Why My 85-Year-Old Friend Has Devoted the Last Years of Her Life to Reading the Ancient Classics
Joan is eighty-five years old, and I fell a little in love with her on Thanksgiving. She was sitting on our couch reading a copy of The Aeneid that she had plucked from the bookshelves that line our family room.
On Thanksgiving, eighty-five-year-old Joan sat on their couch, engrossed in reading The Aeneid. Amidst the laughter, football on television, and children's joyful chaos, Joan continued to delve into the ancient classics. Intrigued by her dedication, the reporter sat next to her, asking why she chose to immerse herself in works from centuries past.
Joan responded simply, stating that everything stems from the ancient literature. She spoke of the profound impact these works have had on Western civilization, beauty, morality, and humanity. The reporter, moved by Joan's passion, began to introduce her to more books, including Roman Civilization and annotated versions of Homer and Virgil's works.
Joan's love for these ancient texts was palpable, evident in the way she handled the books and the intensity with which she read. She led two reading groups, one studying The Aeneid for three years and the other translating Euripides's Iphigenia at Aulis. Joan explained how ancient writers wove together stories, such as the connection between Aphrodite's seduction of Anchises and Aeneas's journey in The Aeneid.
She also discussed how Augustus commissioned Virgil to create a Roman epic, highlighting the political motivations behind Virgil's work. Joan's enthusiasm for these ancient texts was genuine and sincere, not as a scholar but as a student of literature. Watching Joan read, the reporter felt a deep sense of wonder and admiration for her unwavering love for the classics.
The reporter left her side, eager to join her weekly reading sessions and continue this beautiful journey of discovery together.
Written by urgent.news from Literary Hub's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
