We all know it: the first reaction in front of an ancient text ranges between paralysis and genuine terror. I have chosen nine reasons to love and speak about what the Greek language is uniquely capable of expressing, distinct and different from any other language – and yes, to dissolve your fears, possibly turning them into passion.

Above all, this book speaks of love: the ancient Greek language was the longest and most beautiful story of my life. It doesn't matter if you know ancient Greek or not. If you do, I will reveal peculiarities that no one talked to you about in high school, while they tormented you with noun endings and examples. If not, all the better. Your curiosity will be the blank page you will fill.

In brief, the ancient Greek language is a way of seeing the world, a method that is particularly useful and ingenious today. There are no exams or tests in the classroom: if, by the end of the reading, I have managed to lure you and answer questions you never posed to yourself, if you ultimately understand the reason for so many hours of study, then I will have achieved my goal.