Model editions for standard line numbers in drama

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polemistes
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Model editions for standard line numbers in drama

Post by polemistes »

If I'm correct, the line numbers of modern editions of Greek drama are standardized based on one early edition. It seems to be almost impossible to find information about which editions the standards are based on. Does anyone know which editions are used? I need to know the first edition which is used as a standard, not some later edition conforming to this.

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Paul Derouda
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Re: Model editions for standard line numbers in drama

Post by Paul Derouda »

I don't know about the particular editions for tragedy, but I have similar experience for Homer: the standard line numbering is based on F. A. Wolf's editions from the beginning of the 19th century, but that information is very hard to come by. I don't remember where I found it personally, and if I wanted to find it again, it would probably take me several hours. You'd suppose that it wouldn't be too much to ask to add just one sentence to the introduction: "This edition follows the line numbering of X, now generally considered standard." So I don't think you're the only one with this problem. Sorry I can't help you.

Hylander
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Re: Model editions for standard line numbers in drama

Post by Hylander »

I can't help much either. But the line numeration of Greek drama seems to go back further than the early 19th century. This 1715 edition of Euripides' Medea and Phoenissae seems to reflect the numbering of modern editions:

https://books.google.com/books?id=eqFhA ... ea&f=false

The numbering of the lyric passages in modern editions reflects older ideas about the colometry, so that in modern editions what are printed as single lines may cover multiple numbers.

My guess would have been the Aldine editions of the early 16th century, but this 1503 edition of Euripides doesn't seem to have line numbering yet:

https://archive.org/details/ita-bnc-ald-00000010-001
Bill Walderman

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jeidsath
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Re: Model editions for standard line numbers in drama

Post by jeidsath »

I see a number of references to Dindorf's numbering in Poetae Scenici being used as the standard. He had his own sources, as stated by Woolsey here:

Image

Fragments mostly seem to follow Kock.

Things are more straightforward with Plato and Aristotle:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanus_pagination
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bekker_numbering
“One might get one’s Greek from the very lips of Homer and Plato." "In which case they would certainly plough you for the Little-go. The German scholars have improved Greek so much.”

Joel Eidsath -- jeidsath@gmail.com

Hylander
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Re: Model editions for standard line numbers in drama

Post by Hylander »

https://books.google.com/books?id=jyBwD ... ns&f=false

See p. 21 "Modern editions".

I suspect that Barnes and Brunck followed still earlier editions.
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polemistes
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Re: Model editions for standard line numbers in drama

Post by polemistes »

Thanks for the help! Things are a bit clearer now. I'm glad to see it's not just me who finds this difficult to track down.

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