Elementary Classical Greek, Revised Edition

I took Greek with the author in the academic year of 1993-1994. Apart from the fact that the author was my professor, there are a couple notable items concerning this text. There are more than an adequate number of exercises to each lesson. What makes them noteworthy is the fact that Williams uses both actual quotes from Classical authors (and New Testament as well) and his own constructions. He employs his own constructions in such a manner that he would compose a couple of sentences at a time, to be progressively more complex in construction and meant to prepare the reader for a real quotation, and then he introduces the actual quotation. In a section entitled 'Supplementary Readings' Williams includes larger blocks of text from Plato and the New Testament, to encourage the first year student to further study. Just in case there is any question, this is a Classical Greek grammar, Attic to be exact, and not a New Testament Grammar. Though he intersperses the text with occasional quotes from the Christian Scriptures, the grammar is specifically focused on the Attic dialect. I suppose it was because he loved to read the apostle Paul. This is not an intimidating volume, that is, it is not 2 or 3 inches thick. It contains more than the necessary materials for a first year text, yet is concise and well-written, only 243 pages. This is a good first year text and I still refer to it at times.

I first used this book in the Fall Semester of 1990 when I was a junior at Southern illinois University. I took the course CLAS-130a with Dr. Williams as the instructor, who is also the author of this book, but an earlier edition. Although I did not do well enough in the class to proceed in Classical Greek (I had enough with my Economics Major and Political Science minor). I had a great time learning Ancient Greek from one of SIU's best professors! I found the book, in hindsight, to be an excellent source for learning Classical Greek. However, if one hopes to really advance in their learning, they NEED an instructor as charismatic and enthusiastic as Dr. Williams was and still is!!!