Poems from the Greek Anthology: Expanded Edition (Ann Arbor Paperbacks)

An alternate title would be "Rexroth Goes Greek."Rexroth is honest: "As translations, these poems make no pretense of scholarship. Some are quite literal, others are so free as to be ironic comments on the Greek text. . . . Many of the translations came to me as I turned the Greek poem over in my memory, with no text at all."These are (mostly) very short poems/epigrams from the Greek Anthology, with some Roman items scattered among them. It's up to you to figure out which are which, or does it matter? All are bite-sized pieces, easily digested. They can make you think or make you laugh.

Other reviews have already praised this book in detail - seek them out. MY point is this: I'm new to the Greek Anthology but already had an old Penguin, "Book of Greek Verse" that is hideously translated. (Not the same book as the Penguin reprint of the Peter Jay Oxford original).These beautiful works, when translated into English, read like the product of some software technical writer. I doubted if I should even bother with Greek Lyrics if they're all as bad as that book. Still, I took a shot. But THIS book really nails it! The author admits it is not meant to be scholarly and is personal and idiosyncratic at times. But you will love this book!

Kenneth Rextoth’s translations are exceedingly beautiful, light, and spirited. However, the publisher’s binding is of very poor quality. Only two days in and and already fifteen pages in the back have ripped from the binding, and from only very light reading. I expected better quality for the price tag

Go tell the King: The daedalWalls have fallen to the earthPhoibos has no sanctuary,No prophetic laurel, noSpeaking spring. The garrulousWater has dried up at last.THE LAST UTTERANCE OF THE DELPHIC ORACLEThis is one of my favorite poems in this collection.Friend to the Beats, organizer of the Six Gallery poetry reading in 1955, and iconoclastic poet extraordinary, Kenneth Rexroth turned his imagination in the early sixties to a selection of verses from The Greek Anthology. In his characteristically lively style he successfully captured the spirit of the originals by such poets as Sappho, Anyte, Glycon, Antipatros, leonidas, Asclepiades, and Ammianos.Students of the classics as well as poets and translators welcome this collection for the insight and the dexterity of its unconventional editor.

I have the original book of poems from 1962 and it is one of my most cherished books of poetry. You need not be a Greek scholar to enjoy the wit and passion in these translations. As another reviewer pointed out, most are pretty short and delicious. I'd find myself gobbling them up and eagerly turning the page for more. And they delight me as much today as they did 50+ years ago.

Of the more than 100 feet of bookshelves in my home Poems from the Greek Anthology translated by Kenneth Rexroth with introduction by David Mulroy represents the most cherished 3/8 inch. I am not literate in Greek nor do I have a background in literary analysis. I lost my original copy of this work by lending it to a faithless wretch (read former girlfriend). I am delighted that it has been reissued. The original 1962 edition has been amplified with "The Last Utterance of the Delphic Oracle" and an introduction and source data by David Mulroy that I found quite valuable as a guide both to Rexroth's approach to the translations and to the subtle techniques used to render the translations relaxed and readable. But the success is Rexroth's and the poets he treats; the winner is the reader. (I have my copy again and can now forgive the girlfriend....)

I've read all the English translations (and even some of these poems in the original Greek). This collection, while small, is the best English "Greek Anthology" going. Quick check: in "The Norton Book of Classical Literature" the Rexroth excerpts shine compared to the other (highly respected) translators.In terms of directness and emotional resonance Rexroth, "the father of the beats," triumphs again and again. For those who want to explore one of the world's greatest collections of poetry, this is a good place to start. For those interested in translation, there is much to learn from this volume.The real Greek Anthology is massive and not all the poems are winners. Rexroth has boiled it down to his favorites and in so doing created perhaps the best poems he ever wrote. Those who want a deeper exploration should go to the library. To those who want to add to the bookshelf, this is the essential volume.

I came across an original edition of this collection in a small used bookstore, and having enjoyed Rexroth's other works picked it up immediately.This may be one of my best finds, ever, and I'm so glad to see it reproduced in this edition.Each of these poems, most no more than six to ten lines, does what so much poetry fails to... it says something. It is a complete, vivid, passionate thought. I read this book as if I were sipping a glass of wine, slowly, a handful of verses each day. Let your mind linger on them awhile.I'll admit to a level of ignorance--I know very little about the "scholarly history" of the Greek Anthology, so I cannot compare these translations to those that came before. But reading Rexroth's personal takes (his introduction is wonderful in itself), I can hardly imagine how they could be improved.Rexroth is at his finest here. Any lover of poetry will be glad to receive this into their library.