Adult learners of ancient Greek are often attracted to it by the prospect of being able to read in the original a particular author or genre such as Homer or Greek tragedy. But it is perhaps Greek philosophical writing and Plato in particular that is the commonest target. This book's material has been tried and tested over a number of years with adult classes, and can be used as a text book on courses leading to that goal, or as a handbook for self-teaching.

Each of 25 sections is clearly laid out with tabulation of Greek accidence (word-forms), then of syntax (grammar and sentence-structure). Each includes ample exercises and practice in reading Greek sentences. Readings in later sections consist of passages of continuous Greek from Plato's Meno. In this typical Platonic dramatic dialogue, one that is often used to introduce students to Socratic dialectic, Socrates leads Meno, a Thessalian aristocrat who visited Athens at the very end of the fifth century BC , in an exploration of the question of whether arete (virtue) is something that can be taught. By the end of the course the conscientious user will have read the first half of the dialogue and should, with the help of an annotated edition (Sharples' 2004 edn is recommended), be able to complete the Meno and move on to more ambitious reading such as the Republic.

Frank Beetham is a retired teacher of Classics and author of the successful Beginning Greek with Homer