The Scholia on the Aves of Aristophanes. With an Introduction on the Origin, Development, Transmission, and Extant Sources of the Old Greek Commentary on his Comedies.

Language: English

Published by Hildesheim, New York: Georg Olms Verlag, 1974

  • Hardcover
  • Used
See all details

Seller: Borkert, Schwarz und Zerfaß GbR, Berlin, GermanyBorkert, Schwarz und Zerfaß GbR

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since October 18, 2005

Association member: BOEVGIAQ

View this seller's items
Hardcover

Condition: Used - Very good

US$ 44.91

US$ 45.90 shipping 
Ships from Germany to U.S.A.

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket
Free 30-day returns

Item description from seller

CXII, 378 p. Aus der Bibliothek von Prof. Wolfgang Haase, langjährigem Herausgeber der ANRW und des International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT) / From the library of Prof. Wolfgang Haase, long-time editor of ANRW and the International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT). - Einband berieben, Buchrücken bestoßen und leicht verschmutzt, sonst guter Zustand / binding rubbed, spine scuffed and slightly soiled, otherwise good condition. - PREFACE Modern readers of Aristophanes are hampered by their ignorance of matters essentially commonplace. Even Robert Browning, however instant his recognition of his great confreres genius, shared the common experience and resorted to the same source of relief with lesser men. Sooner or later, whether poets or laymen, we all turn to the Old Greek Commentary on our poet in hope of a better understanding of the many remote matters that prevent our complete appreciation of his lively comedies. Who are these obscure men that troop through his coursing verse, the butt of his good-natured ridicule ? What is the particular significance of this or that swift reference to a local scandal, a political row, a shady transaction ? Or, in larger aspect, to a historical event, an Attic custom, an ancient myth, to theatrical usage, judicial procedure, ritual observance ? Even the common man, ensconced aloft in his seat in the ancient theatre, understood these things. To him they were the well- known facts of his daily life, but we moderns and aliens require instruction. We lack, too, his feeling for idiom and for the nuances of the speech heard in the street in the poets time, although we may know more about formal Greek grammar than any man of his day. The substance of comedy is essentially local: its characters and incidents, in order to provoke laughter, must be familiar; its spectacle of life must reflect the life of the audience. The comedies of Aristophanes are local in unusual degree; he is never very far from the Athens of Alcibiades, however he may affect to transport us to Hades or Nephelococcygia. It is for this reason, doubtless, that he has not many modem readers and that his plays have not much influenced modem literature. Racine appropriated the framework of the only play of our poet that may still be said to hold the boards, but shifted its characters and the setting of its incidents to his own time his play is French. Since, then, the outlook upon life in these unrivalled Greek comedies is so completely that of contemporary Athens, it is not surprising that even within a few generations after the poets death, when moreover Alexanders conquests had lowered the prestige of ancient states, established new centres of interest, and shattered venerable traditions, men began to find these plays difficult and to seek enlightenment. In the Introduction to this book I have endeavored to narrate how this virtual demand for a commentary was met by the great Alexandrian scholars and their successors. It is now difficult to realize the abundant resources these learned men had in prosecuting their study of comedy. The present record of their labors is indeed meagre, but even the extant scholia testify that their material for the intensive and comparative study of this important branch of the ancient literature was ample. Twenty-seven poets of the Old Comedy are cited or quoted in the existing commentary, and many of their plays are named: six each of Hermippus and Phrynichus, seven of Pherecrates, eight of Theo- pompus, fourteen of Eupolis, sixteen of the elder Cratinus, seventeen of Plato, thirty-six of Aristophanes. These comedies long survived their authors. Athenaeus, writing at the close of the second century of our era, cites or quotes thirty-eight poets of the Old Comedy and names two hundred and twenty-five of their plays. To-day we have only eleven plays of a single poet. Comedy was profitably studied in Alexandria for a period of five hundred years, from just after the foundation of.

Seller Inventory # 1174827

Bibliographic details

Title
The Scholia on the Aves of Aristophanes. With an Introduction on the Origin, Development, Transmission, and Extant Sources of the Old Greek Commentary on his Comedies.
Author
White (ed.), John William:
Publisher
Hildesheim, New York: Georg Olms Verlag
Publication year
1974
Condition
Gut
Binding
Cloth.
Language
English
Item weight
550 grams
Seller catalogs
Literaturwissenschaft

Borkert, Schwarz und Zerfaß GbR

Berlin, Germany

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since October 18, 2005

Association member:

Shipping rates from Germany to U.S.A.

Item5 to 10 business days2 to 4 business days
First itemUS$ 45.90US$ 114.75
Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.

Payment methods

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Bank Wire Transfer
  • Cash
  • Invoice
  • Paypal

Store description

One of Germanys biggest second-hand bookshops! Wir sind ein reines Versandantiquariat, Besuche zum Abholen oder Inspizieren von Büchern sind aber möglich.

Association member

  • Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels
  • Genossenschaft Der Internet Antiquare
Members of these associations are committed to maintaining the highest standards. They vouch for the authenticity of all items offered for sale. They provide expert and detailed descriptions, disclose all significant defects and/or restorations, provide clear and accurate pricing, and operate with fairness and honesty during the purchase experience.

Seller's business information

Borkert, Schwarz und Zerfaß GbR

Holzhauser Str. 44 Fundus Online GbR
Berlin, Germany 13509