Thank you, Penni, I am glad I was not altogether obscure. It is funny, all I have to do is mention Kant with respect, and someone influence by Rand gets in a tizzy. Ah, well, as you say, she was not a lady, and some take her rants too seriously.
The trip sounds wonderful! It is a very nice way to see the countryside, and especially fine old palaces and churches. I mentioned, I think, that we looked at some ads for chateaux, and one can actually get something that looks like a large country manor for about $400,000 dollars. Of course, I do not know if it is a fixer upper, or what the tax burden would be, but you might look into the situation, and think about a glorious retirement in your own French mansion.
Suggested readings: pick a couple of short Platonic dialogues. "Ion" discusses the nature of poetic inspiration; "Euthyphro" the nature of holiness; and "Phaedo" the question of an after- life. Or, in the alternative, choose the Oedipus cycle: it has everything--- hubris, fate, blood- guilt, redemption. Do not omit "Oedipus at Colonnus" and "Antigone", although "Oedipus Tyrannus" can certainly stand alone. Also, you might think of Moliere (say, "Le Misanthrope"); Racine ("Phaedre"); or Baudelaire ("Les Fleurs de Mal") in one of those texts that has the original with a facing translation. I have a bunch more, if you are interested, but these suffice as unsolicited<g>......... |
