1st Edition
Vergiliana Critical Studies on the Texts of Publius Vergilius Maro
In Vergiliana Egil Kraggerud collects together over 100 new, revised, and previously published discussions of textual issues in Vergil’s Eclogues, Georgics, and the Aeneid. Through these and in his Introduction, the author argues for a less conservative approach to these texts than has been fashionable among 20th century editors and commentators. This profoundly learned, engaging and valuable contribution is a critical resource for anyone working on the works of Vergil at both under- and postgraduate level, written by one of the most respected scholars in the field.
Introduction
Bucolica
Ecl. 1. 69 post aliquot aristas
A disputed phrase in its context
Ecl. 2. 32 A god’s title
Pan the great innovator and model
Ecl. 3. 62 A conjunction at stake
Theocr. 5. 82 in the balance
Ecl. 4. 8 One child initiating a new age
A letter added can make a big difference
Ecl. 4. 28-9 Lines sharing words between them
Emphasis achieved by artistry
Ecl. 4. 62-3 The nature of a baby’s smile
A Dutch scholar vindicated
Ecl. 5. 3 "Why don’t we sit down?" in Latin
What Vergil chose to write
Ecl. 5. 8 Indicative or subjunctive?
In favour of P
Ecl. 5. 38 The gender of narcissus
Our debt to an ancient grammarian
Ecl. 5. 66 Altars for Daphnis
Sorting out syntactical order
Ecl. 6. 1-12. On the genesis of Vergil’s earliest poetry
Call. Aet. 1. 21-4 and Theocr. 16 as inspiration
Ecl. 6. 16 Silenus’ hangover
The troublesome adverbial ‘cluster’ procul tantum
Ecl. 6. 24 The commonest of verbs ousted by a hapax?
Peerlkamp’s brilliant point
Ecl. 6. 34 A dilemma in P
Elided omnia in Vergil?
Ecl. 6. 74-81 A praeteritio to fill the day
The illustrative effect of complicated syntax
Ecl. 7. 5 Equal and well-prepared singers
A misleading first impression of their qualities
Ecl. 7. 29-32 Corydon’s promise to Diana
Variation on
Biography
Egil Kraggerud is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Philosophy, History of Art, and Ideas at the University of Oslo, Norway. He has published extensively on Vergil, and has translated works by Vergil, Aeschylus, and Euripides, among others.
"In this book Professor Kraggerud distils a lifetime’s learning and reflection on the textual criticism of Virgil. He discusses some hundred textual problems. Against those textual critics who insist on the received text he proposes conjectures, and argues for forty-four emendations on literary as well as palaeographical grounds. Scholars interested in the text of Virgil will want to own a copy and consider Professor Kraggerud’s suggestions."- Fiachra Mac Góráin, University College London, UK
"This is a bold book, full of wisdom and critical sharpness, and deserves to be read carefully not only by editors and commentators, but by all serious students of Vergil."
- S. J. Heyworth, University of Oxford, UK, Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 2017
"It makes a valuable contribution to the reconstruction of several dozen passages in Vergil, as a result of which it will be obligatory reading for all future editors and commentators, and it can safely be recommended to anyone interested in these parts of the text."
- Daniel Kiss, Universitat de Barcelona & Eotvos Lorand Tudomanyegyetem, Exemplaria Classica, 2017
"The greatest merit of Kraggerud's work is to remind us that what we read in Virgil's editions is in no way a definitive text, but despite its relative stability there are still many points that are open to discussion and partly unresolved, but also possible hidden corruptions that may have escaped generations of readers and still require healing. For these reasons, as well as for the wealth and accuracy of the data made available, the present work will certainly have to be carefully considered by every future publisher of Virgil."
- Emanuele Berti, Rivista di Filologia e di Istruzione Classica 145, 2017
"Despite the uncertainty that will continue to characterize many of Virgil's textual problems, the importance of the c
