Sappho's Leap by Erica Jong
A good and easy read. The ending was disappointing because it was way to happy to have been about a women who kills herself over a man but the entire book was also very feminist and it just wouldn't have been right for her to die over a man. Another large part of the book is about Sappho's love affairs that at some points were a little too graphic and unnecessary but I can never truly hate a happy ending so overall I would probably give it a B-.
Bacchae by Euripides
A classic Greek tragedy. This was a good one. It is about the Greek god Dionysos who comes back to his hometown of Thebes and is rejected by its citizens (who are also his relatives) that he then proceeds to punish but making his aunt, Agave, rip her son to pieces. What do you expect from the god of wine and theater? We had to read this one for class by the way. Grade: A.
Medea by Euripides
A little different from the previous play but just as brutal. Medea, a Corinthian and therefore foreigner in Greece, marries a Greek man, Jason. After they move to an area in Greece Jason marries the princess. Medea is now the scorned lover that decides to get a little revenge. She kills the princess and her father with poison and then murders in cold blood her two sons by Jason. Jason comes and finds her and she magically rides away in a chariot pulled by dragons and thats the end. Very good play that shows the value and place of foreigners and women in Greek society. This one was just for kicks. A+
The Essential Homer Translated and Edited by Stanley Lombardo
Very good abridged version of the classics. I read the Iliad for my research paper on Achilles. I'll tell ya it was a lot different then the movie. But I still like Brad Pitt. I can't really grade this. I mean, come on, its Homer. I do think its pretty ironic that the cover is of a famous Japanese woodblock print, the most famous in fact.
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