translation

Pindar, Second Nemean Epinikion

  A translation and notes by Jack Vaughan For Timodemos of Archarnai, Victor in Pankration Much as Homerid singers often begin their weaving of songs with a prelude honoring Zeus, this man, too, for a start has received an installment of a victory-studded career in the sacred contests in the much-celebrated hallowed precinct of Nemean Zeus. It still behooves him, the son of Timonoos, if his life’s time, guided straight according to the ways of his fathers, has been given as an adornment to… Read more

“Shuttles that sang at dawn”: a dedicatory epigram for Athena

Detail from Greek vase showing women preparing wool. Diosphos Painter [CC BY 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons A translation by Jack Vaughan Shuttles that sang at dawn like swallows, warp-smoothing shafts of Pallas Athena who works the loom; And hairdresser comb and fingertip-worn spindle that swam [i.e. moved rapidly forward in a horizontal plane, as a swimmer on water] with thread whirled by [the spindle’s] whorl; And woven reed basket… Read more

Sappho…Continued

We are pleased to share the news that CHS is broadcasting to the public a live stream of events from SapphoFest 2015, to be held on Friday, December 11–Saturday, December 12. Please follow this link for further details. Recent posts at Classical Inquiries have featured translations by Gregory Nagy of the newest Sappho poems and fragments. Here is a selection. Sappho Song 1.3–4 |3 Do not dominate with hurts [asai] and… Read more

Ariadne: Abandonment and Transformation

Translation and notes by Jack Vaughan In this passage by Nonnos, Ariadne has been deserted on Naxos by the hero Theseus. As she lies on the lonely shore sleeping, she is discovered by the god Dionysus who transfigures the human woman into the goddess that defines Ariadne. 265 Bacchus [=Dionysus] now leaving Ilissos’ honey-sweet watercourse [in Attica], comes in joyous procession with his reveling troop to the vine-clad island of… Read more

Coming Soon to Hour 25: Sophocles’ Antigone

~ A guest post by Jessica Eichelburg ~ Over the course of the last several months, members of the Community Development team have created a “Hero-ized” version of Sophocles’ Antigone.  Our team included members who have experience reading this text in ancient Greek, and members who were reading this text in English for the first time. The Antigone Team used digital tools such as the Perseus Digital Library to find all… Read more