The Penguin Book of Greek and Latin Lyric Verse - 9780141392134

The poets in this book are philosophers and statesmen; priestesses and warriors; teenage girls, concerned for their birthday celebrations; drunkards and brawlers; grumpy old men and chic young things. They speak of hopes, fears, loves, losses, triumphs and humiliations. Every one of them lived and died between 1,900 and 2,800 years ago. The Penguin Book of Greek and Latin Lyric Verse is a volume without precedent. It brings together the best of two traditions normally treated in isolation, and in doing so tells a captivating story about how literary book-culture emerged out of a society structured by song. The classical vision of lyric poetry as practised by the greatest ancient poets - Sappho and Horace, Bacchylides and Catullus - mingles and interacts with our expansive modern understanding of the lyric as the brief, personal, emotional poetry of a human soul laid bare. Anyone looking for a picture of what ancient poets were up to when they weren't composing national epics, manuals in verse or pieces for the tragic or comic stage - when they were instead singing to the gods, or to their friends, or otherwise opening little verbal windows into their life and times - can find it here. It is a magisterial accomplishment, astonishing in its ambition and thrilling in scope.

A groundbreaking anthology that unites Greek and Latin lyric poetry in one volume, showcasing the timeless beauty and depth of ancient verse.

A fascinating collection that offers a glimpse into the hearts and minds of some of history’s greatest poets—both an essential academic resource and a joy for poetry lovers.


Product details
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Classics (August 12, 2025)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 1008 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0141392134
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 9780141392134
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.5 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.12 x 1.65 x 7.8 inches

Poetry, Classical Literature, Ancient & Medieval Literature, Lyric Verse, Anthology, Greek Poetry, Latin Poetry, Lyric Verse, Ancient Literature, Classical Poets, Sappho, Horace, Catullus, Bacchylides, Poetry Anthology, Personal Expression, Classical Civilization