Ancient, classical and medieval texts Books

Book SynopsisA highly-illustrated retelling of the Brontë sisters life in Haworth in the Yorkshire Dales told from Charlotte Brontë''s point of view.Produced to coincide with 200th anniversary of the birth of Charlotte Brontë, this book introduces the three extraordinary Brontë sisters: Charlotte, Emily and Anne. We also meet their brother Branwell. With a mix of strong story-telling and wonderful illustration, Mick Manning and Brita Granström relate the sister''s tragically short lives in the remote village of Haworth in the Yorkshire Dales. They explore how the girls were inspired to become writers and the sensation their books caused when people realised they had been written by women. Each of the sister''s greatest novels, Jane Eyre (Charlotte), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (Anne) and Wuthering Heights (Emily), are simply retold in engaging comic-strip form.The illustrations and text of this book really capture the life of the children of the moors and how the Trade ReviewThis awesome book tells us the story of Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne's life, through simple words and lovely images ... None of the most important events in the Brontës' lives is missing. * The Sisters Room *THE BRONTËS: CHILDREN OF THE MOORS is fun and beautifully illustrated. * Daily Express *There is a lot of information packed into this picture book * School Librarian *Text and pictures combine together to perfection to give us a real picture of famous people and their lives ... Told through the eyes of Charlotte Bronte, the powerful story-telling and wonderful illustrations recreate the sisters' tragically short lives in the remote village of Haworth in the Yorkshire Dales ... Each of the sisters' greatest novels, Jane Eyre (Charlotte), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (Anne) and Wuthering Heights (Emily) are simply retold in engaging comic-strip form * Parents In Touch *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFive comedies from Ancient Greece that freely blend satire and slapstickOffering a window into the world of ordinary Athenians, Aristophanes' The Birds and Other Plays is a timeless set of comedies, combining witty satire and raucous slapstick to wonderful effect. The plays in this volume all contain Aristophanes' trademark bawdy comedy and dazzling verbal agility. In The Birds, two cunning Athenians persuade the birds to build the utopian city of 'Much Cuckoo in the Clouds' in the sky, blockading the Olympian gods and installing themselves as new deities. The Knights is a venomous satire on Cleon, a prominent Athenian demagogue, who vies with a humble sausage-seller for the approval of the people; while The Assembly-Women deals with the battle of the sexes as the women of Athens infiltrate the all-male Assembly in disguise. The lengthy conflict with Sparta is the subject of Peace, inspired by the hope of a settlement in 421 BC, and Table of ContentsThe Birds and Other PlaysAbout the Author7Aristophanes in Antiquity9Aristophanes, Comedian and Poet21The Knights29Peace91The Birds147The Assemblywoman215Wealth265Notes313Select Bibliography336

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Even if everyone else succumbs to slavery, we must still fight for our freedom.''Admired by many in the ancient world as the greatest of the classic Athenian orators, Demosthenes was intimately involved in the political events of his day. As well as showing a master orator at work, his speeches are a prime source for the history of the period, when Athens was engaged in a doomed struggle against the rising power of Macedon under the brilliant father and son, Philip and Alexander. Demosthenes wrote for the courts, both for political trials in which he was involved and for other cases in which he acted as ghost-writer for plaintiff or defendant, and his lawcourt speeches give an unrivalled glimpse of the daily life of ancient Athens. He also played a central role in education in Greece and Rome from the Hellenistic period onward, and was imitated by the greatest of Roman orators, Cicero.This selection includes the fullest range of Demosthenes'' speeches, for trials both public and privTrade Review[Demosthenes' speeches] impress with their emotional intensity, brilliance and variety of argument (dishonest or not), irony, forceful imagery, wit and general sense of mastery of the spoken word, in Robin Waterfields fine new translations. * Peter Jones, Classics for All *Table of ContentsDELIBERATIVE SPEECHES; TRIALS IN PUBLIC CASES; PRIVATE AND GHOST-WRITTEN SPEECHES

Read more less

Book SynopsisPliny''s Natural History is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. Mingling acute observation with often wild speculation, it offers a fascinating view of the world as it was understood in the first century AD, whether describing the danger of diving for sponges, the first water-clock, or the use of asses'' milk to remove wrinkles. Pliny himself died while investigating the volcanic eruption that destroyed Pompeii in AD 79, and the natural curiosity that brought about his death is also very much evident in the Natural History - a book that proved highly influential right up until the Renaissance and that his nephew, Pliny the younger, described ''as full of variety as nature itself''.Table of ContentsIntroductionFurther ReadingTranslator's NoteNatural HistoryPrefaceThe Universe and the WorldBook II. AstronomyBook III. Spain and ItalyBook IV. Europe and BritainBook V. The Continents of Africa and AsiaBook VI. The Black Sea, India, and the Far EastZoologyBook VII. ManBook VIII. Land AnimalsBook IX. Creatures of the SeaBook X. BirdsBook XI. InsectsBotanyBooks XII-XIII. TreesBook XIV. Vines and ViticultureBook XV. The Olive and Other Fruit-TreesBook XVI. Forest TreesBook XVIII. AgricultureMateria MedicaBook XX. Drugs Obtained from Garden PlantsBooks XI-XXII. Flowers and HerbsBook XXIII. The Vine and the WalnutBook XXIV. Drugs Obtained from Foreign TreesBook XXV. The Nature of Wild PlantsBook XXVI. Diseases and Their RemediesBook XXVII. More Plants Used in MedicineBook XXVIII. Drugs Obtained from Man; Magic and SuperstitionBook XXIX. Medicine, Doctors and Medical PracticeBook XXX. MagicBook XXXI. WaterBook XXXII. Fish and Aquatic CreaturesMining and MineralsBook XXXIII. Gold and SilverBook XXXIV. Copper and Bronze Sculpture, Tin, Lead and IronBook XXXV. Painting, Sculpture and ArchitectureBook XXXVI. Stones, Minerals and MonumentsBook XXXVII. Precious StonesKey to Place-NamesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Satyricon is one of the most outrageous and strikingly modern works to have survived from the ancient world. Most likely written by an advisor of Nero, it recounts the adventures of Encolpius and his companions as they travel around Italy, encountering courtesans, priestesses, con men, brothel-keepers, pompous professors and, above all, Trimalchio, the nouveau riche millionaire whose debauched feasting and pretentious vulgarity make him one of the great comic characters in literature. Estimated to date from 63 - 65 AD, and only surviving in fragments, The Satyricon nevertheless offers an unmatched satirical portrait of the age of Nero, in all its excesses and chaos.Trade Review"This version by a translator who understands the high art of low humor is conspicuously funny." —Time"William Arrowsmith's translation of The Satyricon meets the two fundamental requirements of the translator's art: perfect fidelity to the original and a vitality of style that tempts the reader to believe that the English version is not a translation.… A classic of literature." —Allen Tate"Arrowsmith's brilliant translation … at one stroke renders every other version obsolete." —London Times Literary Supplement

Read more less

Book SynopsisHecuba The Trojan Women AndromacheIn the three great war plays contained in this volume Euripides subjects the sufferings of Troy''s survivors to a harrowing examination.The horrific brutality which both women and children undergo evokes a response of unparalleled intensity in the playwright whom Aristotle called the most tragic of the poets. Yet the new battleground of the aftermath of war is one in which the women of Troy evince an overwhelming greatness of spirit. We weep for the aged Hecuba in her name play and in The Trojan Women, yet we respond with an at times appalled admiration to her resilience amid unrelieved suffering. Andromache, the slave-concubine of her husband''s killer, endures her existence in the victor''s country with a Stoic nobility. Of their time yet timeless, these plays insist on the victory of the female spirit amid the horrors visited on them by the gods and men during war. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Trade ReviewI imagine that everyone who teaches Greek tragedy in translation entertains a mental wish list for the ideal classroom text. . . . The volume under review, the third in a series of translations of selected plays of Euripides by the team of James Morwood and Edith Hall, comes closer to meeting these criteria than any other with which I am familiar; it is thus welcome indeed . . . This is a translation I shall definietly be ordering for my classes * Bryn Mawr Classical Review 20/09/01 *Review from other book by this author 'Morwood's prose translations read smoothly and reflect current, idiomatic English speech...the impressively ample and up-to-date select bibliography, genuinely helpful explanatory notes for each play, useful discussion of Euripides' thought and style, and the concise, informative background information about the world in which Euripides lived all contribute to the value of this book' Review of Medea and Other Plays * Choice *Table of ContentsHecuba ; The Trojan Women ; Andromache

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the OCR-endorsed edition covering the Latin AS and A-Level (Group 1) prescription of Tacitus Annals XII, 25-26, 4143, 5253, 5659, 6469, giving full Latin text, commentary and vocabulary, with a detailed introduction.It is AD 48 and the emperor Claudius marries his 4th wife Agrippina. Little does he know that over the next six years she will build her power and destroy her opponents, until she is ready for her greatest crime the murder of Claudius himself to enable the accession of her son Nero. Tacitus creates a gripping account of the struggle for power under a weak princeps, involving family rivals, scheming freedmen and servile senators.Supporting resources are available on the Companion Website: https://www.bloomsbury.pub/OCR-editions-2024-2026Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Text Commentary Notes Vocabulary

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the OCR-endorsed edition covering the Latin A-Level (Group 4) prescription of Ovid, Fasti 2.533616, 687852, giving full Latin text, commentary and vocabulary, with a detailed introduction that also covers the prescribed material to be read in English. Ovid's Fasti is a fascinating poem, which discusses key events in the Roman religious calendar, along with their mythological and historical origins. As such it provides a remarkable opportunity for readers to experience the intersection of poetry and Roman socio-cultural values'. These extracts from Fasti II include the story of Hercules and Omphale, along with one of the most famous tales from Roman history, the story of Lucretia and the ensuing expulsion of the Roman Kings and creation of the Republic. Through his treatment of this latter narrative in particular, Ovid is not only playing with historical tradition, but also asking his Roman readers to perceive the echoes of the past in their present experienTable of ContentsPreface Introduction Text Commentary Notes Vocabulary

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the OCR-endorsed edition covering the Greek GCSE set text prescriptions examined from 2025 to 2026. The texts covered are:HomerIliad VI, lines 370-413 and 429-502HerodotusSections XIa (First Capture of Babylon), XII (Rebuff to Darius), XIII (The Babylonian Wife Market), XIVb (Megacles' marriage)EuripidesMedea, lines 230-291 and 358-409XenophonThe Persian Expedition, Chapter 8: The Battle of Cunaxa (omitting 8:8-10)The volume starts with an introduction to ancient Greek history and culture, which sets in context the passages for the exams and gives guidance on how to translate ancient Greek. The prescribed texts are set out in clear passages facing commentary notes, with further information on GCSE vocabulary and key terms as well as study questions. The full GCSE vocabulary is provided at the back of the book and a timeline, Who''s Who, glossaries and map combine to give students a focused preparation for their exams.SupplementarTable of ContentsPreface Introduction Table of Texts How to Use this Book Tips for Translation Timeline Who’s Who Map of the Ancient Mediterranean Technical terms Discussion of literary style Homer Herodotus Euripides Xenophon OCR Greek GCSE Defined Vocabulary List

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe only exam-board approved book for the texts examined as part of OCR's GCSE in Classical Greek for examination in 2027-2028.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume is designed to accompany the OCR A-Level specification in Latin (first teaching September 2016), with practice unseen passages from Livy, the set prose for Paper 1, together with passages from a selection of other writers to support Paper 2, for which no author is set. A bank of 80 passages aims to take Sixth Form students from the level of heavily adapted post-GCSE (AS'-equivalent) passages and develop their knowledge and skills to reach A-Level standard. But this is not just a book of unseen passages: there is a chronological progression through the unseens in order to give the reader a sense of the narrative of Roman history, exploring key events through the words of original texts. Every passage begins with an introduction, outlining the basic content of the passage, followed by a ''lead-in'' sentence, paraphrasing the few lines before the passage begins. Part 1 passages are straight translation exercises on the model of the A-Level Paper 1. They also feature, howeverTrade ReviewIf a teacher is searching for a prose reader that has breadth and does not suffer from traditional dryness, that teacher should give this book a close inspection. * Classical Journal *Table of ContentsPreface Abbreviations Introduction to Roman prose writers Grammatical reminders Rome’s story: an introduction to the historical overviews Part I – Unseen Translation Exercises (Livy) In the Beginning (Passages I.1 – I.12) War with Carthage (Passages I.13 – I.26) Rome and the East (Passages I.27 – I.40) Part II – Unseen Comprehension Exercises (Other prose writers) The Problems of Empire (Passages II.1 – II.12) The Fall of the Republic (Passages II.13 – II.27) The Emperors (Passages II.28 – II.40) The End … for now Vocabulary checklists Index locorum

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt has been said that, after the Bible, Plato's dialogues are the most influential books in Western culture. And of the dialogues, the Symposium is the most delightful and accessible, requiring no special knowledge of ancient Greek philosophy or customs. Dramatizing a party in fifth-century B.C. Athens, the deceptively unassuming Symposium introduces--in the guise of convivial after-dinner conversation--profound ideas about the nature of love. In Phaedrus, here published together with the Symposium, Plato discusses the place of eloquence in expounding truth. In both dialogues, Socrates plays the leading role, by turns teasing, arguing, analyzing, joking, inspiring, and cajoling his followers into understanding ideas that have remained central to Western thought through the centuries.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA delightful translation of one of the finest, and most beautiful, examples of a medieval Bestiary.Trade ReviewThe translation is pellucid, and the colourful late-gothic illustrations really delightful. Epic begets epic: stupendous and thought-provoking. * FORTEAN TIMES *An invaluable resource for readers and writers who aspire to understand how mediaeval men and women viewed the natural world, both actual and fantastical. * HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW *Excellent translation from the Latin original makes for fascinating reading about beasts, real and imaginary, of the medieval world. The most delightful picture-book about animals you'll ever see. * EVENING STANDARD *Hugely enjoyable, this English version of a 13th-century manuscript in the Bodleian Library offers every kind of beast... The illustrations are gorgeous and well reproduced. * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *Table of ContentsLion; lioness; tiger; panther; antelope; pard; unicorn; lynx; gryphon; elephant; beaver; ibex; hyena; bonnacon; ape; satyr; deer; tragelaphus; goat; wild goat; monoceros; bear; leucrota; crocodile; manticore; parander; fox; hare; chameleon; eale; wolf; dog; sheep; wether; lamb; kid; he-goat; sow; boar; bullock ox; buffalo; cow; calf; camel; ass; wild ass; dromedary; horse; mule; badger; cat; mouse; weasel; mole; dormouse; hedgehog; ant; frog; dea; eagle; barnacle; osprey; water-ouzel; coot; vulture; crane; parrot; charadrius; stork; heron; swan; ibis; ostrich; coot; jackdaw; halcyon; phoenix; cinnomolgus; harz bird; hoopoe; pelican; night-owl; screech-owl; sirens; partridge; magpie; sparrowhawk; hawk; bat; nightingale; raven; crow; dove; turtle-dove; swallow; quail; goose; peacock; screech-owl; hoopoe; cock; hen; duck; sparrow; kite; bee; perindens; serpent; dragon; basilisk; viper; asp; scitalis; amphisbaena; idrus; boas; iaculus; siren; seps; dipsa; lizard; salamander; saura; newt; snake; scorpion; horned serpent; worm; fish; whale; serra; dolphin.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewStalley...has...subjected the actual translation to `some fairly drastic revision'...the result is much greater clarity when it comes to both the Greek text and to exegesis of that text. The end-product is a most distinguished contribution to a collection whose prices seem to defy an economic return but I'm not complaining. * Greece and Rome Reviews 42 *Barker's translation has been given new life. * Polis *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this dialogue Plato shows the pretensions of the leading sophist, Protagoras, challenged by the critical arguments of Socrates. The dialogue broadens out to consider the nature of the good life and the role of intellect and pleasure.

Read more less

Book SynopsisXenophon's Memorabilia and Apology provide a passionate defence of Socrates against the charges brought against him that lead to his execution. The two texts together provide a moving account of what happened immediately before, during, and after his trial.Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Note on the Greek Texts Select Bibliography Abbreviations Chronology Maps MEMORABILIA Book 1 Book 2 Book 3 Book 4 APOLOGY Explanatory Notes Glossary of Greek Terms

Read more less

Book SynopsisPhaedrus is widely recognized as one of Plato''s most profound and beautiful works. It takes the form of a dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus and its ostensible subject is love, especially homoerotic love. This new translation is accompanied by an introduction, further reading, and full notes on the text and translation that discuss the structure of the dialogue and elucidate issues that might puzzle the modern reader.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOffers translations of Euripides' Medea, The Children of Heracles, Andromache, and Iphigenia among the Taurians, fragments of lost plays by Aeschylus, and the surviving portion of Sophocles' The Trackers. In this title, introductions for each play offer information about its first production, plot, and reception in antiquity and beyond.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPlato's finest dramatic work, an entertaining tale of goodness and knowledgeExploring the question of what exactly makes good people good, Protagoras and Meno are two of the most enjoyable and accessible of all of Plato's dialogues. Widely regarded as his finest dramatic work, the Protagoras, set during the golden age of Pericles, pits a youthful Socrates against the revered sophist Protagoras, whose brilliance and humanity make him one the most interesting and likeable of Socrates' philosophical opponents, and turns their encounter into a genuine and lively battle of minds. The Meno sees an older but ever ironic Socrates humbling a proud young aristocrat as they search for a clear understanding of what it is to be a good man, and setting out the startling idea that all human learning may be the recovery of knowledge already possessed by our immortal souls.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-spe

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor many centuries, Aristotle''s Physics was the essential starting point for anyone who wished to study the natural sciencesThis book begins with an analysis of change, which introduces us to Aristotle''s central concepts of matter and form, before moving on to an account of explanation in the sciences and a defence of teleological explanation. Aristotle then turns to detailed, important, and often ingenious discussions of notions such as infinity, place, void, time, and conintuity. He ends with an argument designed to show that the changes we experience in the world demand as their cause a single unchanging cause of all change, namely God.This is the first complete translation of Physics into English since 1930. It presents Aristotle''s thought accurately, while at the same time simplifying and expanding the often crabbed and elliptical style of the original, so that it is very much easier to read. A lucid introduction and extensive notes explain the general structure of each sectionTrade Reviewthe editions deserve great credit for the enthusiasm of their approach ... The introductions by eminent scholars put the thoughts of the author and the history of the time into clear perspective. Oxford should be given credit for making the classics accessible for all rather than just crib notes for students. * Jonathan Copeland, Lincolnshire Echo *

Read more less

Book Synopsis1000-PIECE PUZZLE featuring the women of Greek mythology as you've never seen them before. Finished puzzle measures 680 x 485mmSPOT FAMOUS FIGURES AND MYTHICAL MOMENTS, as you build the puzzle – can you find Pandora and her jar, or Medusa with snakes for hair?INCLUDES A FOLD-OUT POSTER featuring the stories of the real women of Greek myth from best-selling author and classicist Natalie HaynesSTURDY & ATTRACTIVE BOX perfect for gifting and storage! Completed puzzle is 680x485mm (26.75x19 in.) when complete Think you know the women of Greek Mythology? Put the pieces together and you will start to think again!  In this beautifully illustrated 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, rediscover the lives and stories of the women of Greek myth, portrayed by author, broadcaster and classicist Natalie Haynes with illustrator Natalie Foss. A large fold-out poster of the artwork accompanies

Read more less

Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Some of our greatest blessings come from madnessPhaedrus is widely recognized as one of Plato''s most profound and beautiful works. It takes the form of a dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus and its ostensible subject is love, especially homoerotic love. Socrates reveals it to be a kind of divine madness that can allow our souls to grow wings and soar to their greatest heights. Then the conversation changes direction and turns to a discussion of rhetoric, which must be based on truth passionately sought, thus allying it to philosophy. The dialogue closes by denigrating the value of the written word in any context, compared to the living teaching of a Socratic philosopher.The shifts of topic and register have given rise to doubts about the unity of the dialogue, doubts which are addressed in the introduction to this volume. Full explanatory notes also elucidate issues throughout the dialogue that might puzzle a modern reader. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Cla

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis Norton Critical Edition, edited by one of the pre-eminent scholars in the field, gathers together research on this Greek tragedy, bringing Medea to life for a contemporary audience.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT is one of the most important alliterative poems of Medieval literatureNow a major film THE GREEN KNIGHT starring Dev PatelFrom the north-west midlands, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight dates from the second half of the 14th century. Gawain, a knight in Arthur''s court, takes up the challenge of the Green Knight, and cuts off his head. The Knight informs Gawain he will have his revenge.Journeying to the Knight''s abode to receive his lot Gawain takes the hospitality of a Lord, and endures the advances of his wife. The Lord is the Green Knight and, when the time comes, merely nicks Gawain''s neck for his infidelity and dishonour. Is Gawain a failure, or a hero?

Read more less

Book SynopsisSeamus Heaney''s version of Sophocles''s Philoctetes tells of the wounded hero marooned upon an island by the Greeks during the Siege of Troy. As the conflict comes to a climax, the Greeks begin to realise they cannot win the Trojan war without Philoctetes''s invincible bow, and turn back to seek his help.The Cure at Troy dramatises the conflict between personal integrity and political expediency, and explores ways in which the victims of injustice can become as devoted to the contemplation of their wounds as the perpetrators are to the justification of their system. Responsive to the Greek playwright''s understanding of the relations between public and private morality, The Cure at Troy is a sharp, fast-paced retelling of the Greek original, shot through with Heaney''s own Irish speech and context.History says, Don''t hopeOn this side of the grave.But then, once in a lifetimeThe longed-for tidal waveOf

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the OCR-endorsed edition covering the Latin AS and A-Level (Group 3) prescription of Virgil''s Aeneid Book 2, lines 40249 and the A-Level (Group 4) prescription of Book 2, lines 268317, 370558, giving full Latin text, commentary and vocabulary, with a detailed introduction that also covers the prescribed material to be read in English for A Level. Book II of Virgil's Aeneid is the story of how Troy fell and how Aeneas escaped with his family and his city's gods. It is a narrative relayed in retrospect by Aeneas as a refugee at the court of Queen Dido in Carthage, and the OCR selection covers the book's first two thirds: the Wooden Horse episode, and the chaos which ensues including the dramatic murder of King Priam. Virgil depicts war in all its ugly complexity, and Aeneas' response to this as combatant in Troy, as exile in Carthage is central to the poem's early exposition.Supporting resources are available on the Companion Website: https://www.bloomsbury.pub/Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Text Commentary Notes Vocabulary

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt is a truth universally acknowledged that most of us could use some guidance. Whether you’re looking to marry a man with several carriages to his name, are recovering from an illness caused by wet stockings or you’re unsure what colour ribbon is the best match for your outfit, Jane Austen’s wisdom is here to guide you through any problem. This deck of cards features insights from Austen’s wide world of characters. Just shuffle the deck and pull the card on top. With illustrations of her beloved characters and their most enlightened quotes, they’ll guide you through the day ahead and help you resolve your questions. Not sure you’ve made the right decision? “Better be without sense than misapply it as you do.” Unsure what to do with your afternoon? “To sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure, is the most perfect refreshment.” Confused why you’re struggling to make friends? “Your defect is a propensity to hate everybody.” With 50 cards to pull from, this deck will give you the insights you need, whether your sister has eloped with your ex or you're in love with your step brother.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA new edition of the most widely known and popular collection of Japanese poetry.The best-loved and most widely read of all Japanese poetry collections, the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu contains 100 short poems on nature, the seasons, travel, and, above all, love. Dating back to the seventh century, these elegant, precisely observed waka poems (the precursor of haiku) express deep emotion through visual images based on a penetrating observation of the natural world. Peter MacMillan''s new translation of his prize-winning original conveys even more effectively the beauty and subtlety of this magical collection.Translated with an introduction and commentary by Peter MacMillan.Trade ReviewBy far the best translation to date -- Donald KeeneFor more than seven centuries, these poems have resonated with countless readers ... [Peter Macmillan's] excellent new translation of these poems makes clear why they have mattered so much for so long ... [revealing] the vivid emotions that have kept the heart of the collection beating all this time * TIME *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFully illustrated collection of rare and previously unpublished tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, retold for a new generation by leading Arthurian expert, John Matthews, introduced by Sir John Boorman, director of the classic film, Excalibur, and illustrated with paintings and drawings by Tolkien artist, John Howe.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the 2020 Prix du Meilleur Livre Etranger, France''s best foreign book of the year.Astounding' Sebastian BarryA masterpiece' Ayad AkhtarThis little book is ruminative, humane, and gorgeously precise'Jonathan LethemIn this genre-defying book, best-selling memoirist and critic Daniel Mendelsohn explores the mysterious links between the randomness of the lives we lead and the artfulness of the stories we tell.Combining memoir, biography, history, and literary criticism, Three Rings weaves together the stories of three exiled writers who turned to the classics of the past to create masterpieces of their own-works that pondered the nature of narrative itself.Erich Auerbach, the Jewish philologist who fled Hitler''s Germany and wrote his classic study of Western literature, Mimesis, in Istanbul.Francois Fenelon, the seventeenth-century French archbishop whose ingenious sequel to the Odyssey,The Adventures of Telemachus a veiled critique of the Sun King and the best-selling book in Trade Review‘Exquisite … Ornate and oneiric, the results are well worth circling and circling back to’New York Times Book Review ‘As always, the author's voice blends authority with considerable warmth and charm, luring readers into his complex intellectual enthusiasms … Three Rings, a short but profoundly moving work, clings with tenacity to a belief in the regenerative power of literature’Wall Street Journal ‘Spectacular … The reader feels the flow of a strong narrative, trusts the author’s seafaring skills and embarks on a brilliant journey … Three Rings is a glorious celebration of multiplicity, diversity, journeys, transformations and our common humanity’Times Literary Supplement ‘Contained in the interwoven circles of this slim, labyrinthine book is a vision that encompasses the world. Part dirge, part memoir, part exegesis, all rhapsody Mendelsohn's anatomy of literature's subtlest pleasures is itself that subtlest of literary pleasures: a masterpiece’Ayad Akhtar, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Homeland Elegies ‘An astounding Borgesian document of clarity and brilliance. A book about telling stories that wanders down the seeming two roads of the Hebrew tradition and the classical, which, like Proust's two ways, might turn out to be one way after all. Three Rings has the keeled force of a long poem’Sebastian Barry ‘Classicist, historian, memoirist, cultural critic, with consummate skill and the sharp, sympathetic eye of the poet, Daniel Mendelsohn brilliantly combines these roles. Three Rings is a masterly exegesis and demonstration of digression as a high art’Joyce Carol Oates ‘Daniel Mendelsohn's Three Rings is erudition, essayism, and memoir … This little book is ruminative, humane, and gorgeously precise’Jonathan Lethem

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe essential history of Alexander the Great, compelling and brilliantly realizedAlexander the Great (356-323 BC), who led the Macedonian army to victory in Egypt, Syria, Persia and India, was perhaps the most successful conqueror the world has ever seen. Yet although no other individual has attracted so much speculation across the centuries, Alexander himself remains an enigma. Curtius' History offers a great deal of information unobtainable from other sources of the time. A compelling narrative of a turbulent era, the work recounts events on a heroic scale, detailing court intrigue, stirring speeches and brutal battles—among them, those of Macedonia's great war with Persia, which was to culminate in Alexander's final triumph over King Darius and the defeat of an ancient and mighty empire. It also provides by far the most plausible and haunting portrait of Alexander we possess: a brilliantly realized image of a man ruined by constant good fortune in his youTable of ContentsThe History of AlexanderIntroductionSummary of the Lost Books 1 and 2Book 3Book 4Book 5Book 6Book 7Book 8Book 9Book 10BibliographyList of IllustrationsNotesAppendices1. List of Variations from the Budé Text2. Chrononlogy3. Glassary of Personal Names4. Index of Mythical, Historical and Literary Figures5. Index of Peoples6. Geographical IndexIndex to MapsMaps1. The Campaign of Alexander the Great (334-323 B.C.)2. Alexander's Campaigns in Asia Minor (334-333/2 B.C.)3. Alexander's Campaigns in India (327-325 B.C)

Read more less

Book SynopsisAmmianus Marcellinus was the last great Roman historian, and his writings rank alongside those of Livy and Tacitus. The Later Roman Empire chronicles a period of twenty-five years during Marcellinus'' own lifetime, covering the reigns of Constantius, Julian, Jovian, Valentinian I, and Valens, and providing eyewitness accounts of significant military events including the Battle of Strasbourg and the Goth''s Revolt. Portraying a time of rapid and dramatic change, Marcellinus describes an Empire exhausted by excessive taxation, corruption, the financial ruin of the middle classes and the progressive decline in the morale of the army. In this magisterial depiction of the closing decades of the Roman Empire, we can see the seeds of events that were to lead to the fall of the city, just twenty years after Marcellinus'' death.Table of ContentsThe Later Roman EmpirePrefaceIntroductionFurther ReadingFamily Tree of Constantine the GreatIntroductory NoteThe Later Roman EmpireBook 14Book 15Book 16Book 17Book 18Book 19Book 20Book 21Book 22Book 23Book 24Book 25Book 26Book 27Book 28Book 29Book 30Book 31Notes on the TextNote on Officials and their TitlesNotes on PersonsDates of EmperorsGeographical keyMapsGeneral MapMonuments of RomeMap A: Gaul, Germany, and the RhineMap B: The Danube, Italy and ThraceMap C: The East and PersiaMap D: Asia Minor

Read more less

Book SynopsisAeschylus is the first of the great Greek playwrights, and the four plays in this volume demonstrate the remarkable range of Greek tragedy. Persians is the only surviving tragedy to draw on contemporary history, the Greeks'' extraordinary victory over Persia in 480 BC. The Persians'' aggression is inhuman in scale, and offends the gods, but while celebrating the Greek triumph, Aeschylus also portrays the shock of the defeated with some compassion. In Seven Against Thebes a royal family is cursed with self-destruction, in a remorseless tragedy that anticipates the grandeur of the later Oresteia. Suppliants portrays the wretched plight of the daughters of Danaus, fleeing from enforced marriage; as refugees they seek protection, and must plead a moral and political case to gain it. And in Prometheus Bound, Prometheus is relentlessly persecuted by Zeus for benefitting mankind in defiance of the god.Christopher Collard''s highly readable new translation is accompanied by an introduction that sets the plays in their original context, and together with the notes considers theatrical and poetic issues, as well as details of content and language. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Trade ReviewExcellent...as scholarly and reliable as anyone could wish for...clear and judicious. * Mark Griffiths, Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Note on the Text ; Bibliography ; Chronology ; PERSIANS ; SEVEN AGAINST THEBES ; SUPPLIANTS ; PROMETHEUS BOUND ; Maps ; Explanatory Notes ; Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis''The story goes that a sow who had delivered a whole litter of piglets loudly accosted a lioness. How many children do you breed? asked the sow. I breed only one, said the lioness, but it is very well bred!''The fables of Aesop have become one of the most enduring traditions of European culture, ever since they were first written down nearly two millennia ago. Aesop was reputedly a tongue-tied slave who miraculously received the power of speech; from his legendary storytelling came the collections of prose and verse fables scattered throughout Greek and Roman literature. First published in English by Caxton in 1484, the fables and their morals continue to charm modern readers: who does not know the story of the tortoise and the hare, or the boy who cried wolf?This new translation is the first to represent all the main fable collections in ancient Latin and Greek, arranged according to the fables'' contents and themes. It includes 600 fables, many of which come from sources never before translated into English. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Trade Review'Laura Gibbs has recently brought out a splendid translation with a very helpful introduction of the bulk of the fables in the Oxford World's Classics.' * Gabriel Josipovici, TLS *Table of ContentsAesop, the Popular Favourite ; The Fables ; Aetiologies, Paradoxes, Insults and Jokes

Read more less

Book SynopsisTells the story of an epic voyage in which Aeneas crosses stormy seas, becomes entangled in a tragic love affair with Dido of Cathage, descends to the world of the dead - all the way tormented by the vengeful Juno, Queen of the Gods - and finally reaches Italy, where he will fulfil his destiny: to found the Roman people.Trade ReviewAfter his best-selling Iliad and Odyssey, today's top-dog classical translator hits the triefecta with Virgil's epic about the founder of Rome * Newsweek *Fagles illuminates the poem's Homeric echoes while remaining faithful to Virgil's distinctive voice * The New Yorker *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIphigenia among the Taurians ; Bacchae ; Iphigenia at Aulis ; Rhesus

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe second century A.D. traveller''s guide to buildings, tombs, and statues including mythological, religious, and historical background of sites from Delphi to OlympiaTable of ContentsGuide to Greece 1: Central GreeceList of FiguresList of Maps and PlansAcknowledgmentsCorrectionsIntroductionBook I: AtticaBook II: Corinth and the ArgolidBook III: AchaiaBook IV: BoiotiaBook V: PhokisAppendix: The Successors of Alexander and their WarsSelect BibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book Synopsis''We are looking for the things that enable us to live a noble and happy life...and what prospects decent people will have of acquiring any of them.''The Eudemian Ethics is a major treatise on moral philosophy whose central concern is what makes life worth living. Aristotle considers the role of happiness, and what happiness consists of, and he analyses various factors that contribute to it: human agency, the relation between action and virtue, and the concept of virtue itself. Moral and intellectual virtues are classified and considered, and finally the roles of friendship and pleasure. It deals with the same issues as the better-known Nicomachean Ethics, with which it holds three books in common, and its special qualities, as well as the similarities and differences between the two works, are of fundamental concern to anyone interested in Aristotle''s philosophy.This is the first time the Eudemian Ethics has been published in its entirety in any modern language. Anthony Kenny''s fine translation is accompanied by a lucid introduction and explanatory notes, which assist the reader in understanding this important work. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Table of ContentsTHE EUDEMIAN ETHICS

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo revealingly different accounts of the life of the most important figure of the Roman EmpireCharlemage, known as the father of Europe, was one of the most powerful and dynamic of all medieval rulers. The biographies brought together here provide a rich and varied portrait of the king from two perspectives: that of Einhard, a close friend and adviser, and of Notker, a monastic scholar and musician writing fifty years after Charlemagne's death.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMacrobius’s Saturnalia, an encyclopedic celebration of Roman culture written in the early fifth century CE, has been prized since the Renaissance as a treasure trove of otherwise unattested lore. Cast in the form of a dialogue it treats diverse topics while showcasing Virgil as master of all human knowledge, from diction to religion.

Read more less