Reviews

The Fall of Troy by Quintus Smyrnaeus

dee9401's review against another edition

3.0

While lacking the storytelling ability of Homer and the focus of a good epic, I did enjoy the information provided in these relatively disjoint episodic pieces that ran from the death of Hector to the Greeks leaving Troy.

For the story from just before the Trojan Horse to the Greeks leaving, I much preferred Tryphiodorus's The Destruction of Troy.

dee9401's review against another edition

5.0

This is a fantastic new translation of Quintus Smyrnaeus’s Posthomerica. The first time I read this was a free edition from the early 1900s. This new, fresh translation made a big difference. As many people note, while Quintus certainly "ain't Homer", it is an important read that touches on many non-longer extant episodes of the Epic Cycle that lie between the Iliad and the Odyssey.

There were many enjoyable passages and phrases, in both the original Greek and in the translation. One I highlighted was: “Eos reached the deep stream of Ocean and great darkness came upon the dimmed earth–the time when mortals have some slight relief from their troubles” (IV. 62-64, p. 198/9). I also liked Poseidon warning Apollo to not kill Achilles’ son Neoptolemus, “Off you go back into divine air: if you make me angry, I shall force open a broad chasm in the vast earth and instantly plunge the whole city of Ilium, walls and all, down into that broad darkness; then you will be the one who is grieving” (IX 313-323, p. 470/1). My side note to this was “Damn.”

For my rating, I gave 4 stars for content, 3 stars for the quality of writing by Quintus, 5 stars for the translation by Neil Hopkinson and 5 stars for my pure, unfiltered joy reading this particular volume! Hurrah and well done, Loeb Classical Library.

spacestationtrustfund's review against another edition

3.0

The original Loeb edition of Quintus Smyrnaeus's Posthomerica was translated by Arthur Way all the way (no pun intended) back in 1913, making it, as one critic aptly phrased things, "occasionally harder to follow than the accompanying Greek text." Don't believe me? Here are the opening lines:

When godlike Hector by Pelëides slain
Passed, and the pyre had ravined up his flesh,
And earth had veiled his bones, the Trojans then
Tarried in Priam’s city, sore afraid
Before the might of stout-heart Aeacus’ son:
As kine they were, that midst the copses shrink
From faring forth to meet a lion grim,
But in dense thickets terror-huddled cower;
So in their fortress shivered these to see
That mighty man.

Distinctly do I recall my classmates and I parodying this by proclaiming that we, in our fortress, shivered to see / that mighty text. But don't worry, there's a new one: Loeb published an "updated" version in 2018, including a new translation, introduction, and bibliography, which apparently accounted for the "more than a century of intervening scholarship" since Way's 1913, uh, scholarship. It's okay. The Ancient Greek text included is excellently arranged, however, so if you're a student, I'd definitely recommend it.

emmett_08x's review against another edition

Of all the epics we had to read this semester, this one was by far the hardest/worst one to sit through.

hollystribe's review against another edition

3.0

Too much death, destruction, gore, etc. I had hoped for at least a little more Odyssey. At least it filled in the end of the Trojan War.

kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition

4.0

Not as good as Homer, but a nice companion piece to the Ilaid. I have to wonder, however, why are those women taking in war are crying when thier rapists die?

Yes, I know, but as a woman I have to ask!

If you want to read the story that comes after, including the horse, read this.