Longinus

Longinus is the conventional name given to the author of the treatise 'On the Sublime' (Greek: Περὶ Ὕψους, Perì Hýpsous), a work which focuses on the effect of good writing. Longinus, sometimes referred to as 'Pseudo-Longinus', is thought to have been a Greek teacher of rhetoric or a literary critic who may have lived in the 1st or 3rd century AD. The true identity and historical details of the author are the subject of scholarly debate, as the name 'Longinus' does not appear in the manuscript and may have been incorrectly attributed to the work in later traditions.

Books

This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

  1. 1. On The Sublime

    The treatise in question is a seminal work of literary criticism from antiquity that explores the concept of the sublime, a quality of greatness or grandeur that can elevate written works to the highest levels of distinction. The author examines the sources of sublimity, attributing it to a combination of the natural abilities of the writer and their emotional investment, while also considering the effects of rhetorical devices, figures of speech, and noble diction. The work further discusses the importance of avoiding pitfalls that can detract from the sublime and includes analysis of various texts to illustrate its points. The author's insights aim to guide writers and critics in creating and recognizing profound and moving literature that can stand the test of time.

    The 7152nd Greatest Book of All Time