Greek or Latin

[Petra Rocks]

I'm thinking about taking a Classical language next semester. Unfortunately, my school only offers Classical Latin and Homeric Greek, while I am more interested in the Koine Greek and late Imperial/Medieval Latin. So my question to the experts here is, how much did these language evolve? Is learning Homeric Greek a good enough start for Koine/Byzantine or would I be wasting my time? And is learning Cicero going to help me read anything after 300 A.D? Thanks for any input.

[Jona Lendering]

Is learning Homeric Greek a good enough start for Koine/Byzantine or would I be wasting my time? And is learning Cicero going to help me read anything after 300 A.D? Thanks for any input.

I think it is fair to start with Homer and Cicero. Language did change, certainly, but late Latin authors like Augustine were inspired by Cicero, and Byzantine Greeks liked to impress their readers by their command of classical Greek. Usually, Homeric Greek is a first step towards Attic. I think you can go ahead.

That being said, I personally regret learning Greek and Latin; if I knew then what I know now, I would have spent my time learning a modern language. The facts being as they are, I have made my peace with the classics and can even make a living from it; but I would not recommend it to others.

[Petra Rocks]

Alright, thanks. So neither of them changed much more dramatically/radically than the other? And I'm already taking German, but the way the payment scheme works I can take another class for no extra cost and this is something that I want to because I have a deep fascination with history and ancient philosophy. I appreciate the honest advice but I'm really doing this for me and won't be disappointed when/if it doesn't turn out to be financially profitable.

[Matthew Amt]

If you haven't studied any ancient languages so far, I'd really start with Latin! Don't worry that it's Classical and earlier than what you want to focus on, what you want is a good foundation in grammar, syntax, vocabulary, etc. Once you conquer that, a shorter course on medieval Latin will be a breeze--in fact you'll see them making all the "mistakes" that students make in first-year Classical Latin! I honestly don't know how Latin from 300 AD may be different from Ciceronian, but it won't be as much changed as medieval Latin. Heck, might be more change in pronounciation than in writing, but that's a whole different argument! Of course, even in Cicero's time most people didn't speak Ciceronian Latin.

Don't even touch Greek without a basis in Latin, yipes! I don't know Koine, but I have a feeling it's enough different from Classical, let alone Homeric, that it has its own name! Again, a foundation in Classical or Homeric Greek may make Koine much easier to pick up. I seem to remember that that courses like Medieval Latin and Koine Greek were only offered as advanced courses, to students who had already taken the basic Classical languages, but of course that may have changed over 25 years, or just be different from school to school.

Hic haec hoc!

Matthew