Our Curated Reading List

And WHY they shaped the Greats

In Chronological Order...

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Alexander the Great – The Iliad by Homer. The Macedonian conqueror quite literally may have had the greatest teacher of all time. Alexander studied under Aristotle at the Temple of the Nymphs in Mieza from ages 13 to 16. There he was exposed to philosophy, science, and literature, including Homer’s works. He carried an annotated copy of Homer’s Iliad on his extensive military campaigns across Persia, Egypt, and India. This cherished text, a gift from Aristotle, was stored in a precious casket taken from the Persian king Darius III after his defeat. Alexander kept the Iliad under his pillow at night, drawing inspiration from its tales of heroism, honor, and strategy, particularly the exploits of Achilles — whom he admired and emulated. Alexander’s admiration for Achilles is well-documented; he visited Troy during his campaigns to honor the legend’s tomb and saw himself as a modern day Achilles. He often read it alongside the Odyssey, and his deep connection to these epics influenced his leadership style and vision of uniting diverse cultures under his empire — as seen in his policies like the mass weddings at Susa for example. Alexander’s reverence for the Iliad also reflected his belief in his own divine ancestry, tracing his lineage to Achilles through his mother, Olympias (who claimed descent from Neoptolemus, who himself claimed to be the son of Achilles). A lot to unpack here!

Marcus Tullius Cicero – Dialogues of Plato. The Roman statesman admired Plato above all. Cicero’s admiration is vividly demonstrated through his adoption of Plato’s signature dialogue form in works like De Re Publica and De Legibus, which echo Plato’s explorations of justice, governance, and the ideal state as found in The Republic and The Laws. His letters further reveal this reverence, portraying Plato as a guiding intellectual force. Beyond imitation, Cicero translated Plato’s Timaeus, a dialogue on cosmology, into Latin, highlighting his appreciation for Plato’s philosophical depth. As a master of Latin prose, Cicero also admired Plato’s literary finesse, evident in the rhetorical brilliance of the dialogues. Living in the first century BCE, when Greek philosophy permeated Roman culture, Cicero’s engagement with Plato reflects the era’s intellectual currents. Yet, his admiration was not uncritical; in De Finibus, he evaluates Platonic ethics alongside other perspectives, showcasing his independent thought. Cicero’s embrace of Plato’s ideas—blending philosophy with practical statesmanship—underscores Plato’s lasting influence on Roman intellectual life, cementing Cicero’s legacy as a bridge between Greek and Roman traditions.

Charlemagne — The City of God by St. Augustine. Charlemagne was a paradoxical figure: an illiterate ruler with a profound love for learning. His famous biographer, Einhard, notes that Charlemagne was especially captivated by St. Augustine’s The City of God, a theological masterpiece exploring the interplay between Christianity and secular society. Unable to read himself, Charlemagne had this work — and many others — read aloud to him, often during his lavish dinners. These meals were renowned for their abundance of meat, which the Frankish leader claimed fueled him vitality. Beyond his table, Charlemagne’s passion for knowledge transformed his court into a vibrant intellectual hub. Scholars from across Europe flocked to his palace at Aachen, sharing ideas that fueled the Carolingian Renaissance — a cultural revival rooted in classical learning. He founded schools, standardized manuscripts, and promoted education, efforts that reshaped medieval Europe. His admiration for Augustine’s writings revealed a ruler deeply engaged with theology and philosophy, influences that guided his governance and laws. Charlemagne’s legacy transcends his military conquests; as a patron of the arts and learning, he left an indelible mark on Western civilization, blending faith, culture, and power in an era of transformation.

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Dante Alighieri – The Aeneid by Virgil. In The Divine Comedy, Dante honors Virgil by addressing him as “lo mio maestro e ’l mio autore” – “my master and my author” – reflecting his reverence for Virgil as both a literary guide and inspiration. This admiration is evident in how The Aeneid influenced The Divine Comedy, particularly through its grand narrative structure and themes of fate, duty, and the afterlife. For instance, Virgil’s depiction of the underworld in Book VI of The Aeneid inspired Dante’s vivid descriptions of Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. In Dante’s poem, Virgil serves as his guide through the infernal and purgatorial realms, embodying human reason and wisdom. This choice highlights Dante’s appreciation for classical knowledge and its role in approaching divine truth, bridging pagan and Christian traditions. Beyond personal homage, Virgil held immense cultural significance in the Middle Ages. Revered as a pre-Christian prophet and a symbol of classical learning, his works were widely studied, positioning him as a link between antiquity and the medieval world. Dante’s portrayal of Virgil thus reflects both individual respect and the era’s broader veneration of the Roman poet’s enduring legacy.

Thomas Aquinas – Works of Aristotle. The 13th-century scholastic theologian held Aristotle in such esteem that he simply called him “the Philosopher.” This admiration was rooted in Aristotle's groundbreaking contributions to logic and metaphysics, which Aquinas skillfully adapted to bolster Christian theology with rational arguments. Living during a time when Aristotle’s works were being reintroduced to the West through Arabic and Greek translations, Aquinas played a pivotal role in blending this classical philosophy with Christian doctrine. His masterpiece, the Summa Theologica, relies heavily on Aristotelian concepts — such as causality and the nature of being — to systematically address theological questions. Despite pushback from some peers who distrusted a pagan thinker’s influence, Aquinas argued that truth from any source could align with faith. His innovative synthesis of reason and religion not only defined his own scholarship but also profoundly shaped Western thought, laying a foundation for Catholic philosophy that endures today. Throughout the Summa, Aquinas cites “the Philosopher” as a trusted authority, reflecting how deeply Aristotle’s ideas influenced his worldview. This intellectual partnership bridged ancient philosophy and medieval theology, cementing Aquinas’s legacy as a towering figure in both fields.

Leonardo da Vinci – De Architectura by Vitruvius. The Renaissance polymath studied Vitruvius’s ten books on architecture, a foundational work by the 1st-century BCE Roman architect and engineer Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, rediscovered and translated in the 15th century. This comprehensive treatise, spanning architecture, engineering, and art, deeply influenced da Vinci’s multifaceted pursuits. His famous “Vitruvian Man” drawing directly reflects Vitruvius’s description of ideal human proportions, where a man fits within both a circle and a square, symbolizing the Renaissance blend of art and science through mathematical harmony. Da Vinci’s notebooks brim with sketches inspired by De Architectura, including architectural plans, mechanical devices like cranes and water clocks, and engineering ideas such as fortified structures and hydraulic systems. Vitruvius’s emphasis on symmetry, proportion, and practical beauty resonated with da Vinci, shaping his studies of arches, domes, and even anatomical drawings. This engagement reflects the Renaissance spirit of reviving classical knowledge for innovation, a pursuit shared by contemporaries like Brunelleschi and Alberti, who also drew from Vitruvius to transform architecture. Da Vinci’s exploration of De Architectura underscores his lifelong quest to unite observation, creativity, and reason across disciplines.

Niccolò Machiavelli – The History of Rome by Titus Livy. The Florentine political theorist immersed himself in Livy’s writings. In fact, Machiavelli’s Discourses on Livy explicitly draw lessons from Livy’s Ab Urbe Condita, a monumental history chronicling Rome’s evolution from its founding. He argued that studying ancient history, such as Livy’s detailed narratives, reveals “what is necessary” for effective governance. Writing during the Renaissance — a time of renewed fascination with classical antiquity — Machiavelli saw Livy’s accounts of Roman triumphs and turmoil as a lens to examine his own politically unstable era in Italy. In the Discourses, he analyzed themes like liberty, civic virtue, and the rise and fall of republics, using Rome’s past to propose pragmatic strategies for statecraft. Unlike his more famous work, The Prince, which focuses on individual rulers, the Discourses emphasizes collective governance and the resilience of republics. Machiavelli’s innovative approach — blending historical analysis with political theory — challenged contemporary views and cemented his legacy as a pioneer of modern political thought. His insights, often highlighting the harsh realities of power, continue to resonate, underscoring Livy’s enduring value as a guide for understanding political dynamics across centuries.

Miguel de Cervantes – Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto. The author of Don Quixote was steeped in the chivalric and epic literature of his era. Cervantes particularly admired Ariosto’s fantastical Italian epic Orlando Furioso. In Don Quixote, Cervantes frequently references Orlando’s adventures; the knight-errant Quixote himself is partly parodying Orlando’s mad exploits. Despite the satire, Cervantes adored these tales. In the famous library scene of Don Quixote, the priest character spares Orlando Furioso from burning, calling it the finest of the knightly romances — a likely echo of Cervantes’s own view. Cervantes’s contemporaries recorded that he could recite passages of Ariosto from memory. Thus, while Cervantes lampooned chivalric books, Orlando Furioso remained on a pedestal — a work he openly respected for its poetic genius and boundless imagination.

Galileo Galilei – On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres by Nicolaus Copernicus. The Italian scientist embraced Copernicus’s heliocentric theory, which asserted that the Sun, not the Earth, is the center of the universe, overturning the traditional geocentric view endorsed by the Catholic Church. In 1597, Galileo wrote to Johannes Kepler, “Like you, I accepted the Copernican position several years ago,” referring to Copernicus as “our master.” He admired how Copernicus “procured immortal fame” despite ridicule from peers who clung to outdated beliefs. Galileo bolstered this theory with groundbreaking telescopic observations, including the phases of Venus — showing it orbited the Sun — and the discovery of Jupiter’s moons, proving not all bodies revolve around Earth. His championing of Copernicus in works like Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems highlights his debt to that book.

Voltaire – Principia Mathematica by Isaac Newton. Voltaire, a key figure of the Enlightenment, was captivated by Newton’s use of mathematics to unravel the mysteries of the universe, viewing it as a pinnacle of reason and scientific achievement. In his Letters on England, he asserts that if true greatness lies in enlightening the world, “Sir Isaac Newton, whose equal is hardly found in a thousand years, is the truly great man,” emphasizing Newton’s rare genius. Voltaire’s admiration deepened in his 1738 work, Elements of Newton’s Philosophy, where he meticulously explained Newton’s laws of motion and universal gravitation, making them accessible to a French audience. He contrasted Newton with René Descartes, lauding Newton’s empirical, observation-based methods over Descartes’ speculative theories. At the time, French science leaned heavily on Cartesian philosophy, which prioritized abstract reasoning; Voltaire’s advocacy helped shift this paradigm, introducing Newtonian ideas that revolutionized scientific thought. Beyond popularizing Newton’s work, Voltaire’s writings bridged cultural and intellectual divides, spreading Enlightenment ideals across Europe. His efforts not only elevated Newton’s legacy but also underscored the power of evidence-based inquiry, cementing both figures as icons of their era.

Benjamin Franklin – Parallel Lives by Plutarch. Franklin recalls in his autobiography how as a boy he “read abundantly” from Plutarch’s Lives. He reflects that he “still think[s] that time spent to great advantage.” This early reading of classical heroes helped shape Franklin’s character and “turn of thinking.” Plutarch’s Lives, a series of biographies chronicling the deeds of prominent Greeks and Romans, offered Franklin a window into the virtues and flaws of figures like Pericles, a champion of democracy and public works, and Lycurgus, the Spartan lawgiver known for discipline and civic order. These stories likely fueled Franklin’s lifelong passion for self-improvement and public service, evident in his creation of libraries, fire brigades, and his role in drafting the U.S. Constitution. Plutarch’s focus on moral complexity — balancing ambition with humility — mirrors Franklin’s own aphorisms in Poor Richard’s Almanack, such as “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” By immersing himself in these ancient narratives, Franklin honed a practical wisdom and ethical grounding that guided his inventions, diplomacy, and commitment to the common good, leaving an indelible mark on American identity and thought.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau – Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. In Émile (1762), Rousseau famously recommends Robinson Crusoe as the single book to shape a young pupil’s education. He argues the shipwrecked Crusoe’s self-sufficiency models natural virtue and imparts Enlightenment ideals of independence. Rousseau’s educational philosophy, detailed in Émile, prioritizes learning through direct experience and nature over rigid, book-based instruction. Robinson Crusoe, a tale of survival through ingenuity, aligns with this vision, as Crusoe thrives alone on a deserted island using reason and resourcefulness — core Enlightenment values. Published in 1719, Daniel Defoe’s novel is often hailed as one of the first English novels, inspiring adventure narratives and reflecting the era’s focus on individualism and human potential. In Émile, a blend of treatise and novel, Rousseau critiques the formal education of his time, advocating a hands-on approach to foster moral and practical growth. While some critique Robinson Crusoe for its colonial themes, Rousseau valued its portrayal of self-reliance, not imperialism. The book’s cultural impact is vast, shaping literature and popular imagination for centuries. Through this recommendation, Rousseau highlights the power of experiential learning and adaptability, central to his revolutionary ideas on education and human development.

Thomas Jefferson – The History of Greece by Oliver Goldsmith. The American Founding Father, a voracious reader, amassed a library of over 6,000 books, which later seeded the Library of Congress. In a 1787 letter to his nephew Peter Carr, Jefferson emphasized the value of original classical texts over translations, advising: “For the present, I advise you to begin a course of ancient history, reading every thing in the original and not in translations. First read Goldsmith’s history of Greece. This will give you a digested view of that field. Then take up ancient history in detail, reading the following books, in the following order: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophontis Hellenica, Xenophontis Anabasis, Arrian, Quintus Curtius, Diodorus Siculus, Justin.” He believed these works, spanning Greek and Persian histories, cultivated critical thinking and civic virtue essential for enlightened citizenship. Jefferson also recommended studying Greek and Latin to engage directly with these texts, fostering a deeper understanding of democratic ideals and historical context, which shaped his vision for American governance (we plan to write a future article on all his recommendations because he had a long list).

George Washington – Cato, a Tragedy by Joseph Addison. America’s first President drew profound inspiration from this dramatization of republican virtue in ancient Rome, which extolled liberty and resistance to tyranny. During the grueling winter at Valley Forge in 1777–1778, General Washington ordered performances of Cato for his beleaguered troops to bolster their spirits amid dire conditions. The play’s themes of sacrifice and defiance deeply influenced revolutionary rhetoric—Patrick Henry’s iconic “Give me liberty or give me death!” was directly inspired by Cato’s lines. Washington frequently quoted the play, with one officer recalling him vowing to “perish in the last ditch,” mirroring Cato’s resolute stand. He saw in Cato a model of stoic heroism, urging his men to emulate its protagonist’s unwavering commitment to principle. Washington’s admiration extended beyond the stage; he referenced Cato in correspondence and embodied its ideals in his leadership. By championing the play, he reinforced the revolutionary cause, aligning the Continental Army’s struggle with timeless values of freedom and resilience, cementing Cato’s enduring impact on America’s founding ethos.

Immanuel Kant – An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume. Reading Hume’s enquiry into human cognition around 1760 jolted Kant’s thinking on cause and effect. In his Prolegomena (1783), Kant wrote: “I freely admit that it was the remembrance of David Hume which, many years ago, first interrupted my dogmatic slumber and gave my investigations in the field of speculative philosophy a completely different direction.” Hume’s skeptical arguments about induction and the limits of reason challenged Kant to formulate his critical philosophy. Kant recommended that any serious student of metaphysics grapple with Hume’s Enquiry. The result of Kant’s engagement was his Critique of Pure Reason — a direct philosophical answer to the problems Hume raised. Thus, Kant admired Hume as a catalyst, often urging readers to appreciate Hume’s insights even as he provided his own solutions.

Napoleon Bonaparte – The Poems of Ossian by James Macpherson. These works, presented as translations of ancient Gaelic poetry by the bard Ossian but later revealed to be largely Macpherson’s own creation, swept through Europe in the late 18th century with their haunting tales of heroic warriors and desolate landscapes. Napoleon so admired these faux-ancient bardic poems that he carried them on campaigns and even commissioned Ossianic art, including François Gérard’s striking painting Ossian on the Bank of the Lora, Invoking the Gods to the Strains of a Harp, which graced his bedroom at Malmaison. Contemporary accounts note “Napoleon’s love for [Ossian’s] poems,” calling Ossian “his poet” (Napoleon adopted Ossian in lieu of Homer), a preference he expressed by declaring, "I like Ossian better than Homer." This choice highlights his Romantic leanings, as Ossian’s melancholic and heroic tone resonated with his own ambitious yet turbulent life. Beyond personal taste, his admiration served a political purpose, aligning him with the era’s cultural currents and enhancing his image as a refined leader. Though their authenticity was debated, the Poems of Ossian undeniably shaped Napoleon’s imagination, reflecting the profound influence literature could wield over even a military titan.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – Plays and Poetry of William Shakespeare. The German literary titan Goethe revered Shakespeare, whose works profoundly shaped his