Greek Lyric, Volume I: Sappho. Alcaeus

This is the best effort by a scholar who obviously is an expert in Greek Poetry. The organization of the poems agrees with that of Lobel and Page's great work, but Campbell has carefully examined all extant papyri and other manuscripts to gather all possible clues which might help to determine the meaning of a word in the poem's context. This book is so organized. Sources are given for each entry, in detail. Any pertinent comment by an ancient writer is included as well which adds to the pleasure of reading these poems, and all historical material is both in Greek and English. Campbell has decided to translate the Greek language of Sappho and Alcaeus into English very simply and literally, word for word, as much as possible, and this fidelity to the original is a great help for the reader. It is interesting to see that fragment 58, to which a recent discovery in Germany has given some new clarifications, making this fragment one of Sappho's most touching and personal poems, has been interpreted fairly closely to what we now know it is, Campbell surmises that the myth of Tithonus is used by Sappho, and he was right. A delight to read and study, a collection of all the remaining writing of the most famous poets of the island of Lesbos; two thousand six hundred years have passed, and though these intensely lyrical, mysteriously beautiful expressions, reflections,hymns,regrets, loves, the many hues and tints of the human soul, breathe of a different world,of gods and epic legends,of Sappho's passionate, desperate loves; Alcaeus's bursts of freedom loving songs and for drink, the freshness and perfection of expression will live forever in our memories!

It's important to remember that historically speaking, Loeb library commissioned most of these translations during a time in which the whole idea was to bring the old texts into the modern language– so if you're buying for a faithful literal translation, Loeb Library isn't for you. However, they are one of the only texts that have the original Greek side by side with the English, and, for that and the nice looking sets these Red and Green covers come in, we classicists are all in Loeb's Debt.

BEFORE I GOT THIS COPY I DID NOT REALIZE HOW MUCH OF SAPPHO DID NOT SURVIVE. No doubt this was due to the fact that survival of ancient sources depends on monks copying the work through the middle ages until printing could take over.A bunch of mysogamistic monks were not willingly going to copy ancient love poetry, and so we are dependent on a chance find of Sappho from the Egyptian deserter sands. A lot was lost, but enough remains to tell us that Sappho was a fantastic poet. Let's hope another chance find in Egypt will expand our knowledge of this truly great poet.

The main interest in Loeb Classical Library's Greek Lyric I is Sappho. Identified with the city of Mytilene, on the isle of Lesbos, ca. 7th - 6th centuries B.C., Sappho exemplified, for the ancient Greek and Roman critics (e.g., Ovid, Catullus, Longinus, Plutarch), consummate skill in the craft of poetry--especially with her ability to deploy the Greek language (within the ancient Aeolic dialect) for the most subtle musical/meterical effects and thrilling invocations. Her peers are only the greatest of love poets. What Aristotle says of Sophocles applies equally to Sappho: She has only to name the nightingale and she sings. With one exception, her poetry exists for us only in the briefest of quotations, often no more than half a line here, half a word there-- but these are sufficient to document her greatness. It were worth studying Greek so as to enjoy her very words. The translation is fairly literal, but do read the Greek text aloud and thereby relish the compression of her language and the music of her song (ah, the genius of ancient Greek-- so seductive that the rabbis of old forbade the study of Greek until the scholar had attained the years of prudence, i.e., 40+). Essential to any library for gentle-folk. Let me add that at least three great achievements in poetry come to us from the eastern Mediterranean--Homer, Sappho, and David. The poetry of these three wordsmiths is, first, to be sung, or incanted, with instrumental accompaniment. And, while translations are often splendid (especially with Psalms, or Tehillim), yet each poet bends the words to his/her will (to paraphrase Luther's appreciation of J Des Prez).

All of the publications from the Loeb Classical Library have the original texts and manuscrpts printed on the page opposite the modern translation. There are footnotes and references throughout the printed pages as well. Each book fits easily in the palm of your hand for easy storage or transport. Having your Homeric Greek or Ovidian Latin adjascent to the modern english hastens the learning curve and inspires further study.

Product was great, but packaging/shipping ruined the dust cover of the book. Brand new book arrived as if it had been used before. Unpleasant surprise for an item I wanted to give as a gift.

Delivered promptly as described.