Read more
Callimachus was one of the most important Greek poets, and can also be one of the most rewarding to read. He was a pivotal figure in the history of ancient literature and an influential presence in later ancient poetry, including Catullus and Vergil. Yet his work is not read and enjoyed as much as it could be. This new volume in the popular Ancients in Action series seeks to bring Callimachus to a wide audience, addressing the problems with currently available scholarship, which assumes a professional level of expertise, including full knowledge of Greek.
Rawles presents a much-needed introduction to Callimachus' poetry and is intended for the non-specialist reader and student, assuming no knowledge of Greek. The book is organised in thematic chapters, rich in quotation (in translation), with selective annotations and guidance for further study and reading.
List of contents
Introduction
1. Texts, Classics, and Classics: Callimachus, Philology and Poetics
2. Voices
3. Gods and Heroes
4. People and Places: The World of Callimachus
5. Callimachus and Callimacheans: Some Moments of Callimachean Reception
Further Reading
Index
About the author
Richard Rawles is lecturer in Greek at the University of Edinburgh, UK. He has published on a variety of topics in Greek literature, including Sappho, archaic and classical lyric, drama and Hellenistic poetry.
Summary
Callimachus was one of the most important Greek poets, and can also be one of the most rewarding to read. He was a pivotal figure in the history of ancient literature and an influential presence in later ancient poetry, including Catullus and Vergil. Yet his work is not read and enjoyed as much as it could be. This new volume in the popular Ancients in Action series seeks to bring Callimachus to a wide audience, addressing the problems with currently available scholarship, which assumes a professional level of expertise, including full knowledge of Greek.
Rawles presents a much-needed introduction to Callimachus’ poetry and is intended for the non-specialist reader and student, assuming no knowledge of Greek. The book is organised in thematic chapters, rich in quotation (in translation), with selective annotations and guidance for further study and reading.
Foreword
An introduction to the poet Callimachus for the ‘Ancients in Action’ series, making his work accessible to those without Greek.
Additional text
This small volume ... comprises fine, very informed and very affordable readings of the essential pieces of Callimachus' poetry; the reader ignorant of Hellenistic poetry will find in these pages a sure and informed guide which gives all the keys to reading a complex and demanding literary production. It is an excellent introduction to Callimachus and an invitation to read and reread this essential poet, too little known to Hellenists.
