Description
Book SynopsisGábor Betegh offers a systematic reconstruction and analysis of the Derveni Papyrus, found in 1962, and discusses its significance as a document of primary importance for a better understanding of the religious and philosophical developments of the time of Socrates. Will appeal to classicists, philosophers and historians of religion.
Trade Review'Gabór Betegh has done a brilliant job. His book provides his readers with a Greek text and an intelligent translation that does not hesitate to go its own way … Thanks to Betegh's careful and thorough book, an important text has finally become much more accessible …' The Times Literary Supplement
'This is the first book-length study of this text since 1997… Betegh has made a major contribution to understanding both the thought of the Derveni author and the Orphic poem.' Bryn Mawr Classical Review
'This is a remarkable book … the debate Betegh's book stimulates as well as the answers he has given will inevitably lead to greater understanding of this puzzling text.' Rhizai
'The Derveni Papyrus is a rich text and … there is no doubt that it will continue to prove controversial and hard to understand. But Betegh has given us a commentary that matches the text's richness.' The Heythrop Journal
'… his work contributes greatly to unravelling its difficulties.' Common Knowledge
Table of ContentsPreface; List of abbreviations; Text and translation; 1. The find; 2. The first columns; 3. The reconstruction of the poem; 4. The interpretation of the poem; 5. The cosmic god; 6. Cosmology; 7. Anaxagoras; 8. Diogenes of Apollonia and Archelaus of Athens; 9. Physics and eschatology: Heraclitus and the gold plates; 10. Understanding Orpheus, understanding the world; Appendix: Diagoras and the Derveni author; Bibliography; Index verborum; Index of passages; Index of modern names; Index of subjects.
