Ancient, classical and medieval texts Books

Book SynopsisWritten over two thousand years ago, The Art of War contains penetrating insights into the nature of power, inter-state rivalry, realpolitik and military success, relevant to any age. It was first translated into English in the early 20th century. Sun Tzu's short lines of argument and pithy aphorisms are highly accessible to modern readers, and his text has almost achieved cult status. He is quoted everywhere 'from divorce courts to Facebook', and has something to offer anyone interested in honing leadership skills and achieving in any competitive environment 'from the boardroom to the bedroom'. Sun Tzu's advice is shrewd and pragmatic - he does not glory in slaughter and prefers to win battles off the battlefield if possible; he is a strong supporter of the use of deception, of varying your shots and above all, of doing your research: knowing your enemy is key; but of little use if you do not also 'know yourself'.Features a brilliant new translation by Peter Harris. The iconic text in its original 13 short chapters printed unencumbered by notesThe text repeated, this time interspersed with selected extracts from the canon of traditional Chinese commentators who have explained Sun Tzu's wisdom over the centuries; each chapter ending with an explanatory note from Peter HarrisTrade Review... this book has become a must-read for modern military strategists (even though Sun Tzu wrote about chariots rather than drones), the KGB and also for business thinkers who have applied his martial philosophy to the war that is modern capitalism. * Guardian *..this book is a guide to winning wars, avidly studied by America's armed forces as it was by Mao. . ..American strategists often read the “Art of War” to understand China not as an alluring and persuasive wielder of soft power, but as a potential enemy. * Economist *

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Book SynopsisSeventy-seven tales of the supernatural, intended to frighten and excite and bring to heel their medieval audience, gathered from medieval chronicles, sagas, heroic poetry and romances. Strongly recommended. M R JAMES NEWSLETTER Stories of restless spirits returning from the afterlife are as old as storytelling. In medieval Europe ghosts, nightstalkers and unearthly visitors from parallel worlds had beenin circulation since before the coming of Christianity. Here is a collection of ghostly encounters from medieval romances, monastic chronicles, sagas and heroic poetry. These tales bore a peculiar freight of spooks and spirituality which can still make the hair stand on end. Look at the story of Richard Rowntree's stillborn child, glimpsed by his father tangled in swaddling clothes on the road to Santiago, or the sly habits of water sprites restingas golden rings on the surface of the river, just out of reach. The writer and broadcaster Andrew Joynes brings together a vivid selection of these tales, with a thoughtful commentary that puts them in context and lays bare the layers of meaning in them.Trade Review(Reviewd together with 'Medieval Comic Tales') Both make a delightful contribution to our understanding and mapping of those mental landscapes. They also allowed me to see the physical medieval landscape differently, reminding me that in the medieval period it had supernatural and metaphorical dimensions. In these tales a wide range of medieval people come to life. * FINDS RESEARCH GROUP NEWSLETTER *A collection of stories that have stood the test of time. * HISTORY MAGAZINE (US) *[An] excellent compendium of medieval folklore. * FORTEAN TIMES *Truly ... a landmark work. This impeccably researched and very readable book should appeal to a wide audience. * MEDIEVAL REVIEW *Every reader is sure to find something new and many readers may find something to treasure in this sprightly anthology. * ARTHURIANA *Strongly recommended. A convenient compendium indeed! * MR JAMES NEWSLETTER *Assembles dozens of ghostly tales from an impressive array of original sources ranging from Iceland to Florence. * BBC HISTORY *

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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 *

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Book Synopsis''Consider just this, and give your minds to this alone: whether or not what I say is just'' Plato''s account of Socrates'' trial and death (399 BC) is a significant moment in Classical literature and the life of Classical Athens. In these four dialogues, Plato develops the Socratic belief in responsibility for one''s self and shows Socrates living and dying under his philosophy. In Euthyphro, Socrates debates goodness outside the courthouse; Apology sees him in court, rebutting all charges of impiety; in Crito, he refuses an entreaty to escape from prison; and in Phaedo, Socrates faces his impending death with calmness and skilful discussion of immortality.Christopher Rowe''s introduction to his powerful new translation examines the book''s themes of identity and confrontation, and explores how its content is less historical fact than a promotion of Plato''s Socratic philosophy.

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Book SynopsisTells the story of darkest episode in "Trojan War". At its centre is Achilles, greatest warrior-champion of Greeks, and his refusal to fight after being humiliated by his leader Agamemnon. But when Trojan Hector kills Achilles' close friend Patroclus, he storms back into battle to take revenge - even though he knows this may ensure his own death.Trade Review“Fitzgerald has solved virtually every problem that has plagued translators of Homer. The narrative runs, the dialogue speaks, the military action is clear, and the repetitive epithets become useful text rather than exotic relics.” –Atlantic Monthly “Fitzgerald’s swift rhythms, bright images, and superb English make Homer live as never before…This is for every reader in our time and possibly for all time.”–Library Journal “[Fitzgerald’s Odyssey and Iliad] open up once more the unique greatness of Homer’s art at the level above the formula; yet at the same time they do not neglect the brilliant texture of Homeric verse at the level of the line and the phrase.” –The Yale Review“What an age can read in Homer, what its translators can manage to say in his presence, is one gauge of its morale, one index to its system of exultations and reticences. The supple, the iridescent, the ironic, these modes are among our strengths, and among Mr. Fitzgerald’s.” –National ReviewWith an Introduction by Gregory NagyTable of ContentsThe IliadForewordIntroductionIntroduction to the 1950 EditionNotes on this RevisionThe Main CharactersFurther ReadingMaps:1. A reconstruction of Homer's imagined battlefields2. The Troad3. Trojan places and contingents4. Homeric Greece5. Greek contingents at TroyPreliminariesThe Iliad1. Plague and Wrath2. A Dream, a Testing and the Catalogue of Ships3. A Duel and a Trojan View of the Greeks4. The Oath is Broken and Battle Joined5. Diomedes' Heroics6. Hector and Andromache7. Ajax Fights Hector8. Hector Triumphant9. The Embassy to Achilles10. Diomedes and Odysseus: The Night Attack11. Achilles Takes Notice12. Hector Storms the Wall13. The Battle at the Ships14. Zeus Outmanoeuvred15. The Greeks at Bay16. The Death of Patroclus17. The Struggle Over Patroclus18. Achilles' Decision19. The Feud Ends20. Achilles on the Rampage21. Achilles Fights the River22. The Death of Hector23. The Funeral and the Games24. Priam and AchillesAppendices1. A Brief Glossary2. Ommitted Fathers' NamesIndex

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Book SynopsisCentres on the critical events in the last year of the Trojan War, which lead to Achilleus' killing of Hektor and determine the fate of Troy. This book presents a universal and tragic view of the world, of human life lived under the shadow of suffering and death, set against a vast and largely unpitying divine background.Trade Review“Fitzgerald has solved virtually every problem that has plagued translators of Homer. The narrative runs, the dialogue speaks, the military action is clear, and the repetitive epithets become useful text rather than exotic relics.” –Atlantic Monthly “Fitzgerald’s swift rhythms, bright images, and superb English make Homer live as never before…This is for every reader in our time and possibly for all time.”–Library Journal “[Fitzgerald’s Odyssey and Iliad] open up once more the unique greatness of Homer’s art at the level above the formula; yet at the same time they do not neglect the brilliant texture of Homeric verse at the level of the line and the phrase.” –The Yale Review“What an age can read in Homer, what its translators can manage to say in his presence, is one gauge of its morale, one index to its system of exultations and reticences. The supple, the iridescent, the ironic, these modes are among our strengths, and among Mr. Fitzgerald’s.” –National ReviewWith an Introduction by Gregory Nagy

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Book SynopsisA thrilling study of the greatest of all epic poems, by one of the world''s leading classicistsHomer''s Iliad is the famous epic poem set among the tales of Troy. Its subject is the anger of the hero Achilles and its dreadful consequences for the warring Greeks and Trojans. It was composed more than 2,600 years ago, but still transfixes us with its tale of loss and battle, love and revenge, guided throughout by the active presence of the gods. Its beauty and profound bleakness are intensely moving but great questions remain: where, how and when it was composed and why it has such enduring power?In this compelling book Robin Lane Fox addresses these questions, drawing on a life-long love and engagement with the poem. He argues for a place, a date and a method for its composition, giving us a sense of alternative approaches and grounding his own in discoveries about long heroic poems composed elsewhere in the world, and the ever-growing evidence of archaeology.Unlike other books on the Iliad, this one combines the detailed expertise of a historian with the sensitivity of a teacher of it as poetry. Lane Fox goes on to consider hallmarks of the poem, its values, implicit and explicit, its characters, its women, its gods and even its horses. He argues repeatedly for its beautiful observation and addresses its parallel use of what is, to us, the natural world. Thousands of readers turn to the Iliad every year. In this superbly written and conceived tribute, Lane Fox expresses and amplifies what old and new readers can find in it. It is pervaded, he argues, by a poignant hardness which is not just a poetic trick. It is a deeply held view of the world.

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Book SynopsisThe only exam-board approved book for OCR's Latin AS and A-Level prescription of Cicero's pro Roscio Amerino for examination in 20262028.

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow.'Living in Ancient Greece in the 5th Century BC, Aesop was said to be a slave and story-teller. His much-loved, enduring fables are revered the world over and remain popular as moral tales for children. With infamous vignettes, such as the race between the hare and the tortoise, the vain jackdaw, and the wolf in sheep's clothing, the themes of the fables remain as fresh today as when they were first told and give an insight into the Ancient Greek world.

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Book SynopsisIn this personal and practical guide to moral self-improvement and living a good life, the second-century philosopher Epictetus tackles questions of freedom and imprisonment, stubbornness and fear, family, friendship and love, and leaves an intriguing document of daily life in the classical world.GREAT IDEAS. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

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Book SynopsisThis deluxe vegan leather bookmark, evoking gilded leather tomes of old, features gold foil stamping and a silken tassel, making it the perfect addition to any book lover’s collection. Union Square and Co.’s Classic Vegan Leather Bookmark series feature iconic titles sure to appeal to book lovers of all stripe: the series is launching with designs based on the leather-bound classics editions of The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Dracula, The Iliad and the Odyssey, Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Jane Austen: Seven Novels.

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Book SynopsisFour plays which exemplify his interest in flawed, characters who defy the expectations of Greek society The four tragedies collected in this volume all focus on a central character, once powerful, brought down by betrayal, jealousy, guilt and hatred. The first playwright to depict suffering without reference to the gods, Euripides made his characters speak in human terms and face the consequences of their actions. In Medea, a woman rejected by her lover takes hideous revenge by murdering the children they both love, and Hecabe depicts the former queen of Troy, driven mad by the prospect of her daughter's sacrifice to Achilles. Electra portrays a young woman planning to avenge the brutal death of her father at the hands of her mother, while in Heracles the hero seeks vengeance against the evil king who has caused bloodshed in his family. Philip Vellacott's lucid translation is accompanied by an introduction, which discusses the literary background of Classical Athens aTable of ContentsMedea and Other PlaysIntroductionMedeaHecabeElectraHeraclesNotes

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Book SynopsisVirgil''s masterpiece and one of the greatest works in all of literature, now in a beautiful clothbound edition designed by Coralie Bickford-SmithVirgil''s Aeneid, inspired by Homer and the inspiration for Dante and Milton, is an immortal poem that sits at the heart of Western life and culture. Virgil took as his hero Aeneas, legendary survivor of the fall of Troy and father of the Roman race. In telling a story of dispossession and defeat, love and war, he portrayed human life in all its nobility and suffering, in its physicality and its mystery.Trade Review"A new and noble standard bearer . . . There's a capriciousness to Fagles's line well suited to this vast story's ebb and flow." -The New York Times Book Review (front page review) "Fagles's new version of Virgil's epic delicately melds the stately rhythms of the original to a contemporary cadence. . . . He illuminates the poem's Homeric echoes while remaining faithful to Virgil's distinctive voice." -The New Yorker "Robert Fagles gives the full range of Virgil's drama, grandeur, and pathos in vigorous, supple modern English. It is fitting that one of the great translators of The Iliad and The Odyssey in our times should also emerge as a surpassing translator of The Aeneid." -J. M. Coetzee

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Book SynopsisThis deluxe edition of the world''s most beloved, bestselling classic on Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology is stunningly illustrated with specially commissioned full-color plates and a beautiful gold-bordered pages. Since its original publication in 1942, Edith Hamilton''s Mythology has sold millions of copies throughout the world and established itself as a perennial bestseller. For nearly 80 years, readers have chosenMythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes above all other books to discover the enchanting world of Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology -- from Odysseus''s adventure-filled journey to Odin''s effort to postpone the final day of doom. This deluxe, hardcover edition is illustrated throughout with specially commissioned, original artwork and beautifully illustrated lineages, making it a true collector''s item.

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Book SynopsisPacked with extra features, this intermediate-level dictionary is designed specifically to fit the needs of today's student. Compact and practical, it covers over 45,000 words and phrases, and includes a guide to Latin grammar, extra notes on difficult words and constructions, and useful appendices on topics such as money, weights and measures. This major new edition replaces ISBN 0-19-860283-9.

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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.

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Book SynopsisOvid?s deliciously clever and exuberant epic, now in a gorgeous new clothbound edition Ovid?s sensuous and witty poetry brings together a dazzling array of mythological tales, ingeniously linked by the idea of transformation?often as a result of love or lust?where men and women find themselves magically changed into new and sometimes extraordinary beings. Beginning with the creation of the world and ending with the deification of Augustus, Ovid interweaves many of the best-known myths and legends of Ancient Greece and Rome, including Daedalus and Icarus, Pyramus and Thisbe, Pygmalion, Perseus and Andromeda, and the fall of Troy. Erudite but lighthearted, dramatic yet playful, the Metamorphoses has influenced writers and artists throughout the centuries from Shakespeare and Titian to Picasso and Ted Hughes. This edition includes David Raeburn?s modern verse translation, an introduction by Denis Feeney, and other features to help readers fully appreciate Ovid?s epic.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.Trade Review“The true brilliance, that is, the true reading, the accessibility, of McCarter’s tapestry lies in her use of poetic form.(…) Throughout, McCarter produces gorgeous basso continuo undertones juxtaposed against sharp and high-pitched rhymes. Such formal elements of the translation ultimately represent McCarter’s interpretation of Metamorphoses and the art of translation itself—that humble human craft that has the capacity to stand against and despite the will of gods, power, and time. McCarter has produced her own masterpiece that ‘Jove’s wrath cannot / destroy, nor flame, nor steel, nor gnawing time.’ ‘My name,’ she writes, ‘can’t be erased.’” —Anna Deeny Morales, 2023 American Poets Prize citation for The Academy of American Poets“The best translation of a work of ancient literature that I read this year was Stephanie McCarter's marvellous new translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses, in fresh, readable, vivid iambic pentameter. McCarter captures Ovid's wit and cleverness, making us laugh at the escapades of abusive, lust-crazed, arrogant gods and hapless, also lust-crazed and arrogant mortals. But she also brilliantly evokes Ovid's more serious sides, including his attentiveness to power and the magical vivacity of the natural world. Her wonderful handling of the metrical poetic form is a fitting match for Ovid's artful, fluent Latin verse.”—Emily Wilson, The New Statesman“McCarter confronts the tricky issues associated with both the poet and his epic not only in her forthright introduction but in the translation itself, where, like an art restorer removing decades of browned varnish from an Old Master, she strips away a number of inaccuracies and embellishments that have accreted in translations over the decades and centuries, obscuring the sense of certain passages, particularly those portraying women and sexual violence… McCarter’s translation reproduces Ovid’s speed and clarity. Even better, she is alert to many of the sparkling verbal effects for which the poet was famous in his own time… If you didn’t know she was writing about the concerns of someone who died twenty centuries ago, you’d think her subject was still alive.”—Daniel Mendelsohn, The New Yorker“McCarter adroitly captures Ovid’s glittering darkness. There is horror here but there is also so much wonder and delight, all conveyed in nimble, fresh language.” —Kamila Shamsie, author of Home Fire“The Metamorphoses has it all: sex, death, love, violence, gods, mortals, monsters, nymphs, all the great forces, human and natural. With this vital new translation, Stephanie McCarter has not only updated Ovid's epic of transformation for the modern ear and era --- she's done something far more powerful. She's paid rigorous attention to the language of the original and brought to us its ferocity, its sensuality, its beauty, its wit, showing us how we are changed, by time, by violence, by love, by stories, and especially by power. Here is Ovid, in McCarter's masterful hands, refreshed, renewed, and pulsing with life.” —Nina MacLaughlin, author of Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung“Stephanie McCarter’s gorgeous verse translation of the Metamorphoses is ground-breaking not just in its refreshingly accessible approach to Ovid’s syntax and formal devices but for how she reframes the controversial subjects that have made Ovid, and Ovidian scholarship, so fraught for contemporary readers. McCarter’s translation understands that the Metamorphoses is a complex study of power and desire, and the dehumanizing ways that power asserts itself through and on a variety of bodies. McCarter’s deft, musical, and forthright translation returns much needed nuance to Ovid’s tropes of violence and change, demonstrating to a new generation of readers how our identities are always in flux, while reminding us all of the Metamorphoses’ enduring relevance.” —Paisley Rekdal, author of Nightingale"A graceful and fluid and deeply meaningful translation. Compared to the other translations of the Metamorphoses on which I’ve relied in the past, it’s as though this is of an entirely different book. The reader follows the lines with genuine emotion. And so do worlds open up—" —Alexander Nemerov, Carl and Marilynn Thoma Provostial Professor in the Arts and Humanities, Stanford University "Stephanie McCarter’s translation offers an attractive alternative to the finest versions to appear in recent decades, while the abundance of her introductory and explanatory material gives her work a clear advantage over those predecessors. As a vehicle for serious engagement with Ovid’s poem in English, McCarter has no rival." – Richard Tarrant, Harvard University, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

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Book SynopsisThe newest deluxe edition in the bestselling Capstone Classics Series This ancient classic has had a make-over. In recent years these Capstone Classic deluxe editions have caught the book buying public's imagination.Table of ContentsAn Introduction by Tom Butler-Bowdon vii About Tom Butler-Bowdon xxiii The Republic 1

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Book SynopsisThis textbook is endorsed by OCR and supports the specification for GCSE Classical Civilisation (first teaching September 2017). It covers the Thematic Study Component 12 and all three Literature and Culture options (Components 2123):Thematic Study: Women in the Ancient World by Robert Hancock-JonesLiterature and Culture 1: The Homeric World by Dan MenasheLiterature and Culture 2: Roman City Life by James RenshawLiterature and Culture 3: War and Warfare by James RenshawHow much can we know about the lives of women in the ancient world? Why is the hero Odysseus such an interesting character? What was it like to watch a gladiatorial fight? Why was the Roman army so successful? This book guides GCSE students to a greater understanding of such issues. The opening chapter examines the lives of women in Greece and Rome, and also focuses on women in myth and legend. The following three chapters invite readers to explore the culture of the Mycenaeans, city life in tTable of ContentsIntroduction How to Use This Book Thematic Study: Women in the Ancient World Literature and Culture Option 1: The Homeric World Literature and Culture Option 2: Roman City Life Literature and Culture Option 3: War and Warfare Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisWritings on Body and Soul includes a selection of the theological, historical, and devotional works of Aelred, the controversial abbot of Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire who was widely admired but also criticized for frankness about his own sins. Freshly revised editions of the Latin texts appear here alongside new English translations.

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Book SynopsisIn the tenth century, an anonymous scholar crafted an Old English version of Saint Augustine’s Soliloquia, which explores the nature of truth and immortality of the soul. This volume presents the first English translation of the complete Old English Soliloquies to appear in more than a century accompanied by a unique edition of Augustine’s work.Trade Review[An] elegant, readable, and accurate translation of the Latin text…This work will prove a boon both to scholars and students of Old English literature. -- Justin Lake * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *

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Book SynopsisJohn Geometres’s Life of the Virgin Mary, a work of outstanding theological sophistication animated by deeply felt devotion to the Mother of God, remains largely unknown today. This new edition of the Byzantine Greek text and the first complete translation in a modern language presents a masterpiece of early Marian writing to new audiences.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This book excels in revealing how very modern the ancient world was in some respects, and yet how delightfully different in many other ways. . . .[A] most enjoyable book."---David Smith, Classics For All"Dr Van Schaik’s book is a valuable contribution. The introduction is very well written and informative, especially for those unfamiliar with Galen and ancient Greek Medicine. It details Galen’s early life and medical training, including a graphic description of his appointment, by the chief priest, as physician to the gladiators in Pergamum. It will be particularly useful to medical students and is highly recommended."---Spyros Retsas, British Society for the History of Medicine

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Book SynopsisA ground-breaking collection celebrating women who, over centuries, have dared to articulate their own desires with artistry and skill.Trade Review'Fierce, captivating, revolutionary. A dazzling collection that will win hearts and change minds.'-Elif Shafak; 'These voices are furious, witty, outrageous, tender and entranced. This collection offers much delightful entertainment and fresh perspectives on women and sex in the Middle East.' -Marina Warner

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Book SynopsisThe Broadview Anthology of Medieval Arthurian Literature offers an up-to-date and student-friendly approach to teaching the literature of the Arthurian tradition. With a team of contributing editors creating new translations of classic texts, and a distinctive balance of familiar and lesser-known Arthur legends, the anthology is an authoritative and highly teachable resource. A companion website allows for greater flexibility without expanding the print book, and helpful introductions and notes support student readers throughout the anthology.Trade Review“The superb Broadview Anthology of Medieval Arthurian Literature offers a carefully chosen and wide-ranging selection, including canonical English, French, and German works alongside lesser-known texts in, for instance, Dutch, Greek, Hebrew, and Old Norse, and admirably foregrounding the ways in which translation functions across cultures as well as across languages. Indeed, inclusivity is a hallmark of this wonderful volume, which Cawsey and Edwards have skillfully curated to give invaluable insights into not only the Arthurian legend’s geographical reach and generic variety, but also the diversity of its racial, religious, and sexual identities and attitudes. A fantastic and very welcome new resource for studying medieval Arthuriana.” — Megan Leitch, Cardiff University“The Broadview Anthology of Medieval Arthurian Literature is more than simply the ideal Arthurian anthology for 21st century undergraduates studying English literature. Going beyond the canonical Latin, French, and English texts that established the characters and narratives collected in Thomas Malory’s Morte Darthur, BAMAL adds texts from Welsh, Hebrew, Norse, Dutch, German, and Greek, plus a collection of visual images, all of which make it a unique collection. More than any previous anthology, BAMAL shows the diversity and vitality of medieval Arthurian literature.” — Michael W. Twomey, Ithaca College“The Broadview Anthology of Medieval Arthurian Literature is fantastic. Editors Cawsey and Edwards’ selections richly cover the thousand years of medieval Arthurian literature, in all its geographic, linguistic, and cultural diversity. ‘Must-have’ canonical works by Geoffrey of Monmouth, Chrétien, or the Gawain-poet are enriched by texts that speak to contemporary concerns of inclusion, represented by the transgender hero Silence and the Morrish knight Morien. Texts formerly deemed peripheral now provide opportunities for comparison, such as the Jewish morality tale Melech Artus in which the grail becomes a plate for serving the poor or the Greek tale The Old Knight in which the hero fights ageism. Crisp headnotes provide students easy access to the works and helpful suggestions for further research. Translations, often borrowed from Broadview single-author editions, make for clear and compelling reading. Longer works are smartly excerpted, with on-line supplements that fill in the gaps for those who want to read more. The collection replaces all prior anthologies while offering professors of Arthurian literature or Middle English courses many paths to choose through the woods of medieval Arthuriana.” — Karen Cherewatuk, St. Olaf CollegeTable of ContentsReadings listed in green are included on the anthology’s companion website.1. Front matter a. Acknowledgements & Thanks b. List of figures c. Abbreviations d. Timeline 2. General Introduction 3. Texts a. Welsh poetry i. Early Welsh texts ii. Priddeu Annwn b. Early Latin texts c. Culhwch and Olwen d. Geoffrey of Monmouth i. Deeds of the British Book 8 Stonehenge and the Crowning of Uther Pendragon Uther and Igerna The Death of Uther Book 9 The Crowning of Arthur Arthur fights the Saxons Arthur marries Guinevere Peacetime passtimes Emperor Lucius Book 10 Arthur’s Dream Giant of Mont St. Michel Various battles with Rome Mordred’s Betrayal Book 11Arthur and Mordred ii. Vita Merlini e. Wace – Brut i. 8565-8822: Uther and Ygerne; conception, disguise, Merlin. ii. 9587-9798: Arthur’s court and the Round Table iii. 9905-10104: the Conquest of France and the defeat of Frollo. iv. 10437-10954: Arthur’s coronation to the arrival of the Roman ambassadors v. 11173-11188: Modret’s adulterous desire for the Queen. vi. 11239-11606: Arthur’s dream and the Giant of Mont St Michel vii. 13010-13298: Mordred, Guinevere, and the Death of Arthur f. Chrétien de Troyes – The Knight of the Cart g. Marie de France i. Lanval ii. Chevrefoil h. Lai of Melion i. Béroul – Tristan i. The Ambiguous Oath ii. King Arthur’s Court iii. The Malpas j. Layamon – Brut k. Gunnlaugr Leifsson – Merlínússpá l. Wolfram von Eschenbach – Parzival m. Lancelot-Grail cycle Lancelot i. Lancelot’s arrival at court ii. beginning of the love affair with Guinevere, iii. Sir Galahalt the Haut Prince iv. Galahalt’s suicide from grief. Holy Grail i. Galahad’s arrival at court ii. beginning of the quest iii. Bors’ quest iv. end of the quest in Sarras. n. Heldris of Cornwall – Roman de Silence i. Nature vs. Nurture ii. Merlin sections o. Morien p. Melech Artus q. Alliterative Morte Arthure r. Geoffrey Chaucer – “Wife of Bath’s Tale” s. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (parallel text) i. Modern English ii. Middle English t. Stanzaic Morte Arthur u. Thomas Chestre – Sir Launfal v. Hans Rosenplüt – The Crown w. Prose Merlin i. Conception of Merlin ii. Uther & Ygerne iii. Merlin & Nimiane x. The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle y. The Old Knight z. Thomas Malory – Le Morte Darthur 1. Tale I i. Uther & Igraine ii. Sword in the Stone iii. The Wedding & Round Table iv. Pentecostal Oath v. Merlin & Nenyve vi. Arthur & Accolon vii. Pelleas & Ettarde 2. Tale V i. Palomides 3. Tale VIi. Galahad’s arrival 4. Tale VII i. Elaine of Ascolat ii. Knight of the Cart iii. The Tale of Sir Urry 5. Tale VIII i. Rumours ii. War with Lancelot iii. Mordred iv. Death of Arthur vi. Death of Guinevere & Lancelot

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

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Book SynopsisBringing together a series of ingeniously linked myths and legends, Ovid''s deliciously witty and poignant Metamorphoses describes a magical world in which men and women are transformed - often by love - into flowers, trees, animals, stones and stars. First published in 1567, this landmark translation by Arthur Golding was the first major English edition of the epic, which includes such tales as the legend of Narcissus; the parable of Icarus; and the passion held by the witch-queen Circe for the great Aeneas. A compelling adaptation that used imagery familiar to English sixteenth-century society, it powerfully influenced Spenser, Shakespeare and the character of Elizabethan literature.

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Book SynopsisIn the twenty-one poems of the Heroides, Ovid gave voice to the heroines and heroes of epic and myth. These deeply moving literary epistles reveal the happiness and torment of love, as the writers tell of their pain at separation, forgiveness of infidelity or anger at betrayal. The faithful Penelope wonders at the suspiciously long absence of Ulysses, while Dido bitterly reproaches Aeneas for too eagerly leaving her bed to follow his destiny, and Sappho—the only historical figure portrayed here—describes her passion for the cruelly rejecting Phaon. In the poetic letters between Paris and Helen the lovers seem oblivious to the tragedy prophesied for them, while in another exchange the youthful Leander asserts his foolhardy eagerness to risk his life to be with his beloved Hero.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 gTable of ContentsHeroidesIntroductionI: Penelope to UlyssesII: Phyllis to DemophoonIII: Briseis to AchillesIV: Phaedra to HippolytusV: Oenone to ParisVI: Hypsipyle to JasonVII: Dido to AeneasVIII: Hermione to OrestesIX: Deianira to HerculesX: Ariadne to TheseusXI: Canace to MacareusXII: Medea to JasonXIII: Laodamia to ProtesilausXIV: Hypermestra to LynceusXV: Sappho to PhaonXVI: Paris to HelenXVII: Helen to ParisXVIII: Leander to HeroXIX: Hero to LeanderXX: Acontius to CydippeXXI: Cydippe to AcontiusAppendix 1: Principal CharactersAppendix 2: Index of Names

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Book SynopsisCollecting the most incisive and influential writings of one of Rome''s finest orators, Cicero''s Selected Works is translated with an introduction by Michael Grant in Penguin Classics.Lawyer, philosopher, statesman and defender of Rome''s Republic, Cicero was a master of eloquence, and his pure literary and oratorical style and strict sense of morality have been a powerful influence on European literature and thought for over two thousand years in matters of politics, philosophy, and faith. This selection demonstrates the diversity of his writings, and includes letters to friends and statesmen on Roman life and politics; the vitriolic Second Philippic Against Antony; and his two most famous philosophical treatises, On Duties and On Old Age - a celebration of his own declining years. Written at a time of brutal political and social change, Cicero''s lucid ethical writings formed the foundation of the Western liberal tradition in political and moral thought that continues to this day.This translation by Michael Grant conveys the elegance of Cicero''s writings. His introduction describes their social and political background, while maps, genealogical charts, timelines and a glossary place the works in context.Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC), Roman orator and statesman, was born at Arpinium to a wealthy local family. Having been educated in Rome, by 70 BC he had established himself as a leading barrister and was beginning a successful political career. Cicero received honours usually reserved only for the Roman aristocracy and was one of the greatest Roman orators.If you enjoyed Selected Works, you might like Suetonius'' The Twelve Caesars, also available in Penguin Classics.Table of ContentsIntroduction:1. Cicero against Tyranny by Jerome2. How to Live: Human Cooperation by Jerome3. Cicero as Writer and Speaker: Translator's Problems by Jerome4. The Fame of Cicero by JeromePart One: Against Tyranny1. Attack on Misgovernment: Against Verres, I2. Cicero's Life and Letters: Selection from his Correspondence3. Attack on an Enemy of Freedom: The Second Philippic against AntonyPart Two: How to Live4. A Practical Code of Behaviour: On Duties, III5. Cato the Elder on Old Age: On Old AgeAppendixesA. List of Surviving Works of CiceroB. Genealogical TablesC. Key to Technical TermsD. Maps: The Roman Empire, 51 B.C.; Central Italy; Greece and West of Asia Minor; Plan of RomeIndex of Personal Names

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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

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Book SynopsisThe Greek statesman Polybius (c.200118 BC) wrote his account of the relentless growth of the Roman Empire in order to help his fellow countrymen understand how their world came to be dominated by Rome. Opening with the Punic War in 264 BC, he vividly records the critical stages of Roman expansion: its campaigns throughout the Mediterranean, the temporary setbacks inflicted by Hannibal and the final destruction of Carthage. An active participant of the politics of his time as well as a friend of many prominent Roman citizens, Polybius drew on many eyewitness accounts in writing this cornerstone work of history.Table of ContentsThe Rise of the Roman EmpireList of MapsIntroductionTranslator's NoteBook I: Introduction; The First Punic WarBook II: Affairs in Spain; The Romans in Illyria; Affairs in Spain; Rome and the Gauls; Affiars in Spain; Events in Greece: the Achaean LeagueBook III: Introduction; The Second Punic War; The Second Illyrian War; The Second Punic War; The Second Illyrian War; The Second Punic WarBook IV: Affairs in Greece; Civil War in Cynaetha; Byzantium and the Black SeaBook V: Affairs in Egypt: The Death of Cleomenes; Affairs in Greece: Philip and the GreeksBook VI: From the Preface; On the Forms of States; On the Roman Constitution at Its Prime; The Roman Military System; The Roman Republic Compared with Others; ConclusionBook VII: Affairs in Sicily; Affairs in Greece: The Treaty between Hannibal and Philip of Macedon, The Character of PhilipBook VIII: Affairs in Sicily: The Siege of Syracuse; Affairs in Greece: Philip of Macedon; Macedon; Affairs in Italy: The Siege of TarentumBook IX: Introduction; Affairs in Italy: The Seige of Capua; On Generalship; The Character of HannibalBook X: The Character of Scipio; Affairs in Spain: The Capture of New Carthage, Scipio and the SpaniardsBook XI: Affairs in Italy: The Battle of the Metaurus; The Character of HannibalBook XII: Criticisms of Timaeus and His Approach to History: Errors on the Fauna of Africa and Corsica, Errors Concerning Sicily, Intentional and Unintentional Falsehoods, Timaeus on Callisthenes, Demoshares of Athens, Agathocles of Sicily, Timaeus' Criticisms of Other Writers, Timaeus on the Bull of Phalaris, Timaeus' Methods in Composing Speeches, Comparison of History and Medicine, Timaeus' Lack of Political and Military Experience and Unwillingness to Travel, The Causes of Timaeus' Faults and Qualities of the Good HistorianBook XIV: Affairs in Africa: Scipio's CampaignsBook XV: Affairs in Africa: The Final Campaign; The End of the Second Punic War; Affaris in Macedonia, Syria and Egypt; Affairs in Egypt: A Palace RevolutionBook XVIII: Affairs in Greece: Flamininus and Philip; On Treachery; On the Phalanx; Affairs in Greece" Flamininus and the Peace SettlementBook XXIV: Affairs in Greece: Philopoemen and AristaenusBook XXXI: Affairs in Rome and Syria: The Escape of Demetrius; Affairs in Italy: Aemilius Paullus, Scipio and PolybiusBook XXXVI: Affairs in Rome and Carthage: The Third Punic War; On Fate and ChanceBook XXXIX: From the EpilogueMapsChronological TableIndex

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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

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Book SynopsisSelections from one of the greatest essayists of the Graeco-Roman worldPlutarch used an encyclopedic knowledge of the Roman Empire to produce a compelling and individual voice. In this superb selection from his writings, he offers personal insights into moral subjects that include the virtue of listening, the danger of flattery and the avoidance of anger, alongside more speculative essays on themes as diverse as God's slowness to punish man, the use of reason by supposedly irrational animals and the death of his own daughter. Brilliantly informed, these essays offer a treasure-trove of ancient wisdom, myth and philosophy, and a powerful insight into a deeply intelligent man.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 theTable of ContentsOn listening; how to distinguish a flatterer from a friend; on being aware of moral progress; whether military or intellectual exploits have brought Athens more fame; on the avoidance of anger; on contentment; on God's slowness to punish; on Socrates' personal diety; in consolation to his wife; on the use of reason by "irrational" animals.

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Book SynopsisFREDERICK M. KEENER is Professor of English at Hofstra University. His publications include English Dialogues of the Dead, An Essay on Pope and The Chain of Becoming.

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Book SynopsisOf all the ancient Greek tragedians, Euripides was the most sensitive to the lives of women and other outcasts in Athenian society, and Electra and Other Plays collects five plays demonstrating his talent for bringing to life their plight. This Penguin Classics edition is translated by John Davie with an introduction and notes by Richard Rutherford.Written during a period overshadowed by the fierce struggle for supremacy between Sparta and Euripides'' native Athens, these five plays are haunted by the shadow of war - and in particular its impact on women. In Electra the children of Agamemnon take bloody revenge on their mother for murdering their father after his return from Troy, and Suppliant Women depicts the grieving mothers of those killed in battle. The other plays deal with the aftermath of the Trojan War for the defeated survivors, as Andromache shows Hector''s widow as a trophy of war in the house of her Greek captor, and Hecabe portrays a defeated queen avenging the murder of her last-remaining son, while Trojan Women tells of the plight of the city''s women in the hands of their victors.John Davie''s compelling translations are accompanied by an introduction by Richard Rutherford describing the tragic genre and Euripides innovations, along with a chronology, prefaces to each play, notes, a bibliography and a glossary of names.Euripides (c.485-07 BC) was an Athenian born into a family of considerable rank. Disdaining the public duties expected of him, Euripides spent a life of quiet introspection, spending much of his life in a cave on Salamis. Late in life he voluntarily exiled himself to the court of Archelaus, King of Macedon, where he wrote The Bacchae, regarded by many as his greatest work. Euripides is thought to have written 92 plays, only 18 of which survive.If you enjoyed Electra and Other Plays, you might like Euripides'' Medea and Other Plays, also available in Penguin Classics.''The most intensely tragic of all the poets''AristotleTable of ContentsElectra and Other PlaysGeneral IntroductionNote on the TextChronological TableTranslator's NotePreface to AndromacheAndromachePreface to HecabeHecabePreface to Suppliant WomenSuppliant WomenPreface to ElectraElectraPreface to Trojan WomenTrojan WomenNotesBibliographyGlossary of Mythological and Geographical Names

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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

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Book SynopsisIn AD 68, Nero's suicide marked the end of the first dynasty of imperial Rome. The following year was one of drama and danger, with four emperors—Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian—emerging in succession. Based on authoritative sources, The Histories vividly recounts the details of the long but single year of revolution that brought the Roman empire to the brink of collapse.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.

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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.

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Book SynopsisCicero (106-43BC) was the most brilliant orator in Classical history. Even one of the men who authorized his assassination, the Emperor Octavian, admitted to his grandson that Cicero was: ''an eloquent man, my boy, eloquent and a lover of his country''. This new selection of speeches illustrates Cicero''s fierce loyalty to the Roman Republic, giving an overview of his oratory from early victories in the law courts to the height of his political career in the Senate. We see him sway the opinions of the mob and the most powerful men in Rome, in favour of Pompey the Great and against the conspirator Catiline, while The Philippics, considered his finest achievements, contain the thrilling invective delivered against his rival, Mark Antony, which eventually led to Cicero''s death.

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Book SynopsisOne of the greatest poems of the classical worldVirgil's Georgics is a glorious celebration of the eternal beauty of the natural world, now brought vividly to life in a powerful new translation.  Georgic means to work the earth, and this poetic guide to country living combines practical wisdom on tending the land with exuberant fantasy and eulogies to the rhythms of nature. It describes hills strewn with wild berries in 'vine-spread autumn'; recommends watching the stars to determine the right time to plant seeds; and gives guidance on making wine and keeping bees. Yet the Georgics also tells of angry gods, bloody battles and a natural world fraught with danger from storms, pests and plagues. Expansive in its scope, lush in its language, this extraordinary work is at once a reflection on the cycles of life, death and rebirth, an argument for the nobility of labour and an impassioned reflection on the Roman Empire of Virgil's times. Kimberly Johnson's lyrical

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Book SynopsisAlexander the Great changed the world that he knew--but how he did it, and how much of his story is truth and how much is invented, is hard to tell. One of our most important sources for his achievements and personality is Plutarch''s Life of Alexander, and this is the first detailed commentary on it for over fifty years, along with a thorough introduction and translation. It is a sister volume to the author''s 2011 edition (also in the Clarendon Ancient History Series) of Plutarch''s Caesar, the Life paired with Alexander in Plutarch''s series of Parallel Lives.The life of Alexander the Great was clouded in legend from his own lifetime, not least because Alexander himself curated his image with such care. Disentangling the truth is not an easy task, especially because our surviving narratives, including Plutarch''s, all date from centuries later under the Roman empire. Plutarch''s Life of Alexander is especially important for Alexander''s early years, but for his later achievements to

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