Cambridge Greek and Latin classics

The Epodes, with the first book of the Satires, were Horace's first published work. They consist of a collection of seventeen poems in different versions of the iambus, the metre traditionally associated with lampoon and in particular with the seventh-century Greek poet Archilochus. In none of Horace's works is his originality more brilliantly displayed than in this creative appropriation of a hitherto unexploited Greek genre. David Mankin's introduction and commentary examines all aspects of Horace's relationship with his models and of the technical accomplishment of his verse; it also gives help with linguistic problems. His edition places the Epodes firmly in their literary and historical context: Rome at the time of its greatest crisis, the Civil War which ended the Republic and led to the establishment of the Principate. . Students and scholars alike will welcome this commentary, only the second in any language since the 1930s and the only one providing a full and detailed interpretation in English.

"Plutarch's essay 'How to Study Poetry' offers a set of reading practices intended to remove the potential damage that poetry can do to the moral health of young readers. It opens a window on to a world of ancient education and scholarship which can seem rather alien to those brought up in the highly sophisticated world of modern literary theory and criticism. The full Introduction and Commentary, by two of the world's leading scholars in the field, trace the origins and intellectual affiliations of Plutarch's method and fully illustrate the background to each of his examples. As such this book may serve as an introduction to the whole subject of ancient reading practices and literary criticism. The Commentary also pays particular attention to grammar, syntax and style, and sets this essay within the context of Plutarch's thought and writing more generally"--

"Sextus Roscius was murdered in Rome some months after the official end of the Sullan proscriptions on 1 June 81 BC. The case was tried early the following year with a young Cicero acting as defense counsel in his first criminal case for the accused son. Though a novice, Cicero was able to tap into the public anger over the uncontrolled killing and looting of the proscriptions and channel it against the men behind the prosecution, T. Roscius Magnus and T. Roscius Capito. Cicero won a career-making victory, establishing his reputation as a formidable advocate. This, the first new edition of the work in English to be published for almost a century, provides a Latin text and commentary updated to take account of advances in the study of the Latin language as well as Roman institutions, law and society. It is suitable for use with upper-level undergraduates and graduate students"--Provided by publisher. "When young Cicero rose to plead the case of Sextus Roscius, the prosecutor was visibly relieved that this unknown was his opponent and not one of the established advocates (ʹ60). Once the trial was concluded, there was no case to which he was thought unequal (Brut. 312). This career-making speech contains an almost fully formed approach to juror persuasion and to the psychology of criminality. It is also a risky speech in which the young C. excoriates a favorite of the powerful Sulla besides taking rhetorical risks, especially the purple passage about the parricide's punishment that embarrassed him in later years (Orat.107). If, like Desmoulins' teacher at the Collège Louis-le-Grand, one is put off by the domineering figure of C. the senior statesman,1 this speech shows instead a modest and struggling young orator of great appeal"--Provided by publisher.

The victory odes, or epinikia, are a series of poems composed by the ancient Greek poet Pindar to commemorate the triumphs of athletes who competed in various Panhellenic games like the Olympic, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian Games. The poems are known for their intricate complexity, which combines praise for the athletes, mythological references, moral reflections, and philosophical musings. The victory odes are considered to be the most complete works by Pindar that have survived from antiquity, as the rest of his works only exist in papyrus fragments. These odes provide valuable insights into the ancient Greek world, as they reveal how the Greeks celebrated their athletic heroes, and the cultural significance of athletic competition in ancient Greece.

Much has been written in recent years on Plato as a critic of literature; but no commentaries have appeared in English on the Ion, or the opening books of the Republic in which Plato launches his attack on poetry, since the early years of this century. This volume brings together these texts and the relevant section of Republic 10. It aims to provide the reader with a commentary which takes account of modern scholarship on the subject, and which explores the ambivalence of Plato's pronouncements on poetry through an analysis of his own skill as a writer. A general introduction sets Plato's views in the wider context of attitudes to poetry in Greek society before his time, and indicates the main ways in which his writings on poetry have influenced the history of aesthetic thought in European culture.

The four private speeches contained in this collection were functional artefacts whose object was to persuade a jury numbered in hundreds by manipulating both the facts of the case and the prejudices, beliefs and attitudes of the Athenian man-in-the-street. It is as vehicles of persuasion that Dr Carey and Dr Reid seek primarily to treat the speeches, using their commentary to shed light on how well the speeches perform their function. The speeches have also been chosen for their value as documents of Athenian law, commerce and private life. The commentary explains as far as possible any obscurities in these fields and also deals with matters of linguistic interest. While intended mainly for undergraduates and students in the upper forms of schools, the book will be of interest to all classical scholars. The introduction, which provides a brief survey of the Athenian legal system and the trade of the speechwriter, requires no knowledge of Greek and should interest students of classical culture and literature in translation.

"The sixth book of the Iliad includes some of the most memorable and best-loved episodes in the whole poem: it holds meaning and interest for many different people, not just students of ancient Greek. Book 6 describes how Glaukos and Diomedes, though fighting on opposite sides, recognise an ancient bond of hospitality and exchange gifts on the battlefield. It then follows Hector as he enters the city of Troy and meets the most important people in his life: his mother, Helen and Paris, and finally his wife and baby son. It is above all through the loving and fraught encounter between Hector and Andromache that Homer exposes the horror of war. This edition is suitable for undergraduates at all levels, and students in the upper forms of schools. The Introduction requires no knowledge of Greek and is intended for all readers interested in Homer"-- "This sixth book of the Iliad comprises the most loved and memorable incidents from the entire poem. It describes the episode where Glaukos and Diomedes recognise an ancient bond of hospitality and exchange gifts on the battlefield. Continuing the story, it confronts the reader with Hector at the moment of his entrance to the city of Troy and meets some of the most valuable people of his life, including Helen, Paris, his mother and his wife and baby son. Above all this book narrates the loving and fraught encounter between Hector and Andromache. The introduction does not require any prior knowledge of Greek and is suitable for undergraduates, students in the upper forms of schools and all those who are interested in Homer"--

Title representation varies as: "DIVVS CLAVDIVS", "Divvs Clavdivs", and "Diuus Claudius" ISBN 0521593255 (hardback); 0521596769 (paperback)