The Complete Greek Tragedies, Volume I: Aeschylus

by Aeschylus (Editor), Richmond Lattimore (Editor)

Genres: Plays, Classics, Mythology, Drama, Poetry, Classical Studies

351 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1960

About the author

Greek Αισχύλος , Esquilo in Spanish, Eschyle in French, Èsquil in Catalan, Eschilo in Italian, Эсхил in Russian.

Aeschylus (c. 525/524 BC – c. 456 BC) was an ancient Greek tragedian often described as the father of tragedy. Academic knowledge of the genre begins with his work, and understanding of earlier Greek tragedy is largely based on inferences made from reading his surviving plays. According to Aristotle, he expanded the number of characters in the theatre and allowed conflict among them. Formerly, characters interacted only with the chorus.
Only seven of Aeschylus's estimated 70 to 90 plays have survived. There is a long-standing debate regarding the authorship of one of them, Prometheus Bound, with some scholars arguing that it may be the work of his son Euphorion. Fragments from other plays have survived in quotations, and more continue to be discovered on Egyptian papyri. These fragments often give further insights into Aeschylus' work. He was likely the first dramatist to present plays as a trilogy. His Oresteia is the only extant ancient example. At least one of his plays was influenced by the Persians' second invasion of Greece (480–479 BC). This work, The Persians, is one of very few classical Greek tragedies concerned with contemporary events, and the only one extant. The significance of the war with Persia was so great to Aeschylus and the Greeks that his epitaph commemorates his participation in the Greek victory at Marathon while making no mention of his success as a playwright.

Reviews

[Tobias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of plays, particularly the Sophocles plays. After something like 2500 years Antigone may still be the best statement on tensions between obligations to secular power and obligations to conscience and higher law ever written.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

eh...not so much. Note that I was in the process of moving and basically not sleeping while reading this. May have influenced my impression. As of now, I'd say that this will have more value looking impressive on a bookshelf than in actually being read. Let's just hope none of our guests ask me anything about it. While entertaining in sections, I was fighting to get through it. I'm likely not smart enough for this, but felt like there were sections where I was engaged and other parts where I lost the thread for pages at a time.

Still not sure I understand the point of Prometheus Bound...

I have a different edition not on Goodreads. Mine is a 1942 published pocket hardcover (with a lovely dust jacket). Its from the Modern Library and is volume 1 of 7 in the Complete Greek Tragedies. This one included Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides and Prometheus Bound. I believe it is before the days of ISBN numbers, when the world was foolish and innocent. Picked this up at the Oakland Public Library fill a bag for $5 sale. Interesting that its stamped for the Middletown Library and has the checkout card in the back...all dated from 1966 and 1967. Awesome. Part of me wonders if there is a library cop somewhere trying to hunt this book down.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I get why these tragedies are such classics, but I'm really not good at reading things written in verse. Even though - with major help from CliffsNotes and Sparknotes - I managed to understand enough of the plays to feel comfortable giving a tentative review, I feel like this is a book that I could really use a re-read of after I've gotten some more practice reading this style of writing.

[Naomi Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not my favorite translation of the Oresteia, but I enjoyed re-reading them and love having all of Aeschylus in one volume. I enjoyed reading "Prometheus" and found "Seven Against Thebes" to be a lot more enjoyable than the introduction made it seem like I would.

[robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg...how rich and deep these plays are! I understand now why these strange things were written.