The Greek poet Homer was one of the greatest and most influential poets of all time. His epic Iliad and Odyssey were the foundation of Greek education and culture in the classical age ("Our earliest infancy was entrusted to the care of Homer," said Heraclitus 2500 years ago) and are widely read today. Nothing is known of Homer’s life (some even doubt his existence) or of the composition of the two epics but we can assume that the texts that survive are not as they were originally formed in oral tradition. 
 This is a publishing and translation history of the written forms of the Iliad and the Odyssey. It first considers who Homer might have been and then explores the when and how of the creation of the written forms of the works. The Homeric text in classical times and in medieval Europe and the Byzantine Empire, and the Homeric text, the printing press and Renaissance humanism are next taken up. The successes and failures of the many who attempted to translate the works are analyzed critically and then—a major portion of the book—all the known texts, editions and translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey from 1470 to 2000 are listed. Finally, the author considers the future of the Homeric texts and the Poet’s relevance to this and future generations. Seven valuable appendices (e.g., Modernizing of Latin City Names; First Printings in Vernacular Languages), a bibliography, and an index complete the work.

The Printed Homer: A 3,000 Year Publishing and Translation History of the Iliad and the Odyssey

Literature & Fiction

Young, Philip H.

History & Criticism

McFarland Publishing

The Iliad and the Odyssey are the foundation of Greek culture ("Our earliest infancy was entrusted to the care of Homer," said Heraclitus 2500 years ago) and are widely read today. This is a publishing and translation history of the written forms of the Iliad and the Odyssey. It first considers who Homer might have been and then explores the when and how of the creation of the written forms of the works. The Homeric text in classical times, in medieval Europe and the Byzantine Empire, and in Renaissance humanism are next taken up. The efforts of the many who have translated the works are analyzed critically and then--a major portion of the book--all the known texts, editions and translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey from 1470 to 2000 are listed. Finally, the author considers the future of the Homeric texts. Seven valuable appendices (e.g., Modernizing of Latin City Names; First Printings in Vernacular Languages), a bibliography, and an index complete the work.

McFarland Company

The author follows a well-known literary tradition of combining the genres of lyric and prose, a tradition that reached its peak in the Romantic period but has since fallen into some disfavor. This nowadays-unusual combination allows him to circle around his dual theme -anticipating manhood from a boy's perspective, or revisiting boyhood from the perspective of middle age- in a fresh and productive manner.

Sandbox World

Contemporary

University of Indianapolis Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Young, Philip H.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Young, Philip H.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Young, Philip H.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Printed Homer: A 3,000 Year Publishing and Translation History of the Iliad and the Odyssey

The Printed Homer: A 3,000 Year Publishing and Translation History of the Iliad and the Odyssey

Sandbox World