Classical Languages - Study Group

[lichtrausch]

Someone asked Bing Chat "what are four sentences that I could send back in time to Ancient Rome, and that they would understand, to teach them technologies which could prevent Rome’s collapse?"



https://oneusefulthing.substack.com/p/feats-to-astonish-and-amaze

[rdearman]

I believe the Romans did have pumps, I remember watching a documentary that explained how the tools used by a Roman fire brigade worked.

[Le Baron]

The best message to send back to the early Romans to prevent later collapse is: Cavete ab Christianis!

[Klatoan]

Greetings!

It was an honour to read the thread. It has some rather good posts in it. A special thanks to all those that submitted sanskrit learning book titles and links to free content online. Other posts that I appreciated were about the process of learning languages.

After having read some books written by René Guénon it is my ambition to keep on getting closer to the traditional literature on such subjects as metaphysics and initiation, symbolism, cosmology, traditional sciences, the cycles and the ages therein, and ancient (pre-)history.

Needless to say then, a little sanskrit would be better than none, right? If the great René hasn't effectively misinformed me, then the most complete metaphysical literature is written in sanskrit.

If you want more reading practice, there are a handful of really great books out there already. Peter Scharf's Ramopakhyana is what I see recommended the most, and Egene's Introduction to Sanskrit as well.

I just looked up Peter Scharf's book in the online bookstore, and it appears that it's a complete reader of a very popular story in the Mahabharata, with comments, prose sanskrit alongside the verses, grammar, information, and English translation. It sounds rather interesting and it is extremely expensive to buy. But it does say that it's intended for readers who have already completed an introduction to sanskrit, so it's not a beginner then.

Posts in this thread were a lot about (Teach Yourself) Complete Sanskrit, but I didn't get the impression that those who did try it are satisfied with it. Is that correct? I understand that a new edition is due this year, perhaps, but is there any particular reason for expecting it to be great?

Besides Egenes's Introduction to Sanskrit, is anything else to be recommended as a primer?

If anyone out there is interested in or proficient to some degree in sanskrit for the purpose of understanding metaphysics, then it would be an honour for me to get acquainted with you. If you know sanskrit and/or hindi and would like to have mercy on someone who doesn't, that would likewise be an honour for me.

[MorkTheFiddle]

I asked ChatGPT Plus to write a short poem in Ancient Greek. Here is its response.
I was surprised by the diacritics, because the last time I asked for something in Ancient Greek, its response came with the markings of Modern Greek.

My Prompt

can you write an original poem in ancient greek with English translation

ChatGPT

Certainly! Here's an original poem in Ancient Greek along with its English translation:

Ἀστέρες λάμπουσιν ἐν αἰθέρι χρυσόεντι,
Ἁβρὰ δὲ πνεύματα κυμαίνονται ποταμῶν,
Καὶ φύλλα κινοῦνται ἐν ὕλῃ παμφανέῃ.
Ἄνθεα ὁ κόσμος γεύεται ποικίλων ὄντων,
Καὶ γλυκὺς ὁ κρότος τῶν μελεδώντων ὀρνίθων.
Ἡ φύσις ἐκτείνεται ποιήσαι τὰ ωραία,
Καί μουσάων χάριν ποιητὴς προφαίνεται.

Maybe not Euripides, but its better than I could do.

Stars shine in the golden sky,
Gentle breezes sway the rivers,
And leaves flutter in the verdant forest.
The world delights in diverse blooms,
And sweet is the melody of singing birds.

And something in Classical Latin a la Catullus:

Here's a short poem in classical Latin in the style of Catullus:

Iucundum nobis est amorem tacitus colere,
Puellae oculos ardentes avertere,
Suo clamorem molli risu supprimere,
Et rosae teneris digitis palpere.
Dulcis est etiam suavius susurrare,
Et mutua basia nocte furtim furare,
Vel dextrae tenere furtive sub veste,
Tantum ut amoris nos puto esse reus.

English Translation:

It is delightful for us to cultivate love in silence,
To avert the passionate gaze of the girl,
To suppress her outcry with a gentle laugh,
And to touch the roses with tender fingers.
It is sweet and even sweeter to whisper softly,
And to steal mutual kisses in the night,
Or to secretly hold hands beneath the garment,
So that I believe we are guilty of love.

Please note that while I have attempted to write in the style of Catullus, I cannot guarantee the exact accuracy or style as it is generated by an AI language model.
ChatGPT may produce inaccurate information about people, places, or facts. ChatGPT May 12 Version