Horace: Quintus Horatius Flaccus. "Crescam laude recens". The Roman Poet Presented to Modern Readers.

Aus der Bibliothek von Prof. Wolfgang Haase, langj�igem Herausgeber der ANRW und des International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT) / From the library of Prof. Wolfgang Haase, long-time editor of ANRW and the International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT). - Einband berieben und besto�n, allgemein vergilbt. Allgemein leserliches Exemplar. Mit Ex Libris Gordon Abbott / Binding rubbed and scuffed, generally yellowed. In general good copy. With Ex Libris Gordon Abbott. - Introduction We must leave our readers to judge whether we have succeeded in helping to make them receptive to Horace�s lyrics. We have a very firm conviction that no one man can translate all of Horace effectively. Each poem requires special study and a peculiar inspiration to give to its English rendering any of the art and spirit of the original. For the average reader, therefore, for one, that is, who is looking chiefly for the pleasure of poetry, a collection of translations by different writers is the best. One also gets in this way a touch of the genius of many of the best English poets, for a large number of them have tried their skill on Horace. Most of the older translations were stilted and lifeless or even silly. The collections of Brome and Hawkins and Francis contain very little poetry. The only successful translators among the earlier men were Milton, Cowley, Dryden and Jonson, and later Cowper, who translated, however, but few pieces. Cowley and Dryden turned Horace into good seventeenth century poetry; but their versions have little of the Roman flavor. Casual efforts have been made by such men as Barry Cornwall, Allan Ramsay, Addison, Pope, Samuel Johnson and Byron; but none was often successful. The best translations have been made within the last half century, and, with due respect to such others as Howes, Conington and Clark, we place De Vere and Theodore Martin among the first. Indeed, a very satisfactory English version of ail of Horace could be made from Martin and De Vere, a few casual writers, and a few of the earlier English poets.