Beowulf (Signet Classics) (Old English Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Beowulf is the oldest existing poem in any modern European language. Written in Old English & dating from around the 8th century, just one copy survived Henry VIII's dissolution of the Catholic monasteries.
The well known story is pretty straightforward; when Hrothgar (a Danish king) is confronted with Grendel, a monster who has taken to attacking his hall Herot, Beowulf of the Geats (Southern Sweden) comes & slays Grendel. Subsequently, Beowulf must slay Grendel's mother and towards the end of his own life, must battle a dragon.
Everyone who has ever taken a survey of English Literature course probably started with Beowulf.One can only hope that they read this 1963 translation by Burton Raffel. He has taken this great epic & provided it with a worthy translation.
Here is a sample:
..And after that bloody Combat the Danes laughed with delight. He who had come to them from across the sea, Bold and strong-minded, had driven affliction Off, purged Herot clean. He was happy, Now, with that night's fierce work; the Danes Had been served as he'd boasted he'd serve them; Beowulf. A prince of Geats, had killed Grendel, Ended the grief, the sorrow, the suffering Forced on Hrothgar's helpless people By a bloodthirsty fiend. No Dane doubted The victory, for the proof, hanging high From the rafters where Beowulf had hung it, was the monster's Arm, claw and shoulder and all.
GRADE: A+

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The epic poem of war and adventure.Beowulf is the earliest extant poem in a modern European language.It was composed in England four centuries before the Norman Conquest.But no one knows exactly when it was composed, or by whom, or why.As a social document this great epic reflects a feudal, newly Christian world of heroes and monsters, blood and victory and death.* Burton Raffel's modern language translation from the original Old English remains the most celebrated introduction of the poem to students and the general reader alike* Includes a glossary of terms

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Western Humanities, Complete Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is an excellent resource for college students interested in humanities. This was the text used for my Humanities class. It was very easy to read and I was able digest the material covered without falling asleep. The photos are excellent and the captions are detailed. This is an excellent book well worth the asking price.

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This chronologically organized introduction to the Western humanities (art, music, history, literature, and drama) establishes the historical context of each era before the arts are discussed. More than 600 illustrations appear throughout the text, "Personal Perspectives" boxes bring to life the events of the day, and brief sections at the end of each chapter describe the cultural legacy of the era discussed. "The Western Humanities" is also available in two volumes: "Volume I" covers prehistory through the Renaissance; "Volume II" spans the period from the Renaissance through the present.

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Vergil's Aeneid, Books I-VI (Latin Edition) (Bks. 1-6) (English and Latin Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Whether one is studying the Aeneid or one simply wishes to read it for pleasure, Pharr's and Heath's edition is, when it comes to the first six books of Vergil's epic, the _ne plus ultra_ of student texts. The "Purple Vergil" renders the Aeneid both more accessible and easier to appreciate as a work of art.
This is due, in large part, to the text's impeccable format. Each page provides all the necessary vocabulary (especially common words are located in a fold-out list at the back), eliminating the constant drudgery of poring through one's Latin-English dictionary so common to most texts. Pharr and Heath also provide comprehensive notes for the poem--notably, helpful rearrangements of the more convoluted sentences. Additionally, a thorough appendix on Latin grammar and poetry is included (including declensions of those pesky Greek forms).
With this amazing text, Pharr and Heath have given anyone with a couple years of Latin the ability to read and enjoy this masterful work of literature in its original language. One only wonders why their format hasn't been wholly adopted by more authors...

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This is the book that revolutionized Latin textbooks, with its student-friendly format of vocabulary and notes on the same page as the Latin text, and unique pull-out vocabulary of most-often repeated words. Together, these allow for faster reading, unimpeded by the page-turning required to look up vocabulary or consult notes. Pharr's Aeneid is the all-time most popular textbook of Vergil's Aeneid. Grammatical notes are supported by a full grammatical appendix; vocabulary memorization is aided by vocabulary lists, arranged by frequency of occurrence, for drilling. The perfect edtion for both classroom and home study.Special FeaturesGeneral introductionFull Latin text of Books I-VI of Vergil's Aeneid, with selected vocabulary and notes on the same page24 black-and-white illustrations plus map of Aeneas' voyageGrammatical appendixIndex to Grammatical AppendixWord Lists for Vocabulary DrillUpdated, extensive Selective BibliographyPull-out General Word ListAlso available:Vergil's Aeneid: Selections from Books 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, and 12 - ISBN 086516584XPoet & Artist: Imaging the Aeneid - ISBN 0865165858For over 30 years Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers has produced the highest quality Latin and ancient Greek books. From Dr. Seuss books in Latin to Plato's Apology, Bolchazy-Carducci's titles help readers learn about ancient Rome and Greece; the Latin and ancient Greek languages are alive and well with titles like Cicero's De Amicitia and Kaegi's Greek Grammar. We also feature a line of contemporary eastern European and WWII books. Some of the areas we publish in include: Selections From The Aeneid Latin Grammar & Pronunciation Greek Grammar & Pronunciation Texts Supporting Wheelock's Latin Classical author workbooks: Vergil, Ovid, Horace, Catullus, Cicero Vocabulary Cards For AP Selections: Vergil, Ovid, Catullus, Horace Greek Mythology Greek Lexicon Slovak Culture And History

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Vergil's Aeneid (Latin Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)I used this book nearly 20 years ago in a class devoted to studying and translating the Aeneid; looking at the copyright page, I can see that the first copyright on the book was back in 1930. Clyde Pharr produced a far-reaching book, for it to remain in effective, useful life for such a long term. Reprinted now by the Bolchazy-Carducci Press (the press responsible for such fun books as 'Cat in the Hat' and 'Green Eggs and Ham' in Latin), it remains one of the better books for students, classroom and independent study types, to use to learn Latin and study the Aeneid.
Each page consists of anywhere from five to twenty lines of text from Vergil's Aeneid. The rest of the page is devoted to reader notes. These are in two sections -- first, a secondary vocabulary list taken from the lines above; the bottom section are generous notes, which give unique vocabulary, grammar points, special usage notes, history and more. The text is printed with most general vocabulary printed in standard font face (these are words that occur frequently), and can be found on the General Word List in the back. Other words appear in italics, and are found in the list in the middle of the page. At the end of the book, there are lists of words broken into frequency -- the General Word List contains all words occuring 24 times or more in the six books; two other lists have the words which occur 12-23 time and 6-11 times, respectively. The amount of memorisation for vocabulary versus looking up words in the notes can then be regulated by the student or teacher.
There is a grammatical appendix at the end, with 477 separate items of concern. Much of this is review from prior Latin grammars the student is supposed to have learned; a companion Latin grammar is also recommended by Pharr (there are several from which to choose). The appendix follows different pagination, and even has its own index.
The Aeneid is a fascinating text, one of the greatest epics of the ancient world; it takes up the task of the Iliad/Odyssey cycle and 'updates', if you will, the story line into the Roman era. Pharr's book helps the reader to work with it in its original language, easily and methodically, with only a minimum of Latin training (one year is probably sufficient) required for engagement.

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Both paperback and clothbound now contain an 'Annotated Bibliography on Vergil, to Supplement Pharr's Aeneid,' by Alexander McKay, a bibliography of articles and books in English, for use in college and high school Vergil courses, for students and their teachers.Also Available:Vergil's Aeneid: Selections from Books 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, and 12 - ISBN 0865164819Poet & Artist: Imaging the Aeneid - ISBN 0865165858For over 30 years Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers has produced the highest quality Latin and ancient Greek books. From Dr. Seuss books in Latin to Plato's Apology, Bolchazy-Carducci's titles help readers learn about ancient Rome and Greece; the Latin and ancient Greek languages are alive and well with titles like Cicero's De Amicitia and Kaegi's Greek Grammar. We also feature a line of contemporary eastern European and WWII books. Some of the areas we publish in include: Selections From The Aeneid Latin Grammar & Pronunciation Greek Grammar & Pronunciation Texts Supporting Wheelock's Latin Classical author workbooks: Vergil, Ovid, Horace, Catullus, Cicero Vocabulary Cards For AP Selections: Vergil, Ovid, Catullus, Horace Greek Mythology Greek Lexicon Slovak Culture And History

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Paradise Lost (Penguin Classics) Review

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(More customer reviews)Milton's great epic poem was written "to justify the ways of God to men", thus telling the story of Lucifer's expulsion from Heaven and Adam's subsequent banishment from Eden. The classic representations of idyllic Eden, fiery Hell, and glorious Heaven are as rich now as when they were first created in 1667.
Paradise Lost is a very complicated, yet rewarding, Epic poem. It is by far the best of its kind in the English language, and where it lacks in original conventions, it more than makes up for it in its pure power of poetry. For those readers of translations who are unable to enjoy Homer's Greek, Virgil's Latin or Dante's Italian, Paradise Lost can offer them a unique chance to enjoy an epic poem in its original vernacular.
However, you must bear in mind that Paradise Lost is one of the most difficult pieces of poetry to read, and is by no means as simple as reading a translation of Homer or Virgil. The language is lexically dense, with complex grammar structures at times. These hurdles will be found considerably easier for experienced readers of Shakespeare, and those who are already aware of common traits of epic poetry.
Milton's use of language is majestic, boasting an impressive metre. The poem is lavished with many famous quotes that have become ingrained into everyday English, with such examples as "Pandemonium" and "All hell broke loose". Paradise Lost is, without a doubt, a must read for any intellectual English reader.
Like all epic poetry Milton's piece of art is highly indebted to Homer's conventions, with typical imitations of the Iliad's list of warriors and the Odyssey's garden of Alcinous. But Milton's debt to the Classics manifests itself as a representation of learned study, (with links to such writers as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Plato, Shakespeare and Spenser), therefore it does not so much as pilfer from great literature, as it instead endeavours to become a part of it.
Paradise Lost offers the epic reader a new form of subject, not just the usual heroes and large battles, but a theme which captivates the reader - the devils fall and man's respectively. The rebel Angels' descent from heaven to hell and Adam's from Eden to a desolate "outside" world, captivate the reader with an intriguing theme: the loss of innocence and the fall into experience. Why must Man sin? What is his relationship to Satan's loss of grace? And where does God's image of himself measure with his own maker? Milton's poem may lack the great Achilles and the gleaming towers of Troy, but it does offer much intellectual food for thought.
This Penguin edition is a rare find of value for money, it is not particlularly inexpensive, but come on ... please bear in mind the tiny price tag on this book - for less than half the price of a DVD you can own the English language's greatest poetic feat!
It is the Miltonic Satan that really comes to the forefront of this poem. The cunning fallen angel, who decides that "All good to me is lost; Evil, be thou my Good" (IV.109-10), is as appealing to the reader as Marlowe's "Nun-poisoning" Barabas the Jew. It is with some guilt that this present commentator must own to rooting for this most infamous baddy throughout the poem. With a display of wit almost as sharp as Ovid or Nonnos, Milton indisputably gives his best lines to God's antagonist. This Devil is not just a superficial evil being, but instead a complex character; one that feels remorse for his fall, love for his close friends, and a harrowing jealousy of Man. What we are given by Milton's villain is not just a rewarding psychological study of Christianity's Devil, but also a commentary upon our own ignoble actions.

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In the PENGUIN CLASSICS series, a new edition of the epic poem on the subject of the foundation of hell and the fall of man, written by the seventeenth century poet, John Milton. It contains a critical introduction and notes on unfamiliar words and any biblical, classical or historical allusions.

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