The Greek Classics (The I Tatti Renaissance Library)

I am more a Greek than Latin scholar, but I found this book to be a charming volume to read in small doses. Even after 500 years Aldus's voice comes through clearly as he struggles to find and publish the Greek classics and the grammars and vocabularies which will allow them to be read by an ever-larger audience, and get them out into the world.I must say this is one of the most beautiful physical books I have ever seen. The design, typeface, paper choice and printing quality are exquisite. It's a delight just to pick it up and page through it. I have literally found myself caressing it in my hands.

Scholarship as fine as complete. First-rate translation.

I have mixed feelings about Venice. On one hand Venice's greed and aggressiveness contributed to the demise of the Byzantine Empire. On the other hand Venice did more than its fair share in promoting Greek learning during the Renaissance. This book is an example of how Venice was at the forefront of printing Greek 'classics' and aids like grammars/ dictionaries to help read these classics.Aldus Manutius (1451 - 1515) is an attractive figure. His Aldine Press was responsible for printing more first editions than any other publishing house during the Renaissance. He was a friend of the first and second generation Greek scholars/ refugees. As a matter of fact the official language of Manutius workshop was Greek.This book is a translation of the prefaces and other dedicatory material that accompanied Manutius' editions. A quick glance shows how productive the years 1495 to 1514 were.This book has dedications for:Aristotle - Organon (1495)Aristotle - Natural Philosophy (1497)Aristotle - Zoological Works (1497)Aristophanes - Nine Comedies (1498)Thucydides - Histories (1502)Sophocles - Seven Tragedies (1502)Herodotus - Histories (1502)Euripides - Seventeen Tragedies (1503)Xenophon - Hellenica (1503)Homer - Illiad and Odessey (1504)Demosthenes - Speeches (1504)Aesop - Fables (1505)Plutarch - Moralia (1509)Greek Orators in 2 volumes (1513)Plato - Complete Works (1513)Athenaeus - The Learned Banqueters (1514)As you can see the Aldine Press was prolific. Also included in this book are prefaces to the works of lexicographers like Constantine Lascaris, Theodore Gaza, Julius Pollux, Chrysoloras, Hesychius, Sudias and Johannes Crastonus. These prefaces have not seen the light of day since the days of the Aldine Press. They are great snapshots into how these scholars perceived their work. None of the prefaces are particularly long. It includes 47 prefaces plus a series of appendices with supplementary texts.If you are interested in the Renaissance or the history of printing or the reception of Classical Greek literature in the west then this book is for you.

impeccable