Ancient, classical and medieval texts Books
Manchester University Press Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Book SynopsisDual text on facing pages, now revised and updated edition of this Middle English Arthurian romance. Critically acclaimed translation now in its twenty fifth year. Extensive notes, glossary and introduction. -- .Table of Contents1. Introduction2. Select bibliography3. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightSection 1, Section 2, Section 3, Section 4, 4. Abbreviations5. Notes
£13.93
Penguin Books Ltd Conversations of Socrates Penguin Classics
Book SynopsisAfter the execution of Socrates in 399 BC, a number of his followers wrote dialogues featuring him as the protagonist and, in so doing, transformed the great philosopher into a legendary figure. Xenophon's portrait is the only one other than Plato's to survive, and while it offers a very personal interpretation of Socratic thought, it also reveals much about the man and his philosophical views. In 'Socrates' Defence' Xenophon defends his mentor against charges of arrogance made at his trial, while the 'Memoirs of Socrates' also starts with an impassioned plea for the rehabilitation of a wronged reputation. Along with 'The Estate-Manager', a practical economic treatise, and 'The Dinner-Party', a sparkling exploration of love, Xenophon's dialogues offer fascinating insights into the Socratic world and into the intellectual atmosphere and daily life of ancient Greece.Table of ContentsConversations of Socrates - Xenophon PrefaceIntroductionSocrates' DefenceIntroductionSocrates' DefenceMemoirs of SocratesIntroductionMemoirs of SocratesThe Dinner-PartyIntroductionThe Dinner-PartyThe Estate-ManagerIntroductionThe Estate-ManagerBibliographyIndex of Proper Names
£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd The Persians and Other Plays
Book SynopsisAeschylus (525-456 BC) brought a new grandeur and epic sweep to the drama of classical Athens, raising it to the status of high art. The Persians, the only Greek tragedy to deal with events from recent Athenian history, depicts the final defeat of Persia in the battle of Salamis, through the eyes of the Persian court of King Xerxes, becoming a tragic lesson in tyranny. In Prometheus Bound, the defiant Titan Prometheus is brutally punished by Zeus for daring to improve the state of wretchedness and servitude in which mankind is kept. Seven Against Thebes shows the inexorable downfall of the last members of the cursed family of Oedipus, while The Suppliants relates the pursuit of the fifty daughters of Danaus by the fifty sons of Aegyptus, and their final rescue by a heroic king.
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd On Living and Dying Well
Book SynopsisIn the first century BCE, Marcus Tullius Cicero, orator, statesman, and defender of republican values, created these philosophical treatises on such diverse topics as friendship, religion, death, fate and scientific inquiry. A pragmatist at heart, Cicero''s philosophies were frequently personal and ethical, drawn not from abstract reasoning but through careful observation of the world. The resulting works remind us of the importance of social ties, the questions of free will, and the justification of any creative endeavour.This lively, lucid new translation from Thomas Habinek, editor of Classical Antiquity and the Classics and Contemporary Thought book series, makes Cicero''s influential ideas accessible to every reader. This edition also includes additional materials by Siobhán McElduff.
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd Homer and His Iliad
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.
£13.49
Oxford University Press Fasti
Book Synopsis''Times and their reasons, arranged in order through the Latin year, and constellations sunk beneath the earth and risen, I shall sing.''Ovid''s poetical calendar of the Roman year is both a day by day account of festivals and observances and their origins, and a delightful retelling of myths and legends associated with particular dates. Written in the late years of the emperor Augustus, and cut short when the emperor sent the poet into exile, the poem''s tone ranges from tragedy to farce, and its subject matter from astronomy and obscure ritual to Roman history and Greek mythology. Among the stories Ovid tells at length are those of Arion and the dolphin, the rape of Lucretia, the shield that fell from heaven, the adventures of Dido''s sister, the Great Mother''s journey to Rome, the killing of Remus, the bloodsucking birds, and the murderous daughter of King Servius. The poem also relates a wealth of customs and beliefs, such as the unluckiness of marrying in May.This new prose transTrade ReviewReview from previous edition 'a thorough and meticulous work, distinguished by accuracy and fidelity to the Latin, and it will surely suit the serious Latinless reader who desires a reliable guide to this challenging and remarkable poem' * Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 2012.04.36 *
£10.79
Oxford University Press Pocket Oxford Latin Dictionary
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.
£11.69
Oxford University Press The Fall of the Roman Republic
Book Synopsis''That was how things stood in the city at the time. With no one in charge, murders were taking place almost every day and the elections could not be held.''Books 36-40 of the Roman History by Cassius Dio (born ca. 163 CE), covers 69-50 BCE, the last twenty years before the Roman Republic collapsed in a long series of civil wars, leading to the monarchy of the emperors. Although Dio''s history was written over 250 years later, it provides the fullest surviving account of this crucial period in Roman history and is a key source of information on many of the chief developments. Dio fashions his account of these years to foreshadow the coming civil war, exposing the violence and corruption of the political life of the time, and portraying the gradual eclipse of the great general Pompey by his younger rival Caesar.Robin Waterfield''s lively and up-to-date translation is accompanied by an introduction by John Rich, which sets Dio''s work in its context and explores both literary and historiTable of ContentsIntroduction Translator's Note Select Bibliography Structure A Chronology of Events ROMAN HISTORY, BOOKS THIRTY-SIX TO FORTY Appendix: Roman Names; Roman Money and Measures of Distance; The Roman Calendar Explanatory Notes Glossary Index of Proper Names
£10.44
Oxford University Press Lykophron Alexandra Oxford Worlds Classics
Book SynopsisThe Alexandra, attributed to Lykophron is a minor poetic masterpiece. At 1474 lines, it is one of the most important and notoriously difficult Greek poems dating from the Hellenistic period.Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments Note on the text and translation Select Bibliography Timeline Synopsis of the Poem Introduction THE ALEXANDRA OF LYKOPHRON Explanatory notes Index
£8.54
Oxford University Press Propertius The Poems
Book SynopsisOf all the great classical love poets, Propertius (c. 50-10 BC) is surely one of those with most immediate appeal for readers today. His helpless infatuation for the sinister figure of his mistress Cynthia forms the main subject of his poetry and is analysed with a tormented but witty grandeur in all its changing moods, from ecstasy to suicidal despair. 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 ReviewSensual, bitchy, soppy, satirical, this great sequence of love-hate poems lives again in Lee's vivid versions. Not just a scintillating survey of erotic agony and ecstacy, but a witty glimpse of the smart set in Rome. * New Statesman & Society *
£8.54
Oxford University Press On the Soul
Book SynopsisAristotle's De Anima (On the Soul) is one of the great classics of philosophy. Aristotle examines the nature of the soul-sense-perception, imagination, cognition, emotion, and desire, including, memory, dreams, and processes such as nutrition, growth, and death.Trade ReviewElegant, philosophically sensitive, and informed by some of the best recent scholarly work on Aristotle's psychology and biology [...] I probably cannot overemphasise how good this translation is a whole, and how useful it will be to students and scholars wanting an accessible, up to date translation of all of Aristotle's psychological works together. Miller's work is a great scholarly achievement, and one that is worth far more than its listed price. * Jason W. Carter, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsIntroduction Note on the Translation On the Soul On Perception, On Memory, and On Sleep On Dreams, On Prophecy, On Length, On Youth, Fragments, Hymn to Hermias Explanatory Notes Index
£9.49
The University of Chicago Press Euripides II
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.
£12.00
Penguin Books Ltd The Secret History of the Mongols
Book SynopsisA new translation of a great historical epic, recounting the turbulent life and times of Chinggis Khan'Bear the sword andHew asunder high and haughty necksSlash apart all strong and self-willed shoulders'Born poor into a world of dangers and hardships, Chinggis (or Genghis) Khan would grow up to unify Mongolia and conquer a vast empire stretching from modern-day Beijing to Baghdad. The Secret History of the Mongols, written after Chinggis's death in the thirteenth century, is a great historical saga recounting not only his turbulent life and times, but that of his loved ones, ancestors and heirs. This remarkable new translation of the earliest surviving work written in Mongolian gives insight into a world of warlords, kinship, horses, yurts, shamans and vast landscapes, where bloody battles and violent family conflicts are impelled by Heaven's destiny. Translated with an introduction by Christopher P. AtwoodTrade ReviewThe Secret History of the Mongols describes in vivid detail the life and times of Chinggis Khan, not as an enemy, but as the Mongols saw themselves … This translation is a monumental event, a publishing landmark … Christopher Atwood has given the reader a translation for contemporary times. It is like a caravanserai, providing the materials needed for both scholar and general reader, organized for one's private trek through the empire. -- Diane Wolff, author of The Silk Road SeriesThis is an important book… a contemporaneous record of one of the most astonishing and significant events in history… Atwood’s text is a masterpiece of erudition and skill… a vital resource for anyone interested in the biggest bang of the last millennium. -- John Man * Literary Review *I was thrilled that Penguin Classics published a new translation of The Secret History of the Mongols by Christopher P Atwood. It’s a spectacular text and a wonderful edition that I will be wrapping several copies of. -- Peter Frankopan * The Guardian Books of the Year *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction1. The Influence of the Secret History and its Preservation 2. The World of the Secret History 3. Date and Authorship 4. Title, Genre, Composition 5. Mongolian Terms and their Translation Note on Spellings and Pronunciation Note on Chapter, Sub-chapter and Section Divisions Figures Maps THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE MONGOLS1: The Origin of Chinggis Khan 2: The Youth of Chinggis Khan 3: The Early Battles of Chinggis Khan 4: Chinggis Khan and Ong Khan 5: Completing the Unification of Mongolia 6: The New Regime 7: The Foreign Conquests 8: The Reign of Ökodei KhannColophon Afterword: The Transmission and Translation ofthe Secret History Appendix A: Alternative Mouse Year Theories and the Question of the Secret History’s Unity Appendix B: Socio-political Organization of the Pre-Chinggisid Mongols Appendix C: The New Aristocracy under Chinggis Khan Appendix D: Chronologies of the Foreign Conquests Bibliography Notes Glossary of Names
£999.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Tacitus Annals IV A Selection
Book SynopsisThis is the OCR-endorsed publication from Bloomsbury for the Latin AS and A-Level (Group 1) prescription of Tacitus'' Annals IV, sections 14 ( non adversus habebatur), 712, and 3941, and the A-Level (Group 2) prescription of sections 5254, 5760, 6771 and 7475, giving full Latin text, commentary and vocabulary, with a detailed introduction that also covers the prescribed sections to be read in English for A Level.It is AD 23 and we are in the ninth year of the reign of Rome's second emperor, Tiberius. Increasingly he has come to rely on the assistance of the Praetorian Prefect, Lucius Aelius Sejanus, in the running of Rome. But Sejanus has ambitions beyond being a mere assistant, extending even as far as the imperial throne itself. Tacitus vividly portrays the machinations of Sejanus as he attempts to manoeuvre himself into a position to assume the ultimate authority, characterising the period as one dominated by villainy, betrayal and deceit.Resources are available on the CompaTrade ReviewSets a new and entertaining standard in student-facing commentaries ... A truly exceptional teaching resource. * Classics for All *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Text Commentary Notes Vocabulary
£16.14
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) Greek Tragedies for Contemporary Times
Book SynopsisThree electrifying, fresh takes on Greek Tragedies, each the culmination of the Lyric Hammersmith's Springboard development programme for under-represented young people.
£15.99
Union Square & Co. The Odyssey Barnes Noble Collectible Editions
Book SynopsisThe Odyssey reveals a universal order where gods intercede in the destinies of men, heroes are both deceitful and brave and a sea voyage becomes a test of human ingenuity and endurance. Following the fall of Troy, Odysseus sets sail for home.
£18.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC OCR Anthology for Classical Greek AS and A Level
Book SynopsisThe OCR-endorsed publication from Bloomsbury for the Greek AS and A-Level set text prescriptions for examination in 2017-2019, giving full Greek text, commentary and vocabulary and a detailed introduction for each text that also covers the prescription to be read in English for A Level. The texts covered are:ASThucydides, Histories, Book IV: 1114, 2123, 2628 Plato, Apology, 18a7 to 24b2Homer, Odyssey X: 144399Sophocles, Antigone, lines 199, 497525, 531581, 891928 A-levelThucydides, Histories, Book IV: 2940Plato, Apology, 35eendXenophon, Memorabilia, Book 1.II.12 to 1.II.38Homer, Odyssey IX: 231460Sophocles, Antigone, lines 162222, 248331, 441496, 9981032Aristophanes, Acharnians, 1203, 366392Trade ReviewThis book is every teacher's dream. It is a one-stop shop ... [of] excellent value as it replaces the need to buy several separate volumes — and it does so in spendidly attractive style ... The texts it contains will be reading for anybody who has mastered GCSE and will be useful in university courses for years to come. * Classics for All Reviews *The book is, refreshingly, mainly the offspring of classroom teachers and is all the more welcome for that. * Journal of Classics Teaching *Table of ContentsPreface Then for each text: Introduction Text Commentary Vocabulary
£31.34
12th Media Services The Enchiridion
£16.29
Reaktion Books Miracula
Book SynopsisAstonishing, humorous and shocking tales from ancient Greece and Rome.
£15.15
Double 9 Books Agamemnon
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Focus Publishing/R Pullins & Co Aeneid 8
Book Synopsis
£17.09
Princeton University Press Dantes Divine Comedy
Book Synopsis
£18.00
Princeton University Press Gods and Mortals
Book SynopsisTrade Review"[A] superb retelling. . . . Nuanced, sympathetic and deeply moving."---Michael Dirda, Washington Post"Sarah Iles Johnston brings exceptional verve and scholarship to Gods and Mortals: Ancient Greek Myths for Modern Readers, a comprehensive volume. . . . [Johnston] restores the lustiness of tales that other writers have made bloodless. . . . Armchair enthusiasts may find some surprises."---Meghan Cox Gurdon, Wall Street Journal"[The] gods make Game of Thrones look like a pastoral idyll…this book is a delight and a ‘must have.’"---Roger Barnes, Classics for All"[Gods and Mortals] can almost be read as a novel…if you’re at all interested in the Greek myths and why they are still relevant to us in our modern world, you’ll want one on your bookshelf that you can keep and dip into over and again."---Terry Potter, The Letterpress Project"Lively, engaging, and well researched." * Choice Reviews *"Enjoyable."---Kathleen Fleming, Journal of Folklore Research Review
£27.00
HarperCollins Publishers How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator
Book Synopsis''Irresistibly fascinating'' MARIE CLAIRE GREECE''Essential'' VICTORIA HISLOP''Brilliantly conceived'' PAUL CARTLEDGEAn enormous bestseller in Greece, this is a bold, witty retelling of the story of Ancient Greece by a rising star in archaeologyTwo strangers meet in a trapped elevator. One is an archaeologist, the other isn't. A simple question, What do you do?', becomes the springboard for a dialogue that weaves a fascinating tale.Archaeologist Theodore Papakostas takes us on a spectacularly iconoclastic and hugely engrossing journey through ancient Greece, from its beginnings in prehistory to its end. Marvelling at the exalted moments in history as well as the more mundane, Papakostas introduces the reader to countless fascinating stories about the cradle of western civilisation many of which upend received wisdom about the empire as well as about archaeology itself. Along the way, he settles questions such as: What did a Minoan princess pack for a trip to Egypt? How did a raunchy d
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers The Great Book of King Arthur and His Knights of
Book SynopsisThe most famous and influential work of English fantasy ever published, reimagined for a new generation of readers by John Matthews, one of the world's leading Arthurian experts, and illustrated by internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist, John Howe.The tales of how the boy Arthur drew the Sword from the Stone, or the love of Lancelot and Guinevere, or how the knights of the Round Table rode out in search of the Holy Grail are known and loved the world over.It all began when an obscure Celtic hero named Arthur stepped on to the stage of history, sometime in the sixth century, and oral tales led to a vast body of stories from which, 900 years later, Thomas Malory wrote the famous Morte D'Arthur.THE GREAT BOOK OF KING ARTHUR presents these well-loved stories for a modern reader, for the first time collecting many tales of Arthur and his knights either unknown to Malory or written in other languages. Here, you will read of Avenable, the girl brought up as a boy who becomes a famous knight. You will learn of Gawain''s strange birth, his upbringing amongst poor folk and his final rise to the highest possible rank Emperor of Rome. There is also the story of Morien whose adventures are as fantastic and exciting as any to be found in the pages of Malory.In addition, there are some of the earliest tales of Arthur, deriving from the tradition of Celtic storytelling. Here is the original Arthur, represented in such powerful stories as The Adventures of Eagle-Boy', and ''The Coming of Merlin'', based on the early medieval text Vita Merlini, which gives a completely new version of the great Enchanter''s story.These age-old stories, still as popular today as they were from the Middle Ages onwards, are dramatically brought to life by the luminous paintings and drawings of John Howe, whose work on the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies has brought him a world-wide following.Trade Review“John Matthews new book, beautifully crafted in words and images. The writing style and structure enhances the reader's experience.”Colin Gunn “Now for an ambitious volume, ‘The Great Book of King Arthur & His Knights of the Round Table,’ the Arthurian scholar John Matthews has gone back to the well, as it were, from which Malory drew his shining pails and brought out a fresh supply.”The Wall Street Journal “John Howe’s artwork is incredible, evoking the otherworldly atmosphere that so pervades the Arthurian legends.”Amazon Review “These tales feel like they still exist in a glorious present, as if one could travel to King Arthur’s court simply by walking, and find oneself in Camelot.”Neil Gaiman
£24.00
Harvard University Press Saturnalia Volume I
Book SynopsisSaturnalia has been prized since the Renaissance as a treasure trove of otherwise unattested lore.
£23.70
Penguin Books Ltd The Roman History The Reign of Augustus Penguin
Book SynopsisFollowing Rome's long road to peace after decades of civil war, Cassius Dio provides the fullest account of the reign of the first emperor in Books 50 through 60 of his Roman History.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.Table of ContentsRoman History: The Reign of AugustusIntroduction by John CarterBibliographical NoteAcknowledgmentsA Note on the TextThe Roman HistoryNotesChronological TableList of ConsulsKey to Place-NamesMaps1. Italy2. North-West Europe3. Germany4. South-East and Western Anatolia5. The Middle East6. North-Western Africa7. Egypt8. The Balkans9. South Russia10. Plan of Rome11. SpainIndex
£11.69
The University of Chicago Press Aeschylus II
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.
£12.00
Focus Publishing/R Pullins & Co Lingua Latina - Ars Amatoria
Book Synopsis
£16.14
HarperCollins Publishers Lost Realms Histories of Britain from the Romans
Book Synopsis''A beautiful, beautiful book . . . archaeology is changing so much about the way we view the so-called Dark Ages [Williams] is just brilliant at bringing them to light'' Rory Stewart on The Rest is PoliticsFrom the bestselling author of Viking Britain, a new epic history of our forgotten past.As Tolkien knew, Britain in the Dark Ages' was a mosaic of little kingdoms. Many of them fell by the wayside. Some vanished without a trace. Others have stories that can be told.ELMET. HWICCE. LINDSEY. DUMNONIA. ESSEX. RHEGED. POWYS. SUSSEX. FORTRIU.In Lost Realms, Thomas Williams, bestselling author of Viking Britain, uncovers the forgotten origins and untimely demise of nine kingdoms that hover in the twilight between history and fable, whose stories hum with saints and gods and miracles, with giants and battles and the ruin of cities. Why did some realms like Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria and Gwynedd prosper while these nine fell?From the Scottish Highlands to the Cornish coastline, from the Trade Review PRAISE FOR LOST REALMS ‘Sceptical, scrupulous, written with wit and flair’Financial Times ‘This brilliant history of Dark Age Britain mixes serious scholarship with nods to pop culture, from Tolkien to The Wicker Man… Lost Realms is a joy to read’The Telegraph, FIVE STAR REVIEW ‘Williams makes a compelling guide as he steers us through the darkness’ Spectator ‘Williams has a fine command of the literary, administrative, religious and archaeological sources of early medieval Britain. He is a diligent scholar and a likeable writer’ Sunday Times ‘Rich and captivating’ TLS ‘The book is beautifully written, pushing at the very limits of our ability to understand the early medieval world’ British Archaeology ‘In recovering what he can of the near-vanished histories of Britain’s lost realms, Williams has done an admirable job, evoking the spirit of an age that was both chaotic and creative, from the ferment of which England and ultimately Britain emerged. It is a gift indeed to be reminded that Dumnonia, Lindsey, Fortriu, Hwicce, Elmet and Rheged – faint ghosts of places though they may now seem – made their own contributions to what we are today’ Literary Review 'Thomas Williams has blended a potent brew of mythic and material fragments to raise forgotten kings & queens (and their stories) from the grave. An historian not afraid of the dark and with eyes adapted to it – what he sees is assessed sagely and described beautifully'Christopher Hadley, author of Hollow Places
£22.50
Penguin Books Ltd Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Penguin Classics
Book SynopsisThe inspiration for the major motion picture The Green Knight starring Dev Patel.An early English poem of magic, chivalry and seduction Composed during the fourteenth century in the English Midlands, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight describes the events that follow when a mysterious green-coloured knight rides into King Arthur's Camelot in deep mid-winter. The mighty knight presents a challenge to the court: he will allow himself to be struck by one blow, on the condition that he will be allowed to return the strike on the following New Year's Eve. Sir Gawain takes up the challenge, decapitating the stranger - only to see the Green Knight seize up his own severed head and ride away, leaving Gawain to seek him out and honour their pact. Blending Celtic myth and Christian faith, Gawain is among the greatest Middle English poems: a tale of magic, chivalry and seduction.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the
£8.54
Penguin Books Ltd The Greek Sophists
Book SynopsisBy mid-5th century BC, Athens was governed by democratic rule and power turned upon the ability of the citizen to command the attention of the people, and to sway the crowds of the assembly. It was the Sophists who understood the art of rhetoric and the importance of transforming effective reasoning into persuasive public speaking. Their enquiries - into the status of women, slavery, the distinction between Greeks and barbarians, the existence of the gods, the origins of religion, and whether virtue can be taught - laid the groundwork for the insights of the next generation of thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle.Table of ContentsThe Greek SophistsChronologyIntroductionFurther ReadingA Note on the Text1. Protagoras of Abdera2. Gorgias of Leontini3. Prodicus of Ceos4. Hippias of Elis5. Antiphon6. Thrasymachus of Chalcedon7. Critias of Athens8. Euthydemus and Dionysodorus of Chios9. Alcidamas of Elaea10. The Anonymus Iamblichi and the Double ArgumentsAppendix: A Conspectus of SourcesNotesIndex of Rhetorical TermsIndex
£13.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Oresteian Trilogy Agamemnon The Choephori The
Book SynopsisAeschylus (525-c.456 bc) set his great trilogy in the immediate aftermath of the Fall of Troy, when King Agamemnon returns to Argos, a victor in war. Agamemnon depicts the hero''s discovery that his family has been destroyed by his wife''s infidelity and ends with his death at her callous hand. Clytemnestra''s crime is repaid in The Choephori when her outraged son Orestes kills both her and her lover. The Eumenides then follows Orestes as he is hounded to Athens by the Furies'' law of vengeance and depicts Athene replacing the bloody cycle of revenge with a system of civil justice. Written in the years after the Battle of Marathon, The Oresteian Trilogy affirmed the deliverance of democratic Athens not only from Persian conquest, but also from its own barbaric past.Table of ContentsThe Oreteian TrilogyIntroductionAgamemnonThe Choephori or The Libation-BearersThe EumenidesNotes to 'Agamemnon'Notes to 'The Choephori'Notes to 'The Eumenides'AppendixSelect BibliographyThe Pronunciation of Greek NamesGenealogical Table of the House of Atreus
£10.44
Penguin Publishing Group Theaetetus Penguin Classics
Book SynopsisSet immediately prior to the trial and execution of Socrates in 399 BC, Theaetetus shows the great philosopher considering the nature of knowledge itself, in a debate with the geometrician Theodorus and his young follower Theaetetus. Their dialogue covers many questions, such as: is knowledge purely subjective, composed of the ever-changing flow of impressions we receive from the outside world? Is it better thought of as true belief? Or is it, as many modern philosophers argue, justified true belief, in which the belief is supported by argument or evidence? With skill and eloquence, Socrates guides the debate, drawing out the implications of these theories and subjecting them to merciless and mesmerising criticism. One of the founding works of epistemology, this profound discussion of the problem of knowledge continues to intrigue and inspire.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1Table of ContentsTheaetetus - Plato PrefaceMapTheaetetus EssayBibliography
£13.49
Penguin Publishing Group Plays and Fragments Penguin Classics
Book SynopsisMenander (c. 341-291 BC) was the foremost innovator of Greek New Comedy, a dramatic style that moved away from the fantastical to focus upon the problems of ordinary Athenians. This collection contains the full text of 'Old Cantankerous' (Dyskolos), the only surviving complete example of New Comedy, as well as fragments from works including 'The Girl from Samos' and 'The Rape of the Locks', all of which are concerned with domestic catastrophes, the hazards of love and the trials of family life. Written in a poetic style regarded by the ancients as second only to Homer, these polished works - profoundly influential upon both Roman playwrights such as Plautus and Terence, and the wider Western tradition - may be regarded as the first true comedies of manners.Table of ContentsPlays and FragmentsPrefaceIntroductionFurther ReadingOld CantankerousThe Girl from SamosThe ArbitrationThe Rape of the LocksThe ShieldThe SikyonianThe Man She HatedThe Double Deceiver and The Two Bacchises by PlautusThe FarmerThe ToadyThe HarpistThe HeroThe PhantomThe Girl PossessedThe Girl from PerinthosTitle UnknownSome Longer FragmentsSome Fragments Doubtfully Attributed to MenanderNotes
£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd Dialogues and Letters
Book SynopsisA major writer and a leading figure in the public life of Rome, Seneca (c. 4BC-AD 65) ranks among the most eloquent and influential masters of Latin prose. This selection explores his thoughts on philosophy and the trials of life. In the Consolation to Helvia he strives to offer solace to his mother, following his exile in AD 41, while On the Shortness of Life and On Tranquillity of Mind are lucid and compelling explorations of Stoic thought. Witty and self-critical, the Letters - written to his young friend Lucilius - explore Seneca''s struggle to acquire philosophical wisdom. A fascinating insight into one of the greatest minds of Ancient Rome, these works inspired writers and thinkers including Montaigne, Rousseau, and Bacon, and continue to intrigue and enlighten.Table of ContentsDialogues and Letters - Seneca PrefaceIntroductionA Note on the TextFurther ReadingDialoguesConsolation to HelviaOn Tranquillity of MindOn the Shortness of LifeLettersLetter 24Letter 57Letter 79Letter 110from Natural Questions1. praef. 1-10 [Seneca urges Lucilius to enjoy the inspiration and benefits of philosophical study]4A.2.4-6 [The Cataracts of the Nile]6.1.4-7 [The terrors of earthquakes]NotesIndex
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Elder Edda
Book SynopsisPart of a new series Legends from the Ancient North, The Elder Edda is one of the classic books that influenced JRR Tolkien''s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings''I was in the East, battling giants,wicked-hearted women, who wandered the fells;great would be the giant-race, if they all lived: mankind would be nothing under, middle-earth. What did you do meantime, Grey-beard?''J.R.R. Tolkien spent much of his life studying, translating and teaching the great epic stories of northern Europe, filled with heroes, dragons, trolls, dwarves and magic. He was hugely influential for his advocacy of Beowulf as a great work of literature and, even if he had never written The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, would be recognised today as a significant figure in the rediscovery of these extraordinary tales.Legends from the Ancient North brings together from Penguin Classics five of the key works behi
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Nature of Things Lucretius Penguin Pocket
Book SynopsisA new series of beautiful hardcover nonfiction classics, with covers designed by Coralie Bickford-SmithWorld-changing ideas meet eye-catching design: the best titles of the extraordinarily successful Great Ideas series are now packaged in Coralie Bickford-Smith’s distinctive,award-winning covers. Whether on a well-curated shelf or in your back pocket, these timeless works of philosophical, political, and psychological thought are absolute musthaves for book collectors as well as design enthusiasts.The Nature of Things combines a scientific and philosophical treatise with some of the greatest poetry ever written. Lucretius demonstrates to humanity that in death there is nothing to fear, as the soul is mortal and the world and everything in it is governed by the mechanical laws of nature rather than by gods. By believing this, men can live with peace of mind and happiness. His far-ranging lyrical exploration of the universe continues with aTrade ReviewOne of the most extraordinary classical translations of recent times -- Peter Stothard * Times Literary Supplement *A.E. Stallings's brilliant recent translation -- Eric Orrmsby * Wall Street Journal *
£13.49
Oxford University Press Horace
Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, InspiringHorace was one of the greatest poets during the reign of Augustus and is seen as a mark of cultural sophistication since this time. This Very Short Introduction examines how Horace''s poetry has exerted enormous influence but argues that it is best understood within the traditions of ancient literature. Llewellyn Morgan guides the reader through the dizzying vagaries of Horace''s biography, which reflects the political and social instability of the period. His poetry, and the life he artfully constructs and presents to us in it, engages both with the greatest crisis that Rome had ever faced, and its resolution by the first Emperor. Horace is Rome''s laureate, and through him we experience the anxieties and triumphs of his age. For posterity, Horace has served for a model of the good life, a promoter of enlightened retirement, but has also exemplified poetic artistry, and is the most creative manipulator of the Latin language, even among his remarkable contemporaries.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction 1: Satire 2: Epodes 3: Odes 4: Epistles 5: Horace after Horace Further reading Index
£9.49
Oxford University Press Aristotles Eudemian Ethics
Book SynopsisAristotle''s Eudemian Ethics was until recently treated as a poor cousin of the better-known Nicomachean Ethics - poor enough even to have to borrow its three central books (IV-VI) from the latter. The work has now emerged from its relative obscurity; many scholars, indeed, now claim - on the basis of what appear to be sound statistical arguments - that it is the Nicomachean Ethics that has to borrow its Books V-VII from the Eudemian. This critical edition of Aristotle''s Eudemian Ethics treats this particular issue as unresolved, including as it does only five books (I-III, VII-VIII), but without prejudice, the three disputed books being treated as already available in the edition of the Nicomachean Ethics in the same series. The new edition of the Eudemian Ethics completes the task, begun by Walzer and Mingay''s 1991 Oxford Classical Text edition, of restoring the corrupted text on the basis of a new understanding of the relationships between the extant Greek manuscripts. The three pTable of ContentsPreface Stemma Codicum Notes on some aspects of the text and apparatvs criticvs Auctores Citati Sigla Book I Book II Book III Book VII Book VIII Index
£47.09
The University of Chicago Press Euripides I
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.
£12.00
The University of Chicago Press Euripides IV
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.
£12.00
The University of Chicago Press Homer
Book SynopsisTrade Review"In this spirited book, Porter identifies not one but three Homeric questions. First, when, how and by whom were the Iliad and the Odyssey actually composed (that is, the Homeric Question as we traditionally know it)? Second, how should we interpret the poems? And third, how does Homer work as a figure of the imagination? . . . One example of Porter’s brilliance is his discussion of Homer’s blindness. Neither historical fact nor unquestioned assumption, 'blindness' was a way for ancient readers to discuss the extraordinary vividness of Homeric epic – a quality that made an impression also on later readers." -- Barbara Graziosi * Times Literary Supplement *"Porter presents intriguing instances of writers who, in thrall to the beauty of Homer’s poetry, either celebrate or deflect from the actual war carnage described therein. Porter’s book provides not only a valuable introduction to the enigma of Homer and the roads taken down the centuries to solve—or at least better understand—that enigma, but also a number of challenging and eye-opening readings of the texts themselves. . . . I found that reading Homer through Porter’s eyes was sometimes most enjoyable precisely when our viewpoints diverged. This, in itself, is a sign of a rich and engaging book." * New Criterion *"Here is a learned tome worth careful examination. Porter presents an original, focused, intelligent analysis of Homer's oeuvre. The style is breathtaking and the range truly impressive. . . . Summing Up: Recommended." * CHOICE *"Brisk and energetic. Students (and teachers) will find much here to provoke thought and argument about the literary, cultural and moral issues, which find expression and exploration via the pages of this most enigmatic of poets." * Journal of Classics Teaching *"Porter’s is a fascinating and erudite book with a penchant for striking prose." * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *"Another book about Homer? No, says [Porter], this one is quite different: he will tease out the sources of Homer’s mystique down the ages, examining the fascination he has cast over posterity since the first recorded references in ancient Greece. There will be nothing about Homer the poet or his supposed historical existence, about the poems’ literary worth or the circumstances of their composition, certainly nothing about heroic society, simply the pursuit of a concept, an idea, a cultural invention of successive ages called ‘Homer’." * Classics for All *"Porter’s book takes us across nearly three millennia of grappling and wrestling with the idea of Homer—who he was, whether he existed, his deification by his admirers, his de-mythologizing by his critics, and his eternal recurrence again and again and again across space and time." * Merion West *"James I. Porter explores the history of Homer’s reception, focusing on the various attempts to construct the illusive identity of the Greek poet. At the same time, following a revisionist tradition popular not only in classical studies but also pervasive in academia through the past nearly seventy years, he argues that the real reading of Homer has been obscured by millennia of Western chauvinism and ideology." * University Bookman *"[Porter] cuts right to the bone of the subject. . . Though our attempts to create a biography around Homer are fruitless, the idea of Homer is eternal." * Law and Liberty *"Porter is an exceptional scholar. Clear, intelligent, and filled with fascinating examples, this book is contemporary while reaching beyond the fashionable, and it will arouse a good deal of discussion." -- Simon Goldhill, author of Preposterous Poetics“Homer: The Very Idea is an extraordinary quest in search not of the elusive Homer but of Homer’s elusivity. Porter takes up Homer as a phenomenon repeatedly produced over millennia, in different times and places, as the gauzy point of origin for cultural value that refuses to vanish. By critically engaging the idea of Homer, he delves deep into the very logic of the tradition’s value. An inimitable tour de force of transhistorical spectrology.” -- Brooke Holmes, author of Gender: Antiquity and Its Legacy“This book is a reckoning with who or what we understand Homer to be and how we have reinvented him for our own ends. Porter makes clear the impossibility of Homer both as a concept and as a person, revealing him as the illusion of a perfectly formed whole that has been kept alive for millennia, a ghost in the machine, a phantom both alive and dead. As a leading scholar in dismantling assumptions about the classical past, Porter has written an original, compelling, and eye-opening book that will generate excitement and admiration.” -- Alex C. Purves, author of Homer and the Poetics of Gesture"This book is the culmination of Porter's work of two decades on Homer as the history of an idea... it demonstrates the immense potential of the poems and their author to create new ideas according to the perspectives of their readers." * The Classical Review *Table of ContentsNote on Translations and Abbreviations List of Illustrations Timeline 1. Why Homer? 2. Who Was Homer? 3. Apotheosis or Apostasy? 4. What Did Homer See? 5. Why War? Acknowledgments Notes Further Reading Works Cited Index
£14.24
Harvard University Press Philippics 16
Book SynopsisWe know more of Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC), lawyer, orator, politician and philosopher, than of any other Roman. Besides much else, his work conveys the turmoil of his time, and the part he played in a period that saw the rise and fall of Julius Caesar in a tottering republic.Trade ReviewIf I could make one Christmas wish, it would be that every MP receives these two volumes in their stocking next week, and is obliged to recite a passage of Cicero—in D. R. Shackleton Bailey’s crystalline translation—on Boxing Day morning, to understand how great speeches are made… The great advantage of the Loeb editions is that readers who are interested in the language of Rome but whose Latin is weak (a category in which I am emphatically included) can compare the original side by side with the translation. Thus one can get a sense of how Cicero’s words sounded, before glancing across and seeing them in English… This translation is throughout a joy to read. -- Robert Harris * Sunday Times *Table of Contents* List of Cicero's Works * Preface * Preface to the Original Edition * Introduction * Introduction to the Original Edition * Note on Manuscripts and Editions * Abbreviations * Bibliography * Chronology * Maps * Philippic 1 * Philippic 2 * Philippic 3 * Philippic 4 * Philippic 5 * Philippic 6
£23.70
Harvard University Press Philippics 714
Book SynopsisWe know more of Marcus Tullius Cicero (10643 BC), lawyer, orator, politician and philosopher, than of any other Roman. Besides much else, his work conveys the turmoil of his time, and the part he played in a period that saw the rise and fall of Julius Caesar in a tottering republic.Trade ReviewIf I could make one Christmas wish, it would be that every MP receives these two volumes in their stocking next week, and is obliged to recite a passage of Cicero—in D. R. Shackleton Bailey’s crystalline translation—on Boxing Day morning, to understand how great speeches are made… The great advantage of the Loeb editions is that readers who are interested in the language of Rome but whose Latin is weak (a category in which I am emphatically included) can compare the original side by side with the translation. Thus one can get a sense of how Cicero’s words sounded, before glancing across and seeing them in English… This translation is throughout a joy to read. -- Robert Harris * Sunday Times *Table of Contents* List of Cicero's Works * Abbreviations * Philippic 7 * Philippic 8 * Philippic 9 * Philippic 10 * Philippic 11 * Philippic 12 * Philippic 13 * Philippic 14 * Fragments * Index
£23.70
Harvard University Press Amphitryon. The Comedy of Asses. The Pot of Gold.
Book SynopsisThe comedies of Plautus , who brilliantly adapted Greek plays for Roman audiences ca. 205–184 BC, are the earliest Latin works to survive complete and cornerstones of the European theatrical tradition from Shakespeare and Molière to modern times. Twenty-one of his plays are extant.
£23.70
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc The Tale of Cupid and Psyche
Book SynopsisIs "Cupid and Psyche" a romance, a folktale, a Platonic allegory of the nature of the soul, a Jungian tale of individuation, or an archetypal dream? This book provides a translation of this best known section of "Apuleius' Golden Ass".Trade Review"Joel Relihan's playful and exuberant translation of Apuleius' Golden Ass has already won admiration for its ability to give an English-reading audience some sense of what it's like to experience this often astonishing writer in the original Latin. By presenting The Tale of Cupid and Psyche with its narrative frame and by supplementing it with key passages from other writers, he here provides the reader with the materials needed for an informed and complex engagement with this text; his carefully nuanced 'Afterthoughts' enrich that process further. This volume will appeal to anyone with interests in myth, religion, and folklore, and will surely find its place in a wide range of courses." --James B. Rives, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill"Relihan's edition, containing his lively translation of Cupid and Psyche, along with succinct and illuminating discussion of its background and reception, is a do-it-yourself kit for appreciating Apuleius' splendid tale in its philosophical and intellectual context." --Catherine Connors, University of Washington"Simply beautiful. . . presents background information essential for the overall understanding of the work. The translation is a sweet adventure into the beauty of the work." --Dr. Michael J. Lynch, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
£12.34
Cambridge University Press The Politics and Poetics of Ciceros Brutus
Book SynopsisCicero's Brutus (46 BCE), a magisterial dialogue on Rome's oratorical and political history, was written amidst Julius Caesar's rise to power. This book examines how Cicero, in responding to the civic crisis and contemporary intellectual developments, ultimately created the first complex account of literary history in the European tradition.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Ciceropaideia; 2. The intellectual genealogy of the Brutus; 3. Caesar and the political crisis; 4. Truthmaking and the past; 5. Beginning (and) literary history; 6. Perfecting literary history; 7. Cicero's Attici; 8. Minerva, Venus, and Cicero's judgments on Caesar's style; Conclusion.
£22.99
