Lucian, True Stories

Lucian's True Stories is an excellent text for students who have completed the first year of college-level Ancient Greek or its equivalent. Its length is relatively modest, its syntax is generally straightforward, and its narrative - a sophisticated satire that blends elements of fantasy and science fiction - is both engaging and thought-provoking. This edition includes extensive grammatical, syntactical, rhetorical, literary, historical, biographical, and cultural notes. Complete vocabulary is provided for each section of the text, with special attention paid to Lucian's comic verbal coinages. Since Lucian's True Stories abounds with references to and appropriations from nine centuries of Ancient Greek literature, this edition also includes a generous selection of comparative passages (including the entirety of Iambulus' "Journey to the Islands of the Sun") to assist the student in appreciating still more this cunningly crafted and densely allusive work.