Amazon.com
Edith Hamilton loved the ancient Western myths with a passion--and this classic compendium is her tribute. "The tales of Greek mythology do not throw any clear light upon what early mankind was like," Hamilton explains in her introduction. "They do throw an abundance of light upon what early Greeks were like--a matter, it would seem, of more importance to us, who are their descendents intellectually, artistically, and politically. Nothing we learn about them is alien to ourselves." Fans of Greek mythology will find all the great stories and characters here--Perseus, Hercules, and Odysseus--each discussed in generous detail by the voice of an impressively knowledgeable and engaging (with occasional lapses) narrator. This is also an excellent primer for middle- and high-school students who are studying ancient Greek and Roman culture and literature. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Edith Hamilton loved the ancient Western myths with a passion--and this classic compendium is her tribute. "The tales of Greek mythology do not throw any clear light upon what early mankind was like," Hamilton explains in her introduction. "They do throw an abundance of light upon what early Greeks were like--a matter, it would seem, of more importance to us, who are their descendents intellectually, artistically, and politically. Nothing we learn about them is alien to ourselves." Fans of Greek mythology will find all the great stories and characters here--Perseus, Hercules, and Odysseus--each discussed in generous detail by the voice of an impressively knowledgeable and engaging (with occasional lapses) narrator. This is also an excellent primer for middle- and high-school students who are studying ancient Greek and Roman culture and literature. --Gail Hudson
Customer Reviews:
Mythology.......2007-08-20
I purchased this item for my son. He said it was good reading and had a lot of information.
interesting book.......2007-01-06
I've always been interested in greek mythology so this book was a good source of information I really like greek mythology storys about GOds and Goddesses and heros so I have to say I really liked this book.
one of the better written retellings of the Greek Myths.......2006-09-06
Edith Hamilton (now passed) has a living work of art in her stead by the name of Mythology. This congolmerate work of the world's oldest known tales is likely the most concise and accredited version worthy of the haughtiest bookshelf.
I breezed through most of the short stories and really ate up the ones of tragic love and happily ever afters, but through this version, readers can easily distinguish the story being told and enjoy the characters. Hamilton's writing it prosaic and timeless, perfect for Greek Myths. This collection is something that can even be of use to students of all ages and I can easily see myself coming back to this book a great many times for not only learning but enjoyment.
Highly recommended read, especially for the Greek in all of us!
Mythology.......2006-05-19
This book, mythology by Edith Hamilton is a pretty good book for pleasure and it has pretty good information too. The only downside of this book is that it doesnt keep your intrest that well. After the introduction, most parts are exciting, but there are still a few dull parts.
This book goes through many sections of greek mythology and a bit of norse mythology at the end. At first, the book starts out with talking about the gods and goddesses and then it moves onto stories of the gods and demi gods. This is a easy to understand book that is also a lot of fun if you are looking at it from a certain point of view.
Your Beginning And Ending Reference Book For Greek/Roman Myths.......2005-10-24
This Is One I First Read In High School And Have Returned To Often.Dame Edith's Reference Book Is The Definative Encyclopedia Of Mythology.
This Is A Book That Can Be Read By Lovers Of Adventure At Any Age.Arranged In Interesting And Fun Chapters Starting With The Beginning Of The World Where Mother Earth And Father Heaven Give Birth To The Titans,To The Birth Of THEIR Children And How They Took Over The World When The Twelve Major Gods And Goddesses Overpowered Them,To The Forming Of Man And The Gift Of Woman To Him.From There It Branches To The Everyday Heros And The Children Of The Gods-Jason And The Argonauts,Hercules,Perseus And His Battle With Medusa,And Many More.
All Of These Wonderous Stories Are Here To Enjoy Over And Over And Over Again.And You Can Find And Love Them In This Volume.It Even Includes Their Roman Counterparts And An Introduction To Egyptian Mythology As Well.You Won't Be Bored,And You Will Never Be Tired Of Them.
What The Magic Of Reading Is Made Of.
Average customer rating:
- The National Geographic of the 5th Century BC.
- not for me
- Extremely readable
- Great Book
- The Histories Revealed
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The Histories (Penguin Classics)
Herodotus
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
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ASIN: 0140449086
Release Date: 2003-04-29 |
Book Description
Translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt with an introduction and Notes by John M. Marincola.
Customer Reviews:
The National Geographic of the 5th Century BC........2007-08-13
Great read to get immersed in the 5th century BC world. Herodotus was a great story teller, whether of mythical or real stories. Some pages are really fun to read because of the friendly tone and plain language he uses. There are also a lot of unnecessary data -in my opinion- since he talks about all kinds of stories and gives plenty of detail, true or not that sometimes result boring.
The real interesting part comes in the last quarter of the book, where all the major battles between Persians and Greeks take place. A pity he didn't dwell a little more in the marathon and Thermopylae battles, but we get the big picture.
This is more an ethnographic study of all kinds of tribes that populated Greece and the Near East at the time. It's quite interesting to see what were the limitations as far as geography is concerned, the strange ideas they had about the far and unexplored areas of Europe, their peoples, etc. The comparison of what people thought and what really was is really amusing.
Skip the pages that you care less and enjoy the rest. There's plenty of good reading time here. Great translation, by the way.
not for me.......2007-06-07
This is a long, rambling, unfocused book. I guess the other reviewers are interested in everything covered here, but I wasn't. I tried this book after reading Thucydides. Thucydides has focus. Herodotus does not. Herodotus seems like the ancient equivalent of soap operas. I couldn't get through it.
Extremely readable.......2007-04-09
I picked a copy of the Histories mostly because i had just seen 300 and wanted to learn a bit more about the larger war. now, even though i'm quite interested in history, i was pretty apprehensive about reading a book like this one--besides the obvious length, it's dense, with many names and locations i've never seen before and that are rather obscure. however, i was very surprised by just how readable this translation is. you can tell that Selincourt spent a good deal of time making sure that the translation wasn't a direct, word for word port of the original text. the text, though still distinctly scholarly, is written in a manner not unlike any other mondern history book. beyond that, the account itself is very interesting to anyone with an interest in ancient history. this translation is highly recommended.
Great Book.......2007-03-20
This book really brings together all the essential knowledge on the subject. I have a class history book that takes excerts from books of Plutarch, Thucydides and Herodotus and i have go to say that going straight to the source made a big difference in class discussions. A definite must read for you history buffs out there.
The Histories Revealed.......2007-02-14
This history brings the ancient times to life in our modern age.
Average customer rating:
- Genius
- Excellent edition of The Republic
- Not the best
- "republic" of the soul...aka: self help
- Very good for an inexpensive translation
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The Republic (Penguin Classics)
Plato
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
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ASIN: 0140449140
Release Date: 2003-02-25 |
Book Description
Ostensibly a discussion of the nature of justice, The Republic presents Plato's vision of the ideal state, covering a wide range of topics: social, educational, psychological, moral, and philosophical. It also includes some of Plato's most important writing on the nature of reality and the theory of the "forms."
Translated with an Introduction by Desmond Lee
Customer Reviews:
Genius.......2007-09-07
If you can only have five books on your library shelf, this book has to be one of them. Plato argues against democracy and total freedom and does such an amazing job. You may not agree with him, but after reading the book you will have so much respect for someone that is seeking the absolute truth no matter what it turns out to be.
Excellent edition of The Republic.......2007-05-06
Shorey's english rendering of the Greek in the Loeb edition is, in my opinion, excellent. More than anything, he captures the passion and fervor of Socrates beautifully, as his english rendering of the text is significantly more poetic than the vast majority of translations of The Republic. While, obviously, there are countless other editions and translations of The Republic, few of these do "justice" to the work qua literature as Shorey does. Shorey's translation, while perhaps a little less accessible to beginning readers than Alan Bloom's or WHD Rouse's, is not difficult to the point of inaccessibility, and its strengths in other regards are too significant to make it necessary to purchase anything other than the Loeb edition of The Republic.
It is my hope that this review is actually helpful to someone that is deciding which edition or translation of The Republic to buy. Far too many Amazon reviews are little more than opining on the ostensible subject matter of a book that the individual either did not read, or did not understand.
Not the best.......2007-01-10
This work is poorly written and difficult to understand. Philosophy books are dense in the first place, but this edition adds to any confusion and created lots of headaches. Furthermore, the book in other editions usually have line numbers so that people can compair notes across editions, the Dover book lacks these. I purchased a different book and found in depth analysis to be much easier.
"republic" of the soul...aka: self help.......2006-12-20
i have no comments on this particular translation of republic, as it is the only version i have read.
republic does not live up to its namesake. as "socrates" says (i think we all know that socrates is really just plato's play dough after book 1) at the close of book 9, the vision of kallipolis only "exists in theory" or perhaps there is a "model of it in heaven." the earlier differentiation between theory and practice make it clear that plato only intended to use kallipolis as a model for the human soul. therefore, the suggested policies of eugenics, infanticide, communal property, and holding women and children "in common" are probably not to be taken seriously. plato himself predicts the inevitable unraveling of such a city.
after reading republic for the second time, it occurred to me that it is little more than a self-help manual. reason should rule spirit and passion. "dabbling" weakens the character. understand the difference between necessity and luxury. shatter your illusions about what you think you know, etc etc. not that these are not important, but such ideas do not require the complex analogy of a totalitarian society. thus, i think republic is slightly overrated.
the most compelling portion of this book, in my opinion, was the critique of the various constitutions. while the critiques of oligarchy, tyranny, timocracy and democracy map on nicely to the individual soul, they also make logical sense independently. while convention has led us to disregard the former 3 constitutions, democracy is often placed on a pedestal as the most ideal form of government. plato challenges this notion and succeeds with vigor in tearing down this pedestal. democracy, even in its representative form, is not much more than tyranny of the majority. we can witness democracy's inherent flaws today in the U.S., on issues such as abortion and gay marriage. this, in my opinion, is the only significant thing republic has to offer to the modern political theorist.
Very good for an inexpensive translation.......2006-11-10
I'm wrapping up a semester of teaching this translation of Republic, and I've had few complaints. Waterfield's editorial hand is visible, but that in itself, in the hands of a competent teacher, leads to good discussions above and beyond Plato's ideas.
With regards to Plato's masterwork, there's no good place to start save reading it for oneself. Plato is dead wrong in places (with regards to poetry and marriage just to get rolling), but his genius is that he's wrong as an idealist philosopher, encouraging readers to assert and refine their own ideals as counter-arguments. In other words, in order to refute Plato, one must out-Plato Plato.
Deconstruction is fine for deconstructionists, but a good discussion of this juggernaut of ancient thought is the life for me.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
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History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Average customer rating:
- Economy of language, never of Spirit.
- the essential rumi
- the "best" Rumi book?
- Excellent..... read why.....
- Rumi, sigh of wonder...
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Essential Rumi
Jalal al-Din Rumi
Manufacturer: HarperOne
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ASIN: 0062509594
Release Date: 2004-05-28 |
Amazon.com
No translator could do greater justice to the gorgeous simplicity of Rumi's poetry than Coleman Barks has done here. These exquisite renderings of the 13th-century Persian mystic's words into American free verse capture all the "inner searching, the delicacy, and simple groundedness" that characterize Rumi's poetry while remaining faithful to the images, tone, and spiritual message of the originals. Barks's introductions to each of the 27 sections (described as "playful palimpsests spread over Rumi's imagination," and "meant to confuse scholars who would divide Rumi's poetry into the accepted categories") are themselves wonderful achievements of a poetic imagination; searching explanations of unfamiliar concepts and funny stories provide colorful background and frame the selections as no dry historical exegesis could.
While Barks's stamp on this collection is clear, it in no way interferes with the poems themselves; Rumi's voice leaps off these pages with an ecstatic energy that leaves readers breathless. There are poems of love, rage, sadness, pleading, and longing; passionate outbursts about the torture of longing for his beloved and the sweet pleasure that comes from their union; amusing stories of sexual exploits or human weakness; and quiet truths about the beauty and variety of human emotion. More than anything, Rumi makes plain the unbridled joy that comes from living life fully, urging us always to put aside our fears and take the risk to do so. As he says: "The way of love is not / a subtle argument. / The door there is devastation. / Birds make great sky-circles / of their freedom. / How do they learn it? / They fall, and falling, / they're given wings." --Uma Kukathas
Book Description
The best–selling Rumi book ever is now better than ever! This revised and expanded edition of the comprehensive one–volume edition of America's most popular poet includes a new introduction by Coleman Barks, and 57 new poems never published before.
The ecstatic, spiritual poetry of Rumi is more popular than ever, and The Essential Rumi continues to be far and away the top–selling title of all Rumi books. With the addition of many new poems and a new introduction, The Essential Rumi is now clearly the definitive, and most delightful selection of Rumi's poetry.
Customer Reviews:
Economy of language, never of Spirit. .......2007-10-04
"Come to the orchard in Spring.
There is light and wine, and sweethearts
in the pomegranate flowers.
If you do not come, these do not matter.
If you do come, these do not matter."
With amazing economy of words and with a deep understanding of his art, the luminary Persian poet, jurist, and theologian Jalal Rumi takes us on a profound and deeply moving journey into the mind of the spirit.
the essential rumi.......2007-07-30
Coleman Barks crafts scintillating translations of Rumi's ecstatic, poetic prayers. Speaking directly to the modern heart across centuries, Rumi captures the most poignant and mystical ways we seek to commune with a vast and unknowable creator who is at the same time an intimate companion, a friend. Wonderful prayers, poetry and parables bring Rumi's world to life, and enliven this life, injecting joyful surprise into the eternal mysteries.
the "best" Rumi book?.......2007-07-13
As a lover of Rumi with many friends similarly smitten with him, I hear many opinions about which Rumi book is "the best". One criticism of this Barks translation is that it is a translation of a translation, not direct from the original Persian; but a Persian friend maintains that the feeling Barks gives is the truest to the original that my Persian friend has found. For me, this is the best because of that feeling, and also because of the breadth and depth - including the sheer number - of poems translated. For me Rumi is more teacher than entertainer; and for a practical, day to day study of his work, I know no better book than this.
Excellent..... read why............2007-06-09
This book is an excellent translation of Rumi. However, it is NOT, nor can it ever be a perfect reflection of the original text. It is quite impossible to capture all the internal rhyming, layers of esoteric meaning and connotations of the original language no matter who the translator is. I believe EVERY scholar agrees on that point.
With the above said, Coleman Barks is faithful to the spirt of Rumi and of Sufism. It is obvious this is a lifelong passion and he is a Sufi himself having been directed to do this work by a recognized teacher in a Sufi order. While some argue that you can only be a Sufi within the context of Islam, equal numbers of scholars many from the Middle East argue that you can be a Sufi outside of this context and some argue that Sufism pre-dates Islam.
Whatever school of thought you espouse, it is clear that the important communication that speaks across the ages through Rumi's words is love for God in the moment and a longing to realize it fully. While Coleman Barks may have studied English translations of Rumi's work to compile his own, it is clear to me that he was guided by his heart, learned advisors and good scholarship. If this were not so, I doubt that Robert Bly, Huston Smith (world authority on comparative religion) and others would appear on the video Rumi: Poet Of The Heart which is about Rumi and the Coleman Barks translations of his poetry.
If you only speak English, I agree that you miss a lot by not having access to the original language. However, a concept accepted by all of Sufism is that everyone has a piece of the truth and a unique perspective. In the case of Coleman Barks, this is certainly an educated perspective that is complimented by many other translators. If you are serious about Rumi, then I recommend getting other translations and finding the ones that most move your heart which I'm sure would make Rumi very happy indeed.
Some may find Coleman Barks accent a bit irritating. However, it is also a good reminder that the most important thing is the message and the intention behind it. While analysis of literal poetry is very useful, this volume tries to strike a balance between literal translation and relevance to a modern context. I've read some other translations and used Coleman Barks translations in a class on Sufism given by a 30+ year Sufi with a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Harvard. If he finds these translations useful to present to a class, I can't imagine that Coleman Barks can be too far off the mark.
Rumi, sigh of wonder..........2007-05-20
As a huge poetry and literature fan, I couldn't pass up the chance to upgrade my penguin classics edition to this more comprehensive version of Rumi. Fraught with themes of life, love, lust, companionship, outlook, really any strata of emotional or human thought, this collection is a gem of Rumi's work. I am not one to dabble in qualifications or translating accuracy- I simply go with what feels right and this book felt beautifully right from beginning to end.
Average customer rating:
- Let this book become part of your library, and sell all your other editions of Chaucer
- The Granddaddy of all Daddies of English Literature
- Superb!
- sitting on the dock of a bay...
- Well Worth the Price!
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The Riverside Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
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A Chaucer Glossary
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Chaucer: Sources and Background
ASIN: 0395290317 |
Customer Reviews:
Let this book become part of your library, and sell all your other editions of Chaucer.......2006-12-16
For whom is the Riverside Chaucer designed? Certainly, if you are a general interest reader encountering Chaucer for a single class (i.e. a survey of Middle English literature) then the Riverside is too large, expensive, and unnecessary. However, if you are an English major, scholar of Medieval literature, graduate student, et cetera, then the Riverside Chaucer is a must.
When you buy this book you can recycle your paperback editions that have just "The Canterbury Tales" or just "The Parliament of Fowls"; collected here are all the works ever written by Chaucer (including a few of dubious authorship). The Riverside is terrific for its sheer volume of its contents, especially as it contains works by Chaucer that are unavailable, or hard to find, as separate edition (particulary his translation of Boethius' "De Consolatione Philosophiae").
Other than serving as your "one-stop Chaucer shop" the Riverside should be celebrated for its elaborate and informative scholary notes. Footnotes, endnotes, indices of proper names, maps, a glossary, and information on pronunciation and verse round out this comprehensive edition. In summary, if you plan on encountering Chaucer more than the average students who takes perhaps a single class dealing with him, this is the edition for you. Those who decide to pursue scholarly work will need the Riverside, as it is THE edition from which Chaucer is cited in research.
The Granddaddy of all Daddies of English Literature.......2006-03-10
There are two questions at issue:
Why Chaucer? Why the Riverside?
First the second. If you are going to read Chaucer, this is the edition to get. It is the critical edition, which means this is the one that scholars quote from in their writings about Chaucer. This is the one any self-respecting Chaucer course will assign. This is the grown-up's edition of Chaucer. And beyond that, it's a great edition -- based on the inspired editors of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and with the notes and glosses that you need to link up to the most important backgrounds and criticism.
Also, the Riverside is the complete edition; it presents everything in the original Middle English. That means you get not only the Canterbury Tales, but also all the minor poems -- Troilus and Criseyde (honestly, his most moving poem), the so-called minor poems (the dream visions and lyrics) and Chaucer's translations. The paperback Riverside is also surprisingly easy to carry around.
As to the other question, why Chaucer? Perhaps because he is, as John Dryden called him, the "Father of English Poetry." Any serious student of English literature needs to start here (Shakespeare did!). Also, Chaucer is just supremely human, if that means having a supremely human sense of humor -- one that pokes fun at all the pretensions of our mortal state. At the same time he is capable of grasping after the utmost reaches of human feeling, both religious and romantic. A serious reading of Chaucer reminds a person that the human soul is not an invention of any region or time period of history. The laughter and the tears that are part of what his copyist Shakespeare later calls the "mortal coil" are all here.
Probably the best bargain of a book on all of amazon.com -- NO KIDDING.
As Chaucer himself said, "What is this world, What asketh man to have, Now with his love, now in his colde grave -- allone withouten any compaignye" -- only the Riverside Chaucer; lost on a desert island with no other companion -- this is the first book you would want to have with you and the last one.
Superb!.......2006-01-06
This is the best edition of Chaucer on the market, including all of his major works. If you're serious, this is the one to get.
sitting on the dock of a bay..........2005-12-03
To gauge Chaucer's merit as a poet and as a HUMAN is in our time demanding and therefore questionable. Velleity MAY yield amusement. I will quote Ezra Pound:
"Anyone who is too lazy to master the comparatively small glossary necessary to understand Chaucer deserves to be shut out from the reading of good books for ever. ... As to the relative merits of Chaucer and Shakespeare, English opinion has been bamboozled for centuries by a love of the stage, the glamour of the theatre, the love of bombastic rhetoric and of sentimentalizing over actors and actresses; these, plus the national laziness and unwillingness to make the least effort, have completely obscured the values."
Pound the iconoclast. He does however wake one up to something beyond conjecture:
"Chaucer wrote when reading was no disgrace... Chaucer really does comprehend the thought as well as the life of his time... The Wife of Bath's theology is not a mere smear... 'conseilling is nat comandement.' Chaucer wrote while England was still a part of Europe. He was more compendious than Dante. ...Chaucer uses French art, the art of Provence, the verse art come from the troubadours. He is La Grand Translateur. He had found a new language, he had it largely to himself, with the grand opportunity. Nothing spoiled, nothing worn out. Dante had had a similar opportunity, and taken it, with a look over his shoulder and a few Latin experiments. ...Chaucer and Shakespeare have both an insuperable courage in tackling any, but absolutely any, thing that arouses their interest..."
It goes on and on. One CAN trace the metamorphoses of English verse. Its origin is with Chaucer.
Well Worth the Price!.......2005-11-06
Can anyone argue that Chaucer's complete works *aren't* worth reading? The language is beautiful, a perfect blend of satirical humor and solemn reflection... and of course, no one can paint a portrait with words quite like the author of the Canterbury Tales.
The notes in the back provide more detail if a particular point interests you, but the footnotes on the page are sufficient to allow understanding. There's a reason that the Riverside Chaucer is *the* book that Chaucer students use.
If the footnotes aren't sufficient, I would advise actually learning to speak Middle English. It's more effort, but often by saying a word aloud its meaning (or at least its tone) become clearer. Chaucer's work is, after all, meant to be heard aloud, not to be read in a textbook.
Average customer rating:
- Uses for this Translation
- Fantastic Read
- If Homer were a down-home balladeer...
- People Don't Make Up Curses Like That Anymore...
- "I long to be homeward bound" Simon and Garfunkle
|
The Odyssey
Homer
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
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The Aeneid
ASIN: 0140268863 |
Amazon.com
Robert Fagles's translation is a jaw-droppingly beautiful rendering of Homer's Odyssey, the most accessible and enthralling epic of classical Greece. Fagles captures the rapid and direct language of the original Greek, while telling the story of Odysseus in lyrics that ring with a clear, energetic voice. The story itself has never seemed more dynamic, the action more compelling, nor the descriptions so brilliant in detail. It is often said that every age demands its own translation of the classics. Fagles's work is a triumph because he has not merely provided a contemporary version of Homer's classic poem, but has located the right language for the timeless character of this great tale. Fagles brings the Odyssey so near, one wonders if the Hollywood adaption can be far behind. This is a terrific book.
Book Description
If The Iliad is the world's greatest war epic, then The Odyssey is literature's grandest evocation of everyman's journey though life. Odysseus's reliance on his wit and wiliness for survival in his encounters with divine and natural forces during his ten-year voyage home to Ithaca after the Trojan War is at once a timeless human story and an individual test of moral endurance.
Translated by Robert Fagles
Introduction and Notes by Bernard Knox
Customer Reviews:
Uses for this Translation.......2007-09-30
this is an amazing book, with something for anyone. if you are interested in studying philosophy, you'll find it here. but, you can also read a great adventure story with fables and a love story written in. in that sense, this is a great translation; if you want to read this for the sake of entertainment, Fagles is a great translator. if you want to read for philosophical discussion, however, he might not serve your purposes. the thing you have to know about Fagles is, he often inserts adjectives and the feel of the entire story changes. so, if you want fidelity to the Greek words, try Lattimore. if you want fidelity to the Greek metrical sense, try Mandelbaum or Pope. and if you want fidelity to the Greek adventure epic, Fagles is your guy.
Fantastic Read.......2007-09-26
I'd tried to read some of the "classic" translations in college, and though I love poetry I found that Chapman, Pope et al. were extremely difficult to wade through. I skipped around, read what I thought were the "best parts," and put it aside.
I found the prose translations to pedantic, and none caught my interest.
Fagles version enthralled me, and made me realize that I knew nothing about the story. It was far deeper, more complex, and emotionally rich than I ever suspected.
There were certainly parts that dragged - there were whole pages devoted to feasting, and some of Odysseus' longer lies grew tiring. There were also parts that soared - Calypso's unrequited love for the hero, Athena's deadly games, Nausicaa on the beach, Odysseus meeting his dead countrymen in Hades, and the slaughter in the hall are all vividly captured. I'm ready to move on to the Iliad and Aeneid now!
If Homer were a down-home balladeer..........2007-09-20
Fagles's colloquial translation is far from faithful to Homer. It lacks any hint of the grandeur or gravitas proper to the epic, and in places borders on paraphrase. Some will argue that because most of the Odyssey is either dialogue or narrative told by one the characters, colloquial language is appropriate. However, the colloquial tone extends even to poet's (or muse's) own narration. One need look no further than the translation's first line for an example: where Homer speaks of the man who is polytropos ("of many turns"), Fagles gives us "the man of twists and turns." Moreover, it is hard to accept the colloquialism of much of the dialogue. For example, Fagles makes Nestor respond to Telemachus's request for the story of Agamemnon's murder, with: "Gladly, my boy, I'll tell you the story from first to last..." This is hardly the way one talks about the tragic and treacherous death of a former comrade in arms. Nor is Fagles's rendering of Odysseus famous narrative in Books 9-12 convincing: for example, Fagles has Lampetie bringing news to Helios of his cattle's slaughter "Quick as a flash." By contrast, Lattimore tells us she "ran swift with the message."
If Homer were a down-home balladeer, Fagles would be the translator of choice.
People Don't Make Up Curses Like That Anymore..........2007-06-14
My freshman English class tackled The Odyssey, and we all relished it. The high-key adventure, the indomitable Odysseus, the history and culture of our adored Greek society, and the rich dialogue all kept us hooked. The curse of the Cyclops is still a monologue I fall back on, even three years later, because, I'm telling you, people nowadays just don't know how to cast curses! As a little recommendation to enhance the reader's enjoyment, read a little bit about the Trojan War before starting. For my class, we had a packet with the history of the war, beginning with the Choice of Paris and ending with the Wooden Horse. It helps with the understanding of the story and whets the appetite for Homer's epic.
"I long to be homeward bound" Simon and Garfunkle.......2007-04-29
The Trojan War is over and one of our hero kings is lost. His son (Telemachus) travels to find any information about his father's fait. His wife (Penelope) must cunningly hold off suitors that are eating them out of house and home.
If he ever makes it home Odysseus will have to detect those servants loyal from those who are not. One absent king against rows of suitors; how will he give them their just deserts? We look to Bright Eyed Pallas Athena to help prophecy come true.
Interestingly all the tales of monsters and gods on the sea voyage was told by Odysseus. Notice that no on else survives to tell the tale. So we have to rely on Odysseus' word.
Many movies took sections of The Odyssey, and expanded them to make interesting stories those selves.
Not just the story but the way in which it is told will keep you up late at night reading.
Average customer rating:
- One of the hard slog classic reads
- A great story that anyone would enjoy putting aside all the academic chatter.
- A deeply powerful tale told in an equally powerful way by Fagles
- Requirement for Western Civilization
- Okay translation
|
The Iliad (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
Homer
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
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ASIN: 0140275363 |
Amazon.com
This groundbreaking English version by Robert Fagles is the most important recent translation of Homer's great epic poem. The verse translation has been hailed by scholars as the new standard, providing an Iliad that delights modern sensibility and aesthetic without sacrificing the grandeur and particular genius of Homer's own style and language. The Iliad is one of the two great epics of Homer, and is typically described as one of the greatest war stories of all time, but to say the Iliad is a war story does not begin to describe the emotional sweep of its action and characters: Achilles, Helen, Hector, and other heroes of Greek myth and history in the tenth and final year of the Greek siege of Troy.
Book Description
This timeless poem-more than 2,700 year old-still vividly conveys the horror and heroism of men and gods wrestling with towering emotions and battling amid devastation and destruction as it moves inexorably to its wrenching, tragic conclusion. Readers of this epic poem will be gripped by the finely tuned translation and enlightening introduction.
Translated by Robert Fagles
Introduction and Notes by Bernard
Customer Reviews:
One of the hard slog classic reads.......2007-10-11
No need to review this classic.
Recommendation: If you are buying this to actually read, get a version with larger type. I can barely read this with my reading glasses on. I'm going to have to get another version myself.
A great story that anyone would enjoy putting aside all the academic chatter........2007-08-08
Translation (in my opinion and experience) is not so much about accuracy as it is about hearing or reading something, absorbing it, and telling the same thing in another language in a way that can best be understood or even--we hope in this case--engaging or entertaining to the listener or reader. The Penguin Classic version of the Iliad does this quite well; and the translator has proven himself to be a good teller of the story in English given to us by Homer so long ago.
Don't read the Iliad because it's a classic, or because it's Greek, or because Homer wrote it. Read it for the same reasons and with the same mindset as you would any book written today, because it's good--and in this case outstanding. Put simply, don't analyse it or study it, just read and enjoy.
The Iliad is really that good.
A deeply powerful tale told in an equally powerful way by Fagles.......2007-05-22
The Iliad is certainly a piece of literature that has stood the test of time - and with good reason. War has constantly been a feature of human society and the Iliad tells of all its horrors like few other pieces of literature. But the epic is more than just a war story - it's a story of human limits and mankind's (especially in the West) constant struggle to deal with the realities they create. I suppose one could respond that this epic is more involved with human potential but it is very hard to read either the character of Hector or Achilles as anything but a tragic character - as someone who paid dearly for his role as "hero" of Troy or Greece. This is not a great piece of literature because it projects heroic ideals that should inspire us, though this aspect of the epic has played its own powerfully important role, rather, it is a great piece of literature because just as the epic appears to throw those ideals up for lauding, it problematizes them - it illustrates their often tragic consequences. The heroic individual who can single-handedly make a difference and the ethic of competition the epic oozes have played profoundly important roles in shaping Western history but the Iliad is great because it draws out the ugly consequences these ideals can produce and the price one pays for holding them too close.
Fagles' translation - for all I can tell - is an excellent one. I know no Greek (Sanskrit was my "classical" language) but the power of Fagles' rendering is palpable throughout (especially in the masterful first chapter) and it is difficult, though not impossible, to imagine it being more so in another translator's hands.
Requirement for Western Civilization.......2007-05-12
How can anyone not give The Iliad 5 stars? Not only is it the fountainhead of all Western literature, it's a great story!! READ IT!!
Okay translation.......2007-03-29
I'm not convinced that this translation is an improvement to the Lattimore or Fitzgerald translations. It's readable and slightly more up to date in idiom, but it is somewhat predictable as a translation. It lacks the boldness of the translation by Stanley Lombardo, who has, in my opinion, produced the freshest and most exciting translations of both the Iliad and the Odyssey. The prose renditions of the Odyssey (the updated Rhieu and the Griffin/Hammond) are as readable and more exciting than the translation by Fagles. That said, it is still a fine translation, but if you already have the Lattimore translation (or if you are lucky enough to have the Lombardo translation) there isn't a whole lot to be gained with this translation.
Average customer rating:
- Homer wrote at least one great story--the Iliad--and one bad one--the Odyssey
- "I long to be homeward bound" Simon and Garfunkle
- Down-to-Earth Translation of a Classic
- An Epic Thriller
- The Odyssey - once more
|
The Odyssey (Penguin Classics)
Homer
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
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ASIN: 0140449116
Release Date: 2003-04-29 |
Customer Reviews:
Homer wrote at least one great story--the Iliad--and one bad one--the Odyssey.......2007-08-09
The Odyssey is an aweful book. The only thing that perhaps carried it through to modern day readers is the fact that it follows the Iliad--which is one of the greatest stories ever told.
I know people worship Homer, but do they ever ask themselves why. Is it not because of the Iliad?
The fact that the Odyssey has such common appeal and has been turned into several crappy movies should tell you something, and perhaps tell you also why Homer never actually finished the story--as it's pretty obvious the ending was a fill in by a lesser writer.
The Iliad is complex and rich in description, the Odyssey is big on action and simply told. It's pretty obvious the latter was never meant to be a great work by Homer.
Maybe Homer wrote the Odyssey as a bedtime story for children, a tall tale of a legendary hero made household famous by the Iliad.
That the Odyssey continues to be considered a classic perhaps can't be helped--it's certainly very digestible ancient Greek literature--but it's not good literature.
About the only thing we get out of the Odyssey is at the very beginning, the story of the Trojan Horse, and that's where its value ends.
Great translation and story 'retelling' by the translater though.
"I long to be homeward bound" Simon and Garfunkle.......2007-05-20
The Trojan War is over and one of our hero kings is lost. His son (Telemachus) travels to find any information about his father's fait. His wife (Penelope) must cunningly hold off suitors that are eating them out of house and home.
If he ever makes it home Odysseus will have to detect those servants loyal from those who are not. One absent king against rows of suitors; how will he give them their just deserts? We look to Bright Eyed Pallas Athena to help prophecy come true.
Interestingly all the tales of monsters and gods on the sea voyage was told by Odysseus. Notice that no on else survives to tell the tale. So we have to rely on Odysseus' word.
Many movies took sections of The Odyssey, and expanded them to make interesting stories those selves.
Not just the story but the way in which it is told will keep you up late at night reading.
Down-to-Earth Translation of a Classic.......2007-04-21
Over the years, I've encountered several different translations of Homer's 'The Odyssey' in school textbooks. These were generally excerpts, not the work in its entirety. I had become quite familiar with it's plot, as well as its ties to Greek mythology, though I'd never read the whole work. I've made attempts at reading Robert Fitzgerald's full translation of 'The Odyssey' in the past, though I found that I couldn't get into it. A couple of months before writing this review, I came across this particular translation...After leafing through the pages, it appeared to be much more accessible than others I had seen, so I thought I'd give it a try.
One of the key differences between this translation and others is that it has been rendered in the style of a novel than like the epic poetry its been translated from. Though the literal meaning of the passages has been largely retained, I find this translation's layout to be more aesthetically appealing and, thus, easier for a casual reader to become immersed in.
'The Odyssey' is the story of the main character, Odysseus, and his return to his home in Ithaca after the Trojan War. Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, had to leave both his wife Penelope and his newly born son Telemachus behind because he has to leave for Troy. 'The Odyssey' begins, chronologically, in the 'middle' of the actual sequence of events in Odysseus' story. While Odysseus has been away from Ithaca for an unusually long length of time, his patron goddess, Athena, is discussing his fate with her father, Zeus. In the meantime, Odysseus' wife, Penelope, is constantly being harassed by a large group of men collectively referred to as the 'Suitors', who wish to marry her, since it appears that there is no chance of Odysseus returning. Athena visits Telemachus, who is now around 20 years old, and is able to help him get news of his father's whereabouts. Odysseus has been held captive by the nymph Calypso for many years, though the messenger-god Hermes persuades her to free him. Odysseus builds himself a raft, though it ends up being wrecked by the enraged sea-god Poseidon. Odysseus swims to an island, where he is rescued by a young girl, Nausicaa. He is welcomed by her father, Alcinous, and mother, Arete. At this point, Odysseus tells of the trials he has had to endure since his participation in the Trojan War so long ago.
Many of these events will be familiar to anyone interested in Greek mythology; for instance, his crew's ships being wrecked on the island of the Lotus-Eaters, his encounter with a Cyclops (Poseidon's son, who Odysseus blinds by thrusting a stake through his eye; this is the reason why Poseidon is angry with Odysseus), and passing through the land of the singing Sirens. After he is finishing telling of his adventures, a group of skilled sea-men, the Phaecians, help him reach Ithaca. Odysseus is able to introduce himself to his son Telemachus, who he hasn't seen since he was a baby. In disguise, Odysseus is able to walk amongst the Suitors and Penelope, and tells them that Odysseus is going to be returning soon. Penelope tests all of the Suitors, saying that anyone able to string Odysseus' bow in an archery competition may have her hand in marriage. Odysseus, still disguised as a beggar, is the only one able to do so. Then, he reveals his identity to the Suitors, then kills them after turning his bow upon all of them. His wife, Penelope, tests Odysseus to see if he is really who he says he is by telling the maid Eurycleia to move their bed from the bedroom. Odysseus then tells of how he built that bed himself from an olive-tree and how it would be incredibly hard for anyone to move it. Thus, Penelope was convinced of his identity, and they talk of all of the events that have occurred in each of their lives during the long span of time that they haven't been able to communicate.
'The Odyssey' is one of the central works of Western literature, which is understandable based on the story's scope: mythology, adventure, an intelligent and cunning hero, and an unpredictable plot. The fairly flat, and sometimes archetypal dispositions of the characters are made up for by the complex and enjoyable nature of the tale.
An Epic Thriller.......2007-03-23
The Odyssey is an epic story about a king and his twenty year journey back home to Ithaca. The book starts off in the city of Ithaca where Odysseus is told that he has to off to Troy to fight in the Trojan War. Odysseus is the main character of this story that goes to fight in the Trojan War in which he hides inside a Horse (A gift for the Trojans) and come backs home to find that his house is overran by suitors. This epic poem could be compared to the Iliad, which tells about some aspects of the Trojan War, by Homer.
The author uses great and specific details of the killings and the in the injuries the characters endure during their adventure. I suggest this book to anybody who loves action filled epic stories.
When I read this it makes me want to read it again every time because of the action and details in this story. If you are a fan of epic adventure I recommend you read this book because of the compelling characters the specific details.
The Odyssey - once more.......2007-02-01
Impressively, there have been at least six new English translations of the Homeric epic, the Odyssey, in the last 50+ years, a clear demonstration of the fascination of the original Greek and also of the pleasure and prestige that a line-by-line modern rendition grants to the dedicated translator, whether a scholar, a poet, or (in the case of Laurence "of Arabia")a military adventurer. The work by the English classicist, E.V. Rieu, extended by his son, D.C.H. Rieu, is one of the most readable, warm and "alive". Even a modern artist, whose tapestries were exhibited at the Onassis Center in New York in 2005, used this (in combination with the Modern Odyssey by Nikos Kazantzakis) as her inspiration.
Book Description
"These authoritative translations consign all other complete collections to the wastebasket."—Robert Brustein, The New Republic
"This is it. No qualifications. Go out and buy it everybody."—Kenneth Rexroth, The Nation
"The translations deliberately avoid the highly wrought and affectedly poetic; their idiom is contemporary....They have life and speed and suppleness of phrase."—Times Education Supplement
"These translations belong to our time. A keen poetic sensibility repeatedly quickens them; and without this inner fire the most academically flawless rendering is dead."—Warren D. Anderson, American Oxonian
"The critical commentaries and the versions themselves...are fresh, unpretentious, above all, functional."—Commonweal
"Grene is one of the great translators."—Conor Cruise O'Brien, London Sunday Times
"Richmond Lattimore is that rara avis in our age, the classical scholar who is at the same time an accomplished poet."—Dudley Fitts, New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
Note on transation.......2006-08-31
I have read a few things by Lattimore, and while he is touted as the most accurate translator of Greek literature, I find him increadibly difficult to read. His sentences sometimes make no sense at all.
English is a language that depends upon syntax and the order of words in a sentence; Greek is not this way, it is a language with myriad declensions and conjugations, effectively allowing its poets to manipulate a sentence's word order.
Lattimore may simply be too accurate to the Greek originals, because the word order--translated so precisely--simply does not fit well in the English.
I recommend Fagles, who is an amazing translator; and while he is accurate, he also understands the limitations of translating the Greek to English. His sentences are fluid and capture the life of the translation. For Aeschylus, I also recommend Philip Vellacott. Check out Fagles, then check out Vellacott. But please forego the Lattimore translations, unless you really want to understand just the sort of impact a bad translation can have.
aeschylus I.......2005-09-30
the book is pretty good and thorough too. this is a good version to get.
The Greatest of Greek Tragedy.......2004-07-09
Aeschylus I (the Oresteia) probably best epitomized Greek tragedy. This compelling trilogy told the stories of endless cycles of violence in the House of Atreus that stretched across generations and only ended when peace and harmony took its place.
In "Agamemnon", the king had just returned from Troy when he is murdered in his bath by his wife and lover. Aegisthus, the son of Thyestes, sought revenge for his father, whom his brother, Atreus, killed two of his sons and fed him to Thyestes. Aegisthus, the surviving son returned to Argos to marry the queen after Agamenon left for Troy. This would make Aegisthus the ruler of Argos. Clytemnestra agreed to this because she hated her husband for sacrificing their oldest daughter, Iphegenia, to appease Artemis.
After Agamenon's death Orestes, only a child at the time, received a decree from the oracle to kill his mother to take revenge on behalf of his father. This is the theme of the "Libation Bearers." But when Orestes kills his mother it unleashes the Furies, primordial goddesses, who avenge Clytemnestra.
In the third play, "The Eumenides" Orestes is put on trial by Athene and is acquitted of the murder of his mother but the Furies are not satisfied. Only a peace-making offer from the goddess to the Furies ended the endless avenging approaches to justice.
The Oresteia centered on the concept of justice. How should a wrong be punished? What Aeschylus pointed out in his plays was that there were always two sides to every story. But it seemed man's fate to only see one side. Neither Orestes nor his sister, Electra, could see the anguish their mother experienced. They could not understand how she could slay their father because they saw no justification for such a brutal act. It was the same argument the Furies made to Athene when they concluded that the slaying of a mother by her son could not be justified. Yet, each time justice was meted out a new need for justice was its outgrowth.
We are faced today with issues much the same as the characters in Aeschylus' plays faced. Is an "eye for an eye" really a valid form of justice. In our own look at terrorism today could Greek tragedy point the way out of the endless cycles of violence?
The Oresteia Trilogy.......2003-09-11
Aeschylus's Oresteia Trilogy is a wonderful story and great to read. It explains the greek life and life styles that were brought about thousands of years ago during the time of the greek god's and the days of almighty Zeus. Aeschylus brigns about a storyline that will keep you wanting to read until the very end. This is a great story and for all ages to be enchanted by!
Perhaps the best English 'Oresteia'.......2002-07-22
All of the Grene/Lattimore translations I've read have been excellent, but this edition of the Oresteia stands out. Lattimore renders the chori of 'Agamemnon' so hauntingly that they hardly seem translated. The first chorus in particular, with its long sections punctuated by the refrain, "Sing sorrow, sorrow: but good win out in the end" is the best I've ever seen. It makes me shiver.
Greek similies are often tortured in translation, but not in this edition: "the sin / smoulders not, but burns to evil beauty. / As cheap bronze tortured / at the touchstone relapses / to blackness and grime, so this man / tested shows vain..." The poetry is an achievement in itself.
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