Theophrastus: Characters
Theophrastus: Characters
Theophrastus' Characters is a collection of 30 short character-sketches of various types of individuals who might be met in the streets of Athens in the late fourth century BC. It is a work which had a profound influence on European literature, and this is a detailed and elaborate treatment of it. This edition presents an improved text, a translation which is designed both to be readable and to bring out fully the nuances of the very difficult Greek, and a commentary which covers every feature of the text and its interpretation and offers particularly full elucidation of the often enigmatic references to contemporary social practices and historical events. There is also a lengthy introduction, which discusses the antecedents and affiliations of the work, its date, its purpose, and the manuscript tradition. Extensive indexes are also provided, including an Index Verborum.
- Provides an improved text
- Offers an alternative translation
- Contains a comprehensive commentary on the work
Reviews & endorsements
'Its elegance makes it a useful introduction for students, while its comprehensive textual analysis should insure that it will be the substantial contribution to the literature on Theophrastus' engaging, puzzling Characters for some time to come.' Nancy Worman, Classical World
' This is a masterly achievement in virtually all respects, and one whose great wealth of erudition will make it an invaluable source of reference for anyone seriously concerned with the private and public psychologies of life in classical Athens.' Hermathena
'… Diggle has elegantly repackaged in an inviting school edition his magisterial text, translation and commentary on Theophrastus: Characters that is fun to read and appropriate for a number of pedagogical applications.' James J. Clauss, Bryn Mawr Classical Review
Product details
December 2007Paperback
9780521045766
612 pages
216 × 140 × 35 mm
0.798kg
Available
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Introduction:
- 1. Theophrastus and his times
- 2. The nature and purpose of the Characters
- 3. Date
- 4. Transmission
- 5. Some texts and commentaries
- Text and translation
- Commentary
- Abbreviations and bibliography
- Indexes.
