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Virgil and his Translators

Zara Martirosova Torlone editor Susanna Braund editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Oxford University Press

Published:4th Oct '18

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Virgil and his Translators cover

This is the first volume to offer a critical overview of the long and complicated history of translations of Virgil from the early modern period to the present day, transcending traditional studies of single translations or particular national traditions in isolation to offer an insightful comparative perspective. The twenty-nine essays in the collection cover numerous European languages - from English, French, and German, to Greek, Irish, Italian, Norwegian, Slovenian, and Spanish - but also look well beyond Europe to include discussion of Brazilian, Chinese, Esperanto, Russian, and Turkish translations of Virgil. While the opening two contributions lay down a broad theoretical and comparative framework, the majority conduct comparisons within a particular language and combine detailed case studies with in-depth contextualization and theoretical background, showing how the translations discussed are embedded in their own cultures and historical moments. The final two essays are written from the perspective of contemporary translators, closing out the volume with a profound assessment not only of the influence exerted by the major Roman poet on later literature, but also why translation of a canonical author such as Virgil matters, not only as a national and transnational cultural phenomenon, but as a personal engagement with a literature of enduring power and relevance.

this lucid and entertaining collection will serve as a helpful introduction to the complex ideological phenomena which motivate the translation of classical texts. * George Brocklehurst, International Journal of the Classical Tradition *
This lively and thoughtful collection, a long overdue contribution to Virgilian studies, applies the ideological hermeneutics pioneered by Theodore Ziolkowski in Virgil and the Moderns (1993), emphasizing the complex aesthetic, moral and political concerns involved in translating the 'classic of all Europe'. * George Brocklehurst, International Journal of the Classical Tradition *
This substantial volume will appeal to all Virgilians and reception studies scholars, evidencing as it does the many and varied permutations of three ancient source texts, and setting a new standard for breadth and depth in comparative surveys. The volume is also of use to students or those unfamiliar with any of the many languages treated: all quotations are translated, and a comprehensive bibliography is appended to the essays. * Holly Rangers, Institute of Classical Studies, Bryn Mawr Classical Review *
Every chapter of the book contains data and observations that will doubtless be of interest to specialist scholars of particular European and Asian languages. * David Hopkins, University of Bristol, Translation and Literature *
Braund and Torlone have produced an international tribute to Virgil, a polyglot paean for the considerable effort expended through the ages on the transmission of the poet's limpid hexameters into a dizzying array of vernaculars. A testament to the success of the arduous endeavor is the urge the individual chapters engender both to search out familiar chestnuts of Virgilian translation for reexamination, and to explore unknown versions (and indeed unfamiliar languages). If Virgil is the premiere Roman poet, this book ably illustrates the widespread influence and enduring power and charm of his works. * Lee Fratantuo, CJOnline *
Braund and Torlone have produced an international tribute to Virgil, a polyglot paean for the considerable effort expended through the ages on the transmission of the poet's limpid hexameters into a dizzying array of vernaculars. A testament to the success of the arduous endeavor is the urge the individual chapters engender both to search out familiar chestnuts of Virgilian translation for reexamination, and to explore unknown versions (and indeed unfamiliar languages) ... This is one of the most valuable Virgilian titles of its year. It deserves to be on the shelves of all libraries that service a classics curriculum, and in the personal collections of Virgilians and devotees of classical verse. * Lee Fratantuono, Classical Journal Online *
Virgil and his Translators needs no conceptual justification. It is a hugely rewarding collection of essays, full of analysis, perception and insights into the translation of Virgil over the ages. * Stuart Lyons, Classics for all *

  • Winner of Winner of the 2021 Alexander G. McKay Prize for Vergilian Studies.

ISBN: 9780198810810

Dimensions: 241mm x 163mm x 36mm

Weight: 960g

532 pages