Scrinium Classical Antiquity

KAMMER, E., Ein ästhetischer Kommentar zu Homers Ilias. Schöningh, Paderborn, 1906. 3rd rev.ed. XVI,379p. Cloth. Marbled edges. Head and tail spine as well as corners slightly worn. Signature in pencil on free endpaper. First and last pages slightly foxed.In Frakturschrift. € 19.50 (Antiquarian)

KESSELS, A.H.M., Studies on the Dream in Greek Literature. H&S, Utrecht, 1978. XI,269p. Paperback. Spine discoloured. Edges a bit grimy. 'Studies on the Dream in Greek Literature' is the revised version of a Utrecht doctoral dissertation dating from 1973 which still retains too many signs of its origin. Discussion of other scholar's views is overfull and overlong, and the book lacks a much-needed index of topics treated. But Kessels is a promising scholar, both sensitive and sensible, combining a complete mastery of his material with a healthy scepticism about the relevance of Freudian and other modern dream theories to classical literature. <ost of this study deals with the presentation of the six dreams in Homer, and Kessels akss two main questions: how do early Greek concepts about dreams differ from our own, and how are dreams used as a literary motif? The answers are not startling, but convincing. Homer's dreams have the primary function of advancing the plot by their messages.' (W. GEOFFREY ARNOTT in Greece & Rome, 1980, p.84). From the library of the late Prof. W. Geoffrey Arnott. € 32.50 (Antiquarian)

KIRCHHOFF, A., Die Homerische Odyssee. Olms Verlag, Hildesheim / New York, 1973. Photomechanical reprint ed. 1879. XII,599p. Original green gilt titled cloth. Nice copy. € 59.50 (Antiquarian)

KIRK, G.S., Homer and the Epic. [A shortened version of The Songs of Homer]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1965. X,243p. ills. Paperback.A shortened version of 'The Songs of Homer'. 'I have nothing but admiration for the clarity of Mr Kirk's exposition and the tact with which he avoids the chatter of popularization on the one hand and the jargon of technical scholarship on the other. He is that rarest of birds in contemporary classical studies: a good teacher … It is something of an accomplishment to combine archaeological exposition, linguistics, literary criticism and aesthetics in an extended, vivid, speculative argumentation. It is superb teaching.' (DUDLEY FITTS). € 16.00 (Antiquarian)

KIRK, G.S., The Songs of Homer. University Press, Cambridge, 1962. XIV,424p. ills. (Maps and Plates). Cloth with dust wrps. Nice copy. 'The title, which should be 'Songs of the Homers', suggests something less austere than Mr. Kirk's closely argued survey of the whole Homeric Question. The keynote in 'ambiguous instances must be rigorously excluded from the argument', yet conclusions are reached on most problems. It is not, I hope, only because they are broadley the same as my own that I think the book admirable. It is clear and interesting. There is a good historical summary of the millennium. All evidence, whether pro or contra the author's case, is severly scrutinized, and the notes enable most of it to be traced to its primary source. (...) When he analyses the poems, Mr. Kirk finds an overriding unity, transmitted in spite of anomalies introcuded by later overworking. His explanation is interesting. After an Originative stage, the oral tradition had a Creative stage, culminating in the two monumental poems. Most anomalies come in at this stage, from the use of old material. This was followed by a short Reproductive stage, in which unlettered bards preserved the poems whith a few additions. During the seventh century this merged into the Degenerate stage, in which rhapsodes made clumsy and eccentric additions and elaborated episodes. (...) The text again fell into a chaotic state, from which it was rescued by Aristarchus. (...) The aesthetic appreciation is delightful reading, whether you agree or not.' (D.H.F. GRAY in The Classical Review (New Series), 1963, 265-67). € 45.00 (Antiquarian)

KIRK, G.S., Homer and the Epic. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1965. X,243p. ills. Paperback. With signature from Prof. W.G. Arnott on free endpaper.A shortened version of 'The Songs of Homer'. 'I have nothing but admiration for the clarity of Mr Kirk's exposition and the tact with which he avoids the chatter of popularization on the one hand and the jargon of technical scholarship on the other. He is that rarest of birds in contemporary classical studies: a good teacher … It is something of an accomplishment to combine archaeological exposition, linguistics, literary criticism and aesthetics in an extended, vivid, speculative argumentation. It is superb teaching.' (DUDLEY FITTS). From the library of the late Prof. W. Geoffrey Arnott. € 18.50 (Antiquarian)

KIRK, G.S., The Songs of Homer. University Press, Cambridge, 1962. XIV,424p. ills. (Maps and Plates). Bound with dust wrps. Corners cover bit bumped. Small pen strike on lower corner front dust wrps. Signature on free endpaper. 'The title, which should be 'Songs of the Homers', suggests something less austere than Mr. Kirk's closely argued survey of the whole Homeric Question. The keynote in 'ambiguous instances must be rigorously excluded from the argument', yet conclusions are reached on most problems. It is not, I hope, only because they are broadley the same as my own that I think the book admirable. It is clear and interesting. There is a good historical summary of the millennium. All evidence, whether pro or contra the author's case, is severly scrutinized, and the notes enable most of it to be traced to its primary source. (...) When he analyses the poems, Mr. Kirk finds an overriding unity, transmitted in spite of anomalies introcuded by later overworking. His explanation is interesting. After an Originative stage, the oral tradition had a Creative stage, culminating in the two monumental poems. Most anomalies come in at this stage, from the use of old material. This was followed by a short Reproductive stage, in which unlettered bards preserved the poems whith a few additions. During the seventh century this merged into the Degenerate stage, in which rhapsodes made clumsy and eccentric additions and elaborated episodes. (...) The text again fell into a chaotic state, from which it was rescued by Aristarchus. (...) The aesthetic appreciation is delightful reading, whether you agree or not.' (D.H.F. GRAY in The Classical Review (New Series), 1963, 265-67). € 35.00 (Antiquarian)

KOKOLAKIS, M.M., Apo ton Omiro sti Deuteri Sophistici. (Meletimata). Ekdoseis Pataki, Athina, 2004. 343p. Paperback. With author’s dedication on free endpaper. From the library of the late Prof. W. Geoffrey Arnott. € 21.50 (Antiquarian)

KRAMER, J.M., De Ilias als Vredesgedicht. Swets & Zeitlinger, Amsterdam, 1946. 164p. Sewn. Cover partly yellowed. Front cover loose. € 14.50 (Antiquarian)

KULLMANN, W. und M. REICHEL (eds.), Der Übergang von der Mündlichkeit zur Literatur bei den Griechen. Gunter Narr, Tübingen, 1990. 346p. Hardback. Series: Scriptoralia. (Rare). 'This volume publishes the papers from a Freiburg colloquium of 1989, and is one of an important new series of monographs and symposia on modern and ancient literacy and orality. The volume has an impressive range, and is divided up into sections on Homer, archaic poetry and a smaller group of late 5th- to 4th- century prose works (medicine, rhetoric, philosophy). Is overall aim is to examine the development and growth of Greek 'Schriftkultur', in particular texts which can be seen as in some sense transitional, bridging orality and literacy. (....) Particulary rewarding are those (contributions) which look at the role of writing and orality with sympathy for the wider cultural context of a text and its transmission , and which therefore get away from an over-simple dichotomy between written and oral. Latacz, for instance, surveys the changing function of the symposium in the development of archaic Greek literature. M.L. West's important paper tackles issues which are often evaded in the study of oral poetry, the possibility of dictation and the role of an appreciative audience in the creation of oral poetry; he examines, with enlightening modern comparisons, the role and status of a written text in a society which continued to listen to improving oral poets and in which there could be a mixture of oral transmission, improvisation and written texts (...). Kullmann gives us a valuable analysis of the philosophical and social background to Plato's criticism of writing, concluding convincingly that his hostility was essentially part of an aristocratic élitism directed against an over-populist propagation of knowledge. (...) The volume (...) is a vauable collection of import and and scholarly articles on a range of issues and authors central to debates about Greek literacy and orality, covering a wide chronological range, and bringing some neglected authors (e.g. Alcidamas) into the field of discussion.' (ROSALIND THOMAS in The Classical Review (New Series), 1994, pp.288-89). € 37.50 (Antiquarian)