Acknowledgments; Introduction; Note on translation; Sappho; Notes; Selected bibliography.
Diane Rayor's graceful translations and André Lardinois's thorough introduction and notes present the best combination of intelligibility, information, and poetry.
Diane Rayor is Professor of Classics at Grand Valley State University. In 2011, she received the university's most prestigious faculty award, the Glenn A. Niemeyer Outstanding Faculty Award for excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. In 2010, Colorado College awarded Rayor the Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa. Rayor has published five book translations of ancient Greek poetry and drama: Euripides' 'Medea': A New Translation (Cambridge University Press, 2013); Sophocles' 'Antigone': A New Translation (Cambridge University Press, 2011); Homeric Hymns: A Translation, with Introduction and Notes (2004); Sappho's Lyre: Archaic Lyric and Women Poets of Ancient Greece (1991); and Callimachus (with S. Lombardo, 1988). She is coeditor of Latin Lyric and Elegaic Poetry (1995). Her translations appear in numerous anthologies, including Greek Poets: Homer to the Present (2009), which contains sixteen of her translations.
'Even the tiniest scraps can be potent, as Rayor's lucid and
comprehensive translation makes clear … Diane J. Rayor captures the
distinctively plainspoken quality of Sappho's Greek, which, for all
the poet's naked emotionality and love of luxe, is never
overwrought or baroque.' Daniel Mendelsohn, The New Yorker
'For readers who want a complete, up-to-date collection of all
Sappho's extant oeuvre in faithful and cautious English
translation, this new edition, by two acclaimed classical scholars,
is currently the sole satisfactory option … Almost everything an
undergraduate or interested lay reader requires to embark on a
first voyage into Sappho's world can be found within this elegant
volume.' Edith Hall, The New York Review of Books
'Rayor's translations allow the poetry of Sappho to shine. Every
piece of what remains of Sappho's songs is reproduced here,
including the most recent discoveries, thereby providing the reader
with the most comprehensive English collection available. A
wonderful and inspiring work.' Marguerite Johnson, University of
Newcastle, Australia
'This book joins an eloquent translation of Sappho's wide range of
expression with a judicious guide to problems of text and
interpretation. The combination provides a reliable and enjoyable
introduction to Sappho's poetry and a firm basis for discussion of
the many responses it has evoked.' Joel Lidov, City University of
New York
'Diane Rayor's translation captures the quality of Sappho's poetry:
seemingly simple, but luminous, with unexpected shifts of
perspective that change the meaning. Neither too literal nor too
free, her lucid, musical rendering of Sappho's Greek is a delight
to read, and to read aloud.' Eva Stehle, University of Maryland
'With lovely translations and lucid commentary, Rayor and Lardinois
re-create the Sapphic fragments (including several rediscovered in
our own century) in subtle colors, presenting Sappho like Aphrodite
on her 'throne of many hues'. This volume is a welcome addition to
the long tradition of translating Sappho; ideal for students and
teachers, and a delight to all readers eager to read Sappho anew.'
Yopie Prins, University of Michigan
'This is the best version of Sappho in English.' Thomas L. Cooksey,
Library Journal
'This excellent new translation of Sappho by Rayor … will appeal to
the general public as well as scholars of Sappho and classicists …
Rayor offers versions of all the poems known today, including two
fragments published as recently as 2014. The excellent introduction
to Sappho's times and opus by Lardinois provides the necessary
background in clear, elegant, jargon-free language; the notes are
concise but informative. Highly recommended.' P. Nieto, Choice
'Anyone with an interest in Sappho will want to add this to their
library: It includes a thorough scholarly introduction, copious
notes, all extant fragments, an appendix on the new poem, and
unvarnished translations that hew dutifully to the originals.
Usefully, the authors have set forth the fragments in 'order',
rather than grouping them by subject, making it easier to track
down a specific fragment.' The Weekly Standard
'This beautiful book offers exactly what it says on its cover: a
new translation of the complete works of Sappho. The fullness and
quality of the work make it a wonderful resource for the Greekless,
and it will be of considerable value to students of classical
literature too. Cambridge University Press deserves our thanks for
producing such an accurate and attractive volume at such a
reasonable price.' Bryn Mawr Classical Review
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