In True Names: Vergil and the Alexandrian Tradition of Etymological Wordplay, James O’Hara presents a richly annotated, comprehensive collection of examples of etymological wordplay in Vergil’s Aeneid, Eclogues, and Georgics. An extensive introduction on the etymologizing of Vergil and his poetic forerunners places the poet in historical context and analyzes the form and style of his wordplay.

In this new edition, O’Hara offers more than one hundred new examples, and more than 250 new bibliographical items on etymologizing in Vergil and other ancient authors, especially the other Augustan poets. A substantial new Introduction reflects on the wide scholarly response to the first edition, and it discusses issues in scholarship on etymologizing from the last two decades.

James J. O’Hara is George L. Paddison Professor of Latin at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

“O’Hara’s catalogue of Vergilian etymological wordplay is a goldmine of information and a welcome contribution to Vergilian studies… Ovid scholars will read with interest section 2.14 of the Introduction, where O’Hara lists and discusses examples of Ovid’s allusions to Vergil’s etymological wordplay.  Every Vergil scholar will want a copy of this book.”
—Pamela Bleisch, American Journal of Philology

“O’Hara has done Virgilian studies a considerable service with this very erudite piece of scholarship.” 
—Llewelyn Morgan, Classical Review

“This book is to be heartily welcomed as a major tool which will be of great use not only for Vergilian scholars but also for all those concerned with the literary texture of Augustan poetry.” 
—Stephen J. Harrison, Echos du monde classique

"This updated version of O’Hara’s seminal monograph is timely and welcome..."
--Bryn Mawr Classical Review