J. H. Hordern - Sophrons Mimes: Text, Translation, and Commentary

J. H. HORDE-RN

PREFACES are conventionally places for self-justification. A book on Sophron may seem to require more defence than most. Yet if Sophron does not stand in the first rank of Greek authors, he remains a fascinating and clearly innovative writer and a valuable example of nonAttic classical literature. The late fifth century was a time of dramatic literary change, and not just in Athens; and the meagre fragments collected here bear witness to a vibrant literary world with traditions and influences quite different from those with which we are most familiar. But the book must in the end justify itself. I hope that the reader will come away sharing my feelings not only of regret that so much of the mimes has been lost, but also that a study of the fragments well repays the time expended on it.

It is a pleasure to acknowledge the various debts incurred in the production of this work. I am extremely grateful to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for providing a year-long Fellowship and then extending it for a further nine months, and to Prof. Bernd Seidensticker, who first supported my proposal and then proved a kind and sympathetic host at the Institut fir klassische Philologie at the Frcie Universitiit, Berlin. Colin Austin, Martin West(JI.L.W.), and Richard Janko all read parts of the book in early draft form, and their suggestions are occasionally cited here. In particular, I am painfully aware that without West's rigorous assessment of the book's problems and correction of its many errors, it would be much more flawed than it is. Gregory Hutchinson kindly read an early article on Sophron, and so inevitably influenced this, the final product. I examined the Sophron papyrus at the Biblioteca Laurenziana in Florence by kind permission of Prof. R. Pintaudi, and the papyrus of Demetrius Lacon's On Poems at the Biblioteca Nazionale in Naples with the permission and assistance of the Director and staff. Richard, Janko was once again instrumental in effecting an introduction. While I still thought of producing a completely new edition of the text, I also examined the Florentine epitome of Athenaeus, and that in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. My final decision to reprint, in abbreviated and slightly revised form, the text and apparatus from R. Kassel and C. Austin's magisterial Poetae ('ornici Graeci (Berlin and New York, 2001) was made much easier by their generous permission and that of their publisher, Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. Further debts, both academic and personal, are owed particularly to lan Repath, who provided stimulating conversation and excellent whisky; and to Ben Akrigg, Kate Cooper, and Jonathon Prag.

Finally, I am grateful to the Press for agreeing to undertake the publication of the book, and especially to Hilary O'Shea for being a considerate and helpful editor.

J.l-I.

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