Erotic Love Poems of Greece and Rome

Stephen Bertman is professor emeritus of classical studies at Canada’s University of Windsor. He holds a doctorate in Greek and Latin from Columbia University and additional degrees in Near Eastern and Judaic studies and classics from Brandeis University and New York University. His books on the ancient world include Art and the Romans; The Conflict of Generations in Ancient Greece and Rome; Doorways Through Time: The Romance of Archaeology; and The Healing Power of Ancient Literature. In addition, his speeches on ancient values and modern issues have been frequently reprinted in Vital Speeches of the Day.

The poems are well chosen, the translations are usually excellent and engaging, and the blurbs on each poem are enlightening and interesting." —Molly Levine, Professor, Department of Classics, Howard University"Bertman's Erotic Love Poems of Greece and Rome is an exciting new volume for use in culture classes. It contains vivid, readable, accurate translations of everything you would expect plus a range of materials not covered in other similar volumes." —E. Del Chrol, Program Director for Classics, Marshall University"Capturing in pellucid English the classically decorous envy, jealousy, desire, and passion of the Greek and Roman poets, Stephen Bertman escorts us across the millennia to witness their bliss and—of course—their heartache. The translator's restrained and insightful observations on the verse always enlighten, even as they combine empathy and sober detachment." —Dr. James Arieti, Thompson Professor of Classics, Hampden-Sydney College"Steve Bertman has always possessed an extraordinary ability to infuse new life into the study of classical antiquity. He has done it again with this collection of love poetry from Homer to an anonymous poem on the coming of spring, dated to the third or fourth century A.D. He has provided fluent, delightful translations of the poems, preserving the diverse metrical schemes of the originals, no mean feat indeed." —Charles E. Fantazzi, Thomas Harriot Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus of Classics and Great Books, East Carolina University"In this lyrically and sensitively curated selection, Bertman provides just the right guidance to instill appreciation for the cultural, historical, and artistic settings of these engagingly translated gems of classical erotic literature." —Georgia Irby, Professor and Chair, Department of Classical Studies, The College of William and Mary