This post collects the top resources I rely on in my own study of Classical Greek. For each category—grammar, vocabulary, reading tools, and advanced study—I’ve selected the best materials available, with a focus on clarity, depth, and long-term usefulness. Whether you’re just beginning or looking to sharpen your command of dialects, meter, or style, this toolkit offers a reliable foundation. These are the books and tools I return to again and again when reading Classical Greek, especially texts in the Attic-Ionic dialect continuum.
To Get Started
Hansen & Quinn – Greek: An Intensive Course
A demanding but highly structured introduction to Classical Greek, often used in college-level intensive courses. Includes graded readings, grammar explanations, and exercises.
Read online
H&Q Vocabulary Decks: Quizlet class
Smyth – Greek Grammar
A comprehensive and authoritative reference grammar, covering all aspects of Classical Greek morphology and syntax. Best used alongside reading or for targeted review.
Read online
Digital Tools
Logeion
A lexical lookup tool developed by the University of Chicago. It aggregates major dictionaries, including Liddell-Scott-Jones (LSJ), “Middle Liddell,” and Autenrieth. Entries include frequency data, sample passages, morphological breakdowns, and cross-references.
Access online
Perseus Word Study Tool
Input any inflected form and receive morphological analysis with links to lexicon entries and usage examples across a wide corpus of Greek texts.
Access online
Greek Particles Deck
Compiled by a Quizlet user, this deck contains over 80 of the most common and important Greek particles to know.
Access online
Perseus Digital Library
A major online collection of Greek texts, including works by Homer, Herodotus, Plato, and others. Offers on-hover parsing, English translations, and links to dictionaries and grammar tools.
Access online
Advanced Topics
W. Sidney Allen – Vox Graeca: The Pronunciation of Classical Greek
A foundational work on ancient Greek phonology and historical pronunciation. Includes reconstructions of Attic phonetics and prosody, with attention to evidence from meter, spelling, and comparative linguistics.
Read online
Buck – The Greek Dialects: Grammar and Selected Readings
A readable introduction to the major dialect groups of Ancient Greek, with grammatical summaries and annotated sample texts. Useful for epigraphy, lyric poetry, and comparative philology.
Read online
William S. Annis – An Introduction to Greek Meter
A concise and accessible guide to reading Greek poetry metrically. Covers major meters with clear examples and scanning advice.
Read online
Denniston – The Greek Particles
An advanced and nuanced treatment of Greek particles. Indispensable for close reading and stylistic analysis, especially in prose authors like Thucydides and Plato.
Read online
Conclusion
This list isn’t exhaustive, but it covers the materials I’ve found most reliable and rewarding. Are there tools or texts you swear by that aren’t here? I’d love to hear what you think is missing.
To Wake the Dead 