tried to ask them a few questions regarding their own personal experiences with this area of knowledge. However, they couldn’t require too many answers, or people would be less likely to participate. For that reason, initially I had considered just three questions – one, regarding why they had decided to study it; a second one, on what unexpected things they had learned from it; and a third, related to their personal article or book recommendations – but I was soon suggested a fourth one, regarding the impact those experiences had in the person’s life. And so, I settled for these four questions:

1- What led you to study Classics?

2- What is the most unexpected thing you learned through your study in Classics?

3- What impact did studying Classics have in your life?

4- If you could recommend a single book or article to other readers, what would it be, and why?

Next, after deciding on these questions, I forwarded them to people all over the world. Naturally, I started with some of the scholars who inspired me, but followed through with (almost) anyone who wanted to share their own answers. I felt this addition of additional people was an important aspect of my search because, otherwise, I could end up with very limited and similar answers, instead of presenting potential readers with a wide range of true stories, coming from entirely different paths of life.

Then, to further ensure that people were completely honest in their answers, I allowed them to write in their own language (otherwise, some elements could be lost in translation), but also as much (or as little) as they wanted, and offered them the opportunity to be credited anonymously – meaning, they wouldn’t have to lie in order to protect their identity or personal stories from other colleagues. This was crucial because, as stated before, I was looking for completely real, unfiltered, answers.

Out of the answers which I was given, almost all of them are presented in this book (the only exception being incomplete ones), in a random order, and without any changes over the originals submitted to me. I felt that if people were sharing their stories and answers with me, it was crucial to respect their words and the integrity of how they decided to describe their own personal experiences.

At the end, I feel that the answers people were kind enough to share with me may allow others to access a wide range of personal experiences with Classics. Some of these are profoundly inspiring stories, others depict unique paths in life, and a few are even completely unexpected. But, perhaps way more importantly, these are real