Things Literary

I.
It's time for some translations of the Patristics into modern English. Calvus, do you have any recommendations for recent translators? Currently reading some Gregory Thaumaturgus and the translator (pace to any of his descendants) is so stuck in the conventions of the 19th century that he makes the Greek almost unreadable. (I don't have an actual copy of the Greek text, I'm just looking at through the excessive footnotes.)

II.
As difficult as it is to read the Patristics in high 19th century literary scholarly English, George MacDonald can make the same sort of language interesting and perfectly accessible. There are still just as many thous, thereafters, and therebys, but they are all strung together with a natural cadence suited to reading aloud and perfectly intelligible. In fact, I'm enjoying listening to Phantastes much more than I enjoyed reading it as an undergraduate.

III.
I ordered Evelyn Waugh's Scoop on Amazon and am almost finished with Officers and Gentlemen, the second book of the Sword of Honour series. I think it was Orwell that made a derogatory remark about "great writers who converted to Roman Catholicism and then could talk about nothing else." Just like Chesterton, Waugh doesn't seem to be able to write anything without including a tortured commentary on the joys and difficulties of being a Catholic, somehow separated from the rest of the world, within the story.

IV.
Speaking of early 20th cenutry English Catholics, I've been listening to Hillaire Belloc's History of the French Revolution, which is one of those many subjects which are immensely important in the history of the world and which I know next to nothing about. So far the book has been pleasant listening, and the most interesting nugget I've taken away is the idea that the Revolution (and the ensuing struggle with the other powers of Europe) was the first major international conflict fought over abstract ideals. (Although I think Belloc would be quick to admit that it was fought for other supplemental reasons as well.)

V.
Hektor venturing out to meet Achilleus, then turning to run beside the two heads of the Scamander. After years and years of reading, I just have a few hundred verses left in the Iliad.

VI.
Perseus turning the wedding guests to stone with the head of Medusa after rescuing Andromeda.