Synopses & Reviews
Lucan's epic poem on the civil war between Caesar and Pompey, unfinished at the time of his death, stands beside the poems of Virgil and Ovid in the first rank of Latin epic. This newly annotated, free verse translation conveys the full force of Lucan's writing and his grimly realistic view of the subject. The work is a powerful condemnation of civil war, emphasizing the stark, dark horror of the catastrophies which the Roman state inflicted upon itself. Both the introduction and glossary set the scene for readers unfamiliar with Lucan and explore his relationship with earlier writers of Latin epic, and his interest in the sensational.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Review
"The translation combines fidelity to the Latin with a good sense of what makes readable English. The introduction well raises many issues about the poem."--Keith N. Gauneberl, Hobart and William Smith Colleges--CHECK NAME!!
"Excellent notes, sensible introduction."--L. Cahoon, Gettysburg College
"Probably the best English translation in print."--Martin Helzle, Case Western Reserve University
"I like this translation. The introduction and notes by Braund are excellent."--Carole Shaffer-Koros, Kean College