Stephen M. Trzaskoma is Associate Professor of Classics, The University of New Hampshire.
Since these texts first found their way into the mainstream of
Classics instruction twenty years ago, the need for new
translations has become obvious, not only because of the textual
and theoretical advances made in the interim, but because of demand
for examining them in broader contexts. For both surveys of Greek
and Roman literature and courses on the history of prose fiction,
that demand has now been elegantly met. Trzaskoma's translation,
based on greatly improved Greek texts, shows a sophisticated
appreciation of the range in vocabulary and tone within Chariton,
and similarities and differences in style between Chariton and
Xenophon become easily apparent. Chariton may be a naïve romance by
some classifications, but the text's intertextual dimensions,
described in a helpful introduction that avoids prescribing how to
interpret these texts, are now made much clearer. The copious
annotations not only provide topical references but also mark the
wide range of literary allusions and parallels. From every angle
these texts have received a detailed rethinking. The Chariton and
Xenophon I thought I knew have become much richer and more
compelling texts. Any student of the ancient novel, and any teacher
wanting to create more students of the ancient novel, needs to read
this book. --Joel C. Relihan, Professor of Classics, Wheaton
College (Norton, Mass.)
I enjoyed this edition very much--the translations are readable
while maintaining a strong sense of the originals. The introduction
materials are informative and accessible making this text suitable
for undergraduate teaching. I also appreciate the formatting—with
cultural information and allusions to other authors in footnote and
more technical information on the manuscript in endnote. A helpful
bibliography is also included. --Kristen Day, Augustana College
Accurate and fresh translations of the two earliest Greek novels. .
. . A keen textual critic himself, Trzaskoma has published a number
of contributions on the novels, offering improvements to the text
and identifying additional allusions to classical authors. He
includes endnotes to both translations detailing his own
conjectures and differences with Reardon and Sullivan, all of which
bespeaks a complete reexamination of the texts in preparation for
his translations. Although . . . designed for undergraduate courses
where these novels will be read by Greekless students, every effort
has been made to provide as much information about difficulties in
the texts as possible, so these translations will be useful to
those interested in the Greek text as well. An unpretentious
introduction that will be very appropriate and useful to students
reading ancient novels for the first time covers judiciously the
major issues relevant to getting started with these stories. . . .
It is valuable to read [these two novels] together, and this new
text will make that easy and inexpensive to do. --Stephen A. Nimis,
Miami University, in The Bryn Mawr Classical Review
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