Literary studies: ancient, classical Books

Book SynopsisThirty years ago Robert Kaster''s Guardians of Language: The Grammarian and Society in Late Antiquity investigated ancient Greco-Roman grammarians as social agents within their social and cultural context. This collection of twelve essays develops that line of inquiry by focusing on one dimension of their activity: how Roman grammarians - as well as scholars and intellectuals more broadly - described, made sense of, and resisted linguistic diversity within the Roman republic and empire. This includes social and diachronic variety within Latin as well as multilingual contact with Greek and other Mediterranean languages. The essays cover five centuries of Latin reflection on language, from Varro to the fifth or sixth century CE. The book concludes with an autobiographical Epilogue by Robert Kaster about the origins of Guardians of Language and updates to the prosopography of known ancient grammarians found in Guardians.Trade ReviewHow does a language that has become the lingua franca of an Empire change over time? Who drives such change, and how is it seen by intellectuals and by those who oversee élite education-the grammatici? These essays explore these questions in detail, insightfully, often humorously. The Epilogue, Robert Kaster's own account of the accidental genesis of Guardians of Language, shows why its 30th anniversary deserves celebration, and displays the wit and modesty that helped inspire the loyalty of Kaster's students and colleagues alike. Kaster's updated prosopography of Roman grammatici makes the book indispensable for students of that no longer quite so neglected group of guardians of the Latin language. * David Blank, University of California, Los Angeles *Gitner has assembled an all-star team to finally respond to Guardians of Language in the best possible way. Recent technical advances in a variety of fields have been marshaled, the time frame of the investigation has been expanded, and the relevance of a variety of other scholarly discourses to the policing of language has been properly recognized. All in all, a remarkable collective achievement. * Andrew Riggsby, University of Texas, Austin *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Contributors Short Title Abbreviations Preface Adam Gitner Introduction 1. Counterfeit and Coinage: Gresham's Law and the Grammarian James E. G. Zetzel Part I: Varro 2. Varro the Conservative? Katharina Volk 3. Varro and the Sabine Language in the De lingua Latina Wolfgang D. C. de Melo 4. Varro's Word Trees Andreas T. Zanker Part II: Professional Grammarians 5. The Use of Greek in Diomedes' Ars grammatica Bruno Rochette 6. The Grammarian Consentius on Language Change and Variation Tommaso Mari 7. Antiquus = squalidus? Pompeius' Attitude towards Antiquity Anna Zago 8. T(w)o Be or Not T(w)o Be: The dualis numerus according to Latin Grammarians up to the Early Middle Ages Tim Denecker 9. Anonymous Grammatical Scholarship: Insights from an Annotated Juvenal Codex from Egypt Alessandro Garcea and Maria Chiara Scappaticcio Part III: Scholars and Intellectuals 10. Civic Metaphors for Lexical Borrowing from Seneca to Gellius Adam Gitner 11. Grammar and Grammarians, Linguistic and Social Change from Gellius to Macrobius Leofranc Holford-Strevens 12. Language Variation and Grammatical Theory in Roman Legal Texts Rolando Ferri Epilogue The (Very Fragile) Origins of Guardians of Language Robert A. Kaster Prosopographical Addenda to Guardians of Language Robert A. Kaster Bibliography General Index Index of Notable Passages

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Book SynopsisFascism is a word ubiquitous in our contemporary political discourse, but few know about its roots in the ancient past or its long, strange evolution to the present. In ancient Rome, the fasces were a bundle of wooden rods bound with a leather cord, in which an axe was placed--in essence, a mobile kit for corporal or capital punishment. Attendants typically carried fasces before Rome''s higher officials, to induce feelings of respect and fear for the relevant authority. This highly performative Roman institution had a lifespan of almost two millennia, and made a deep impression on subsequent eras, from the Byzantine period to the present. Starting in the Renaissance, we find revivals and reinterpretations of the ancient fasces, accelerating especially after 1789, the first year of the United States'' Constitution and the opening volley of the French Revolution. But it was Benito Mussolini, who, beginning in 1919, propagated the fasces on an unprecedented scale. Oddly, today the emblem Trade ReviewThis is a highly readable, interesting and useful survey, and an illustration of how we can always learn from history. The line between Romulus, the consuls, Marianne, Lincoln and Mussolini isn't a straight one: symbols too can be easily manipulated. * Classics for All *Brennan follows a symbol of authority from ancient Rome, via Mussolini and Lincoln, to today's far Right.... Compelling. * The Telegraph *Few political icons can boast the longevity of the fasces, the bundle of rods surrounding an axe variously employed by the ancient Etruscans and Romans, French and American revolutionaries, and (most infamously) Mussolini's fascists. In the first comprehensive study of its kind, Cory Brennan expertly traces the complex history and shifting meanings of this powerful symbol * a history all the more important given the re-emergence of the fasces in the hands of the contemporary Alt-Right.Joshua Arthurs, University of Toronto *Power expresses itself through symbols and perhaps no symbol has been as potent, from imperial Rome to Mussolini's fascist Italy, as the Roman fasces. T. Corey Brennan in his illuminating and eloquently written book traces this use of the fasces from its origins to the present, exploring what this symbol seeks to impart. He dissects, in the process, the nature of autocratic power and the manipulation of symbols to justify and suppress aspirations for liberty. * Chris Hedges, author of War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning *The fasces are one of the most potent symbols of terrifying power and are ineradicably associated with contemporary political extremism. But their history is longer, richer, and even more fascinating. No-one is better equipped than Corey Brennan to tell this story — and he tells it brilliantly. * Christopher Smith, University of St Andrews *[An] impressive history of the ancient symbol...Brennan's long history of the fasces reminds us that there is a time and place for symbol-smashing, but also that if we attempt to erase such symbols we risk caricaturing them, forgetting the nuance of their historical reality and ultimately ceding their unquestionable power to those who would use them to promote hate-fuelled ideologies. * Times Literary Supplement *This is a beautifully written book about a potent, malleable and sinister symbol. The volume concludes by saying: 'We are now a full century past the point where one can argue that the primary associations of the fasces are benign'. Every one of us needs to know what happened, and the easiest way to do that is to read Professor Brennan's brilliant book. * Classical Journal-Online *An engrossing study... The evolution of the fasces from ancient to modern times reminds us of how dramatically the meanings of such objects can shift, or even invert, as different eras project onto them the values they want to uphold... Brennan's study is disturbingly timely... By making the fasces more recognizable and less ambiguous, Brennan's book aims to prevent its return as a banner for authoritarianism. * The New York Review of Books *By making the fasces more recognizable and less ambiguous, Brennan's book aims to prevent its return as a banner for authoritarianism. * James Romm, New York Review *A wide-reaching, ambitious book presenting a global history of fasces... Brennan covers a vast sweep of time, moving from their Etruscan origins in antiquity to the revival of the symbol in fascist Europe. * History Today *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments List of Illustrations Chapter 1. Introduction to The Roman Fasces Chapter 2. Origins of The Fasces Chapter 3. Images of The Roman Fasces Chapter 4. Roman Fasces in Action Chapter 5. Limits and Discontinuities of The Fasces Chapter 6. Carrying the Fasces Chapter 7. Medieval and Renaissance Fasces Chapter 8. Early Modern and Neoclassical Fasces Chapter 9. Popular and Revolutionary Fasces Chapter 10. American Fasces Chapter 11. Constructing Fasces in Mussolini's Italy Chapter 12. Eradication of Fasces Abbreviations and Note on Translations Bibliography Illustrations

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Book SynopsisHomer Vol. IV. Odyssey (Books XIII-XXIV)

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Book SynopsisOriginally writing over 600 years ago, Geoffrey Chaucer is today enjoying a global renaissance. Why do poets, translators, and audiences from so many cultures, from the mountains of Iran to the islands of Japan, find Chaucer so inspiring? In part this is down to the character and sheer inventiveness of Chaucer''s work. At the time Chaucer''s writings were not just literary adventures, but also a means of convincing the world that poetry and science, tragedy and astrology, could all be explored through the English language. French was still England''s aristocratic language of choice when Chaucer was born; Latin was used for university education, theological discussion, and for burying the dead. Could a hybrid tongue such as English ever generate great writing to compare with French and Latin? Chaucer, miraculously, believed that it could, through gradual expansion of expressiveness and scientific precision. He was never paid to do this; he was valued, rather, as a capable civil servant, regulating the export of wool and the building of seating for royal tournaments. Such experiences, however, fed his writing, leading him to achieve a range of social registers, from noble tragedy to barnyard farce, unrivalled for centuries. His tale-telling geography is vast, his fascination with varieties of religious belief endless, and his desire to voice female experience especially remarkable. Many Chaucerian poets and performers, today, are women. In this Very Short Introduction David Wallace introduces the life, performance, and poetry of Chaucer, and analyses his astonishing and enduring appeal.Previously published in hardback as Geoffrey Chaucer: A New IntroductionABOUT 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.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Prof. Wallace has produced a superb introduction: an adroit, authoritative, fresh, energetic delight. * The New English Review *This is a book which shows up everything you thought you knew about Chaucer, but didn't, and has a knack of making you want to find out even more. * Sandra Callard, On: Magazine *This smart and attractive little book is a very quick read, and Wallace's conversational style has warm appeal. * Laura Ashe, Times Literary Supplement *Showing a solid command of history, Wallace provides fascinating analyses of Chaucer's personal and literary evolution. He is a master of his subject, insightful and provocative throughout. * Kirkus Review *A thoroughly fresh engagement...which gives us Chaucer as a writer of his moment wide open to the future and the world. * Paul Strohm, author of The Poet's Tale *Along with its other mind-broadening features, this introduction offers a timely reminder that Chaucer benefited from a Europe-wide perspective and continues to evoke creative responses across cultures and borders. * Nicholas Havely, University of York *Table of Contents1: Beginnings 2: Schoolrooms, science, female intuition 3: A life in poetry 4: Poetry at last: Troilus and Criseyde 5: Organizing, disorganizing: The Canterbury Tales 6: Something to believe in 7: Performance and new Chaucers Timeline: a well-documented life Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisThe City of God, written in the aftermath of the Gothic sack of Rome in AD 410, is the most influential of Augustine's works, having played a decisive role in the formation of the Christian West. Gerard O'Daly's book is the most comprehensive modern guide to it in any language.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition An expert and well-judged study, and one long needed * Journal of Roman Studies *O'Daly's knowledge of Augustine bibliography is stunningly wide-ranging, always well-judged, and immensely helpful in guiding the reader to informed further research in any one of the multitude of themes and ideas which cluster together in the City of God. * Journal of Theological Studies *O'Daly intends to provide a detailed yet accessible reading of Augstine's vast and complex masterpiece, directed at a wide group of readers who are not necessarily specialists. By taking up this task O'Daly fills indeed a gap in scholarship that was long overdue, and he is a scholar most apt for this task. * Church History *Table of ContentsAbbreviated Titles: General Abbreviated Titles of Augustine's and Other Writings 1: Cities Real and Desired 2: The Making of the Book 3: The Apologetic Tradition 4: The Theme of the Two Cities 5: The Structure of the City of God, and a Summary of its Contents 6: `Where Were the Gods?': Books 1-5 7: Varro, Platonists, and Demons: Books 6-10 8: Creation, the Fall, and the Regime of the Passions: Books 11-14 9: The History of the Two Cities: Books 15-18 10: Final Destinations: Books 19-22 11: Influences and Sources 12: The Place of the City of God in Augustine's Writings Appendix A: The Title De Civitate Dei Appendix B: Manuscripts, Editions, and Reception Appendix C: 'Breviculus', 'Capitula', and 'Canon' Appendix D: The Chronology in City 18. 54 Bibliography Index of Selected Passages Cited General Index

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Book SynopsisWhat could Greek poets or Roman historians say in their own language that would be lost in translation? After all, different languages have different personalities, and this is especially clear with languages of the ancient and medieval world. This volume celebrates six such languages - Ancient Greek, Latin, Old English, Sanskrit, Old Irish, and Biblical Hebrew - by first introducing readers to their most distinctive features, then showing how these linguistic traits play out in short excerpts from actual ancient texts. It explores, for instance, how Homer''s Greek shows signs of oral composition, how Horace achieves striking poetic effects through interlaced word order in his Latin, and how the poet of Beowulf attains remarkable intensity of expression through the resources of Old English. But these are languages that have shared connections as well. Readers will see how the Sanskrit of the Rig Veda uses words that come from roots found also in English, how turns of phrase characteristic of the Hebrew Bible found their way into English, and that even as unusual a language as Old Irish still builds on common Indo-European linguistic patterns. Very few people have the opportunity to learn these languages, and they can often seem mysterious and inaccessible: drawing on a lucid and engaging writing style and with the aid of clear English translations throughout, this book aims to give all readers, whether scholars, students, or interested novices, an aesthetic appreciation of just how rich and varied they are.Trade ReviewThe style is light and breezy, and is generally easy to follow, but G. tends to dwell in great depth on highly specialised points. There is something for everyone... * MCCOMAS TAYLOR, The Australian National University, THE CLASSICAL REVIEW *On the whole, this is an excellent book, and it should prove a very stimulating introduction to ancient languages in general and to comparative linguistics for students and for interested laypersons. The author claims that he wishes to convey enthusiasm for learning the languages discussed in the book, as well as to acquaint students with a certain degree of linguistic diversity, and he masterfully succeeds in doing this. * Audrey Mathys, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bryn Mawr Classical Review *The book takes readers through Greek, Latin, Old English and the Germanic Languages, Sanskrit, Old Irish and the Celtic Languages, and Hebrew, introducing their phonology, morphology, lexicons, grammar, and excerpting passages from texts such as the Iliad, Beowulf, and the Rig Veda, to illustrate how the flavor of a language is always lost a little in translation. * Malcolm Keating, Yale-NUS College, New Books Network *(...) this is a book about the impossibility or the limits of translation and the awareness of how much is lost when, by changing the language, the expressive resources also have to be altered. * The Euphrosyne, Vol 50 *Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: Greek The sounds of Greek Word-forms The Iliad Formulas Thucydides and abstract language Pauline prepositions 3: Latin How Latin works Lucretius Horace and Housman Tacitus 4: Old English and the Germanic Languages Grimm's Law and umlaut Verbs, strong and weak Old English Beowulf 5: Sanskrit The sounds of Sanskrit Sandhi Nouns in Sanskrit The Rig Veda How to kill a dragon The hidden names of the dawn-cows 6: Old Irish and the Celtic Languages The eccentricities of the Irish language Old Irish in action Welsh 7: Hebrew The sounds of Semitic How Semitic words change shape Let there be light Noun chains 8: Epilogue and Further Reading Endmatter Index

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Book SynopsisRecognised on its first appearance as the most comprehensive single-volume guide to The Canterbury Tales yet produced, this third edition brings the Tales up to date in relation both to recent criticism and to the changing expectations of modern readers. The Guide provide tale-by-tale information on textual variations and sources, together with a readable commentary on thematic issues, structure, style, generic affiliations, and the contribution of each tale to the work as a whole. It concludes with a survey of the many imitations of the tales down to the early seventeenth century. This new edition also takes account of the latest scholarship, theory, and criticism and new interpretations of the tales, including such matters as gender identity, consent, and racial and religious difference.The book is the most comprehensive single-volume guide to the Tales yet produced, bringing together a wide range of disparate material and providing a readable commentary on all aspects of the work. ITrade ReviewReview from previous edition 'marked by wit, learning, intelligence, and that rarest of critical virtues, good judgement...a genuine guide whose abundant information and good sense make it a sure foundation for series work on The Canterbury Tales. Although especially useful for those, on any level, studying Chaucer for the first time, experienced Chaucerians will find it a helpful companion to The Riverside Chaucer. For teaching or research this is now the first book on The Canterbury Tales to consult after reading the text itself.' * Studies in the Age of Chaucer *'Cooper's guide is a more powerful book than any previous aid or introduction to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. It presents the lively generous mind of a serious scholar and a sensitive reader.' * Notes & Queries *'This is a major book with many virtues...a book with much to offer its reader.' * Review of English Studies *'a well-written and reliable guide through a mass of material that largely transcends the limitations of its form to offer critical analysis of lasting value.' * Archiv für das Stadium der neueren Sprachan und Literaturen *

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Book SynopsisChaucer's Ethical Philosophy argues that Chaucer''s fictions engage with the most urgent questions of modern political and moral philosophy. Close analysis of Troilus and Criseyde, the Canterbury Tales, and the Book of the Duchess reveals the ways in which Chaucer anticipates modern philosophical debates, using his fictions to explore the ethics of subjectivity and recognition, agency and moral responsibility; concerns that Chaucer experimentally formulated and discomposed across his works are amongst those that most animate and trouble contemporary ethical philosophy. This book places Chaucer in close dialogue not only with medieval philosophy and theology, and his great European literary sources (Boccaccio, Dante, Guillaume de Machaut), but with major figures and concepts of modern philosophical thought (Hegel, Levinas, Wittgenstein, Butler; recognition, subjectivity, gender). It illuminates his use of distinctively medieval forms of narrative to explore ideas and develop philosophies that we have been conditioned to think of as exclusively modern. In this he reveals both the essential nature of the questions, and the contingent, socially--and culturally--conditioned nature of our answers; and he shows us that medieval structures of thought remain central to our understandings of the world. In response to the fundamental ethical question-how should I treat another person?--Chaucer''s fictional experiments are shown to be as philosophically complex and ethically powerful as anything in current thought.

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Book SynopsisRhetoric is an engine of social discourse and the art charged with generating and swaying emotion. The history of rhetoric provides a continuous structure by which we can measure how emotions were understood, articulated, and mobilized under various historical circumstances and social contracts. This book is about how rhetoric in the West, from Late Antiquity to the later Middle Ages, represented the role of emotion in shaping persuasions. It is the first book-length study of medieval rhetoric and the emotions, coloring that rhetorical history between about 600 CE and the cusp of early modernity. Rhetoric in the Middle Ages, as in other periods, constituted the gateway training for anyone engaged in emotionally persuasive writing. Medieval rhetorical thought on emotion has multiple strands of influence and sedimentations of practice. The earliest and most persistent tradition treated emotional persuasion as a property of surface stylistic effect, which can be seen in the medieval rhetoTrade ReviewAs with Copeland's other major studies, Emotion and the History of Rhetoric in the Middle Ages synthesizes multiple research fields to serve multiple audiences ... indispensable.' * Jonathan Newman, Studies in the Age of Chaucer *Copeland has given us a convincing and conceptually rich account of Western medieval rhetoric that will also serve as an invaluable resource more broadly for historians of literature, culture, and thought. * Jonathan Morton, Medium Aevum *Professor Copeland's text is a surprisingly readable history that builds upon itself logically, engaging the reader even as it carries them through dense lines of arguments and swaths of narrative ... Emotion and the History of Rhetoric in the Middle Ages is truly a life's work, and it is sure to become an essential text for scholars of the Middle Ages across the disciplines of literature, history, philosophy, and theology, as well as all kinds of scholars interested in a more broadly conceived history of emotions. * Shea Mccollough, English, Washington University in St. Louis, Comitatus *Copeland is generous with citations from primary sources and is always ready to explore the byways as well as the highways of her terrain ... Readers will thus find much to learn from this book. * Ad Putter, Review of English Studies *In this rich and wide-ranging study,...Emotion and the History of Rhetoric in the Middle Ages synthesizes multiple research fields to serve multiple audiences. * Studies in the Age of Chaucer *In this rich and wide-ranging study, Rita Copeland pursues two concepts of the relationship between rhetoric and emotion from Antiquity to the end of the medieval period...The volume can serve as a history of medieval rhetoric. * Jonathan Newman, Studies in the Age of Chaucer *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Before the Middle Ages: Emotion from Invention to Style 2: Christian and Literary Rhetorics of the Early Middle Ages: Emotion as the Property of Style 3: Emotion in the Rhetorical Arts and Literary Culture c. 1070-c.1400 4: Aristotle's Rhetoric in the Latin West: The Fortunes of the Path? 5: De regimine principum: Emotion, Persuasion, and Political Thought 6: Political Poetics and the Aristotelian Turn: Dante, Chaucer, and Hoccleve 7: Preaching, Emotion, and the Aristotelian Turn Epilogue: Mixed Rhetorics

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Book SynopsisThis is the first new critical edition of this text since 1908, and the first to appear in the Oxford Classical Texts series. The edition is informed by a comprehensive analysis of the entire tradition of Lucullus and Academicus Primus, and by a thorough rethinking of the text documented in the accompanying commentary volume.Lucullus and Academicus Primus are a key body of evidence for the development of Academic scepticism, one of the two varieties of scepticism in antiquity. The texts also shed light on the re-emergence of dogmatic Platonic philosophy in the first century BC.Table of ContentsPreface Index editonium Sigla Epistulae ad compositionem Catuli Luculli Academicorum librorum pertinentes ACADEMICUS PRIMUS Fragmenta et testimonia academicorum librorum Vestigia Catuli in Lucullo manifesta LUCULLUS Appendix critica

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Book SynopsisJuvenal, writing between AD 110 and 130, was one of the greatest satirists of Imperial Rome. His powerful and witty attacks on the vices, abuses, and follies of the big city have been admired and used by many English writers, including Ben Jonson, Dryden, and most notably, Dr Johnson, who described his writing as `a mixture of gaiety and statelines, of pointed sentences and declamatory grandeur''. Juvenal has been seen as a stern moralist and, more recently, as an extravagant wit, and is acclaimed for his vivid description of the scenes which aroused his anger. He coined the famous phrase designating people `eager and anxious for two things; bread and races'' (panem et circenses''). Niall Rudd''s translation reproduces the original style and metrical effect of Juvenal''s hexameters. William Barr''s Introduction and Notes provide literary and historical background to the sixteen satires. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Trade Review`scholarly and disciplined' Sunday Telegraph'The translation itself goes a long way towards catching J.'s mixture of rhetoric and wit. It is lively and taut ... translation is excellent, not only the best available in English but also good to read, no bad thing as most of its readers will be Latinless.' F. Jones, University of Liverpool, The Classical Review, Vol. XLII, 1992

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Book SynopsisFrom the stages of Broadway and London to university campuses, Paris, and the bourgeoning theaters of Africa, Greek tragedy remains constantly in production. This title explains how Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles conceived their works in performance. It summarizes what we know about how their tragedies were actually staged.Trade Review"Simon Goldhill's new book is enthralling. A 'can't put down' and a 'forever reread.' His detailed analyses of so many past productions are rare and exciting. His unfolding of the Greek texts and the many different translations is both instructive and exhilarating. He reveals the contradictions within the specific structures of the characters, and also of the chorus, in a way that every actor will be grateful for. I never saw any of the productions he describes, explains, and analyzes, but I have an unforgettable secondhand memory of them, thanks to his own knowledge and keen joy in his subject." - Vanessa Redgrave"

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Book SynopsisBetween 2010 and 2017 Scapegoat Carnivale presented new performances of Euripides’s Medea and Bacchae and Sophocles’s Oedipus Tyrannus. This book reproduces Scapegoat’s adaptations and invites readers to encounter these texts, giving them the tools to better understand where they came from and their relevance in contemporary theatre and life.

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Book SynopsisA sensitive analysis of the spiritual significance of ancient Greek religion.Trade Review"This study of Dionysus ... is also a new theogony of Early Greece." Publishers Weekly "An original analysis ... of the spiritual significance of the Greek myth and cult of Dionysus." - Theology DigestTable of ContentsIntroduction, by Robert B. PalmerForeword, by Walter F. OttoI. Myth and CultusII. Dionysus 1. Preface 2. The Birthplace of the Cult of Dionysus 3. The Son of Zeus and Semele 4. The Myths of His Epiphany 5. The God Who Comes 6. The Symbol of the Mask 7. Pandemonium and Silence 8. The World Bewitched 9. The Somber Madness 10. Modern Theories 11. The Mad God 12. The Vine 13. Dionysus Revealed in Vegative Nature 14. Dionysus and the Element of Nature 15. Dionysus and the Women 16. Ariadne 17. The Fate of Dionysus 18. Dionysus and Apollo 19. Concluding Remarks on TragedyNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisThis book provides insights into the intellectual lives, spiritual culture, and literary authorship of medieval women.Trade Review"[A] rich and diverse book. . . The articles as a whole make clear that women were central to medieval writing: they wrote, they collaborated, they constituted an audience. And they were central to medieval religion as well, not just as an audience but also as shapers of the tradition. This shaping, of course, was possible at some moments more than others. It is the juxtaposition of the study of certain moments with the overview of women's literary activity that makes this collection so worthwhile." —American Historical Review"The dialogue format of this work of sophisticated literary and historiographical analysis provides modern readers with the tools to engage directly with the authors' findings, revealing the rich heritage of medieval female readers. Recommended." —Choice"[A] stimulating new collection of essays edited by Linda Olson and Kathryn Kerby-Fulton. . . . In their refusal to construct a grand narrative of reading and writing women in the medieval period, these challenging and eclectic essays will be essential for anyone interested in literacy and its implications." —Times Literary Supplement“From late Roman women corresponding with St. Augustine, to nuns reading their Office, to 16th-century English women preachers, the book’s essayists and their respondents, a coterie of international scholars from several disciplines, analyze extant or indirect sources, and provide fascinating insights into the cultural lives of medieval women.” —Catholic Library World"Voices in Dialogue is a lengthy and ambitious volume of essays and responses, the aim of which is to encourage an interrogation of traditionally accepted methodologies within scholarly discourse by placing groups of its contributors in direct dialogue with one another." —Journal of Ecclesiastical History"The injustice of . . . women's access to and participation in intellectual culture in the Middle Ages, is amply demonstrated in pieces that range, chronologically, from the patristic era to the Reformation and, geographically, from Bohemia to France, North Africa to England, although English topics play a larger role than those of any other single area." —Studies in the Age of Chaucer"Wide-ranging and rewarding, this is a volume which should be widely used, for its internal debates, and for its contributions to wider scholarly concerns. It continues the long-term project of reclaiming women's voices, but is also a valuable contribution to the holistic reconstruction of the medieval literate and literary culture." —The Heythrop Journal (2007)“This collection of eleven impeccably edited studies demonstrates that from late antiquity to the 16th century, Christian/Catholic women, religious and lay, cloistered and secular, sought knowledge of God, shaped their lives by this knowledge, and undertook to impart their spiritual wisdom in active ministry . . . This study focuses on six topics: women's literacy, questions of authorship, women's cultural relationships, and their homiletic, liturgical, and sacramental roles both within their conventual communities and in society generally.” —Theological Studies“ . . . several of the dialogues . . . provide marvelous big-picture discussions of medieval women that probably all medievalists should read and that would also be wonderfully suited for classroom use. The range and sheer excellence of the contributions means, most of all, that the collection will have enduring value for all who study medieval women, their communities, and their writings.” —Journal of English and Germanic Philology“Contributions to the volume represent an important resource for new research in medieval cultural and textual history; its impressive lineup of contributors and its dialogic layout make this collection a demonstration of the responsive creative context in which these authors view their subjects.” —English Historical Review

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“The definitive treatment of Alexander as a figure of myth. . . . Whether it is Hellenistic notions of utopia, or cities of death in the Arabian Nights, or the origins of the manticore in Indian fable, the extraordinary range of Alexander’s afterlife has enabled Stoneman to write a veritable book of wonders.”—Tom Holland, Daily Telegraph“In this fascinating book, Stoneman explores the various legendary aspects of the general. Stoneman suggests that Alexander embodies the aspirations of Everyman.”—The Independent“Stoneman, here solidifying his reputation as the foremost authority on the legend of Alexander, presents us with nothing less than a legendary parallel life of Alexander. . . .A boon for anyone studying Alexander myth or historiography. Much has been written over the last decades on Alexander-as-legend. . . but nowhere have the many strands of the legendary Alexander been woven together so fully. . . .It would be a great shame if any course on Alexander were to be taught without reference to at least some of its insights.”—Sulochana R. Asirvatham, Journal of Historical Biography“Richard Stoneman gave 20 well-spent years to the writing of this masterly book. In it he separates the truths about Alexander from the many myths that have surrounded him.”—Sunday Telegraph“Anyone who undertakes the task of evaluating a body of materials as composite as the Alexander Romance must possess—in addition to a thorough knowledge of the history and historiography of Alexander—a working knowledge of several languages and the history of scholarship on a very complex problem. These are skills that Richard Stoneman possesses in abundance.”—Eugene Borza, Classical OutlookShort-listed for the 2009 Runciman Award, administered by the Anglo-Hellenic League and sponsored by the National Bank of GreeceSelected by Choice magazine as an Outstanding Academic Title of 2008“This is a magisterial book, of quite extraordinary breadth and depth. Stoneman is supremely well qualified to write the definitive work on the Nachleben of Alexander in tradition, legend, and myth.”—John Cherry, Brown University“Alexander the Great enjoyed one of the most spectacularly glorious of human lives. His afterlife, as Richard Stoneman’s masterly new survey amply documents, was every bit as spectacular and glory-bringing. Look on his fame, ye mighty, and despair! Or rather, read this literally marvelous book by one of the world’s leading authorities on the multifarious Alexander-legend. Hero or villain: there is an Alexander here for every conceivable taste.”—Paul Cartledge, Cambridge University“The legend of Alexander the Great extends from Iceland to China, and is reincarnated in Jewish and Christian versions, in Islam and the religions of India. Richard Stoneman traces the many re-tellings, both in literature and in art, situating each in its historical context. His book is a pleasure to read: full of remarkable episodes and insights, immensely learned, clearly and elegantly narrated. If you want to know how the story of Alexander evolved over two millennia and penetrated most of the world’s cultures, this is the book to read.”—David Konstan, Brown University“In this impressive volume the many varicoloured threads of the legend of Sultan Iskander are skilfully woven into a fascinating fabric. Stoneman has successfully faced an awesome challenge in marshalling a huge body of diverse and complex material into an ordered whole, subtly highlighting the factors which have given Alexander’s legend such an enduring and widespread appeal and the ways in which it has been adapted to very different cultures.”—Stephanie West, Oxford University“Richard Stoneman retells in a fascinating way the life of Alexander the Great not from the historical records but from the fictional texts of the Alexander Romance and other legendary sources. The result is an extremely rich and well-documented survey of the various traditions which, at the same time, is also a most enjoyable reading. This highly recommendable book is a masterpiece and will be the new point of reference for all future studies in this field.”—Heinz Hofmann, University of Tuebingen

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Book Synopsis'Argonauts of the Desert' presents a revolutionary new commentary on the Bible and its origins, arguing that most biblical stories and laws were inspired by Greek literature. From Genesis to Kings, the books of the Bible may have been written by a single author, a Hellenized Judean scholar who used Plato's ideal state in The Laws as a primary source. As such, biblical Israel is a recreation of that twelve tribes State and the stories surrounding the birth, life and death of that State were inspired by Greek epics. Each chapter presents the biblical material and compares this to the Greek or Roman equivalents, discussing similarities and differences.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Hypothesis and Thesis 1. Genesis 2. Exodus 3. Leviticus 4. Numbers 5. Deuteronomy 6. Joshua 7. Judges 8. Samuel 9. Kings 10. Conclusions

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Book Synopsis“This critical edition provides a lavish and fulsome picture of ancient Greek tragedy’s most significant surviving document.” —Johanna Hanink, Brown University

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Book SynopsisWhy did Aeschylus characterize differently from Sophocles? Why did Sophocles introduce the third actor? Why did Euripides not make better plots? So asks H.D.F Kitto in his acclaimed study of Greek tragedy, available for the first time in Routledge Classics.Kitto argues that in spite of dealing with big moral and intellectual questions, the Greek dramatist is above all an artist and the key to understanding classical Greek drama is to try and understand the tragic conception of each play. In Kitto’s words ‘We shall ask what the dramatist is striving to say, not what in fact he does say about this or that.’ Through a brilliant analysis of Aeschylus’s ‘Oresteia’, the plays of Sophocles including ‘Antigone’ and ‘Oedipus Tyrannus’; and Euripides’s ‘Medea’ and ‘Hecuba’, Kitto skilfully conveys the enduring artistic and literary brilliance of the Greek dramatists.Trade Review'Two things give Kitto's classic book its enduring freshness: he pioneered the approach to Greek drama through internal artistry and thematic form, and he always wrote in lively and readable English.' - Oliver Taplin, University of Oxford, UKTable of ContentsForeword to The Routledge Classics Edition Preface Note to the Third Edition 1. Lyrical Tragedy 2. Old Tragedy 3. The Oresteia 4. The Dramatic Art of Aeschylus 5. Middle Tragedy: Sophocles 6. The Philosophy of Sophocles 7. The Dramatic Art of Sophocles 8. The Euripidean Tragedy 9. The Technique of the Euripidean Tragedy 10. The ‘Trachiniae’ and ‘Philoctetes’ 11. The New Tragedy: ‘Euripides’ Tragi-Comedies 12. New Tragedy: Euripides’ Melodramas 13. Two Last Plays Index

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Book SynopsisBook XII brings Virgil's Aeneid to a close, as the long-delayed single combat between Aeneas and Turnus ends with Turnus' death - a finale that many readers find more unsettling than triumphant. In this, the first detailed single-volume commentary on the book in any language, Professor Tarrant explores Virgil's complex portrayal of the opposing champions, his use and transformation of earlier poetry (Homer's in particular) and his shaping of the narrative in its final phases. In addition to the linguistic and thematic commentary, the volume contains a substantial introduction that discusses the larger literary and historical issues raised by the poem's conclusion; other sections include accounts of Virgil's metre, later treatments of the book's events in art and music, and the transmission of the text. The edition is designed for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students and will also be of interest to scholars of Latin literature.Trade Review'Cambridge University Press's splendid Greek and Latin Classics series, known in the trade as the 'Green and Yellows', is now in its fifth decade. The series adds to its lustre with these two very different but equally outstanding commentaries … each of which shows remarkable standards of scholarship and criticism. Publications such as this are real events in the world of Classics.' The Times Literary SupplementTable of ContentsIntroduction; P. Vergili Maronis Aeneidos liber dvodecimvs; Commentary.

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Book SynopsisThis 1996 book provides a commentary on selected texts of Plato concerned with poetry: the Ion and relevant sections of the Republic. It was the first commentary to present these texts together in one volume, and the first in English on Republic 2 and 3 and Ion for nearly 100 years.Trade Review'a valuable resource … a model of clarity, concision, careful research, and judicious presentation of difficult and controversial issues. It will be a useful took for both students and more advanced scholars for years to come.' The Classical ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction: 1. Mimesis; 2. Poetry and inspiration; 3. Plato as poet; 4. The battle between poetry and philosophy; 5. Plato and Homer; 6. The Platonic legacy; 7. The text; Ion; Republic 376e–398b9; Republic 595–608b10; Commentary; Appendix: Poetic inspiration in Plato; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the 2014 Costa Poetry Award.When Chaucer composed Troilus and Criseyde he gave us, some say, his finest poem, and with it one of the most captivating love stories ever written. A Double Sorrow, Lavinia Greenlaw''s new work, takes its title from the opening line of that poem in a fresh telling of this most tortured of love affairs.Set against the Siege of Troy, A Double Sorrow is the story of Trojan hero Troilus and his beloved Criseyde, whose traitorous father has defected to the Greeks and has persuaded them to ask for his daughter in an exchange of prisoners. In an attempt to save her, Troilus suggests that Criseyde flees the besieged city with him, but she knows that she will be universally condemned and looks instead to a temporary measure: pretending to submit to the exchange, while promising Troilus that she will return to him within ten days. But once in the company of the Greeks she soon realises the impossibility o

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Book SynopsisDurling’s edition of Petrarch’s poems has become the standard. Readers have praised the translation of the authoritative text as graceful and accurate, conveying a real understanding of what this difficult poet is saying. The literalness of the prose translation makes this book especially useful to students who lack a full command of Italian.Trade ReviewThe translations are extremely readable, and their juxtaposition to the original makes the work a valuable tool for the reader whose knowledge of Italian may be less than perfect. -- Joseph A. Barber, MLNTable of ContentsIntroduction

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Book SynopsisOf the roughly seventy treatises in the Hippocratic Collection, many are not by Hippocrates (said to have been born in Cos in or before 460 BCE), but they are essential sources of information about the practice of medicine in antiquity and about Greek theories concerning the human body, and he was undeniably the “Father of Medicine.”

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Book SynopsisFor this six-volume edition of The Histories, W. R. Paton’s 1922 translation has been thoroughly revised, the Büttner-Wobst Greek text corrected, and explanatory notes and a new introduction added. All but the first five of forty volumes survive in an incomplete state. Volume VI includes fragments unattributed to particular books of The Histories.Trade ReviewPolybius found a brilliant subject for his history in the Roman drive to supremacy in the Mediterranean. As an experienced Greek politician who lived as a hostage among the elite in Rome from 167 to 159 BC, he was ideally positioned to write it. He had formidable organizational powers, and he really did know what he was talking about. Without him, our understanding of the whole period and of the dynamics of Roman imperialism would be inconceivably impoverished. -- Denis Feeney * Times Literary Supplement *

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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.

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Book SynopsisThe prolific scholar-poet Callimachus of Cyrene spent his career at the royal court and great Library at Alexandria. Creatively reworking the language and generic properties of his predecessors, Callimachus developed a distinctive style, learned and elegant, that became an important model for subsequent poets both Greek and Roman.

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Book SynopsisAhuvia Kahane is Regius Chair of Greek and A. G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. He is the author of several books, including A Companion to the Prologue of Apuleius' Metamorphoses (2000).

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Book SynopsisIn this book, Tim Whitmarsh offers an innovative new introduction to ancient Greek literature. The volume integrates cutting--edge cultural theory with the latest research in classical scholarship, providing a comprehensive, sophisticated and accessible account of literature from Homer to late antiquity.Trade Review"The book is indeed cutting edge or on the forefront of Greek literature studies and, as such, it is representative of the classics tripos at Cambridge University ... Ancient Greek Literature is an intelligent and stimulating book for undergraduates and also for scholars, who sometimes need to see again the forest for the trees. TW puts his finger nicely on the issues that matter in reading Greek literature and succeeds well in presenting this huge corpus of material succinctly in around two hundred pages. This is a precise and excellent presentation that will enrich any undergraduate's course of study in Greek writing." Bryn Mawr Classical Review "We have long needed an up-to-date survey of Greek literature as an expression of Greek culture, and Whitmarsh has provided us with an outstanding introduction. He covers a wide range of texts, and employs the latest methods of literary and cultural analysis. His mastery of these approaches is apparent on every page, as he elegantly discusses questions of class, gender, the public versus the private sphere, oral versus written traditions, and much else." David Konstan, Brown University "Ancient Greek Literature is a scintillating discussion of the central issues and themes that cluster around literary texts. Whitmarsh?s own literary style is aptly pungent, witty and probing, and his focus on texts as battlegrounds of power relationships or sites of social dispute will surely prove as provocative and challenging as it is intended to be. Among his many other original findings is his notion of the "archive": that is, the creation, from the fifth century BCE onwards, of a defined body of texts and set of institutions devoted to fostering the Greeks? sense of literature?s central place in defining their identity. The chronological discussion is complemented by four thematic chapters that systematically explore the topics of cultural identity, the place allocated to women, gender issues and images of the subordinated classes of the poor and unfree." Paul Cartledge, University of CambridgeTable of ContentsPreface. Section one: concepts. 1) ‘Greek literature’ and cultural history. 2) The problem of tradition. Section two: contexts. 3) Festival. 4) Symposium. 5) Theatre. 6) The power of speech. 7) Inventing the archive: Athens. 8) Building the archive: Alexandria. 9) Reading from the archive: Roman Greece. Section three: conflicts. 10) Inventing the Greek. 11) A woman’s place. 12) Sexing the text. 13) Status and slavery. . Notes. Chronology of Greek Literature. References. Index of Greek Authors. General Index

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Book SynopsisAn international journal committed to the publication of essays and reviews relevant to drama and theatre history to 1642. This issue includes eight new articles, a review essay, and reviews of nine new important books.

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Book SynopsisAn easy introduction to early Greek drama.

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

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Book SynopsisOne of a well-established series of sourcebooks catering to the needs of ancient history students at schools and universities. Each volume focuses on a particular period or topic and provides a generous and judicious selection of primary texts in new English translations, with annotation and supporting materials.Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Date chart; 3. Cicero's Cilician letters.

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

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the theological significance of horror elements in the works of Hesiod and in the Homeric Hymns for the characters within these poems, the mortal audience consuming them, and the poet responsible for mythopoesis.Theologies of Fear in Early Greek Epic argues that just as modern supernatural horror fiction can be analyzed to reveal popular conceptions of the divine, so too can the horrific elements in early Greek epic. Romano develops this analogy to show how myth-makers chose to include, omit, or nuance horror elements from their narratives in order to communicate theological messages. By employing methodological approaches from religious studies, classical studies, and literary studies of supernatural horror fiction, this book brings a fresh perspective to our understanding of how the Greeks viewed their gods and how poets helped to create that view.Theologies of Fear in Early Greek Epic will be of interest to scholars in classical studies, religious studies, and comparative literature, as well as students in courses on myth, religion, and Greek culture and society.

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Book SynopsisEmploying a critical and analytical method, this volume takes an innovative approach to existing anthologies of medieval texts, proposing a comprehensive methodology for examining and understanding the historical and cultural construction of the image of women in medieval literature. Critically and analytically appreciating representative works and authors from the medieval period, Woman in Medieval Texts and Literature is interested not only in their essayistic examination but also in the intuitive perception of their values. This comprehensive approach fosters a deeper understanding of the image of women, particularly in the context of the Eve/Ave binomial, a dichotomy that shapes the defamation and defense of medieval femininity. The chapters present the misogynistic literary tradition as a comprehensive panorama, out of which emerged medieval literature praising women. Texts by the Fathers of the Church, from Tertullian (2nd century) to Saint Thomas Aquinas (13th century)

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Book SynopsisEarly medieval Britain saw the birth of England, Scotland and of the Welsh kingdoms. Naismith''s introductory textbook explores the period between the end of Roman rule and the eve of the Norman Conquest, blending an engaging narrative with clear explanations of key themes and sources. Using extensive illustrations, maps and selections from primary sources, students will examine the island as a collective entity, comparing political histories and institutions as well as societies, beliefs and economies. Each chapter foregrounds questions of identity and the meaning of ''Britain'' in this period, encouraging interrogation and contextualisation of sources within the framework of the latest debates and problems. Featuring online resources including timelines, a glossary, end-of-chapter questions and suggestions for further reading, students can drive their own understanding of how the polities and societies of early medieval Britain fitted together and into the wider world, and firmly graTrade Review'Rory Naismith adopts a refreshingly new approach to the study of early medieval Britain, which takes into account its political and cultural plurality, while also placing it in a wider European context. Comprehensive, accessible and up-to-date with the most recent historiographical developments, it will easily become a classic.' Francesca Tinti, University of the Basque Country'Up-to-date and judiciously argued, Rory Naismith's book with its excellent illustrations, text boxes addressing detailed evidence, timelines and discussion points is an ideal teaching tool. Covering the whole of Britain, sensible to internal differences and divisions, and attentive to the local and particular alongside major developments, this is also an important new history of these early centuries.' Pauline Stafford, University of Liverpool'This timely and refreshing textbook will challenge students' assumptions about 'Dark-Age' Britain. Eschewing the well-worn narratives that search for the national origins of England, Scotland and Wales, Rory Naismith makes a compelling case for adopting a much more holistic approach to the study of British history and taking the early medieval period on its own terms.' Edward Roberts, University of Kent'Students and scholars have been crying out for a well-informed and enticing history of early medieval Britain, which treats the whole island rather than selected parts of it. Rory Naismith has given us precisely that. He has also produced a significant work of scholarship, for this is a wonderfully rich book, which is written with confident command of a diverse array of sources and contains many new insights as well as a lucid survey. Anyone reading it should emerge not only confidently equipped but also inspired to explore the period further.' Stephen Baxter, University of OxfordTable of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements; List of Source Boxes; List of Methods and Analysis Boxes; List of Illustrations; List of Maps; 1. Introduction; Part I. Conceiving Early Medieval Britain: 2. An Island in the Ocean: The Idea of Britain; 3. On the Edge of the World: Britain and Europe; 4. Legend, Myth and History; 5. Migrations and Peoples; 6. Fragments of the Past; Part II. Making Early Medieval Britain: 7. Britain c. 500; 8. 'Fertile of Tyrants': Britain 500–650; 9. 'What the Outcome Will Be, a Future Age Will See': Britain 650–850; 10. 'God Help Us!': Britain 850–1000; Part III. Living in Early Medieval Britain: 11. Kingship in Action; 12. Building a Christian Society; 13. Maintaining Belief: The Church as an Institution; 14. Family, Friend, Lord, Slave: The Basis of Society; 15. Land, People and Settlement; 16. Getting and Giving: Acts and Settings of Exchange; 17. Language and Communication; 18. 'As Far as the Cold Waves Reach': Conclusion; Glossary; Index.

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Book SynopsisLatin literature is crowded with portraits of Romans in transit, but despite this ubiquity scholars have been reluctant to read vehicles as significant conveyors of textual and cultural meaning. This book offers the first systematic analysis of the representation of Roman vehicles in Latin literary texts. By moving past approaches that count such vehicular portrayals as either transparent glimpses of reality or soaring poetic symbols, it demonstrates how these conveyances work as a system of representation to structure both the texts in which they appear and underlying cultural discourses surrounding power, gender, and empire. Arranged as a series of interlocking studies, each chapter explores the representation of a particular conveyance across author and text, from the humblest and most quotidian (plaustrum) to the most exalted and symbol-laden (currus).Trade Review… thorough, wide-ranging, thoroughly entertaining … From beginning to end, The Rhetoric of Roman Transportation is an eye-opening and enjoyable ride. The book is written with wit and an evident enthusiasm for the subject matter, and the prose is replete with cultural references.' James Uden, Bryn Mawr Classical ReviewTable of ContentsPreamble: setting out; Introduction: en route; 1. Making use: plaustrum; 2. Power steering: currus; 3. The other chariot: essedum; 4. Conveying women: carpentum; 5. Portable retreats: lectica; Envoi: the end of the road; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisExploring medieval literary representations of the Islamic conquest of Spain in 711, Hazbun discusses chronicles, epic and clerical poetry, and early historical novels. While material on the conquest of Spain is substantial, it is understudied and this book works to fill that gap.Trade ReviewSelected by Choice magazine as an "Outstanding Academic Title" for 2016“Hazbun’s writing style is fluid and eloquent, her observations engaging and persuasive, not only broaching the literary and historical significance of the texts in question but also exploring some of the key theoretical principles that underpin questions of cultural identity, power, and legacy alongside their expression in medieval narrative.” (Şizen Yiacoup, Modern Language Review, Vol. 113 (04), October, 2018)“The study is likewise about the underlying sources, perceptions, rhetoric, and, one might add, philosophy of history. … This is a fascinating and remarkably nuanced analysis. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above.” (E. H. Friedman, Choice, Vol. 53 (9), May, 2016)Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Dominion and Dynasty in the Estoria de Espana 2. Founding Fictions, Creating Castile: Islam in the Cronica de veinte reyes 3. The Cleric and the Frontier in the mester de clerecia 4. Crossing and Double Crossing: Islamic Conquerors in the Cronica sarracina Conclusion: The Meaning of Conquest Works Cited

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Book SynopsisAlison Cornish offers a compelling new take on the Commedia with modern sensibilities in mind. Believing in Dante re-examines the infernal dramas of Dante''s masterpiece that alienate and perplex modern readers, offering an invigorating view of the whole Divine Comedy, bringing it to meaningful life today. Addressing the characteristics that distance an author like Dante from the modern world, Alison Cornish shows the value of critically and constructively engaging with texts that do not coincide with current worldviews. She thereby reveals how we might discover constellations by which to navigate the process of reading. Written with incisiveness and sophistication, this landmark book elucidates Dante''s eminently readable universe: one where we can and must choose what we want to believe.Trade Review'Compelling, fresh and illuminating, this ought to become an important point of reference for scholars working on Dante in our time … this is certainly one of the best books on Dante I have had the privilege of reading.' Vittorio Montemaggi, King's College London'Alison Cornish rings the changes on the question of belief in Dante - belief in God, in Christian 'revelation,' in the Commedia's veracity, in how what characters believe determines who and where they are for eternity. She offers a bracing view of the poem as an adventure in reading that has consequences. Cornish writes with clarity and elegance so that there is nary a dull sentence in the book. Her wide-ranging work is at once learned and accessible, written for Dantisti but open to a larger audience.' Peter S. Hawkins, Yale Divinity SchoolTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. 'So great a lover': Facts and narratives in the love stories of the lustful; 2. 'Bad light': Factionalism and the Facts in the cemetery of the heretics; 3. 'Never broke faith': Losing credibility in the wood of the suicides; 4. 'Where your soul is pointed': Facts and values in Ulysses' quest and the examination on love; 5. 'Against Her Will': Diversity of desire in the heaven of the moon; 6. 'How much from the point': Saving appearances at the edge of the universe; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisCatullus is one of the most popular poets to survive from classical antiquity. Above all others he seems to speak to modern readers with a modern voice. The distinguished contributors to this Companion discuss the principal subjects which drew Catullus'' affection and disgust, above all his famous affair with the woman he calls ''Lesbia'', and situate him in the social, historical and intellectual context of first-century BC Rome. One of the so-called ''new poets'', Catullus had a profound effect on subsequent Latin poetry, and this is explored especially for the Augustan age and the late first century AD. A significant part of the volume is concerned with Catullus'' survival into the modern world. There are discussions both of the manuscript tradition and of the interpretative scholarship which has been devoted to his poetry, as well as his reception by renaissance and later poets. Students in particular will appreciate this book.Trade Review'… advanced students, teachers, and researchers looking to orient themselves in the scholarship on Catullus will benefit … Recommended.' M. L. Goldman, Choice MagazineTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Situating Catullus Cynthia Damon; 2. Literary liaisons Tony Woodman; 3. Catullan intertextuality Richard F. Thomas; 4. Gender and sexuality K. Sara Myers; 5. Catullan themes Bruce Gibson; 6. Language and style Anna Chahoud; 7. Catullus and metre David Butterfield; 8. Catulli carmina Ian du Quesnay; 9. Catullus and Augustan poetry Monica R. Gale; 10. Rewriting Catullus in the flavian age Carole Newlands; 11. The manuscripts and transmission of the text S.P. Oakley; 12. Editions and commentaries Dániel Kiss; 13. Catullus in the renaissance Alex Wong; 14. Catullus and poetry in english since 1750 Stephen Harrison; Abbreviations and bibliography; Index locorum; General index.

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Book SynopsisIn this first introduction to Plautus' Trinummus, students and non-specialists alike are guided through the themes, context, and enduring humor of this Roman comedy. The play portrays the story of an elaborate game of keep-away involving a hidden treasure, a hot-blooded spendthrift youth, his pious sister, her would-be fiancee, a con-artist, and the most unlikely of comic schemers-a group of overly pious old men. The conflict of the plot focuses on whether a pair of old men can help their absent friend Charmides by getting a dowry to his daughter without Charmides' wastrel son Lesbonicus first spending the money on the usual comic debauchery. The money is taken from a treasure hidden by Charmides when he left and a sycophant is hired to pretend to bring letters from Charmides along with the cash for the dowry. Comic confusion ensues when Charmides returns from abroad just in time to intercept the con-artist and overturn the scheming of his friends. Long neglected, TrinummusTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface 1. Introduction 2. Playing against Type: Trinummus as Roman Comedy Remix 3. What’s Roman about Plautus’ Trinummus? 4. Religion in Trinummus 5. A Moral Play or a Play on Morals? Conclusion Appendix A: Music in Trinummus Appendix B: A Textual Note on Line 831 Appendix C: Moral Sententiae in Trinummus Notes Bibliography Index

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