Check nearby libraries
Buy this book
![Loading indicator](/images/ajax-loader-bar.gif)
It is a long journey from the decaying fragments of stone and papyrus upon which ancient Egyptian literature is written to finished translations of that civilization's classics. In Echoes of Egyptian Voices, translator John L. Foster shows how these bits and pieces, hints of old poems written three and four thousand years ago, come alive again to illuminate their time, revealing a spirit that is relevant today. Fascinated as we are by pyramids and mummies, we know almost nothing of Egypt's verbal heritage. The written compositions of ancient Egypt are among humanity's first--predating the ancient Greek and Hebrew texts by as much as two millennia. Almost all Egyptian literary texts are in verse, frequently in couplet form; they include a rich assortment of poetic elements, such as figurative language, imagery, nuances in vocabulary, and sound repetition. These poems are the earliest expressions of our experiences, hopes, and dreams, of our encounters with nature, people of other nations, and the gods. This literature relates the details of daily life, the ups and downs of society and politics, and the inner, sometimes turbulent or bewildered, self. Many important literary texts of ancient Egypt are recreated here through detailed, critical readings that uncover the linguistic elegance and essentially poetic nature of these brilliant pieces. Included are compositions not readily available elsewhere, such as selections from The Leiden Hymns, the conclusion to "The Testament of Amenemhat," and "Menna's Lament." Foster has crafted translations that are literary rather than literal, conveying the spirit as well as the substance of each text. The work will speak to general readers as well as to Egyptologists because these ancient voices ring true.
Check nearby libraries
Buy this book
![Loading indicator](/images/ajax-loader-bar.gif)
Previews available in: English
Showing 2 featured editions. View all 2 editions?
Edition | Availability |
---|---|
1
Echoes of Egyptian Voices: An Anthology of Ancient Egyptian Poetry (Oklahoma Series in Classical Culture)
April 1992, Univ of Oklahoma Pr
Hardcover
in English
0806124113 9780806124117
|
aaaa
Libraries near you:
WorldCat
|
2
Echoes of Egyptian voices: an anthology of ancient Egyptian poetry
1992, University of Oklahoma Press
in English
0806124113 9780806124117
|
cccc
Libraries near you:
WorldCat
|
Book Details
The Physical Object
ID Numbers
Community Reviews (0)
Feedback?History
- Created April 29, 2008
- 5 revisions
Wikipedia citation
×CloseCopy and paste this code into your Wikipedia page. Need help?
July 14, 2020 | Edited by MARC Bot | associate orphaned edition with work based on ISBN 9780806124117 |
August 6, 2010 | Edited by IdentifierBot | added LibraryThing ID |
April 24, 2010 | Edited by Open Library Bot | Fixed duplicate goodreads IDs. |
April 16, 2010 | Edited by bgimpertBot | Added goodreads ID. |
April 29, 2008 | Created by an anonymous user | Imported from amazon.com record |