The Loeb Classical Library is a series of books, today published by the Harvard University Press, which present important works of ancient Greek and Latin Literature in a way designed to make the text accessible to the broadest possible audience, by presenting the original Greek or Latin text on each left-hand leaf, and a fairly literal translation on the facing page. They represent the Everyman's Library of Antiquity, the canon of our Classical heritage spanning fourteen centuries of epics and lyric poetry; tragedy and comedy; history, travel, philosophy, and oratory; medical writers, geographers and mathematicians. The Loeb Classical Library also extends to cover those Church fathers who made particular use of pagan culture.
The series was conceived and initially funded by James Loeb. The first volumes were published by William Heineman and company in 1912, already in their distinctive green (for Greek text) and red (for Latin) hardcover bindings, which are instantly recognizable today. Since then scores of new titles have been added, and the earliest translations have been revised several times. (In recent years, this has included the removal of earlier editions' bowdlerization.) Profit from the editions continues to fund graduate student fellowships at Harvard University.
Reception
Although some serious classicists spurn the Loebs (which have only a minimal apparatus criticus ) as amateurish, and many non-classicists, conversely, are unimpressed by the relatively pedestrian prose of the English translations (necessary because of the desire to remain as literal as possible), the Loeb editions are nonetheless ubiquitous, still the "handy books of a size that would fit in a gentleman's pocket" that they were in 1912, though now they slip into a sweatshirt hoodie.
In 1917Virginia Woolf wrote (in the Times Literary Supplement): The Loeb Library, with its Greek or Latin on one side of the page and its English on the other, came as a gift of freedom...The existence of the amateur was recognised by the publication of this Library, and to a great extent made respectable...The difficulty of Greek is not sufficiently dwelt upon, chiefly perhaps because the sirens who lure us to these perilous waters are generally scholars [who] have forgotten...what those difficulties are. But for the ordinary amateur they are very real and very great; and we shall do well to recognise the fact and to make up our minds that we shall never be independent of our Loeb.
Harvard University assumed complete responsibility for the series in 1989 and in recent years four or five new or re-edited volumes are published anually.
In 2001, Harvard University Press began issuing a third series of books with a similar format. The I Tatti Renaissance Library presents key Medieval and Renaissance works in their original language (usually Latin) with a facing English translation; it is bound similarly to the Loeb Classics, but with blue covers. (The books' dimensions, however, are slightly larger.)
L144) Greek Lyric Poetry: Volume V. The New School of Poetry and Anonymous Songs and Hymns
L258N) Greek Elegiac Poetry: From the Seventh to the Fifth Centuries BC. Tyrtaeus, Solon, Theognis, and Others
L259N) Greek Iambic Poetry: From the Seventh to the Fifth Centuries BC. Archilochus, Semonides , Hipponax, and Others
L259) Greek Elegy and Iambus, Volume II: Elegiac Poetry of the Fourth Century, Iambic Poets (including Archilochus and Semonides ), Anonymous Inscriptions and Fragments
L067) Greek Anthology: Volume I. Book 1: Christian Epigrams. Book 2: Christodorus of Thebes in Egypt. Book 3: The Cyzicene Epigrams. Book 4: The Proems of the Different Anthologies. Book 5: The Amatory Epigrams. Book 6: The Dedicatory Epigrams
L068) Greek Anthology: Volume II. Book 7: Sepulchral Epigrams. Book 8: The Epigrams of St. Gregory the Theologian
L084) Greek Anthology: Volume III. Book 9: The Declamatory Epigrams
L085) Greek Anthology: Volume IV. Book 10: The Hortatory and Admonitory Epigrams. Book 11: The Convivial and Satirical Epigrams. Book 12: Strato's Musa Puerilis
L086) Greek Anthology: Volume V. Book 13: Epigrams in Various Metres. Book 14: Arithmetical Problems, Riddles, Oracles. Book 15: Miscellanea. Book 16: Epigrams of the Planudean Anthology Not in the Palatine Manuscript
L307) Volume XIV. Minor Works: On Colours . On Things Heard . Physiognomics . On Plants . On Marvellous Things Heard . Mechanical Problems . On Indivisible Lines . The Situations and Names of Winds . On Melissus , Xenophanes, GorgiasISBN 0-674-99338-1
L168) Volume IV. Memorabilia and Oeconomicus. Symposium and Apologia
L051) Volume V. Cyropaedia , Books 1-4
L052) Volume VI. Cyropaedia, Books 5-8
L183) Volume VII. Hiero . Agesilaus. Constitution of the Lacedaemonians . Ways and Means . Cavalry Commander . Art of Horsemanship . On Hunting . Constitution of the Athenians
L238) Volume I. Olynthiacs 1-3. Philippic 1. On the Peace . Philippic 2. On Halonnesus . On the Chersonese . Philippics 3 and 4. Answer to Philip's Letter . Philip's Letter . On Organization . On the Navy-boards . For the Liberty of the Rhodians . For the People of Meg
L155) Volume II. De Corona , De Falsa Legatione (18-19)
L299) Volume III. Against Meidias . Against Androtion . Against Aristocrates . Against Timocrates . Against Aristogeiton 1 and 2 (21-26)
L318) Volume IV. Private Orations (27-40)
L346) Volume V. Private Orations (41-49)
L351) Volume VI. Private Orations (50-58). In Neaeram (59)
L209) Volume I. To Demonicus . To Nicocles . Nicocles or the Cyprians . Panegyricus . To Philip . Archidamus
L229) Volume II. On the Peace . Areopagiticus . Against the Sophists . Antidosis . Panathenaicus
L373) Volume III. Evagoras. Helen. Busiris. Plataicus . Concerning the Team of Horses . Trapeziticus . Against Callimachus . Aegineticus . Against Lochites . Against Euthynus . Letters
L386) Volume II. On Invention (De Inventione ). The Best Kind of Orator (De Optimo Genere Oratorum ). Topics (Topica )
L348) Volume III. On the Orator (De Oratore ) Books 1-2
L349) Volume IV. On the Orator (De Oratore) Book 3. On Fate (De Fato ). Stoic Paradoxes (Paradoxa Stoicorum ). On the Divisions of Oratory (De Partitione Oratoria )
L135) Volume I. Panegyric on Probinus and Olybrius . Against Rufinus 1 and 2. War Against Gildo . Against Eutropius 1 and 2. Fescennine Verses on the Marriage of Honorius . Epithalamium of Honorius and Maria . Panegyrics on the Third and Fourth Consulships of Honor
L136) Volume II. On Stilicho's Consulship 2-3. Panegyric on the Sixth Consulship of Honorius . The Gothic War . Shorter Poems. Rape of Proserpina
L014) Volume I. Phalaris. Hippias or The Bath. Dionysus. Heracles. Amber or The Swans. The Fly. Nigrinus. Demonax. The Hall. My Native Land. Octogenarians. A True Story. Slander. The Consonants at Law. The Carousal (Symposium) or The Lapiths
L054) Volume II. The Downward Journey or The Tyrant. Zeus Catechized. Zeus Rants. The Dream or The Cock. Prometheus. Icaromenippus or The Sky-man. Timon or The Misanthrope. Charon or The Inspectors. Philosophies for Sale
L130) Volume III. The Dead Come to Life or The Fisherman. The Double Indictment or Trials by Jury. On Sacrifices. The Ignorant Book Collector. The Dream or Lucian's Career. The Parasite. The Lover of Lies. The Judgement of the Goddesses. On Salaried Posts in Gr
L162) Volume IV. Anacharsis or Athletics. Menippus or The Descent into Hades. On Funerals. A Professor of Public Speaking. Alexander the False Prophet. Essays in Portraiture. Essays in Portraiture Defended. The Goddesse of Surrye
L302) Volume V. The Passing of Peregrinus. The Runaways. Toxaris or Friendship. The Dance. Lexiphanes. The Eunuch. Astrology. The Mistaken Critic. The Parliament of the Gods. The Tyrannicide. Disowned
L430) Volume VI. How to Write History. The Dipsads. Saturnalia. Herodotus or Aetion. Zeuxis or Antiochus. A Slip of the Tongue in Greeting. Apology for the "Salaried Posts in Great Houses." Harmonides. A Conversation with Hesiod. The Scythian or The Consul. Her
L431) Volume VII. Dialogues of the Dead. Dialogues of the Sea-Gods. Dialogues of the Gods. Dialogues of the Courtesans
L432) Volume VIII. Soloecista. Lucius or The Ass. Amores. Halcyon. Demosthenes. Podagra. Ocypus. Cyniscus. Philopatris. Charidemus. Nero
L046) Parallel Lives: Volume I. Theseus and Romulus. Lycurgus and Numa. Solon and Publicola
L047) Parallel Lives: Volume II. Themistocles and Camillus. Aristides and Cato Major. Cimon and Lucullus
L065) Parallel Lives: Volume III. Pericles and Fabius Maximus. Nicias and Crassus
L080) Parallel Lives: Volume IV. Alcibiades and Coriolanus. Lysander and Sulla
L087) Parallel Lives: Volume V. Agesilaus and Pompey. Pelopidas and Marcellus
L098) Parallel Lives: Volume VI. Dion and Brutus. Timoleon and Aemilius Paulus
L099) Parallel Lives : Volume VII. Demosthenes and Cicero. Alexander and Caesar
L100) Parallel Lives: Volume VIII. Sertorius and Eumenes. Phocion and Cato the Younger
L101) Parallel Lives: Volume IX. Demetrius and Antony. Pyrrhus and Gaius Marius
L102) Parallel Lives: Volume X. Agis and Cleomenes. Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus. Philopoemen and Flamininus
L103) Parallel Lives: Volume XI. Aratus. Artaxerxes. Galba. Otho. General Index
L197) Moralia : Volume I. The Education of Children. How the Young Man Should Study Poetry. On Listening to Lectures. How to Tell a Flatterer from a Friend. How a Man May Become Aware of His Progress in Virtue
L222) Moralia: Volume II. How to Profit by One's Enemies. On Having Many Friends. Chance. Virtue and Vice. Letter of Condolence to Apollonius. Advice About Keeping Well. Advice to Bride and Groom. The Dinner of the Seven Wise Men. Superstition
L245) Moralia: Volume III. Sayings of Kings and Commanders. Sayings of Romans. Sayings of Spartans. The Ancient Customs of the Spartans. Sayings of Spartan Women. Bravery of Women
L305) Moralia: Volume IV. Roman Questions. Greek Questions. Greek and Roman Parallel Stories. On the Fortune of the Romans. On the Fortune or the Virtue of Alexander. Were the Athenians More Famous in War or in Wisdom?
L306) Moralia: Volume V. Isis and Osiris. The E at Delphi. The Oracles at Delphi No Longer Given in Verse. The Obsolescence of Oracles
L321) Moralia: Volume X. Love Stories. That a Philosopher Ought to Converse Especially With Men in Power. To an Uneducated Ruler. Whether an Old Man Should Engage in Public Affairs. Precepts of Statecraft. On Monarchy, Democracy, and Oligarchy. That We Ought No
L337) Moralia: Volume VI. Can Virtue Be Taught? On Moral Virtue. On the Control of Anger. On Tranquility of Mind. On Brotherly Love. On Affection for Offspring. Whether Vice Be Sufficient to Cause Unhappiness. Whether the Affections of the Soul are Worse Than T
L405) Moralia: Volume VII. On Love of Wealth. On Compliancy. On Envy and Hate. On Praising Oneself Inoffensively. On the Delays of the Divine Vengeance. On Fate. On the Sign of Socrates. On Exile. Consolation to His Wife
L406) Moralia: Volume XII. Concerning the Face Which Appears in the Orb of the Moon. On the Principle of Cold. Whether Fire or Water Is More Useful. Whether Land or Sea Animals Are Cleverer. Beasts Are Rational. On the Eating of Flesh
L424) Moralia: Volume VIII. Table-talk, Books 1-6
L425) Moralia: Volume IX. Table-Talk, Books 7-9. Dialogue on Love
L426) Moralia: Volume XI. On the Malice of Herodotus. Causes of Natural Phenomena
L427) Moralia: Volume XIII. Part 1. Platonic Essays
L428) Moralia: Volume XIV. That Epicurus Actually Makes a Pleasant Life Impossible. Reply to Colotes in Defence of the Other Philosophers. Is "Live Unknown" a Wise Precept? On Music
L214) Volume I. Moral Essays: De Providentia . De Constantia . De Ira . De Clementia
L254) Volume II. Moral Essays: De Consolatione ad Marciam . De Vita Beata . De Otio . De Tranquillitate Animi . De Brevitate Vitae. De Consolatione ad Polybium . De Consolatione ad Helviam
L031) The Lives of the Caesars : Volume I. Julius. Augustus. Tiberius. Gaius. Caligula
L038) The Lives of the Caesars: Volume II. Claudius. Nero. Galba, Otho, and Vitellius. Vespasian. Titus, Domitian. Lives of Illustrious Men: Grammarians and Rhetoricians. Poets (Terence. Virgil. Horace. Tibullus. Persius. Lucan). Lives of Pliny the Elder and Pa
L139) Scriptores Historiae Augustae: Volume I. Hadrian. Aelius. Antoninus Pius. Marcus Aurelius. L. Verus. Avidius Cassius. Commodus. Pertinax. Didius Julianus. Septimius Severus. Pescennius Niger. Clodius Albinus
L140) Scriptores Historiae Augustae : Volume II. Caracalla. Geta. Opellius Macrinus. Diadumenianus. Elagabalus. Severus Alexander. The Two Maximini. The Three Gordians. Maximus and Balbinus
L263) Scriptores Historiae Augustae: Volume III. The Two Valerians. The Two Gallieni. The Thirty Pretenders. The Deified Claudius. The Deified Aurelian. Tacitus. Probus. Firmus, Saturninus, Proculus and Bonosus. Carus, Carinus and Numerian
L266) Volume I. Private Documents (Agreements, Receipts, Wills, Letters, Memoranda, Accounts and Lists, and Others)
L282) Volume II. Public Documents (Codes and Regulations, Edicts and Orders, Public Announcements, Reports of Meetings, Judicial Business, Petitions and Applications, Declarations to Officials, Contracts, Receipts, Accounts and Lists, Correspondence,