The present volume of Yale Classical Studies is devoted to essays on later Greek literature. The guiding intent which prompted this collection is indicated by the original advertizement for it, which was circulated informally in 1976: ‘A forthcoming volume of Yale Classical Studies will be devoted to “The Second Sophistic and Later Greek Literature”. We hope that the articles in this volume will highlight the literary excellence of undeservedly neglected authors, and help to attract readers and scholars to the riches of this era, which we might roughly define as reaching from Chariton to the Nonnians. Because so many of these later authors have suffered from a “bad press” and pejorative comparison with their classical predecessors, we will give preference to essays which sensibly correct such distortions. The history and text-history of these authors is, of course, relevant to such projects, but we are looking in most cases for solid general interpretations whose clear-sighted enthusiasm will spark interest and provoke discussion.’

The problem we felt then, that much excellent literature written in Greek under the Roman Empire was being chronically underrated, still exists, and it is still our hope that this volume will indeed draw more readers to the rewards and delights of post-Hellenistic Greek literature. The history of Greek literature is very long indeed, an ongoing story whose origins pre-date literacy and whose end is not in sight.