Texts, Editors, and Readers: Methods and Problems in Latin Textual Criticism

Roman Literature and its Contexts

by Richard Tarrant

This book re-examines the most traditional area of classical scholarship, offering critical assessments of the current state of the field, its methods and controversies, and its prospects for the future in a digital environment. Each stage of the editorial process is examined, from gathering and evaluating manuscript evidence to constructing the text and critical apparatus, with particular attention given to areas of dispute, such as the role of conjecture. The importance of subjective factors at every point is highlighted. An Appendix offers practical guidance in reading a critical apparatus. The discussion is framed in a way that is accessible to non-specialists, with all Latin texts translated. The book will be useful both to classicists who are not textual critics and to non-classicists interested in issues of editing.

206 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2016

Reviews

[Jay Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book is not as groundbreaking as previous books in this series, it is nevertheless a careful and self reflective essay on how we edit and construct classical texts and why it matters that advances our understanding of textual criticism while introducing to topic to beginners.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written (even witty!) explication of textual criticism, especially useful now, at a time when so few people have any idea what goes into presenting the text of an ancient author.