EHOLDING beauty with the eye of the mind, he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities, for he has hold not of an image but of a reality, and bringing forth and nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may. Would that be an ignoble life?   - Plato

Before Plato (12? - 5th c. B.C.)

HOMER ||| HESIOD ||| ORPHICA ||| ARCHILOCHUS ||| SAPPHO ||| ALCAEUS ||| ANAXIMANDER ||| XENOPHANES ||| HERACLITUS ||| PARMENIDES ||| EMPEDOCLES ||| ANAXAGORAS

Classical Era (5th - 4th c. B.C.)

AESCHYLUS ||| SOPHOCLES ||| EURIPIDES ||| THUCYDIDES ||| HERODOTUS ||| ARISTOPHANES ||| PLATO ||| ARISTOTLE

Hellenistic Era (4th - 1st c. B.C.)

THE GREEK OLD TESTAMENT (SEPTUAGINT)

NEW TESTAMENT Era (1st - 3rd c. A.D.)

THE NEW TESTAMENT ||| EPISTLE TO DIOGNETUS ||| IGNATIUS THEOPHORUS ||| CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA ||| ORIGEN ||| PLOTINUS

BYZANTIUM (4th - 15th c. A.D.)

ATHANASIUS THE GREAT ||| GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN ||| BASIL THE GREAT ||| GREGORY OF NYSSA ||| MACARIUS THE GREAT ||| ECUMENICAL SYNODS : THE SYMBOL OF FAITH ||| CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA ||| PROCLUS ||| ROMANOS MELODOS ||| DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE ||| MAXIMUS CONFESSOR ||| PETER DAMASCENE ||| SYMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN ||| GREGORY PALAMAS ||| NICHOLAS CABASILAS ||| MANUEL II PALAEOLOGUS ||| GENNADIUS SCHOLARIUS

Modern Era (18th - 20th c. A.D.)

DIONYSIOS SOLOMOS ||| CAVAFY ||| PAPATSONIS 

   Compared with the thousands of more or less important texts, what is here seems to fall short. The purpose of this anthology is to offer a grounding, so that, even if someone were to study nothing else, the loss would not be decisive. It is a Philokalia, a gathering of some of the most important works of Greek thinking.

   If you know Greek and you are after the Byzantine Philokalia, you can go to the site of the Mystics of the Orthodox Church, otherwise stay here and start from the second part of this page, from the New Testament and below, where is gathered what could be the core of the Byzantine Philokalia.

   Cf. Primary Sources on the Creation of the World

   Approach with questions. The more you ask, the more you will find, whether you read Homer or the New Testament. Besides this, don't neglect the historical context, combine the study of Greek literature with the study of ancient and byzantine history.

   At Elpenor's Forum you can post a question or comment and participate in discussions. You can also subscribe to the Newsletter or the RSS feed of Ellopos Blog, to receive updates. The Anthology is open and you can make your suggestions for new texts. Have a rewarding visit!