Sorry to interrupt the steady flow of blog posts here at Expository Thoughts, but does anyone know where I can find a copy of an English translation of Dionysius Thrax’s The Art of Grammar? I’m not looking for a collector’s item—I just want to read the thing and I’m too lazy to translate it myself.
Let me know.
Expository Thoughts 
Posted by Spencer DeBurgh on June 28, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Matt,
Sorry bro… I can’t help you.
But it sounds like you might be beyond help anyway.
Summer is for reading Arthur Conan Doyle, Leif Enger, Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl, or Bill Watterson.
You really need to rethink your priorities.
Posted by Peter F Whyte on June 29, 2010 at 10:26 am
Matt,
I found an old translation (Thomas Davidson, 1874) online at http://www.calameo.com/books/000107044ebfdae54bce6. (The Greek is online at http://www.hs-augsburg.de/~harsch/graeca/Chronologia/S_ante02/DionysiosThrax/dio_tech.html, and Kyle Clark is producing a modern English translation at http://legologon.blogspot.com/, though he hasn’t published anything for a while beyond the fourth section.)
Posted by Keith Price on June 29, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Matt, all I was able to fine was a title “The Grammer of Dionysios Thrax.” A paperback listed as new on Amazon.
Posted by Paul Lamey on June 29, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Has it been translated into English? I think it is only in Armenian and Syriac (from the Greek). It’s on Google books but only in the Greek.
Posted by Matt Waymeyer on June 30, 2010 at 10:54 am
Spencer: You’re probably right about me being beyond help. I thought about defending myself by explaining why it would be so fascinating to read Dionysius’ booklet, but I’m sure I would only be making your point! But I’m with you on Doyle and Waterson–never heard of the other two. I’m currently reading “The War Against Grammar” by David Mulroy and “The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains” by Nicholas Carr. For vacation in July I’m planning to read “In the Beginning” by Chaim Potok, and, just to show that I’m a normal guy who enjoys a little fluff from time to time, a Vince Flynn novel. Of course I’ll probably be listening to Italian Opera while I do.
Keith: You nailed it; that’s it. Not sure why they changed the title. But wow, 12 bucks for a 20-page booklet! I may check the library.
Paul: I wasn’t sure, but the Amazon link Keith provided says it’s in English. So there you go.
Posted by Matt Waymeyer on June 30, 2010 at 11:25 am
Speaking of Waterson, I’m about to resurrect an old article from the now-extinct blog “Faith & Practice.” This one’s for you, Spencer.
Posted by Matt Waymeyer on June 30, 2010 at 11:31 am
Peter: Not sure why, but your comment was held up by WordPress and just now got through. Thanks for the links. You just saved me 12 bucks or a trip to the library! Much appreciated.