The classical world and the masterpieces of its literature continue to fascinate readers and audiences throughout the media- from popular histories to the reworking of classical subject matters by contemporary poets, dramatists, and novelists. In this Very Short Introduction, William Allan explores what the "classics" are and why they continue to shape our Western concepts of literature. Presenting a range of material from both Greek and Latin literature, he illustrates the variety and sophistication of these works, and considers examples from all major genres. --Provided by publisher.