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Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 964.  Wednesday, 22 Dec. 1993.
 
From:           James McKenna <MCKENNJI@UCBEH.bitnet>
Date:           Tuesday, 21 Dec 1993 17:39:41 -0500 (EST)
Subject:        S and the ancient world
 
Dear Mr. Budra,
 
In studying Jonson this past quarter, I was amazed at how valuable it was to
read Martial.  For Shakespeare, I recommend reading as much Roman poetry and
drama as you can get to.  Seneca seems likely; and it couldn't hurt to read as
much Cicero as you can stand, since that seems to be Shakespeare's style.
Also, this isn't exactly ancient, but in studying the sonnets a few years ago,
I read scraps from several hundred years of Latin love poetry (the *Carmina
Burana* is the only source I remember offhand).  The more I study the
Renaissance, the more I am convinced that the real insights come from reading
the stuff they read and thought was important.  A mentor said to me that the
average educated man's bookshelf contained mostly classics and theology.  I
gulped and started reading.
 
Yours,
 
James McKenna
mckennji@ucbeh.bitnet

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