24 MARCH 1906, Page 27

Of a " New Olassical Library," Edited by Dr. Emil

Reich (Swan Sonnensahein and Co.), we have Plutarch's Lives, Vol. I., Translated by W. R. Frazer (3s. 6d. net). The translation is satisfactory, expressed, for the most part, in idiomatic English, and sufficiently faithful. In the first Life, "Alexander" (the volume includes "Pericles," "Caesar," and " Aemilius Paullus"), the words, "the respective Kings of Cyprus and Phoenicia waited upon him," &c., are scarcely good English. "The Kings of Cyprus and Phoenicia immediately came [Mr. Frazer omits el104s] and handed over their dominions, but Tyre did not go with Phoenicia." . The division of the word " Satyrus "—the satyr which Alexander saw in a dream —wants a note. The soothsayers "divided up the word, and asserted that it meant Tyre will be thine.' " But all readers will not know that sa = thine. We are inclined to think, though we allow the difficulty of the subject, that if this series is intended for general circulation, some retrenchment of the original would be an improvement.