Alcibiades and me

“When [Alcibiades] was past his childhood, he went once to a grammar-school, and asked the master for one of Homer's books; and he making answer that he had nothing of Homer's, Alcibiades gave him a blow with his fist and went away.” — Alcibiades, in Plutarch's Lives

That's so similar to my experience in elementary school that I just have to smile. I'm not sure whether or not I ever hit a teacher because they wanted me to put down the dictionary (or encyclopedia) and come join the rest of the class, but I'm sure I would have if that situation actually arose.

I've kept my fondness for book-learnin', and so it amazes me that this is the first Plutarch I've ever read, and that it's taken me so long to discover it. I'm glad I noticed the "five-foot wall" of Harvard Classics at the library.