Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1896) v2.djvu/476

 of a great dramatist, so successfully has the translator escaped from the trammels of the Greek. . He has brought Euripides home to us, and we do not know how to pay him a greater compliment."—St. James's Gazette.

"After producing the best existing translation of Homer in English verse . . Mr. Way has turned to Euripides . . it was not only because the ground was unoccupied that he embarked on his task, but because he had found in Euripides a kindred soul. . . The young scholar who would fain unsphere the soul of Euripides will be grateful for such a piece of embodied criticism as Mr. Way's sympathetic ver- sion, so faithful to the spirit of the Greek, and at the same time to the genius of the English language."—Journal of Education.

"His latest achievement in this sphere of literary work will not lower the high reputation gained for him by his respective renderings of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. To all who wish for a trustworthy metric version of the plays of Euripides, Mr. Way's admirable workmanship may be cordially commended."—Leeds Mercury.

"While it is scholarly in the sense of giving a scholar's attention to peculiar shades of meaning in the Greek, it is free enough to be also poetical. . . Students will find his renderings profitable and stimu- lating to an intelligent interest in the dramas. But a general reader ignorant of Greek, who wished access to the richest monuments of the ancient classical literature, could find no better introduction to Euripides than this."—Scotsman.

"So far Mr. Way is to be congratulated on his success. There is no doubt ihat Mr. Way, by his skill in translating the choruses, secures for them the interest of the English reader to at least a proportionate ex- tent to that with which they were regarded by those who saw the tragedies acted in the Athenian Theatre. . . If Mr. Way keeps up the spirit and general excellence of his present volume in those that are to come, Euripides will probably not require to be again rendered as a whole for British readers for another hundred years."—Glasgow Herald.

"Mr. Way won his spurs as a translator by his versions of the Iliad and Odyssey ; he certainly will not lose them by the present work, if vols, ii and iii prove as good as vol. i. ... So far as we know, Euripides has nowhere else been so vigorously presented. . . . Mr. Way has deserved thoroughly well of Euripides — not the least, perhaps in the very fine prefatory sonnet to him."—Academy.

"His industry as a translator is not more conspicuous than his merit. . . We can unreservedly congratulate Mr. Way; for we are much mistaken if this work, (of translation from the Classics), has not been the recreation of a lifetime ; . . it must surely be delightful to own a favourite pursuit which can produce honourable and useful results. Useful the book is designed to be, and we have found it an extremely close and reliable rendering of the iambic passages. . . The more we have looked at it, with or apart from the original, the better we have liked it. In the more difficult task of rendering lyrical passages, it is at least equally successful, and the preface contains some excellent remarks upon this matter."—Spectator.

"Mr. Way is already favourably known to the public by his excellent verse translations of the Iliad and Odyssey. There is obviously a demand for the work he has taken in hand ; no complete translation of Euripides has appeared since 17S3. . . It is a real feat to combine such vigour and lilt with lineforline fidelity. . . The small points which the Momus of verbal criticism has here noted are as nothing compared to the genuine spirit inspiring the whole, and the ingenuity displayed in most of the lyrical passages. Enough to say that a reading of this volume has enabled the reviewer for the first time fully to appreciate the mastery of human feeling which is the secret of the longevity of Euripides, and the utter flimsiness of many of Schlegel's cavillings."—Speaker.