George Chapman Ordre des livres

Exploring themes of honor, ambition, and power, these plays set in Renaissance France delve into the life of the charismatic nobleman Bussy D'Ambois during the French Wars of Religion. The narrative unfolds his tumultuous journey and tragic fate, providing a gripping look at the complexities of human desire and the societal conflicts of the time.

Set against the backdrop of the Holy Roman Empire, a cunning Spanish prince's relentless quest for power drives the chilling narrative. The story follows Alphonsus as he employs murder and manipulation to eliminate rivals and seize the imperial throne. This Jacobean revenge tragedy delves into the themes of ambition, treachery, and the corrupting nature of absolute power, highlighting the moral compromises made in the pursuit of dominance.

This reprint of a classic work from 1857 offers readers a chance to explore the themes and ideas that shaped its time. The book retains the original text, providing an authentic glimpse into the historical context and cultural nuances of the era. It serves as a valuable resource for those interested in literature's evolution and the societal issues reflected in 19th-century writings.

Pâris a enlevé la belle Hélène. Son mari Ménélas et tous les Grecs rassemblés crient vengeance et font le siège de Troie depuis neuf ans. Le divin Homère entonne alors le premier chant de l'Iliade. Il y en aura vingt-quatre, tous plus beaux les uns que les autres, tous centrés sur la colère d'Achille. Le roi des rois, Agamemnon, lui a enlevé sa compagne, l'esclave Briséis. En pleine bataille, Achille se retire sous sa tente, affaiblissant les rangs des Achéens. Il n'en sortira qu'à la mort de son ami Patrocle, pour combattre Hector. On ne sait si Homère est bien l'auteur de tous ces chants, mais cette épopée a traversé les siècles par sa démesure et sa beauté. Au combat des hommes se superpose celui des dieux et des déesses. Tous sont nobles, héroïques et généreux mais Homère, réaliste, montre aussi leurs faiblesses. Cette histoire faite de larmes et de sang est le symbole de la destinée humaine ballottée par le hasard. Achille le sait bien, lui dont les exploits dépendent de la fantaisie des dieux.

George Chapman's translations of Homer are among the most famous in the English language. Keats immortalized the work of the Renaissance dramatist and poet in the sonnet "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer." Swinburne praised the translations for their "romantic and sometimes barbaric grandeur," their "freshness, strength, and inextinguishable fire." The great critic George Saintsbury (1845-1933) wrote: "For more than two centuries they were the resort of all who, unable to read Greek, wished to know what Greek was. Chapman is far nearer Homer than any modern translator in any modern language." This volume presents the original text of Chapman's translation of the Odyssey (1614-15), making only a small number of modifications to punctuation and wording where they might confuse the modern reader. The editor, Allardyce Nicoll, provides an introduction, textual notes, a glossary, and a commentary. Garry Wills's preface to the Odyssey explores how Chapman's less strained meter lets him achieve more delicate poetic effects as compared to the Iliad. Wills also examines Chapman's "fine touch" in translating "the warm and human sense of comedy" in the Odyssey. Oft of one wide expanse had I been told That deep-browed Homer ruled as his demesne; Yet did I never breathe its pure serene Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold. --John Keats

This is an account of how the author, facing possible blindness, consulted the medium, George Chapman. Chapman was purported to be controlled by a famous consultant surgeon, Willliam Lang, who died in 1937. To Hutton's astonishment, he was cured, and Hutton decided to investigate further.