The apology please read?

Question

I have the link here to the apology. my professor wants me to write a essay over some questions that he gave me and I have to read the apology over again and I don't know which part to read. There is the introducation and then after that I guess the apology... it seems really hard to understand. I can't understand who would understand this crap. I mean, not to be rude, but it is just jibberish to me. I have like 5 questions to ask myself and I can't even understand this stuff. can someone please help me. I need to do this for extra credit and it;s due by tuesday and I am freaking out because I want to do it but this is so hard for me. Can I just read the intro? I mean will that basically sum up all of the apology. well please write back!!!!!!

Answer 1

Classical philosophy is not the sort of thing that you can cheat and read the introduction. The actual works seldom have anything a modern student would consider an intro, although modern editions usually have some sort of intro written by the translator.

If you are looking for a "D" or worse, stick to the translator's introduction. Most TA's worth their salt are looking for that cheat, as well as the Cliff Notes type of study.

When I study Classical philosophy I read carefully and underline what strikes me as significant. If I have questions, I make sure that I have them in front of me as I read the first time.

Then I leave it for a bit and consider what I have read.

Next I will read the work again and take notes pertinent to the questions as I go through.

If I have time, and I usually do these days because I study this stuff for myself not university classes (I got my degree in 1981), I will hunt up a different translation and compare notes. You will find different things depending upon the translator, and profs love it when you show that you went that extra distance.

One thing that it is imperative, you may say a categoric imperative, you have to stop telling yourself that you can't understand this stuff. You can.

It is simply a matter of opening yourself up to it.

If you think the Apologia is bad, try the Six Enneads.

Answer 2

i would say read all of it, several times, then take each paragraph and read it, then think about it, what seems confusing at first often becomes clear with contemplation, and that is most likely what your professor wants from you, not a case of reading it once and understanding, but the type of understanding that comes from a careful study