[lit-ideas] The Loeb Classical Library: From James Loeb's Country House to the World!
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:57:00 EDT
I'm trying to enrich my collection and info on the Loeb Classical Library.
Apparently, it was found by James Loeb, who I assume was Faculty of the
'Classics' Department at Harvard.
Apparently, it was founded in 1911. I'm not sure which were the first
titles.
For some reason it was a joint venture with Heinemann Ltd., London -- not
any longer.
I find the green (Greek) and red (Latin) volumes very appealing, and I'm
trying to collect the most I can.
Unfortunately, in the bookshops I've visited (including the one in
Cambridge, Mass., -- the HUP office in the gallery off campus) have REPEATS
after
REPEATS after REPEATS of the most popular volumes --. The Yale Bookshop has
some
repeats and some titles missing -- e.g. the Bede.
I notice that what starts as a 2-volume collection may be advertised into a
three-volume collection (of which the third volume is still in press). I was
looking of the "ACHILLEIA", but while the "THEBAID" has been published, the
Achilleia seems to be still in the presses.
Today, I acquired Demostenes's LXI, so-called "Erotic Essay". Must say it's
very interesting although Geary would call it 'protreptric' rather than
'erotic'. Dover makes a lot of fuss of Askhines's prosecution of Timarkhos, and
apparently Demosthenes defended Timarkhos. The 'erotic essay' ("Erotikon") is
more like an invitation to study philosophy. There are innuendos on
homosexuality. They say that since females were out of the social life, Lesbos
had to
sing songs to her girlfriends.
I would think homosexuality has a deeper root thanbeing just an 'ugly' --
the editor of the LOEB classical library reads -- effect of the seggregation
of the sexes -- but I see the editors point.
It's a grand collection, the Loeb. It's so wide-ranging. While I'm
concentrating on titles of philosophical or literary interest, I'll also see if
I can
get the ones on art, etc.
If you have a special LOEB volume you love, let me have the details. Are the
Epigrammata by Martial worth the two-volumes they occupy.
The volumes have the right size and as Virginia Woolf said, it was the first
collection that showed that some respect for her beloved "common reader"
("No longer I will be independent of the Loeb volumes", she wrote.
In some cases the choice of the right volume is a trick. I'm looking for
Procopius's reference to the Ingvaeones and the other pre-historic English, but
I'm not sure which of the 8 volumes I should consult!
If you happen to see in a second-hand bookshop or in a local library sale
any of these, please let me know. They are sold NEW for 24 dollars each, which
is a bit too much -- at least for my thin Demosthenes. You CAN find them
online for less, and then there's the packing and handling. I wish I were in
Wales, in the city of BOOKS, where I could get them for reasonable prices.
I was reading that Gibbons, when travelling for the Grand Tour, would take
with him a 'travelling library -- now in the British Museum --. Some of the
LOEB are a bit outdated for that although Pausanias has been described as the
Baedeker of his day.
Again, your personal connections with the Loeb greatly appeciated.
Cheers,
JL
J. L. Speranza, Esq.
Town:
Calle Arenales 2021, Piso 5, St. 8,
La Recoleta C1124AAE,
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Tel. 54 11 4824 4253
Fax 54 221 425 9205
Country:
St. Michael Hall,
Calle 58, No. 611,
La Plata B1900 BPY
Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Tel. 54 221 425 7817
Fax 54 221 425 9205
http://www.stmichaels.com.ar
jls@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
http://www.netverk/~jls.htm
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