Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
Encyclopedia
The Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1849, originally published 1844 under a slightly different title) is an encyclopedia
/biographical dictionary
.
, the dictionary spans three volumes and 3,700 pages. It is a classic work of 19th-century lexicography
. The work is a companion to Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities and Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography
.
The work lists thirty-five authors in addition to the editor, who is also an author for some definitions and articles. The authors were classical
scholars, primarily from Oxford
, Cambridge
, the Rugby School
, and the University of Bonn
, but some were from other institutions. Many of the mythological entries were the work of the German expatriate Leonhard Schmitz
, who helped to popularise German classical scholarship in Britain.
With respect to biographies, Smith intended to be comprehensive. In the preface, he writes:
Many of the Dictionarys definitions and articles have been referred to in more recent works, and Robert Graves
has been accused of "lifting his impressive-looking source references straight, and unchecked" from it when writing The Greek Myths
.
The work is now in the public domain
, and is available in several places on the Internet
. While still largely accurate when it states something (only rarely has the ancient text cited changed), much is missing, especially more recent discoveries (like Aristotle
's Constitution of the Athenians
, or the decipherment of Linear B
) and epigraphic material; perhaps more seriously, the context in which ancient evidence is viewed has often changed in the intervening century and a half.
Also the Internet Archive
archive has a derivative work:
Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....
/biographical dictionary
Biographical dictionary
Biographical dictionaries – a type of encyclopedic dictionary limited to biographical information – have been written in many languages. Many attempt to cover the major personalities of a country...
.
Characteristic
Edited by William SmithWilliam Smith (lexicographer)
Sir William Smith Kt. was a noted English lexicographer.-Early life:Born at Enfield in 1813 of Nonconformist parents, he was originally destined for a theological career, but instead was articled to a solicitor. In his spare time he taught himself classics, and when he entered University College...
, the dictionary spans three volumes and 3,700 pages. It is a classic work of 19th-century lexicography
Lexicography
Lexicography is divided into two related disciplines:*Practical lexicography is the art or craft of compiling, writing and editing dictionaries....
. The work is a companion to Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities and Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography
The Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, first published in 1854, was the last of a series of classical dictionaries edited by the English scholar William Smith , which included as sister works A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities and the Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and...
.
The work lists thirty-five authors in addition to the editor, who is also an author for some definitions and articles. The authors were classical
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
scholars, primarily from Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, the Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, and the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
, but some were from other institutions. Many of the mythological entries were the work of the German expatriate Leonhard Schmitz
Leonhard Schmitz
Leonhard Schmitz was a German-born classical scholar and educator active mainly in the United Kingdom.Schmitz was born in Eupen and attended gymnasium in Aachen. He lost his right arm in an accident at the age of 10, but nonetheless excelled academically...
, who helped to popularise German classical scholarship in Britain.
With respect to biographies, Smith intended to be comprehensive. In the preface, he writes:
- "The biographical articles in this work include the names of all persons of any importance which occur in the Greek and Roman writers, from the earliest times down to the extinction of the Western Empire in the year 476 of our era, and to the extinction of the Eastern Empire by the capture of Constantinople by the turks in the year 1453."
Many of the Dictionarys definitions and articles have been referred to in more recent works, and Robert Graves
Robert Graves
Robert von Ranke Graves 24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985 was an English poet, translator and novelist. During his long life he produced more than 140 works...
has been accused of "lifting his impressive-looking source references straight, and unchecked" from it when writing The Greek Myths
The Greek Myths
The Greek Myths is a mythography, a compendium of Greek mythology, by the poet and writer Robert Graves, normally published in two volumes....
.
The work is now in the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
, and is available in several places on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. While still largely accurate when it states something (only rarely has the ancient text cited changed), much is missing, especially more recent discoveries (like Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
's Constitution of the Athenians
Constitution of the Athenians
The Constitution of the Athenians is the name of either of two texts from Classical antiquity, one probably by Aristotle or a student of his, the other attributed to Xenophon, but not by him....
, or the decipherment of Linear B
Linear B
Linear B is a syllabic script that was used for writing Mycenaean Greek, an early form of Greek. It pre-dated the Greek alphabet by several centuries and seems to have died out with the fall of Mycenaean civilization...
) and epigraphic material; perhaps more seriously, the context in which ancient evidence is viewed has often changed in the intervening century and a half.
Volume Divisions
These are the volume divisions for the 1867 publication by Little, Brown, and Company of Boston, Ma., Edited by William Smith LL.D. This publication came in three volumes.:- Vol. I : Abaeus – Dysponteus
- Vol. II : Ea'rinus, Fla'vius – Nyx
- Vol. III : Oarses – Zygia and Zygius
External links
- http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moa;idno=ACL3129.0001.001Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology Vol 1 online at University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Library] (Entries: Abaeus – Dysponteus) - http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moa;idno=ACL3129.0002.001Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology Vol 2 online at University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Library] (Entries: Ea'rinus, Fla'vius – Nyx) - http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moa;idno=ACL3129.0003.001Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology Vol 3 online at University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Library] (Entries: Oarses – Zygia and Zygius)
Also the Internet Archive
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
archive has a derivative work: