Phlegon of Tralles' Book of Marvels

by Phlegon of Tralles

Other authorsWilliam Hansen (Translator)
Paper Book, 1996

Status

Available

Call number

895

Series

Exeter Studies in History

Tags

Classics, Phlegon, Monsters, Creatures, Ghosts, Demons, Hermaphrodites

Genres

Collection

Don

Publication

United Kingdom : University of Exeter Press, c1996.

Description

The Book of Marvels, a compilation of marvellous events of a grotesque, bizarre or sensational nature, was composed in the second century A.D. by Phlegon of Tralles, a Greek freedman of the Roman emperor Hadrian. This remarkable text is the earliest surviving work of pure sensationalism in Western literature. The Book is arranged thematically: Ghosts; Sex-Changers and Hermaphrodites; Finds of Giant Bones; Monstrous Births; Births from Males; Amazing Multiple Births; Abnormally Rapid Development of Human Beings; Discoveries of Live Centaurs. This volume also contains and Introduction and commentary on the texts, as well as translations of fragments of two other works and a translation of Goethe's well-known vampire poem, The Bride of Corinth, which was inspired by Phlegon's Book of Marvels.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member datrappert
Short collection of Greek marvels (people who came back from the dead, people who changed sex, people who lived a long time, giants, etc.) supplemented by a much longer but generally interesting commentary. Also, a brief section on the winners of a few Olympic games by the same author, who
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 generally took from other sources according to the editor. The question unanswered, however, is why intelligent Greeks, including Aristotle and Pliny the Elder, believed in the truth of such marvels. But I guess if we put it in perspective, large numbers of the population believing in things that are clearly false is a phenomenon that has persisted and perhaps even reached its zenith in our own time. Oh well, I just made myself depressed. Time to take refuge in ancient times again!
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Subjects

Curiosities and wonders
Folk literature Greece
Folk literature Themes, motives

Language

English

Physical description

xvi, 215 p.; 21 cm

ISBN

0859894258 / 9780859894258

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