Sappho; Memoir, Text, Selected Renderings And A Literal Translation / By Henry Thornton Wharton / Second Edition Wharton, H. T. Poetry & Poetics

Duodecimo aka "12mo" (7" x 4 1/2"), vellum with red & black lettering on spine and front cover, illustrated with small oval frontispiece depicting Sappho with tissue guard + photogravure of a new manuscript fragment of Sappho's poetry from the Fayyum (with tissue guard) ; xvi + 213 pages. A Memoir and literal Translation of the often praised, though enigmatic, ancient Greek poetess. First edition was published in 1885. This second edition has been revised, reset in better type, and a photo of the then newly discovered Fayum fragment has been added. This fine edition incudes a very informative and broadly ranging Life of Sappho (47pp.) Another remarkable feature is the inclusion of not only the Greek text beside the author's literal and scholarly translation, but many more poetic translations by English poets for nearly every poem or fragment of Sappho. A poem by Alexander Pope is added as an Appendix. Plus the volume has an interesting bibliography listing many out of the way poets and German scholars, and there is a useful Index. Vellum shows moderate wear and discoloration. Part of the name "Sappho" has been lost on the backstrip. Sadly, a previous owner when trying to protect this handsomely produced volume, enclosed it with a cover that s/he taped to the endpapers.which taping has now left brown silhouettes. Pages are clean with very light uniform age-toning. Frontispiece engraving and the new photo of the manuscript then newly discovered in the Fayyum of Egypt are bright, immaculate, and unfoxed. No marks by previous owners. Second Edition: Revised & with better type & photo of Fayum mss.