Observations on a Greek Class

So I was looking over my blog, and I realized that my description of my Homer class was sorely lacking. My professor, Raish (pronounced like race with a sh at the end), looks like the epitome of classicist. He wears a tweed jacket. Under that is a sweater vest over a button up shirt and tie. His gray hair is pushed up in front like he has been leaning on his hand over a particularly difficult bit of an obscure Greek philosopher. To top it all off, he has a British accent. He is actually an American, but he doesn't like to admit it. He went to school in Britain all the way through, starting with boarding school as a young boy. Most of my professors look the part of the classicist, but he is the best. When reading Homer, he reads along with the meter in a rolling way that could almost make you sea sick, but makes the text sound almost regal. He has no tact whatsoever. If you mess up he will say "No!! That is incorrect!! Why would you say that!! That sound like you have completely left the meter out!!" Or more of the kind.

Yesterday in class we had quite a few moments where we all had to laugh, but one in particular was priceless. We were translating a part where a man was begging for his life. He said that if he was taken alive, his father would provide a handsome ransom. When he is about to succeed, Agamemnon runs up and kills him and pulls out the ashen spear. Now, our professor asked what kind of condition the part about the ransom was written in. One guy said it was future less vivid. My prof. replied, "That is CORRECT!!" Then the student (Dan) continued, "Maybe if he had used future more vivid he would have been allowed to live." Musingly, he continued, "but then it probably would not have fit the meter." Dan concluded, "So this man had to die for the sake of meter." Of course we were all rolling with laughter. (Ancient Greek grammer jokes... maybe we are all nerds.)

[to my readers: If you did not understand that joke, don't worry, just consult your friendly neighborhood classicist. Failing that, just write it off as a bad job and accept that there must be something wrong with all those students in Greece.]

Well, I have seen a few more things while here. Today I watched as some motorcyclists drove along and at one point crossed themselves in prayer. Now, I have already heard that the reason for this is not a concern for their lives (though this concern is warranted on the crazy streets of Athens). The true reason is that every time they pass a church, they cross themselves. That is just what the Greek Orthodox do. So if you are ever in Greece and watch motorists or pedestrians crossing themselves, realize that the true reason is not to ask God's mercy in crossing the intersection alive.