A Hellenistic Anthology (Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics) [Paperback]

Neil Hopkinson (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521314259 | ISBN-13: 978-0521314251 | Publication Date: February 26, 1988 | Edition: First Edition, Second Impression

An anthology of Greek poetry written during the third to first centuries B.C., the so-called Hellenistic period. Hopkinson makes available to undergraduates a selection of texts that are not easily accessible elsewhere. The volume contains a wide and representative range of poetry, including hymns, didactic verse, pastoral poetry, epigrams, and epics. An introduction sets the poetry in its cultural and historical background, and a full commentary elucidates problems of the language and reference in the texts.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The appearance of any annotated Hellenistic text is a matter for rejoicing. Hopkinson's Anthology is especially welcome because of the excellence of its commentary and for the judiciously chosen selections: 1,738 lines of poetry, that is, a volume of reasonable length for today's undergraduate upper-level Greek students....this text will serve as an excellent introduction to the rich variety of material we so often neglect." Jerry Clack, Classical World

Book Description

A wide representative range of poetry, including hymns, didactic verse, pastoral poetry, epigrams and epics is supplemented by a cultural and historical introduction and commentary clarifying problems of language and text.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; First Edition, Second Impression edition (February 26, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521314259
• ISBN-13: 978-0521314251
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #582,634 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Greek texts, excellent commentaries, no translations..., April 13, 2003

By 

"acominatus" (Johnson City, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Hellenistic Anthology (Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics) (Paperback)

Well...
If you want a very good anthology of Hellenistic
poetry, with the Greek texts available for your
own translation, and excellent commentaries and
notes -- then this is your volume.
There is a total of 81 pages of Greek texts of
poems -- pp. 83 to 274 are detailed, highly
interesting, and enlightening commentaries on
the wordings, allusions, and implications in
the various poems, delivered with scholarly
insight, interest, verve, and never dullness.
Example -- here is a commentary on a Greek
word in an excerpt from Apollonius' epic
poem, -Argonautica, Book 4-, concerning Talos:
[astar/aulios]"the homing star". "This is a
good example of Ap.'s allusion to Homeric
philological problems." The editor then goes
on to give the quote in Greek, as well as
telling how Homer uses the word poetically,
and then how Apollonius changes the order of
his use of the word in his own poetic foot
placement. The relation to "aulios" is explained
as meaning "it brings relief to wretched plough-
men, i.e., signals their return home. Nor is
this mere pedantry: the 'gloss' is particularly
apt, since 'ploughing the sea' is a common
metaphor for rowing. The ploughmaen can rest;
but the heroes' work is only just begun."
The other notes in the commentaries are just
as insightful and interesting and enrich the
appreciation of the pieces.
The only drawback, at this price, for the
general readership is the fact that with all
this richness of detail and scholarly insight,
there are no translations. This book is meant
for students of Greek to use as a text for study
or class work. General readers would greatly
benefit, as would non-Greek reading scholars,
if only the translations had been supplied as
well.
The poets covered with various poems, pieces,
and excerpts are: Callimachus, Cleanthes, Aratus,
Nicander, Theocritus, Simias, Phanocles, Apollonius,
Moschus, Bion, Rhianus, Lycophron, Herondas, Machon,
as well as Epigrams, and Drinking Song.
There are also 4 pages of maps and a very good
Introduction.