Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Center

1.2.6 Creating a New Model for Digital Publishing of Classical Texts (on the example of Classical Greek drama)

Nikolay Grintser
Project Leader

Project period

2020-2025

Context of Research Project within a Subject of Human Capital

The concept and problems of human capital naturally includes the study of the historical and socio-cultural heritage of society, its adaptation and transformation in modern conditions, forming value priorities of social development on its basis. For European civilization, of which Russia is an integral part, it is ancient Greek and Roman culture that is the most important component of this heritage. The ideas formulated in antiquity about the relationship between man and social institutions, man and nature still remain dominant in Europe. The preparation of new accurate translations and detailed commentaries, where all the problems of interpretation, the peculiarities of poetics and the ideas expressed in these texts (socio-political, philosophical, religious and ethical) will allow classical literary works to enter modern Russian culture, giving an opportunity to a variety of categories of readers to enter into a dialogue with classical texts and use them in their own activities.

The research project Creating a New Model for Digital Publishing of Classical Texts (on the example of Classical Greek drama) will become an attempt at a fundamentally new representation of the ancient heritage: for the first time in the world, there will be created a digital platform that meets the requirements of modern civilization and provides new unique opportunities for scientific work with ancient texts.

Project Aim

Preparing new commented editions of key texts of Classical drama (primarily Classical Greek tragedy) in digital format

Project Objectives:

  1. Preparing complete historical, cultural and philological commentaries on the key texts of the ancient Greek tragedy (Sophocles, Euripides); developing a digital platform for posting and further refinement of comments (‘open’ comments)
  2. Developing a digital platform for scientific work with Classical texts

Key Findings

2020

The general methodological approaches to the translation principles have been defined, the selection of the necessary material has been implemented and the place of the future commentary has been determined in the general landscape of modern studies on Classical drama and Greek tragedy, in particular. The main purpose of the commentary is to focus on the socio-political context of the Classical drama

2021

The principles of preparing commented edition of the Classical tragedy texts and its digitization and Internet publication have been developed. The ‘first level’ commentary has been made, aimed at a fairly wide reader, including those who do not know ancient Greek. A broad research analysis of the modern study of Greek tragedy has been carried out

2022

The principles of preparation of the ancient tragedy texts commented edition with subsequent processing for Internet commentary has been updated and improved. A basic commentary intended for widespread use, including by those who do not speak ancient Greek, has continued to develop. An in-depth analysis of the study of Greek tragedy in the modern context has been carried out.

Publications

Grinzer, N. Politics of Myth in Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis and Bacchae // Vestnik drevnei istorii – 2021. – V. 81. – Issue 3 C. 577-589