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Simplicius Completed

25/8/2022

 
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We are delighted to announce the publication of two new volumes that complete our translations of all the commentaries of Simplicius, both by Stephen Menn. These volumes contain i) a translation of Simplicius on Aristotle Physics 1.1-2, and ii) a monograph-length introduction to the whole Physics commentary. These opening chapters are among the most complex in the commentary, because they lay the methodological and philosophical foundations for the entire work, as well as being a key source for quotations from Presocratic philosophers. The introduction covers the philosophical aims of Simplicius' commentaries on the Physics and the related text On the Heaven; Simplicius' methods and his use of earlier sources; and key themes and comparison with Philoponus' commentary on the same text. 

For the sake of completeness, here’s a list of the other volumes translating Simplicius' commentary on the Physics: 

  • On Aristotle Physics 1.3–4, tr. P. Huby and C. C. W. Taylor, 2011
  • On Aristotle Physics 1.5–9, tr. H. Baltussen, M. Atkinson, M. Share and I. Mueller, 2012
  • On Aristotle Physics 2, tr. B. Fleet, 1997
  • On Aristotle Physics 3, tr. J. O. Urmson with P. Lautner, 2001
  • On Aristotle Physics 4.1–5 and 10–14, tr. J. O. Urmson, 1992
  • On Aristotle on the Void, tr. J. O. Urmson, 1994 (=Physics 4.6–9; published with Philoponus, On Aristotle Physics 5–8, tr. P. Lettinck)
  • On Aristotle Physics 5, tr. J. O. Urmson, 1997
  • On Aristotle Physics 6, tr. D. Konstan, 1989
  • On Aristotle Physics 7, tr. C. Hagen, 1994
  • On Aristotle Physics 8.1–5, tr. I. Bodnar, M. Chase and M. Share, 2012
  • On Aristotle Physics 8.6–10, tr. R. McKirahan, 2001
​

An Ancient Commentators Lexicon

30/1/2022

 
We are pleased to announce the publication of a new volume connected to the series. Richard McKirahan has produced a guide to the vocabulary of the ancient commentators based on indexes from the series' volumes. Here's Bloomsbury's description: 

An astounding project of analysis on more than one hundred translations of ancient philosophical texts, this index of words found in the Ancient Commentators on Aristotle series comprises some 114,000 entries. It forms in effect a unique dictionary of philosophical terms from the post-Hellenistic period through to late antiquity and will be an essential reference tool for any scholar working on the meaning of these ancient texts. As traditional dictionaries have usually neglected to include translation examples from philosophical texts of this period, scholars interested in how meanings of words vary across time and author have been ill served. This index fills a huge gap, therefore, in the lexical analysis of ancient Greek and has application well beyond the reading of ancient philosophical commentaries. 

Bringing together the full indexes from 110 of the volumes published in Bloomsbury's Ancient Commentators on Aristotle series, McKirahan has combined each word entry and analysed how many times particular translations occur. He presents his findings numerically so that each meaning in turn has a note as to the number of times it is used. For meanings that are found between one and four times the volume details are also given so that readers may quickly and easily look up the texts themselves.

​Further details here. 

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More Alexander on the Topics

16/12/2021

 
We are pleased to announce the publication of Laura Castelli's second instalment of Alexander of Aphrodisias on Aristotle's Topics (Nov 2021, but dated 2022). This new volume covers Topics 3 and sits alongside her recent volume on Topics 2 and Van Ophuijsen's earlier volume of Topics 1 from back in 2000. Further details here. 
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Recent Reviews

16/12/2021

 
Some recent reviews in Classical Review: ​
  • Jansen, L., & Sandstad, P. (2020). PHILOSOPHY 101 IN THE ALEXANDRIAN SCHOOL, FIFTH CENTURY AD - (M.) Chase (trans.) Ammonius: Interpretation of Porphyry's Introduction to Aristotle's Five Terms. Pp. viii 200. London and New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2020. Cased, £85. ISBN: 978-1-350-08922-8. The Classical Review, 70(2), 360-362. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0009840X20000840 
 
  • Zaffino, V. (2020). PHILOPONUS ON ARISTOTLE - (M.) Share (trans.) Philoponus: On Aristotle Categories 6–15. Pp. viii 219, fig. London and New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2020. Cased, £85, US$115. ISBN: 978-1-350-11267-4. The Classical Review, 70(2), 365-367. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0009840X20001043
 
  • Ebbesen, S. (2021). A COMMENTATOR ON ARISTOTLE - (F.D.)Miller Jr. (trans.) ‘Alexander’: On Aristotle Metaphysics 12. Pp. xii 260, figs. London and New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2021. Cased, £85, US$115. ISBN: 978-1-350-17935-6. The Classical Review, 71(2), 328-331. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0009840X21002092

New Volumes 2020

4/8/2020

 
In July 2020 we have published our 110th volume, Iamblichus, On the Science of Mathematics, tr. J. Dillon & J. O. Urmson. You can read more about it at Bloomsbury's website here. We also have three more volumes coming out before the end of 2020. These are: 

Al-Farabi, Syllogism: An Abridgement of Aristotle’s Prior Analytics, tr. W. Hodges & S. Chatti, due Sept 2020 – https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/al-farabi-syllogism-an-abridgement-of-aristotles-prior-analytics-9781350126992/
 
Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Aristotle Topics 2, tr. L. Castelli, due Sept 2020 – https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/alexander-of-aphrodisias-on-aristotle-topics-2-9781350151284/
 
Themistius, On Aristotle Metaphysics 12, tr. Y. Mayrav, due Nov 2020 – https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/themistius-on-aristotle-metaphysics-12-9781350127241/
​
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Three New Volumes for 2019

23/4/2019

 
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We are pleased to announce three new volumes for 2019.

The first, dated 2019, but physically appeared at the end of 2018, is: 

  • ​Michael of Ephesus, On Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics 10, tr. J. Wilberding & J. Trompeter, with Themistius, On Virtue, tr. A. Rigolio, 2019 - further information at https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/michael-of-ephesus-on-aristotles-nicomachean-ethics-10-with-themistius-on-virtue-9781350085077/
 
The second and third are currently in press and will be out later this year: 

  • Ammonius, Interpretation of Porphyry’s Introduction to Aristotle’s Five Terms, tr. M. Chase, due Sept 2019 - further information at https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/ammonius-interpretation-of-porphyrys-introduction-to-aristotles-five-terms-9781350089228/
  • Philoponus, On Aristotle Categories 6-15, tr. M. Share, due Oct 2019 - further information at https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/philoponus-on-aristotle-categories-6-15-9781350112674/

Two New Volumes Published

16/4/2018

 
We are pleased to announce that our two latest volumes in the series are now published.
These are:
  • Hermias, On Plato Phaedrus 227A-245E
  • Elias and David, Introductions to Philosophy, with Olympiodorus, Introduction to Logic
Follow the links for further information. Both volumes are now available via Bloomsbury in both hardback and ebook formats.

Review of Aristotle Re-Interpreted

19/12/2017

 
Aristotle Re-Interpreted has been reviewed at BMCR:

"... building on the extraordinary achievements of the Ancient Commentators on Aristotle project, AR is a valuable collection of groundbreaking studies, which, together with AT, constitutes a must-read for any scholar and student of philosophy and Classics"

Read the full review at www.bmcreview.org/2017/12/20171234.html

Two New Volumes in Press

12/10/2017

 
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We are pleased to announce two new volumes currently in press and hopefully in print in early 2018. These are:
 
Elias and David, Introductions to Philosophy, with Olympiodorus, Introduction to Logic, translated by Sebastian Gertz
 
Ammonius (445-517/26 AD) set up a new teaching programme in Alexandria with up to six introductions to the philosophy curriculum, which made it far more accessible, and encouraged its spread from Greek to other cultures. From Olympiodorus, his pupil, we have an introduction to Aristotle’s Philosophy, an introduction to Logic and an introduction to Aristotle’s Categories. Olympiodorus’ students, Elias and David, both wrote introductions to Philosophy, which start with six definitions of Philosophy, to which David adds replies to the sceptical question whether there is such a thing as Philosophy. All these are translated here. From Ammonius we have an Introduction to Logic, to Aristotle’s Philosophy, and to Aristotle’s Categories, all translated earlier as the prooemium to Ammonius’ commentary on Aristotle’s Categories. Ammonius also wrote a commentary on an earlier introduction, Porphyry’s Isagoge (Introduction), and prefaced this with a further introduction. If we count in Porphyry’s Introduction itself, which has been translated elsewhere, this makes six introductions to the Philosophy curriculum. The texts translated by Sebastian Gertz go a long way towards completing our picture of what it would have been like to sit in a first year Philosophy course in Ancient Alexandria.
 
Hermias, On Plato Phaedrus 227A-245E, translated by Dirk Baltzly & Michael Share
 
This commentary records, through notes taken by Hermias, Syrianus’ seminar on Plato’s Phaedrus, one of the world’s most influential celebrations of erotic beauty and love. It is the only Neoplatonic commentary on Plato's Phaedrus to have survived in its entirety. Further interest comes from the recorded interventions by Syrianus’ pupils – including those by Proclus, his eventual successor as head of the Athenian school, who went on to teach Hermias’ father, Ammonius.
 
The first of two volumes of Hermias’ commentary, the chapters translated here discuss the argument that the soul can be proved immortal as being the self-moving source of eternal motion. Aristotle explicitly disagreed with Plato on this treatment of the soul and Syrianus, having previously (in a commentary on the Metaphysics) criticised Aristotle severely when he disagreed with Plato, feels obliged here, too, to address the apparent disagreement. This new translation is thus vital for understanding Syrianus’ attitude to Aristotle.

Bibliography Updated

14/11/2016

 
The bibliography of work on the Ancient Commentators has now been updated and includes material up to 2016. It is available here, alongside two earlier bibliographies. We hope that between them they give fairly full coverage of the scholarly literature.

We also have a new bibliographical guide to the commentary tradition in Greek, Syriac, and Arabic philosophy, arranged chronologically from Andronicus to Averroes (available on the same page).

We welcome any corrections, additions, reports of typos, and so on, which can be sent to [email protected].
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