A collection of urban and pastoral poetry of the Roman republic, and of the empire that succeeded it.

Intertextuality is a matter of reading.--Ralph Hexter, University of California, Berkeley "Classical World"

"Life, Death, and Entertainment in the Roman Empire gives those who have a general interest in Roman antiquity a starting point informed by the latest developments in scholarship for understanding the extraordinary range of Roman society. Family structure, gender identity, food supply, religion, and entertainment are all crucial to an understanding of the Roman world. As views of Roman history have broadened in recent decades to encompass a wider range of topics, the need has grown for a single volume that can offer a starting point for all these diverse subjects, for readers of all backgrounds."--Page 4 of cover.

Increasing importance is being attached to how Greek and Latin books of poems were arranged, but such research has often been carried out with little attention to the physical fragments of actual ancient poetry-books. In this extensive study Gregory Hutchinson investigates the design of Greek and Latin books of poems in the light of papyri, including recent discoveries. A series of discussions of major poems and collections from two central periods of Greek and Latin literature is framed by a substantial and illustrated survey of poetry-books and reading, and by a more theoretical discussion of structures involving books. The main poets discussed are Callimachus, Apollonius, Posidippus, Catullus, Horace, and Ovid; a chapter on Latin didactic includes Lucretius, Virgil, Ovid, and Manilius.

The Poems of Catullus describes the lifestyle of the Latin poet Catullus, his friends, and his lover, Lesbia. Catullus writes about each of his subjects in tones unique to them. With wild stories of the trouble and comradery shared by his friends, Catullus provides insight on more scandalous aspects of high society Roman culture. However, Catullus’ most shocking and compelling subject is his lover, Lesbia, the wife of an aristocrat. The two share a secret and sensual love, taboo not just because of the infidelity, but because Lesbia is many years older than Catullus. Throughout his poems, Catullus depicts their complicated relationship, first in a tender, lustful way, detailing their affairs, then gradually becomes more heated with angst and confusion. In his exploration of their relationship, Catullus embodies the possibility of simultaneously loving and hating someone. With vivid emotion and imagery, The Poems of Catullus provide a clear picture of the poet, his friends, and his lover and invoke a strong impression on its audience. Because of the deep emotions infused with each word and the visceral depictions of ancient Roman life, this collection of poetry is relatable to a modern-day audience, and is an essential educational source. Catullus paved the way and inspired change in the art of poetry, influencing countless poets and poetry styles. The Poems of Catullus also helped create the idea of poetry as a profession. The Poems of Catullus serves a valuable and educational source, enlightening audiences on the culture of the upper-class of the late Roman Republic. However, because Catullus also explores the complex human emotions regarding friendship, sex, and love, The Poems of Catullus have proven to be a timeless testament to the duality of humankind, embracing emotions that lie between the extremes in the spectrum of feeling. Catering to a contemporary audience, this edition of The Poems of Catullus features a new, eye-catching cover design and is reprinted in a modern font to accompany the timeless exploration of human emotion and the humorous, exciting life events of the influential poet Catullus.

This small book of the writings of the Augustan Sulpicia introduces the young Latin student to the sophisticated and eloquent poetry of one of Rome's most readable poets, especially for students at the intermediate to advanced Latin stage. This book is divided into three sections: "The Life of Sulpicia," "Catullus and His Influence on Sulpicia" and "The Elegies." In the first section of the book, "The Life of Sulpicia," the reader is given a historical and biographical sketch of her life and times. The intent of this section is to show the reader that she was a well-educated and highly sophisticated Roman woman who just happened to live during the tumultuous times of the Republican Civil Wars. In the second section of the book, "Catullus and His Influence on Sulpicia," the reader is introduced to the literary genre known as Neoteric poetics, of which Sulpicia's works could be classified. The reader learns about the genius of the Greeks, specifically Callimachus, and how his poetry affected the young poets who were under the patronage of Maecenas-most notably Catullus. Arguably, the most widely known Latin poet of this style was Catullus. The reader is introduced to his writings and the many ways in which the Greek poetic style influenced his writings and in turn Sulpicia. Also in this section of the book, "The Elegies," the reader encounters five of Sulpicia's six elegies in Latin. In Section III after each poem are exercises and questions for students to complete as an assessment. The questions range from parsing exercises, to questions requiring students to analyze Sulpicia's feelings, thoughts, etc.

"This is no small achievement. For the language-lover the translation provides elegant, flowing English verse, for the classicist it conveys close approximation to the Latin meaning coupled with a sense of the movement and rhythmic variety of Ovid's language"—Geraldine Herbert-Brown, editor of Ovid's Fasti: Historical Readings at its Bimillennium "This book fills a gap. There is no similar annotated English translation of Ovid's exile poetry. Thoroughly grounded in Ovidian scholarship, Green's introduction and notes are helpful and informative. The translation is accurate, idiomatic, and lively, closely imitating the Latin elegiac couplet and capturing Ovid's changing moods."—Karl Galinsky, author of Ovid's Metamorphoses: An Introduction to the Basic Aspects