Latin Poetry Across Languages - Adventures in Allusion, Translation and Classical Tradition

Latin poetry is defined by its relationships with poetry in other languages. It was originally constituted by its relation to Greek, and in later times has been constituted by its relation to the European vernaculars. In this bold and innovative book, distinguished Latinist Stephen Hinds explores these relationships through a series of vignettes. These explore ancient conversations between Latin and Greek verse texts, followed by modern (especially early modern) conversations between Latin and European vernacular verse texts, reflecting the linked stories of reception that make up the so-called 'classical tradition': conversations across language, across period, and sometimes both at the same time. The book's range is expansive, ranging from Homer through Virgil and the Augustans to late antiquity, the Renaissance, Romanticism and on to Seamus Heaney. There is an especial focus on the parallel vernacular and Latin output of Milton and Marvell in England and Du Bellay in France.

List of contents

Introduction: Literal Latin; Part I. Readings Between Latin and Greek: 1. Counterfactual literary history; 2. Transliteralism for beginners; 3. Parallel lives; Part II. Readings Between Latin and Vernacular: 4. Diptych and virtual diptych; 5. Passages to Italy; 6. Latinity, lake poetry and lyric revision; 7. Reversions of pastoral; Conclusion: Micronegotiation.

Product details

• Authors: Stephen (University of Washington) Hinds, Hinds Stephen
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 28.02.2026
• EAN: 9781108835800
• ISBN: 978-1-108-83580-0
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Antiquity; English, Latin, HISTORY / Ancient / General, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Ancient Rome, 17th century, c 1600 to c 1699, Classical history / classical civilisation, 16th century, c 1500 to c 1599, c 1000 BCE to start of CE period, Literary studies: poetry and poets, Ancient Greek and Roman literature, c 1 to c 500 CE, Literature of England