The purpose of this edition is to demonstrate the quality and interest of book VI: the intellectual curiosity of the analyst of earthquakes, volcanoes and marvellous phenomena, the rhetorical and philosophical powers of a thinker who wants to make his interpretation of Epicureanism both cogent and vivid, the deep humane compassion of the ...

This volume encompasses the edition of all the surviving poetry of Catullus, aiming to bring the literary history of this poet to readers who may not have read his work before. It aims to describe and discuss recent scholarship on the poems, seeing them in their context as fully as possible.

Good Christian people, pray attend Whilst I relate to you Concerning of a murder foul, It is, alas, too true. 'Twas on the 17th day of June This murder it was done. They did complete the awful deed Before the rising sun. A helpless female, much beloved Was travelling to her home, Three boatmen seized her as she sat The water was her home. Here for the first time complete with extensive gazetteer and map is the true story of the murder of Christina Collins on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Rugeley in 1839, the story that inspired the creator of Inspector Morse, Colin Dexter, to write his award...

Book IV of Lucretius' great philosophical poem deals mainly with the psychology of sensation ad thought. The heart of this book is a new text, incorporating the latest scholarship on the text of Lucretius, with a clear prose facing translation. The commentary concentrates on the thought of the text (relating it to other philosophers beside Epicurus) and the poetry of the Latin, placing the text in relation to Roman literature in general, and attempting to demonstrate the poetic genius of Lucretius. The introduction deals with the didactic tradition in ancient literature and Lucretius' place...

Juvenal's fourth book of Satires consists of three poems which are all concerned with contentment in various forms. The poet adopts a more resigned and philosophical tone, unlike the brash anger of the earlier books. These poems use enormous humour and wit to puncture the pretensions of the foolish and the wicked, urging an acceptance of our lives and a more positive stance towards life and death by mockery of the pompous and comic description of the rich and famous. In Satire 10 Juvenal examines the human desire to be rich, famous, attractive and powerful and dismisses all these goals as not...

The three poems (Satires 7, 8 and 9) that comprise Book 3 of the Satires form a brilliant collection, displaying Juvenal at the height of his powers and in the full breadth of his interests. Satire 7 takes a jaundiced look at intellectual life in Rome, bemoaning the financial poverty which is the lot of the writer, the lawyer and the teacher in an age where patrons may shower them with praise but rarely with cash. Satire 8 is an excoriating account of the old ‘noble’ families and how their current representatives are anything but noble in their behaviour both at home and in the...