Epigrams

by Martial
Epigrams cover
Good Books rating 3.5
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Paperback • £11.99
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  • ID: 118
  • Added: 2025-09-02
  • Updated: 2025-09-10
  • Formats: 35
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
reddit.com · Unknown · 2025-09-18
valuable 4.50

The book explores Martial's epigrams through the lens of their social and economic context, highlighting the interplay between the texts and their environment. It emphasizes the ambiguity and paradoxes inherent in Martial's work, particularly in how the epigrams navigate the tensions of their time.

William Fitzgerald's 'Martial: The World of the Epigram' offers a fresh perspective on Martial's poetry by examining the relationship between the epigrams and their context. The book is praised for its rich interpretations and theoretical insights, particularly in addressing the hermeneutical question of how to connect texts with their environment. Fitzgerald's analysis highlights the ambiguity and paradoxes in Martial's work, such as the tension between permanence and ephemerality, and the complex dynamics of ownership and readership. The study also delves into the political and social dimensions of Martial's epigrams, particularly the use of ambiguous language and the strategic placement of key terms like 'Caesar'. Overall, the book is seen as a valuable contribution to Martial scholarship, offering new ways to understand the interplay between the epigrams and the world they reflect.

Quick quotes

    F.’s volume is valuable no less for the wealth of individual interpretations of Martial’s poems it proposes than for its theoretical corollaries.

    In F.’s work, intra- and extratextual considerations come equally to bear on the interpretation of Martial’s poetry.

    The central item on the list of lexical items for which the possibility of a disconnected perception is most on hand is _Caesar_ — ”a family name that had become a title” (p. 51).

goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-09-18
disappointing 1.00

The reviewer criticizes the translation of Martial's Epigrams, finding it fails to capture the original meaning and humor, often sounding awkward and nonsensical. They argue that the rhyming scheme sacrifices the essence of the poems, making them unenjoyable and unfaithful to the original Latin.

The reviewer expresses strong dissatisfaction with Garry Wills' translation of Martial's Epigrams. They point out that the translations often fail to convey the original meaning of the poems, instead focusing on a rhyming scheme that results in awkward and sometimes nonsensical English. The reviewer provides several examples, including the famous poem 1.32, where the translation does not capture the simplicity and directness of the original Latin. They also note that some translations substitute modern names without clear reason, further detracting from the poems' impact. The reviewer concludes that the translations do not sound good when read aloud and fail to convey the humor and wit of the original works. They advise readers to seek other translations or read Martial in the original Latin instead.

Quick quotes

    Don't read this. Just don't.

    I winced. "But," I thought, "okay, maybe I am just having this reaction because this is a really famous poem and I am already wedded to the famous translation that exists.

    I feel like I should be able to read the translations and come away feeling like I've read Martial, and not thinking "Wait, what?" and "Martial didn't sound this bad in Latin, did he?" and "I should just read more Martial.

classicsforall.org.uk · Unknown · 2019-09-18
positive 4.00

The reviewer appreciates Martial's wit and humor in his epigrams, noting that while some may find them offensive, they offer a unique perspective on Roman society. They highlight the timeless themes and clever observations that make the epigrams enjoyable.

The reviewer finds Martial's epigrams to be witty and clever, though not always laugh-out-loud funny. They note that Martial's humor is often more subtle and wry, with observations that are timeless as well as those specific to his era. The reviewer acknowledges that Martial's work can be controversial due to its explicit content, but they appreciate the insight it provides into daily life under the Flavian emperors. They also mention that Martial's epigrams are not all satirical; some are heartfelt tributes or praises for Emperor Domitian's rule. Overall, the reviewer enjoys the epigrams for their humor and the window they open into ancient Roman society.

Quick quotes

    There is nothing more contemptible than a bald man who pretends to have hair.” X.LXXXIII

    Bassa, you tell us that you’re young And Beautiful. Is it the truth? That old refrain is often sung By those who’ve lost both looks and youth.” V.XLV

    Despite the haterade from Byron and others, many people have enjoyed Martial’s Epigrams since their publication from 86-103 AD.

bmcr.brynmawr.edu · Unknown · 2008-01-23
excellent 4.50

The book is a comprehensive reference work on the names and characters in Martial's epigrams, providing up-to-date scholarship and detailed analysis. It is an indispensable tool for scholars and teachers, despite the challenges of separating historical from fictional characters.

This book is a splendid reference work that deserves a place on every Martial scholar's desk. It provides a full and well-written treatment of the approximately 1,000 names and characters mentioned by Martial, including those not named explicitly. The book aims to unite historical and poetic concerns, which are often intertwined in Martial's epigrams. It offers valuable biographical data, attestations across Martial's corpus, onomastic information, and relevant epigraphical sources. The authors have done an excellent job of navigating the complexities of Martial's onomastics, even though separating historical from fictional characters can be challenging. The book is carefully produced and includes a complete bibliography and rich indices, making it an essential resource for classicists and ancient historians alike.

Quick quotes

    This splendid reference work deserves to be on the desk of every Martial-scholar and teacher.

    Even if it is the sad fate of prosopographies that they do not exactly make for cover-to-cover reading, the full and well-written treatment of the ca. 1,000 names and characters mentioned by Martial (including some characters not mentioned by name) with up-to-date scholarship makes this book an indispensable tool.

    The authors have done all readers of Martial a great service by providing state-of-the-art summaries of current scholarship on every figure in the poems and at-a-glance overviews of Martial’s representations of these characters throughout his oeuvre and beyond.

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