Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Tragedies of Sophocles: Translated Into English Prose From the d104 of Jebb
Tyrannus, in 188 3, - and the period, which must yet elapse before the edition is complete, coupled with the costliness of the work, offer, perhaps, some excuse for the production of a translation in a more popular form.
Having used Jebb's text as a basis for the following translation, I should wish, at the very outset, gratefully to record my heavy obligations to him. To have neglected this latest recension of Sophocles would have been mere folly, though its very excellence has not infrequently caused me a feeling of deep dissatisfaction with my own attempts. The consciousness, too, that in places my own version may seem to be a faint echo of the Professor's inimitable translation, has not by any means decreased my difficulties. Wilful plagiarism I can honestly disclaim acci dental similarities of expression may well be excused, for such cases do undoubtedly occur in work of this kind, even when one writer has never seen the book, from which he may appear to borrow. Certain turns in translating become almost stereotyped in classical circles; and in all versions, that aim at literal accuracy, there must, in the nature of things, be many verbal resemblances.
If it be necessary to give reasons for the selection of Jebb's text, one might shortly settle the matter by saying, that the universal Chorus of approbation, which has greeted the periodical appearance of his volumes, is sufficient evidence that it is generally regarded as the best; to have used any other, under these Circumstances, would have argued either want of sense or want of appreciation. But there is a further reason: printed, as his volumes are, under the auspices of the Cambridge University Press, there can be little doubt, that, even apart from the intrinsic excellence of the work, it will ere long become the standard text for a large majority of English students.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
