Anabasis, a translation of saintjohn perses poem by t. Perse and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Perse had taken his theme from the historical anabasis composed by the greek philosopher and soldier xenophon, a disciple of socrates, who tells the story of how he led ten thousand greek mercenaries across desolate mesopotamia after losing a decisive battle against persian forces at babylon in bc. With these words the times literary supplement greeted the publication in france of the last four poems written by the nobel prize winner before his death in 1975.
I have a skin the colour of mules or of red tobacco, i have a hat made of the pith of the elder covered with white linen. Anabasis alexandri anabasis of alexander, a history of the campaigns of. It contains a famous account of the mercenaries long trek the march of the 10,000 from near. Each of these sections is accompanied by its own commentary. This internationally famous poem by the 1960 nobel laureate was introduced to englishlanguage readers in this translation by t. John perses famous poem, anabasis, which was first introduced to american readers by t. Mr perse is using the word anabasis in the same literal sense in which xenophon himself used it. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Eliots translation sometimes strays from the strictest rendering of perses poem for the sake of dazzling english effect, but in the main it is faithful and serves well as a guide for readers who cant easily read perses original. Recitation in praise of a queen, the regents story, 19111925. Anabasis, 1924 the first poem signed under the penname saintjohn perse. Stjohn perse article about stjohn perse by the free. Anabase anabasis, the classical greek word for a journey up country was the first mature work by saint john perse, the poetic pseudonym of french diplomat alexis leger. There are four works on socrates collected in volume iv of the loeb xenophon edition.
Saintjohn perse song for an equinox page 9781400886456. Anabasis, published in 1924, by editions gallimard, written between 1917 and 1923, partly in china. The poem is a series of images of migration, of conquest of vast spaces in asiatic wastes, 7 of destruction and foundation of cities and civilizations of any races or epochs of the ancient east. The second volume opens with the two books of verse of other kinds that eliot issued. It was written in the early 1920s during a stint in china, where leger represented the french foreign ministry. Eliot in 1930, a revised translation coming out in 1949. Saintjohn perse has 54 books on goodreads with 2425 ratings. The anabasis is his story of the march to persia to aid cyrus, who enlisted greek help to try and take the throne from artaxerxes, and the ensuing return of the greeks, in which xenophon played a leading role. Anabase anabasis, the classical greek word for a journey up country was the first mature work by saintjohn perse, the poetic pseudonym of french diplomat alexis leger. The greek word anabasis means a march upcountry, from the coast to the interior. Hellenica, a history of greek affairs from 411 to 362, begins as a continuation of thucydides account. Because anabasis is poetry if it has to be called something. He was a major french diplomat from 1914 to 1940, after which he lived primarily in the united states until 1967. First published in france in 1924, it was translated six years later by t.
John perse, luigi pirandello, henrik pontoppidan, salvatore quasimodo 6 copy quote. The poet wrote mainly for himself, but after the manuscript was brought back to france by friends, anabase won. Anabasis is an expedition from a coastline up into the interior of a country. John perse, speech of acceptance upon the award of the nobel prize for literature delivered in stockholm december 10, 1960 translated by w. Anabasis by st john perse, 9780156074063, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. He studied at the universities of bordeaux and paris. Eliot and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Written on the door, to celebrate a childhood, pictures for crusoe, 19111925, 1948. Perse came from a family of colonists who settled in guadeloupe in the 17th century. Anabasis, a translation of saint john perse s poem by t. The french poet saintjohn perse 18871975 succeeded, according to critic roger caillois, in giving as a scene for his wholly spiritual chronicles a kind of supreme civilization, composed of the essence of those which history records and going beyond them in grandeur and majesty. Eliots translation sometimes strays from the strictest rendering of perse s poem for the sake of dazzling english effect, but in the main it is faithful and serves well as a guide for readers who cant easily read perse s original. This volume provides their french texts with an english translation by richard howard, completing the publication in bollingen series of the collected poetry of st.
Enter a perseus citation to go to another section or work. Perse was awarded the nobel prize for literature in 1960. Xenophon greek and latin texts with facing vocabulary. Anabasis from greek ana upward, bainein to step or march is an expedition from a coastline up into the interior of a country. Perse was awarded the nobel prize in literature in 1960. Xenophons anabasis is a true story of remarkable adventures. In this bilingual edition of the selected poems, editor mary ann caws has assembled extracts from all his. Bollingen foundation, 1961 bollingen foundation, 1961. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Anabase and anabase fr, a poem by saint john perse. Perse studied law at bordeaux and, after private studies in political science, went into the diplomatic service in 1914.