Greek Lyric Poetry: The poems and fragments of the Greek iambic, elegiac, and melic poets (excluding Pindar and Bacchylides) down to 450 BC
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Author Description
The Greek lyric, elegiac, and iambic poets of the two centuries from 650 to 450 B.C.--greats such as Sappho, Anacreon, and Simonides--produced some of the finest poetry of antiquity. Their poetry was perfect in form, spontaneous in expression, and reflected all the joys and anxieties of their personal lives and of the societies in which they lived. This new poetic translation by a leading expert captures the nuances of meaning and the whole spirit of this poetry as never before. Not merely a selection, it covers all the surviving poems and intelligible fragments (apart from the works of Pindar and Bacchylides) and includes a number of pieces not previously translated. Also included is an introduction offering a brief account of the poets, as well as explanatory notes on the texts.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates the breadth and stylistic evolution of Greek iambic, elegiac, and melic poetry produced between 650 and 450 BC. M. L. West, a distinguished scholar of classical antiquity, provides a comprehensive collection of surviving poems and fragments. The work serves as a critical translation project, aiming to render the nuances of archaic Greek verse into accessible English while maintaining the structural integrity of the original texts.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A comprehensive collection of iambic, elegiac, and melic poetry fragments.
- Biographical sketches of major poets including Sappho, Anacreon, and Simonides.
- Scholarly explanatory notes on the historical and linguistic context of the texts.
- A chronological focus spanning two centuries of Greek literary output.
Scope Limits
- Excludes the works of Pindar and Bacchylides.
- Does not provide the original Greek text alongside the translations.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and students of classics regard this collection as a standard reference for the study of archaic Greek lyric poetry. Readers frequently note the clarity of the translations and the utility of the accompanying scholarly apparatus for understanding the fragmented nature of these ancient works.
Page Count:
240
Publication Date:
1994-12-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192823604
ISBN-13:
9780192823601
Poetry
History
English poetry
Anthology
