Page:Hesiod, and Theognis.djvu/11

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PREFACE.
vii

difficulties and incongruities. Whatever difference of opinion may exist upon his views as to the date and authorship of the Homeric epics, there can be none as to the high value of his edition of Hesiod, which may rank with his Æschylus, Euripides, and Propertius.

For the three chapters about Theognis, which complete this volume, the translation and arrangement of Mr John Hookham Frere have been used and followed. In some instances, where Gaisford's text seemed to discourage freedom of paraphrase, the editor has fallen back upon his own more literal versions. On the whole, however, the debt of Theognis to Mr Hookham Frere, for acting as his exponent to English readers, cannot be over-estimated; and we tender our thanks to his literary executors for permission to avail ourselves of his acute and lively versions. These are marked F. Those of Elton and Chapman in Hesiod are designated by the letters E and C respectively, and the editor's alternative versions by the letter D affixed to them.