Author Description
Studies on the Text of Seneca's De beneficiis is a companion volume to Kaster's Oxford Classical Texts critical edition of Seneca's De beneficiis, the first new edition in nearly a century. De beneficiis is the most detailed treatment surviving from antiquity of the proper ways to show favour to others and to express gratitude when one has been favoured. After a survey of the documentary resources (medieval and Renaissance manuscripts and earlier printed editions) on which our knowledge of the text depends, the core of the book-seven chapters, one for each of the treatise's seven books--treats 200 passages where the Latin text is or has been thought to be corrupt and clarifies the reasons for favouring the reading adopted in the new edition. Three appendices treat further matters of detail. Three indexes detailing passages discussed or cited, personal names, and manuscripts and editions provide a useful guide for the reader.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates the textual integrity of Seneca's De beneficiis to establish a reliable critical edition of the work. Robert A. Kaster, a distinguished scholar of classical philology, utilizes his extensive research into medieval and Renaissance manuscript traditions to address long-standing textual corruption. The book provides a rigorous analytical framework for evaluating 200 specific passages, justifying the editorial decisions made in his accompanying Oxford Classical Texts edition.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A comprehensive survey of documentary resources including medieval manuscripts and early printed editions.
- Detailed philological analysis of seven books of the treatise.
- Three appendices addressing specific technical matters of the text.
- Indexes for cited passages, personal names, and manuscript sources.
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a general philosophical commentary on the ethics of Seneca's arguments.
- It does not offer a broad historical biography of Seneca or a cultural history of Roman gift-giving practices.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this work as a vital resource for classicists and textual critics working with the Latin tradition of Seneca. Readers frequently note the technical density of the prose, which is intended for advanced scholars familiar with classical philology.
Page Count:
236
Publication Date:
2022-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192845012
ISBN-13:
9780192845016
Philosophy
Latin
Philology