How to Cite an Ancient Work in MLA

Works in Anthologies

• 1

  Type "Works Cited" (no quotes) at the top of a blank page and center it. Do not italicize or underline the words and then press "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line.

• 2

  Type the author's last name followed by a comma, and then his first name. Make sure your cursor isn't centered anymore. Capitalize the first letter of his first and last name, and put a period at the end. Do not add name titles or degrees (i.e. Sir, Dr., MA, PhD, etc.) to the author listing. If an author goes by one name, it's fine to use just one name. (ex. Plato.)

• 3

  Press the space bar and type the title of the work (not the title of the anthology) in quotation marks. Put a period at the end of the title inside the quotation marks. (ex. Plato. "The Apology.")

• 4

  Press the space bar on your keyboard and type the title of the anthology in italics followed by a period. (ex. Plato. "The Apology." The Last Days of Socrates.)

• 5

  Press the space bar and type the abbreviation "Ed." or "Trans." for the editor(s) or translator(s). The anthology had to be edited by somebody before publication, and it is likely (considering it's an ancient work) that it was also translated. You don't need to cite both the editor(s) and the translator(s) because the translator functions as an editor during the translation process. If your citation has gone down to the next line, make sure to indent five spaces. (ex. Plato. "The Apology." The Last Days of Socrates. Trans.)

• 6

  Press the space bar and type the editor's first then last name followed by a period. (ex. Plato. "The Apology." The Last Days of Socrates. Trans. Hugh Tredennick and Harold Tarrant.)

• 7

  Press the space bar and type the place of publication, followed by a colon. (ex. Plato. "The Apology." The Last Days of Socrates. Trans. Hugh Tredennick and Harold Tarrant. London: )

• 8

  Press the space bar and type the publisher's name followed by a comma. (ex. Plato. "The Apology." The Last Days of Socrates. Trans. Hugh Tredennick and Harold Tarrant. London: Penguin Group, )

• 9

  Press the space bar and type the year it was published followed by a period. (ex. Plato. "The Apology." The Last Days of Socrates. Trans. Hugh Tredennick and Harold Tarrant. London: Penguin Group, 1954.)

• 10

  Press the space bar and type the page range of the work followed by a period. (ex. Plato. "The Apology." The Last Days of Socrates. Trans. Hugh Tredennick and Harold Tarrant. London: Penguin Group, 1954. 39-70.)

• 11

  Press the space bar and type the medium of publication followed by a period. (ex. Plato. "The Apology." The Last Days of Socrates. Trans. Hugh Tredennick and Harold Tarrant. London: Penguin Group, 1954. 39-70. Print.)