Finley Melville Kendall Foster

“ Whether the twentieth century will carry on the width of interest of the nineteenth is hard to say. Until the war broke out the present century bid fair to equal its predecessor. With the coming of the war, however, translation from the Greek has been forced into the background and how long it will remain there, is, at this time, a matter of conjecture. ”

“ I would much rather attribute the increase to an equal growth of interest in Greek literature encouraged by the principles of literary art which were flourishing at that time and fostered by the steady development of Greek scholarship through those years. Aristotle's Poetics was one of the sources of criticism during these years and, as I shall show in the next section, the interest in Greek philosophy was predominant throughout [pg xv] the period. The authority of the classics and the classics themselves were uppermost in the current of literary thought ”

“ All of these forces encouraged a new interest in Greece and Greek literature, an interest which was not so much the purely literary attitude of the century and a half which had just passed, as a general interest on the part of the whole reading public.
Another agency of supreme importance in bringing Greece before the eyes of the English public at this time was the [pg xvii] removal of the marbles from the Acropolis by Lord Elgin. These marbles, the last of which arrived in England in 1812, were the center of much discussion in England. ”

“ The sections are intended to suggest rather than to solve the problems which English translation from the Greek presents. A discussion of the introduction of the literature of one nation into that of another by means of translation is not new; but a discussion of such translations as forming a continuous thread of influence is perhaps slightly different from any hitherto set forth. A series of studies of translations into English from various literatures might add something to our present understanding of literary influences. ”

“ II. The Translations I have no intention in the following paragraphs of discussing the ideals or the criteria of a good translation; for the making of an English version of a Greek original presents problems little different from those of translation from any language into English. At this time I merely wish to call attention to the various kinds of Greek literature which have been popular at different times during the last four hundred and thirty years. The extant literature of Greece lends itself in many respects better than other literatures to a genre classification. ”

“ The immediate popularity of the work is but another evidence of the widespread interest in Greece. I need hardly mention the stress which was laid upon the classics in the educational system of the time, for it is a well known fact. The emphasis which was placed upon Greek was at least equal to that upon Latin. The Classical scholars of the period such as C. J. Bloomfield, J. H. Monk, P. P. Dobree, and P. Elmsley spent the major portion of their lives in carrying on the work of Porson and editing Greek texts rather than Latin. ”

“ Once more an attempt is being made to supply the English reading public with adequate translations of all the classics. Inasmuch as it is at present incomplete little can be said of it at this time; but it seems assured of success.
In addition to the translations published in purely Greek and Latin collections many translations were included in the general collections of books which became popular [pg xxi] in the latter part of the nineteenth century and are still in vogue. ”

“ In fact the interest in Greek literature as literature, I do not say as a language, was much stronger at the close of the century than at the beginning, largely, I think, because of the efforts of such men as Matthew Arnold, Benjamin Jowett, and Richard Claverhouse Jebb. ”

“ Pindar's Odes were placed directly in opposition to those of Cowley's and the lyrics of Sappho were certainly not in accord with the ideas of the neo-classicists. Whether these translations were wholly correct or not, is aside from the point. Men were becoming more interested in the lyrical side of Greek literature, and this interest exhibited a taste foreign to sententious didacticism; for none of that is to be found in the Elegiac, Iambic, or Lyric Poetry of the Greeks. ”

“ The Drama now assumed its place as one of the important elements of Greek literature and possibly because it was a new found treasure, for the texts of the dramatists were not edited until the middle of the eighteenth century, was a little overemphasized. However, as was pointed out in the latter part of the previous section, the aim of Bohn's Classical Library was the aim of the reading public, i.e., a complete survey of Greek literature in English. ”

“ Bucolic Poetry contains only the work of Theocritus, Bion and Moschus; Poetry contains all the other work in verse except the epic; Romance embraces the work of Longus, Heliodorus, and Apollonius Rhodius; Epic contains the [pg xxv] works of Homer and Hesiod; Belles Lettres, the work of Theophrastus, Longinus, and Lucian; Learning and Science, the work of Hippocrates, and others of similar nature.
(For 1591-1600, the totals are for six years only.)
With this classification I have made a chronological survey of the translations and summed up my results at the century and half-century marks. ”

“ Perhaps catholicity of taste is the best phrase which may be used to characterize the nineteenth century. Nothing shows this better than the table of translations. The Drama, Epic, History, Oratory, Philosophy, Biography, Poetry and the more minor divisions were all translated with an abundance which shows a steady demand on the part of the reading public. ”

“ Some of their translations were made from the French, as Caxton's version of Aesop or North's version of Plutarch. One has but to compare Marlowe and Chapman's Hero and Leander with Musaeus to realize how little is Musaeus and how much is Marlowe and Chapman. The Elizabethan translators, moreover, were indiscriminate in their tastes, largely because their stock of Greek learning was small and consequently they had no perspective from which to judge the comparative merits of the works which they translated. ”

“ The nineteenth century, quantitatively at least, is the most important period in the history of Greek translation, for more than half of the total number of translations printed between 1484 and 1916 were published during these years. ”

“ Greek literature is no longer a hidden pearl, and, although the interest in the language may vary with the generations, the people of England and America have evidently found in it a worth which they desire to keep. If they had not, the following list of translations would never have been possible.
[pg 001]
A Bibliographical Survey Of English And American Translations Note.—In all cases where no place of publication is mentioned London is to be understood. ”

“ The series was more educational in its nature than any preceding one and the outlines and analyses in the books were intended for those who had little or no classical knowledge. The next classical library of interest to the general reader was The New Classical Library in which were published translations of Herodotus, Plutarch, and Theophrastus between 1906 and 1909. The last library and one which bids fair to take the place of the Bohn Classical Library is the Loeb Classical Library, which was begun in 1912. ”

“ At the bottom of each column I have indicated, where necessary, the classes which are non-existent for each fifty years.
(B. L. are Belles Lettres, Learn. is Learning and Science, Biog. is Biography, Orat. is Oratory, Bucol. is Bucolic Poetry, Phil. is Philosophy, Geog. is Geography, Poetry is Elegiac, Iambic, Lyric Poetry, Hist. is History, Romance is Prose Romances.)
To a large extent the table speaks for itself, for the interests and preferences of each generation are made self-evident ”

“ The result of these searchings is embodied in the list of translations which make up the contents of this book.
Certain limitations have, of necessity, been put upon the scope of this work. With a few exceptions, Musaeus for instance, the survey deals with Greek literature to 200 a.d. Josephus, because the interest in his work is mainly religious, has been omitted; and for the same reason the writings of the early Christian fathers have not been listed. Moreover, in stating the reappearances of a given translation, I have made no attempt to distinguish between editions and reprints. ”

“ One has but to attempt to gather together any considerable number of titles on a given subject to come to a realization of the difficulties of the work. “Here a little and there a little” is a true text in any such undertaking; and two translations in a bushel of books is no rare occurrence. ”

“ That the reprints amounted to one-half of the production of original translations is interesting as showing that the demand for translations was not equalled by a supply of new ones and that translations must have been popular. Printers have never [pg xiv] been inclined to be sentimental in regard to publishing books and any over-enthusiasm a translator may have in regard to his author is sure to be checked by the monetary standards of the publisher. ”

“ The Institution and Life of Cyrus, the first of that name, King of Persians. Eight Bookes.... Translated out of Greeke into English, and conferred with the Latine and French Translations, by Philemon Holland of the City of Coventry, Doctor in Physick. 1632. Fol.
5. Xenophon's history of the affaires of Greece in seaven bookes, being a continuacōn of the Pelopennesian warr, from the time when Thucydides end to the battle of Mantinea. To wch is prefixed an abstract of Thucydides and an account of the land and navall forces of the ancient Greeks. Translated from the Greek by John Newman. ”

“ Demosthenes 1. The three Orations of Demosthenes chiefe Orator among the Grecians, in favour of the Olynthians, a people in Thracia, novv called Romania: vvith those of his fovver Orations titled expressly & by name against King Philip of Macedonie: most nedefull to be redde in these daungerous dayes, of all of them that loue their Countries libertie, and desire to take vvarning for their better auayle, by example of others. Englished out of the Greek by Thomas Wylson Doctor of the ciuill lavves. ”

“ A Brefe and plesaunte Worke, and Sience, of the Philosopher, Pictagoras, wherin is declared the Aunswer of Questyōs which there in be cōtained after ye order of thys syence, both for sycknes, & helth, with dyuers other pretye questions, uerye pleasent to pase [pg 106] the tyme whith, Taken and getherd out of ye sayd Pictagoras werke. [1560?] 8o BL
2. Hierocles upon the Golden Verse of Pythagoras; teaching a vertuous and worthy life. Englished by J. Hall. 1657. 8o
3. Hierocles upon the Golden Verses of the Pythagoreans; translated ... out of the Greek into English. [By J. Norris] . ”

“ Daphnis and Chloe excellently describing the weight of affection, the simplicitie of love, the purport of honest meaning, the resolution of men, and disposition of Fate, finished in a Pastorall, and interlaced with the praises of a most peerlesse Princesse, wonderfull in maiestie, and rare in perfection, celebrated within the same Pastoral, and therefore termed by the name of the Shepheards Holidaie. ”

“ The Book of Epictetus. [Harrap Library] 1910. 8o
15. Epictetus: The Discourses and Manual, together with Fragments from his Writings. Translated with an Introduction and Notes by P. E. Matheson. 2 vol. 1917. 8o
American Reprint: 2 vol., New York, 1917.
American Translations 1. Epictetus his Morals, Done from the original Greek, and the words taken from his own mouth by Arrian. The second edition. Philadelphia. 1729.
2. Epictetus. Selections from his Discourses; with the Encheiridion; edited by B. E. Smith. New York. 1900.
3. Epictetus' Discourses. New York. 1900. ”

“ Being 2000 yeares old, and written by Isocrates the couragious Orator, translated by Tho: Barnes. 1624. 4o
10. Advice to a young Gentleman. Writ in Greek by Isocrates, the famous Athenian Oratour; and lately made English for the use of schools. 1696. 8o
11. Epicurus's Morals. Translated from the Greek [or rather from the French] by J. Digby. With comments and reflections taken out of several authors [or rather by J. Parrain] Also Isocrates, his advise to Demonicus, done out of Greek by the same hand. To which is added an essay on Epicurus's Morals ... by ... St. Evremont ... ”

“ New York, 1887; [Lives of Demosthenes, Cicero] New York, 1887; [Lives of Cato the Younger, Agis, Cleomenes, the Gracchi] New York, 1887; [Lives of Agesilaus, Pompey, Phocion] New York, 1887; [Lives of Romulus, Cimon, Lucullus, Lycurgus] New York, 1888; [Lives of Solon, Publicola, Philopoemen, Titus Quinctus Flaminius, Caius Marius] New York, 1888; [Lives of Nicias, Crassus, Aratus, Theseus] New York, 1888; [Lives of Dion, Brutus, Artaxerxes, Galba, Otho] New York, 1888; [Lives of Pyrrhus, Camillus, Pelopidas, Marcellus] New York, 1888; [Lives of Numa, Sertorius, Eumenes] New York, 1889. ”

“ Heliodorus 1. The amorous and tragical Tales of Plutarch, whereunto is annexed the History of Cariclea and Theaginis and the Sayings of the Greeke philosophers. Translated by Ja. Sanferd. 1567. 8o
2. An Aethiopian Historie written in Greek by Heliodorus: very vvittie and pleasaunt, Englished by Thomas Vnderdoune. With the Argument of Euery Booke, sette before the whole Worke. Licensed to Caldecocke, 1568/9. 4o BL
Reprinted: Corrected and Augmented, 1577; 1587; 1605; 1606; 1622; [Tudor Translations] 1895.
American Reprint: [Introduction by C. Whibley] New York, 1895. ”