Theophrastus Characters [Paperback]

This edition offers an improved text and translation of the collection, with a comprehensive commentary.Theophrastus' Characters is a collection of 30 short character-sketches of various types of individuals who might be met in the streets of Athens in the late fourth century BC. It is a unique work which had a profound influence on European literature. This edition presents a radically improved text, a translation designed to be readable while bringing out fully the nuances of the very difficult Greek, a commentary covering every feature of the text and its interpretation, and offering full elucidation of the often enigmatic references contained therein.Theophrastus' Characters is a collection of 30 short character-sketches of various types of individuals who might be met in the streets of Athens in the late fourth century BC. It is a unique work which had a profound influence on European literature. This edition presents a radically improved text, a translation designed to be readable while bringing out fully the nuances of the very difficult Greek, a commentary covering every feature of the text and its interpretation, and offering full elucidation of the often enigmatic references contained therein.Theophrastus' Characters is a collection of thirty short character-sketches of various types of individuals who walked the streets of Athens in the late fourth century BC. This edition presents a radically improved text for a unique work which had a profound influence on European literature. The translation is designed to be readable and reveals the nuances of the original Greek--through a comprehensive commentary that clarifies the often enigmatic references within the text.Preface; Introduction: 1. Theophrastus and his times; 2. The nature and purpose of the Characters; 3. Date; 4. Transmission; 5. Some texts and commentaries; Text and translation; Commentary; Abbreviations and bibliography; Indexes. Its elegance makes it a useful introduction for students, while itl#+