Kannicht Richard (ed.) Tragicorum Graecorum Fragmenta. Volume 5. Euripides

Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2004. — 1164 p.Two impressive books containing the edition of Euripides' fragments make up the fifth and concluding volume of the series Tragicorum Graecorum Fragmenta, edited by Bruno Snell, Richard Kannicht and Stefan Radt from 1981 onwards in replacement of Nauck's late nineteenth century second edition of the tragic fragments. The third and the fourth volumes of this series provide the edition of the fragments of the other two great tragedians, Aeschylus and Sophocles respectively (both by Rath). The "pars prior" of Kannicht' s volume starts with a short praefatio (p. 9-11) and an overview of the abbreviations and secondary bibliography (Sigla et p. 13-33). This section is followed by the bibliography of primary texts (Veterum scripta, p. 33-38). The section which runs from p. 39 to p. 145 provides an edition of the ancient testimonies to Euripides' life and work. The first pages (41-45) give a list of the different headings under which the testimonies are ordered (Vitae, Catalogi fabularum, Quo anno natus mortuusque sit, Patria et parentes, De adulescentia, Philo- sophorum discipulus et amicus, Librorum amator, Qui eum in fabulis scribundis adiuvisse dicantur, Ad certamina fabularum spectantia, Quid rationis cum poetis aetatis suae habuerit, Quid praeter fabulas scripserit, Negotia publica, In ius vocatus, Habitus et mores, Extremum vitae tempus : iter in Macedoniam ad Archelaum, Mors, Funus et sepulcra, Quae in arte scaenica novaverit, Quae de sua ipsius arte dixisse dicatur, Aliorum iudicia, Qui de Euripide libros conscripserint, Fata textus Euripidis, Euripidis simulacra, Miscellanea, Epigrammata). The actual edition of the fragments of the lost plays is subdivided into three sections. In the first section {Fragmenta cer- tis fabulis adscripta, p. 149-884), Kannicht edits no less than 844 fragments from 78 tragedies. The tragedies are ordered alphabetically (from "ΑΊγεύς" to "Χρύσιππος"), as they are listed in the "conspectus" of lost Euripidean plays which precedes the edition (p. 149-50). In the second section (p. 885-1020), the Incertarum fabularum fragmenta are edited. The third section (p. 1021-34), finally, edits the Fragmenta dubia et spur ia. The edition is followed by an index verborum (p. 1036-43), an index fontium (1044-88), and a detailed comparatio numerorum (p. 1089-99). The volume is concluded by an appendix consisting in addenda and corrigenda to the second of the first volume (1986), to the second volume (1981) and to this volume. This work will be an essential reference tool for scholars working on tragic fragments (and tragedy in general) in generations to come.