Homer [Chapman, George - Translator ; Nicoll, Allardyce - Editor]

Chapman's Homer : The Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Lesser Homerica (Bollingen Series XLI) [2 Volume Set in Slipcase]

Pantheon Books. 1956.

This is the scholarly Pantheon/Bollingen edition of the legendary George Chapman translations of Homer. Originally published in the early 17th century, Chapman's version was immortalized by John Keats in his sonnet 'On First Looking into Chapman's Homer.'

This 1956 set, edited by Allardyce Nicoll, presents the text in a beautiful mid-century layout with extensive commentary.

Key Features:
+++ Visuals: Bound in quarter rust-orange cloth over black boards with gilt stamping. Top edges are stained a matching blue-grey. The set includes the often-missing paper dust jackets housed inside the publisher's slipcase.
+++ Content: Volume 1 contains The Iliad (741pp). Volume 2 contains The Odyssey and the Lesser Homerica (651pp). Includes Introductions, Textual Notes, Commentaries, and Glossaries by Allardyce Nicoll.
+++ Series: Bollingen Series XLI (41).
+++ Format: Two volumes housed in a sturdy cardboard slipcase with paste-on paper labels.

Physical Specs:
+++ Date: 1956
+++ Publisher: Pantheon Books (New York)
+++ Dimensions: 10 inches tall (Royal Octavo).
+++ Format: Hardcover with Dust Jackets in Slipcase.

Condition: Fine Books / Very Good DJs] -- The books themselves are in Fine condition; bindings are tight, gilt is bright, and pages are clean. The scarce paper dust jackets are present and graded Very Good, showing expected age-toning to the spines and panels but no chips. The slipcase is solid and structural with no splits or tears, showing only modest shelf handling and rubbing.

Historical Significance: George Chapman (1559–1634) produced the first complete translation of Homer into English. Unlike later polished translations (like Pope's), Chapman's work is rugged, energetic, and uniquely Elizabethan, utilizing a 'fourteener' line structure for the Iliad. It remained the standard until the 18th century and was the specific version that inspired the Romantic poets.

This 1956 Bollingen edition is widely considered the most attractive and scholarly accessible presentation of Chapman's work in the modern era.

Keywords: Chapman, Homer, The Iliad, The Odyssey, Bollingen Series, Pantheon Books, John Keats, Elizabethan Literature, Classics, Slipcased Books, Allardyce Nicoll.

Item #21467

Price: $250.00