[Susan McLean]

My book of translations of 503 Latin epigrams of the poet Martial has just become available. I was told that it would not be published until December, but I have just received my own advance copies, and it is now available from the University of Wisconsin Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. The translations are in rhyme and meter, and there is an introduction by a classical historian, my own preface, explanatory notes, and an index. The book does not include the original Latin. Though I would have liked to have a bilingual text, that would have increased the price significantly, and it is already a bit pricey for a paperback (close to $30). I suspect that the high price is partly due to its being published by a university press and partly due to its being aimed at the college textbook market. Whether it will actually be used for classes remains to be seen, but I think it is equally suited to ordinary readers who are interested in Latin satirical poetry. Here is a link to the listing on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Selected-Epigr.../dp/0299301745

I do want to warn anyone who is considering reading it that Martial's poetry is often obscene. I have tried to be highly accurate both in the tone and in the content of my translations, so four-letter words abound. I also want to mention that the book got its start right here on Eratosphere, when Mike Juster, on the Translation board, challenged writers to try translating a four-line epigram by Martial. I had so much fun doing it that I kept trying a few more and eventually realized that I was hooked. It's been over ten years since then, but I haven't regretted the time it has taken to bring the book to completion. If anything, it was hard to stop. Martial wrote over 1500 epigrams, and they are very entertaining (if you enjoy bawdy humor).

Susan