which was well known for its copper in 2007, though ‘some papers were mines? Likewise, how many holiday subsequently commissioned for the BOOK makers would be aware that a visit to collection’: hence, one assumes, the Santorini was actually one to Santa Irene lengthy gestation. Certainly, seekers after (‘Holy Peace’) – the name of a local knowledge on the subject are more likely church given to the island in the than not to find what they want, though REVIEWS thirteenth century AD? Such enchanting the reviewer was somewhat disappointed nuggets of information are a feature of not to see any discussion of that well- Edited by Alan Beale, Peter Jones the book, alongside slightly more obscure known poem attributed to pseudo-Ovid, and Colin Leach ones. The importance of pigs was one the Consolatio ad Liviam. B.’s Introduction fine example: in order to preserve the admirably covers the book’s contents, and meat of this particular livestock, the is followed by a wealth of footnotes and a ‘cheap, less tempting bits were salted and lengthy bibliography (as, indeed, are the An Appeal: we are always looking for made into sausages. The Greeks did not individual essays). B. also offers an essay reviewers. If you would like to join have a single word for ‘sausage’: they had on Cicero’s ‘curious’—and fragmentary— the list, please e-mail Alan Beale at eleven.’ Fascinating stuff. Consolatio ad se. Worthy of note are JHKO [email protected] As well as illuminating revelations, the Chong-Gossard’s Mourning and Consolation book does of course deal with the in Greek Tragedy: the rejection of comfort, and expected topics such as the rise of D Konstan’s The Grieving Self: Reflections on democracy, the building of the Parthenon, Lucian’s ‘On Mourning’ and the consolatory CLASSICAL CIVILISATION and the Peloponnesian war, and tradition. (Why have titles become so information is frequently accompanied by elongated?). C-G’s essay concentrates on EUREKA! EVERYTHING YOU quotations taken from writers such as Plato the refusal to be consoled: good examples EVER WANTED TO KNOW or Sophocles. But J. has not set out to form come from Euripidean fragments ABOUT THE ANCIENT GREEKS an argument or produce a scholarly debate. (notably Dictys and Hypsipyle), his Alcestis, (BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK), Rather he presents the facts and, having and from Sophocles’ Electra. ‘That (i.e. by Peter Jones laid them all out, he draws logical refusal of attempted consolation) is the Atlantic Books (2014) h/b 384pp conclusions as and when required. vicious nature of a genre based on £19.99 (ISBN 9781782 395140) For me as a teacher of Classical extraordinary characters from mythology’. Civilisation, some of the book was prior Well, yes, but this is, after all, Greek This accessible and entertaining book knowledge, but it acted as a handy tragedy, in which kakon kakois kakon pherei.. covering the whole of Greek history in reminder of all those facts that students Konstan has a perhaps more clearly defined temporal segments is a often ask and you might have forgotten. agreeable task in looking at Lucian’s great read. He begins with the Trojan War At the same time there were plenty of unsurprisingly satirical critique of (and therefore discusses Knossos and areas where my knowledge was limited, mourning practices and consolatory Hisarlik), and ends with the rise of the and J. ensured I was informed of the literature (typically, he points out that the Roman Empire. Along the way he essential details. Without a doubt it lamentations of the living are no use to introduces the key players of the age, reignited my passion for the subject and I the dead, any more than are garlands on including Homer, Socrates, Alexander the cannot wait to return to many of the tombstones and the like, while implying Great and Archimedes; he outlines the places mentioned, or hunt out artefacts, that it is a hypocritical charade when, say, role of the gods, provides fascinating frescoes or corners of sites and cities that parents are coaxed to eat at the funeral insights into everyday life in ancient times, J. refers to. However, the book would also feast): has the time come for more critical and shows us the very foundations of be a superb gift for anyone with an attention to be paid to this prolific, but Western culture. All of this is described in interest in the period. It is the sort of rather under-studied author? Incidentally, J.’s usual clear and concise language and book that would appeal to novices and guidance about where best to locate this sprinkled with his trademark wit. experts alike. It was a sheer delight to read work, e.g. in the Loeb Library edition of A useful introduction gives tips on from beginning to end. Lucian, would have been helpful. pronunciation, as well as a series of maps. JHD Scourfield finds the ‘genre’ of The chapters appear chronologically, each Chloe Lewis: St Margaret’s School, Bushey ‘consolation’ abnormally fluid and hard to beginning with a handy timeline, and they go define: since, not without justice, he even on to be divided up into regular sub- wonders how far it is a meaningful headings, meaning that the book is accessible GREEK AND ROMAN category at all; his conclusion that to all. While chapters are organised in a CONSOLATIONS: consolation is ubiquitous and universal logical manner that would allow you to dip in Eight studies of a tradition and its need occasion no surprise, for him or us. and out of the book for reference using the aftermath, ed. by Han Baltussen (His 138 footnotes, though, provide contents or index as appropriate, the book Classical Press of Wales (2013) h/b plenty of meat.) Marcus Wilson offers a has a clear sense of continuity. It does, 200pp £47.17 (ISBN 9781905125562) new reading of Seneca’s consolatory therefore, read well as a whole. writings (was Seneca’s aim not to Did you know that our word ‘copper’ This book, like so many, had its origins in sympathise but to shock?) and Josef derives from the Greek Kupros, ‘Cyprus’, a colloquium, held at the ICS in London Loessl writes about Augustine of Hippo, The Journal of Classics Teaching 16 (31) p.47-56 © The Classical Association 2015. This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, Downloaded distribution,from https://www.cambridge.org/core and reproduction in any medium,. IP address: provided 170.106.202.58 the original, on work 25 Sep is unaltered2021 at 14:39:56 and is ,properly subject to cited. the Cambridge The written Core permis termssion of of use, Cambridge available Universityat Press 47 https://www.cambridge.org/core/termsmust be obtained for commercial. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631015000112 re-use or in order to create a derivative work. arguing that his work should be There are four parts to this volume: follow the hardback after three years; and interpreted as ‘both a continuity and a Novels and Authors (divided into Greek this volume will not date. transformation of ancient consolation’. and Roman); Genre and Approaches; Peter Adamson shows the close link Influences and Intertextuality; Themes Stephen Chambers: Balliol College Oxford between Arabic ethical treatises and and Topics. There were very few chapters Greek philosophical consolation; G in any part which I did not find engaging. Boys-Stones uses the example of the The opening eleven chapters would be an pseudo-Plutarchan Consolatio ad excellent place to direct any reader GREEK LITERATURE Apollonium to take a ‘clean run’ at approaching the texts or genre for the considering how a philosopher might first time. The five major Greek novels HOMER, THE ODYSSEY view or use consolation in general. and two major Latin ones lead the way, by tr. by Martin Hammond with intro. Your reviewer was left with the (in order of presentation) Chariton, by Jasper Griffin Bloomsbury (2014) reflection that the mountains have indeed Longus, Xenophon, Achilles Tatius, p/b 352pp £9.82 (9781472532480) laboured greatly, but that the end-product Heliodorus, Petronius and Apuleius. will be of necessarily specialist interest, Lesser or fragmentary texts are also dealt This is a reissue of Hammond’s translation far removed from the schoolroom or with succinctly. There is a pleasing lack of of Homer’s Odyssey from 2000, which college lecture hall. Sensibly, passages in conformity in the approaches taken by the must compete with many other Greek and Latin are translated. The book contributors, some offering a summary of translations of the Odyssey available for production is of a notably high standard. the text discussed and others not; all, teachers’ recommendation to classes. It is however, tackle important issues of a prose translation, with helpful layout and Colin Leach authorship (whether biographical and useful introduction, clearly presented on dating controversies or contested the page and well bound in a sturdy cover. attributions), recurring themes and It has line numbers next to the text to help A COMPANION TO THE generic conventions. There is little students navigate their way through the ANCIENT NOVEL ed. by Edmund theoretical obfuscation to be found text and to make precise references. P. Cueva and Shannon N. Byrne anywhere in the chapters: it seems to me Proper nouns are given in the Greek style, Wiley Blackwell (2014) h/b 612pp that the ‘general reader’ of the series’ even to the extent that familiar names like £120.00 (ISBN 9781444336023) mission statement has been kept in mind Circe become Kirke, which may make by nearly all of the contributors.