Aelian: Historical Miscellany (Loeb Classical Library No. 486) (Hardcover)

by Aelian (Author), Nigel G. Wilson (Translator) "The Varia Historia is a miscellaneous collection of anecdotes and historical material, with the addition of a few slightly longer pieces of narrative or description..." (more)
Key Phrases: cithara player, favourite boy, Historical Miscellany, Diogenes Laertius, Kai Twv (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Classicists no longer have an excuse not to check a citation in Aelian, and a general reader who wants to find out what a bedside book from antiquity might have looked like has the means ready to hand...Aelian's Greek can be quite tricky and with his translation Wilson puts us further in his debt: besides being clear and accurate it is often sprightly and even eloquent.
--A. J. Podlecki (Scholia )

Aelian's Historical Miscellany (Varia Historia) is mainly a potpourri of historical, literary, and other information concerning the Greek past...which apparently entertained educated readers [of the 3rd century] as well as provided them with exempla. Wilson gives us a smooth and very readable translation, syntactically reflecting Aelian's 'studied simplicity.'"
--Robert J. Penella (Religious Studies Review )

Product Description

Aelian's Historical Miscellany is a pleasurable example of light reading for Romans of the early third century. Offering engaging anecdotes about historical figures, retellings of legendary events, and enjoyable descriptive pieces, Aelian's collection of nuggets and narratives appealed to a wide reading public.

Here then are anecdotes about the famous Greek philosophers, poets, historians, and playwrights; myths instructively retold; moralizing tales about heroes and rulers, athletes and wise men; reports about food and drink, different styles in dress, lovers, gift giving, entertainments, religious beliefs, and death customs; and comments on Greek painting. Some of the information is not preserved in any other source. Underlying it all are Aelian's Stoic ideals as well as this Roman's great admiration for the culture of the Greeks (whose language he borrowed for his writings).

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 520 pages
• Publisher: Loeb Classical Library; annotated edition edition (July 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067499535X
• ISBN-13: 978-0674995352
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 4.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #789,826 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very interesting book,, October 9, 2001

By	SEBASTIANVS "libra64" (TOKYO Japan) - See all my reviews

This text, Ailianos' "Poikile Historia" contains so many interesting stories --- such as ; topics of paiderastia, hetairai, list of heavy-drinkers, list of gluttons, that of debauchees, that of the most handsome men, famous cities for the extravagancy, and lots of curious episodes & anecdota about homosexualities, oracula, superstitions, miracula, manners and customs etc.

I recommend the book for everyone who is interested in the ancient Greek and Roman World.