Classical Women Poets

by Josephine Balmer (Translator)

Fragmented and forgotten, the women poets of ancient Greece and Rome have long been overlooked by translators and scholars. Yet to Antipater of Thessalonica, writing in the first century AD, these were the 'earthly Muses' whose poetic skills rivalled those of their heavenly namesakes. Today only a fraction of their work survives - lyrical, witty, often innovative, and always moving - offering surprising insights into the closed world of women in antiquity, from childhood friendships through love affairs and marriage to motherhood and bereavement. Josephine Balmer's translations breathe new life into long-lost works by over a dozen poets from early Greece to the late Roman empire, including Sappho, Corinna, Erinna and Sulpicia, as well as inscriptions, folk-songs and even graffiti. Each poet is introduced by a brief bibliographical note, and where necessary her poems are annotated to guide readers through unfamiliar mythological or historical references. In an illuminating introduction, Josephine Balmer examines the nature of women's poetry in antiquity, as well as the problems (and pleasures) of translating such fragmentary works. Classical Women Poets is a complete collection for anyone interested in women's literature, the ancient world, and - above all - poetry. It is a companion volume to Josephine Balmer's edition Poems and Fragments, also published by Bloodaxe.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Ancient, Ancient History, Greece

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1996

Reviews

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the translation style - she has extrapolated quite a lot to give context to the poems, which is controversial, but I enjoy it, as long as you keep in mind that this is not necessarily how the poets intended the poems to be read (which we can never know). The research was in-depth and the poetry itself was incredible. I love how distinct all of the poets' voices were - she really takes into account the type of poetry they wrote when she translates. There were so many female poets (although Sappho and Corinna make up something like 90% of our extant poetry by women) that were so highly respected, and wrote so many different kinds of poetry.

Also, this will likely come as a shock to everyone but I think, in reading this, I found a classical poem that I liked more than the Aeneid (I have not been kidnapped and forced to write this at gunpoint, nor am I running a severe fever). Erinna's 'Distaff' was a 300 line epic poem, of which only a few fragments remain (like all basically classical female poets), about the loss of her childhood friend, and possibly lover, to marriage. Of course Virgil writes masterfully about nationhood, ethnicity, family, and duty, but he cannot perfectly capture the devastation of realising that your best friend has new interests that don't involve you and is leaving you behind for them, which Erinna does so well. This poem only took up a page and a half in this book but it left a very powerful emotional impact on me.

[Elly]

really helped me contextualise female poets in antiquity. it might be mainly sappho, but it’s not only sappho.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ancient female poets. It's not just Sappho, you know! Except that's the thing ... hardly anyone does know. I love me some classical scholars.

I also enjoy how in this book you can learn about totally rad things that have happened, like in the 1990s when archaeologists found a bunch of 2,000-year-old letters at Hadrians Wall, from Roman soldiers asking for more beer supplies and stuff. That was justa footnote!

Anyway now I know about bunch of women who wrote poetry back in the day, like for real BACK, but all we ever hear about are men men manly male men, blargh.

[Qukatheg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful and well researched poetry bundle. All the included works were (or are presumed to be) written by classical women poets, and were translated by the author into modern English.
I was struck by how very relatable most of the themes and subjects are even today.
It's sad to think how much more poetry written by these women and others must have been lost to time.

I wish the book had included the originals alongside the translations, because even though they were generously annotated I was left with some questions, and I always feel more of a connection to poetry if I'm reading it in the original language.
Also, the romanisation of Greek words in the footnotes bothered me (Perhaps because when I learned ancient Greek romanisation was Not Done).

[chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

wasn’t a fan of the translation style, which seemed not entirely to trust the poems to stand on their own, although that’s completely personal preference and it does arguably make the poems more readable. apart from that though it was really great. particularly enjoyed the anonymous epitaphs; felt weird to know nothing about those women other than these tiny expressions of grief but ig that’s just how time works.

overall really well organised and put together; a lovely read

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mucho más que Safo.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this all-too short book translated and introduced by Josephine Baker. It was really interesting to read the work of female classical poets in addition to Sappho. It is truly a shame that more work by women from this period did not survive. I became reacquainted with some of Sappho's best. She said so much in just a mere fragment. Like this one:

Love shook my heart
like the wind on the mountain
rushing over the oak trees

And I met a new friend in Praxilla:

[in love
beware:]
a scorpion waits
under every stone

It made me wish that this volume of fragments had been much longer. Three and a half stars out of five.

{Please note that the spacing on the fragments is not as given in the book. I do not seem to be able to get it to cooperate with me.}



This review was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block.