In your journey to learn Ancient Greek, you will encounter a lot of difficulties that can only bypassed with certain tools. Many of these are difficult to use and need a lot of practice, but at the end their assistance is priceless.
Thankfully, most of these tools are free and you can already start using them.
Don't forget, learning an ancient language is always connected to translation!
Thankfully, most of these tools are free and you can already start using them.
Don't forget, learning an ancient language is always connected to translation!
Perseus
Perseus, a site of the TUFTS university, is one most powerful tools in the hands of the "digital translator". Perseus maintains a web site that showcases collections of a huge amount of ancient texts. It covers the history, literature and culture of the Greco-Roman world.
You don't have to be a translator or a classicist to use it, and it can actually help you a lot to learn Ancient Greek.
Guide to using it
Let's say for example that you were reading a text, Cyropaedia - a relatively easy to read text by Xenophon- either a translation or from the text
By opening the site http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/
You are greeted by the following screen:
You don't have to be a translator or a classicist to use it, and it can actually help you a lot to learn Ancient Greek.
Guide to using it
Let's say for example that you were reading a text, Cyropaedia - a relatively easy to read text by Xenophon- either a translation or from the text
By opening the site http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/
You are greeted by the following screen:
Click the button Collections/Texts that is highlighted in the red box.
*You can also use the search box up on the right corner
There you will be redirected to the collections, of course you will have to choose the "Greek and Roman Materials".
*You can also use the search box up on the right corner
There you will be redirected to the collections, of course you will have to choose the "Greek and Roman Materials".
After clicking the link, you will be redirected into a huge collection of texts.
Keep in mind that as a beginner on the Ancient Greek language you won't need to read any material that is not on this list.
For our example, you need to find the name of "Xenophon" and click it to see his works.
On the list of his works find the "Cyropaedia" book, and choose the original text (GREEK).
Keep in mind that as a beginner on the Ancient Greek language you won't need to read any material that is not on this list.
For our example, you need to find the name of "Xenophon" and click it to see his works.
On the list of his works find the "Cyropaedia" book, and choose the original text (GREEK).
After choosing the work that you want to read, you will be directed to the section of the first chapter of the first book.
Most of the times you wont be reading a work as a whole, so you will need to use the table of contents on the left.
For our example go to the section 2 of the third chapter of the first book.
Most of the times you wont be reading a work as a whole, so you will need to use the table of contents on the left.
For our example go to the section 2 of the third chapter of the first book.
Now, if have already completed the previous lessons, you are capable of reading the text. You may even recognize some words.
Go now and find the word "ταχύς".
Click on it to see translator's information.
Go now and find the word "ταχύς".
Click on it to see translator's information.
You won't be surprised that there is conflict between translators, although most of time there would be a clearly "correct" piece of information.
That is highlighted with red colour.
Keep in mind that the information you read is about the word in this particular place and form.
What is important for a beginner would be specific information, for example, what is the translation of ταχύς?
You can find that on the far right corner
What part of speech is ταχύς?
Is an adjective, every translator agrees with that.
In which form?
Its an irregular in superlative
With practice you will learn to decipher the information instantly.
That is highlighted with red colour.
Keep in mind that the information you read is about the word in this particular place and form.
What is important for a beginner would be specific information, for example, what is the translation of ταχύς?
You can find that on the far right corner
What part of speech is ταχύς?
Is an adjective, every translator agrees with that.
In which form?
Its an irregular in superlative
With practice you will learn to decipher the information instantly.
Of course this is not the only use of Perseus. Perseus offers various texts in the English translation.
So you can read the English text while having the wide variety of tools that Perseus offers.
Tip: Look the arrangement of the following screen. That enables me to read the English text while always looking at the original.
If I don't understand any sentence I can check the original for the meanings and forms of each word, to understand it better or make my own guesses.
So you can read the English text while having the wide variety of tools that Perseus offers.
Tip: Look the arrangement of the following screen. That enables me to read the English text while always looking at the original.
If I don't understand any sentence I can check the original for the meanings and forms of each word, to understand it better or make my own guesses.
To make sure that you have learned the process, solve this exercise.
Search for Homer's Odyssey, and find the first word of the first chapter.
In the following answer box, add any information that you can find about it.
Extras: If you followed the grammar lesson you can find in which declension the word is.
Add this information as well in your answer!
You will receive feedback from me in your e-mail.
Ancient Greek OCR
Simple and powerful tool to convert scans of printed Ancient Greek into unicode text and pdf files.
This is especially useful for students of classics, that want to work online but have their texts on a handbook
Example from the site:
This is especially useful for students of classics, that want to work online but have their texts on a handbook
Example from the site:
"Lexilogos" online keyboard
If you are not Greek there is a huge chance that your keyboard does not contain Greek letters.
Furthermore, if even if you are Greek your keyboard, still does not contain Ancient Greek accents.
Instead of installing a font you can always solve the problem with this straightforward solution.
Use this online keyboard
http://www.lexilogos.com/keyboard/greek_ancient.htm
You can work easily on this by writing there and pasting wherever you want.
There are instructions available on the site.
Be aware, that even with this online keyboard your computer may not be able to show Greek font and especially Ancient Greek accents.
Furthermore, if even if you are Greek your keyboard, still does not contain Ancient Greek accents.
Instead of installing a font you can always solve the problem with this straightforward solution.
Use this online keyboard
http://www.lexilogos.com/keyboard/greek_ancient.htm
You can work easily on this by writing there and pasting wherever you want.
There are instructions available on the site.
Be aware, that even with this online keyboard your computer may not be able to show Greek font and especially Ancient Greek accents.