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I started translating these poems in February, and, as almost always happens during the process of translation, I came across strange riches that even the most celebrated published translations must gloss or twist. The paradox of Theocritus rests on his combining ordinary subject matter with epic language, meter, and the occasional stunning phrase. This is a clever, sensitive, and unfortunately under-read poet. The Greek is not always easygoing, and Hunter's commentary sheds light not only on difficult passages but also upon the larger literary framework in which we might situate Theocritus' accomplishment.
