Reddit reviews The Histories (Oxford World's Classics)

Hmm...

What originally got me into the field, even though it maybe sounds cliche, is the Iliad. Fucking phenomenal story. The Fagles translation is my favorite, although Fitzgerald's is also quite good, and Lattimore's gives you a good sense of the concise directness of the Greek original. There are a few parts you really should just skip for your first reading, though... I can fill you in on those.

Second, Aeschylus' Oresteia, which is fucking awesome, and crazy. And my non-classicist SO says Ted Hughes' translation is the best, so try that one.

Third, Herodotus. The first attempt at historical writing that we have from the western tradition, and full of great stories, great storytelling, and insight into antiquity. Herodotus would probably be near the top of my list of people from ancient Greece or Rome to get a beer with, along with Ovid and Sappho.

There are some good times to be had with the folks of the ancient mediterranean, for sure :)