to think that the advantage of a classical education is that it enables you

[grovel]

in later life to despise the riches which it prevents you from attaining?

Sorry to sound thick here but whats a "classical" education?

How can an education of ANY sort prevent you from attaining riches?

It can't. Only other factors (to do with yourself) can prevent that.

Emphasis on Latin, Greek etc...........

Surely it helps with crosswords though.

i can think of many well-monied classicists.

i don't think it hurts your income t all.

We need you to explain your thoughts more OP.

before we take the -piss-- before we share our opinions.

piss

My E in Latin A Level has always stood me in good stead. What would I have become if I hadn't been able to translate gravestones?

But I don't understand your point. How does a knowledge of Latin and Greek prevent you from attaining riches, and how does it help you despise those riches?

grovel I've heard that before - please remind us whom you are quoting.

I took Latin and Greek to A level and I still read them with pleasure.

I've found my classical education - A-levels in Latin, Ancient Greek, English Literature and Classical Studies - to be hugely beneficial in impressing my huge snob of a boss, which in

ooh - pressed send too quickly

AND AGAIN

has helped my impress my huge snob of a boss which in turn leads to attaining more riches than I may have attained otherwise.

Means I'm shit at using a laptop though

Andrew, you probably have heard it before. I don't know where it originates from. I don't even particularly agree with it.

It's a (slightly mis-quoted) Russell Green quote:

" The advantage of a classical education is that it enables you to despise the wealth that it prevents you from achieving."

But do expand, OP. Why post it is you don't know who said it, nor agree with it?

it is it if

The advantage of a classical education is that it enables you to despise the wealth which it prevents you from achieving. ~Russell Green

www.quotegarden.com/college.html

Slower than a slow thing I am.

Latin is a language
In which the nouns decline
it gave the Romans problems
and now its causing mine
Its not that I'm ignorat
My efforts aren't abating
but babyheave pertaesum est
of all this damned translating.

Hazel, the honest answer is that I probably should not have posted it (and slightly regret it). I was bored and wondered what kind of thread (if any) would develop.

I'm quite proud of my GCSE grade B for latin. I doult it has either helped nor hidered by job prospects. I think latin improved my spelling, (except when mumsnetting) and it was interesting learning about Roman history.

5% of what we learn at school is useful. The problem is knowing which 5%.

I have never used my knowledge of Geography or History.

what - not to work out where you are if you have been there before?

Yes YABU, because it doesn't.

There are many people who despise wealth who definitely have not had a classical education, and many of them post on MN. Of course they might not understand the philisophical arguments about why they despise it and clearly you do.

And I guess if you hadn't had a classical education you wouldn't have thought twice about becoming so rich and being despised (in Latin or Greek) by all those ardent scholars of the ancient world?

Phew - lucky you.

baby - my mother had what is probably another snippet of the same ditty:
Latin is a language
as dead as dead can be
It killed the ancient Romans
and now its killing me