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Title(s): The Whole Works of Homer: Prince of Poets, in his Iliads and Odysses by George Chapman in 5 Volumes
Published: Oxford: Printed at The Shakespeare Head Press and Published for the Press by Basil Blackwell
Physical Description: 5 Volumes 
Edition: Limited Edition of 450 Copies, this edition No. 234.

Publisher's original burnt-orange half morocco over cream-coloured buckram, edges untrimmed.  With 52 wood engravings by John Farleigh, comprised of two frontispieces, woodcut-framed title pages to volumes I and V, and 48 full-page cuts. 
The joints to all volumes are solid and sound. Overall some fading and rubbing and occasional small black mark to spines, the cream buckram boards with some grubby marks to varying degrees, occasional minor marks to the leather, stain to the leather at the front of volume two. The outside page edges are bright with just minor dust soiling, otherwise are virtually spotless, refer to picture.

Internally a beautiful copy, pages are crisp, bright, clean and virtually unread, with 99% of the pages in volumes 2-5 uncut on the top edges, see pictures.


This is the major modern fine press edition of Homer, with illustrations by one of the most popular woodcut artists of the period. The text here is Chapman's Homer, which Day calls "the greatest verse translation of the Renaissance" and perhaps "the greatest English translation of Homer." George Chapman (1559/60-1634) made his name as a poet and playwright before turning to translating classical literature. His was the first English translation of Homer to be done directly from the Greek, and it remained the standard translation until Pope's 18th century version. Chapman enjoyed a renewed popularity among 19th century poets: Keats composed a much-quoted sonnet, "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer," which begins "Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold"; and Swinburne said, "No praise can be too warm or high for the power, the freshness, the indefatigable strength and inextinguishable fire which animate this exalted work." 
Wood engraver, painter, illustrator, writer, and teacher John Farleigh (1900-65) had a style perfectly suited to an edition of Homer. In "A History of British Wood Engraving," Albert Garrett writes that "in terms of modern engraving, John Farleigh understood the purity of Greek engraving and largely formed his style upon the few known examples. Like the Greek engraver, he also understood the human form and could express it." He was one of the major engravers of the new British School, which focused on broadening the medium's range of expression and techniques.


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Collected works, Poetry - Quantity: 5 - Limited edition - Book

Homer/George Chapman/John Farleigh - The Whole Works of Homer 5 Vols - Limited Edition of 450 Copies - Shakespeare Head Press - 1930/1931

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Homer/George Chapman/John Farleigh - The Whole Works of Homer 5 Vols - Limited Edition of 450 Copies - Shakespeare Head Press - 1930/1931

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