To even the most highly educated among us, the names of classical authors are often just that—names.

If you want a better acquaintance with the Greek and Latin thinkers whose work served for millennia as the foundation of our civilization, this crisp, lively, and informative guide is the place to start.

Bruce Thornton introduces you to the major poets, dramatists, prose stylists, and historians of ancient Greece and Rome, ranging from Homer, Aeschylus, and Thucydides to Virgil, Plutarch, and Herodotus. Including short bios and a list of suggested readings, Thornton’s guide is unparalleled as a brief introduction to the literature of the classical world.