Bion of Smyrna: The Fragments and the Adonis

The work of Bion of Smyrna, a Greek poet who lived about 100 BC, survives in seventeen fragments and the longer Epitaph on Adonis. In this edition, J. D. Reed presents a new Greek text of the poems together with a facing translation. The substantial introduction covers Bion's place in the literary tradition, his treatment of ritual and myth in the Adonis poem, his style, and the textual transmission. The full commentary investigates details arising from the texts, with an emphasis on linguistic and literary-historical issues.