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Greek Drama
In power, passion, and the brilliant display of moral conflict, the drama of ancient Greece remains unsurpassed. For this volume, Professor Hadas chose nine plays which display the diversity and grandeur of tragedy, and the critical and satiric genius of comedy, in outstanding translations of the past and present. His introduction explores the religious origins, modes of productions, structure, and conventions of the Greek theater, individual prefaces illuminate each play and clarify the author's place in the continuity of Greek drama.
337 pages, paper
First published January 1, 1965
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363 people want to read
About the author
Moses Hadas
93 books14 followersMoses Hadas (1900–1966) was an American teacher, one of the leading classical scholars of the twentieth century, and a translator of numerous works.
Raised in Atlanta in a Yiddish-speaking Orthodox Jewish household, his early studies included rabbinical training; he graduated from Jewish Theological Seminary of America (1926) and took his doctorate in classics in 1930. He was fluent in Yiddish, German, ancient Hebrew, ancient Greek, Latin, French, and Italian, and well-versed in other languages.
His most productive years were spent at Columbia University, where he was a colleague of Jacques Barzun and Lionel Trilling. There, he took his talent for languages, combined it with a popularizing impulse, to buck the prevailing classical methods of the day—textual criticism and grammar—presenting classics, even in translation, as worthy of study as literary works in their own right.
This approach may be compared to the New Criticism school: even as the New Critics emphasized close reading, eschewing outside sources and cumbersome apparatus, Hadas, in presenting classical works in translation to an influx of post-war G.I. Bill students, brought forth an appreciation of his domain for those without the specialized training of classicists.
His popularizing impulse led him to embrace television as a tool for education, becoming a telelecturer and a pundit on broadcast television. He also recorded classical works on phonograph and tape.
Raised in Atlanta in a Yiddish-speaking Orthodox Jewish household, his early studies included rabbinical training; he graduated from Jewish Theological Seminary of America (1926) and took his doctorate in classics in 1930. He was fluent in Yiddish, German, ancient Hebrew, ancient Greek, Latin, French, and Italian, and well-versed in other languages.
His most productive years were spent at Columbia University, where he was a colleague of Jacques Barzun and Lionel Trilling. There, he took his talent for languages, combined it with a popularizing impulse, to buck the prevailing classical methods of the day—textual criticism and grammar—presenting classics, even in translation, as worthy of study as literary works in their own right.
This approach may be compared to the New Criticism school: even as the New Critics emphasized close reading, eschewing outside sources and cumbersome apparatus, Hadas, in presenting classical works in translation to an influx of post-war G.I. Bill students, brought forth an appreciation of his domain for those without the specialized training of classicists.
His popularizing impulse led him to embrace television as a tool for education, becoming a telelecturer and a pundit on broadcast television. He also recorded classical works on phonograph and tape.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 21, 2023
I once read somewhere that what films do best is portray the relationship between man and society; what plays do best is portray relationships between man and man; and what novels do best is portray the relationship between man and self. Of course, there are exceptions, but when writing a piece, it’s good to know the form’s innate strength. This comment felt true to me, I could see clearly what was meant. And then I read this collection of Greek plays.
It seems to me that Greek drama fits more into the film category. Sure, this is accomplished through examples of relationships between people, but they never feel like specific people as much as archetypes to illustrate an important societal aspect. Often this aspect is psychological, and that may be why I’m drawn to Greek Mythology and archetypes, in general (after all, Freud founded psychoanalysis using Greek tragedy), but the dynamics between people mostly feel representational and use extremes to make their point. I’m not crazy about how societal norms are expressed through a Greek chorus or a narrating character, since the effect is often more cerebral than emotional, more conceptual rather than personal, and I prefer my food-for-thought with a gob of empathy.
Still, these works are impressive and have provided the foundation for so much of what’s familiar to us, including many stories, that they almost feel more like a kind of bible than a collection of plays. And when I think about how same characters are faced with different challenges in the face of gods through multiple works – some here in play form, some in epic poems like The Iliad and The Odyssey – it really feels like they could all be sewn together in bible form.
As for the individual plays, Oedipus the King was one of the best plays I’ve read, a complex work of genius. Antigone, compelled to bury her brother against the law, and Agamemnon, who returns from Troy victorious only to face the wrath of his wife, were also strong. Eumenides, Philoctetes, Medea and Hippolytus, were all worth reading, especially since Medea helped me to understand David Vann’s reimagining of her in Bright Air Black. I also enjoyed the professor’s intro to Hippolytus, reminding us that celibacy at this time was not a virtue. I didn’t care for Trojan Women, which surprised me, and the comedic tone of Frogs felt jarring after all that tragedy. I appreciated the self-critical lens in Frogs of playwrights and theatre, but if the tragedies weren’t intimate enough, this was way too cerebral for me.
This book took a while for me to get through. I found myself needing breaks after each play, and sometimes needed to go back for a reread.
Contents:
Aeschylus
- Agamemnon
- Eumenides
Sophocles
- Antigone
- Oedipus the King
- Philoctetes
Euripides
- Medea
- Hippolytus
- Trojan Women
Aristophanes
- Frogs
It seems to me that Greek drama fits more into the film category. Sure, this is accomplished through examples of relationships between people, but they never feel like specific people as much as archetypes to illustrate an important societal aspect. Often this aspect is psychological, and that may be why I’m drawn to Greek Mythology and archetypes, in general (after all, Freud founded psychoanalysis using Greek tragedy), but the dynamics between people mostly feel representational and use extremes to make their point. I’m not crazy about how societal norms are expressed through a Greek chorus or a narrating character, since the effect is often more cerebral than emotional, more conceptual rather than personal, and I prefer my food-for-thought with a gob of empathy.
Still, these works are impressive and have provided the foundation for so much of what’s familiar to us, including many stories, that they almost feel more like a kind of bible than a collection of plays. And when I think about how same characters are faced with different challenges in the face of gods through multiple works – some here in play form, some in epic poems like The Iliad and The Odyssey – it really feels like they could all be sewn together in bible form.
As for the individual plays, Oedipus the King was one of the best plays I’ve read, a complex work of genius. Antigone, compelled to bury her brother against the law, and Agamemnon, who returns from Troy victorious only to face the wrath of his wife, were also strong. Eumenides, Philoctetes, Medea and Hippolytus, were all worth reading, especially since Medea helped me to understand David Vann’s reimagining of her in Bright Air Black. I also enjoyed the professor’s intro to Hippolytus, reminding us that celibacy at this time was not a virtue. I didn’t care for Trojan Women, which surprised me, and the comedic tone of Frogs felt jarring after all that tragedy. I appreciated the self-critical lens in Frogs of playwrights and theatre, but if the tragedies weren’t intimate enough, this was way too cerebral for me.
This book took a while for me to get through. I found myself needing breaks after each play, and sometimes needed to go back for a reread.
Contents:
Aeschylus
- Agamemnon
- Eumenides
Sophocles
- Antigone
- Oedipus the King
- Philoctetes
Euripides
- Medea
- Hippolytus
- Trojan Women
Aristophanes
- Frogs
July 26, 2022
The theatre of ancient Greece is still unmatched in terms of strength, emotion, and the masterful presentation of moral conflict. Professor Hadas choose nine plays from the past and present that exhibit the variety and grandeur of tragedy as well as the critical and satirical genius of comedy for this anthology. Individual prefaces explain each play and establish the author's position in the evolution of Greek drama while the introduction examines the religious roots, production methods, structure, and norms of Greek theater.
For anyone who is just starting to become interested in Greek mythology, this book is a fantastic introduction. Extremely quick-paced and approachable, however there are better translations available. Owing to its simplicity, I still found this book to be enjoyable to read. Did I really find it enjoyable to read about the gods' and their servants doing awful, absurd things? Definitely. And I'll do it again.
Hadas did a fantastic job of including all of the pertinent Greek drama, which doesn't just have to be about Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon—he also featured minor gods, which is actually very uncommon for me to find. and I loved that aspect of the book so much. But like every collection, this one has its own advantages and disadvantages.
For anyone who is just starting to become interested in Greek mythology, this book is a fantastic introduction. Extremely quick-paced and approachable, however there are better translations available. Owing to its simplicity, I still found this book to be enjoyable to read. Did I really find it enjoyable to read about the gods' and their servants doing awful, absurd things? Definitely. And I'll do it again.
Hadas did a fantastic job of including all of the pertinent Greek drama, which doesn't just have to be about Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon—he also featured minor gods, which is actually very uncommon for me to find. and I loved that aspect of the book so much. But like every collection, this one has its own advantages and disadvantages.
April 11, 2025
Reading plays is tough from the start, since they are meant to be seen on a stage in a specific context - not words on a page. Reading plays in a different language (from the original) and 2000 years removed from their cultural context adds layers of difficulty. After Aeschylus' (the playwright) Agamemnon (name of the play), I almost quite the book - it was tough sledding. Thankfully I persevered and got into the rhythm a bit. After a couple, it was meaningful and mildly enjoyable. I respect the values and perspectives of the Greeks, even if I don't completely agree.
This book has 9 plays from 4 of ancient Greece's most noted playwrights. Most cover well known episodes from Greek mythology, but try to fill in some of the emotions and motivations for characters' actions. I don't read Greek, so can't effectively comment on the quality of the translation, but it seemed labored in places. However I appreciate that the original has rhyme, meter, and word plays that don't work the same way in English.
My previous book was a history of ancient Greece, so this was a nice companion to that study.
This book has 9 plays from 4 of ancient Greece's most noted playwrights. Most cover well known episodes from Greek mythology, but try to fill in some of the emotions and motivations for characters' actions. I don't read Greek, so can't effectively comment on the quality of the translation, but it seemed labored in places. However I appreciate that the original has rhyme, meter, and word plays that don't work the same way in English.
My previous book was a history of ancient Greece, so this was a nice companion to that study.
October 12, 2018
Though I did not read the entire book, I read the plays Agamemnon, Oedipus the King, and Medea for a Masterpieces of World Lit class!
I love Greek mythology and Greek tragedies and these plays were very good! It was interesting studying the different styles of writing that each playwright wrote with and the characters were so reminiscent of types of human behavior that we see today!
I love Greek mythology and Greek tragedies and these plays were very good! It was interesting studying the different styles of writing that each playwright wrote with and the characters were so reminiscent of types of human behavior that we see today!
April 5, 2024
I’m not sure how to even rate a book like this. I decided to go back through my college books and finish them, since I’m no longer teaching kids that destroy my nerves. I’m going through my old books and “getting my bookmarks back”. My wife thinks I’m insane for having bookmarks still in books I started 10-12 years ago. But I want to go back and remember why I liked these books in college, because it’s simple: I really did. And this one is the challenge that will kick me off.
Obviously not as easy to read and therefore not at “enjoyable” as modern plays, it still is understandable. I’m sure Hadas has a lot to do with that. Great job on the translation. And the collection is good. These plays have videos on YouTube to help understand what’s going on and, more importantly, the significance. Oedipus was the only one I knew off of the top of my head. All of these are great. Frogs felt like something that would have been written during the modernist movement, from the likes of Pinter and Stoppard. It was very funny, and that surprised me. Obviously my favorite.
The collection is 5/5, not the works. They’re hard, and I really wish I had been in a classroom, with peers, picking out the interesting bits with a trained professor. I really enjoyed *most* of those in the 300-levels and beyond. Still, it’s classic, and readable, and with help, understandable. Shame this isn’t the stuff we read in public school, with readily-made moral lessons that have less to do with religion and more to do with virtue (not that I oppose religious morality, but that I understand it’s not for a public school classroom). It’s a great overall bird’s eye-view of Greek theater.
Obviously not as easy to read and therefore not at “enjoyable” as modern plays, it still is understandable. I’m sure Hadas has a lot to do with that. Great job on the translation. And the collection is good. These plays have videos on YouTube to help understand what’s going on and, more importantly, the significance. Oedipus was the only one I knew off of the top of my head. All of these are great. Frogs felt like something that would have been written during the modernist movement, from the likes of Pinter and Stoppard. It was very funny, and that surprised me. Obviously my favorite.
The collection is 5/5, not the works. They’re hard, and I really wish I had been in a classroom, with peers, picking out the interesting bits with a trained professor. I really enjoyed *most* of those in the 300-levels and beyond. Still, it’s classic, and readable, and with help, understandable. Shame this isn’t the stuff we read in public school, with readily-made moral lessons that have less to do with religion and more to do with virtue (not that I oppose religious morality, but that I understand it’s not for a public school classroom). It’s a great overall bird’s eye-view of Greek theater.
January 8, 2020
Moses Hadas' anthology of Greek plays is a useful introduction but some of his analysis seems to fly in the face of the text. This last note is especially awkward when he himself has translated the given play, which he does with some of them. He's also chosen to exclude 'Cheophore' from the 'Orestia' and puts 'Antigone' before 'Oedipus the King'.
That being said the translations are quite readable and entertaining to read. I also think that the plays which are selected are quite good especially for someone new to Greek Theatre.
If you are looking for a entertaining introduction to Greek drama in an easy to approach volume, look no further, but if it's multi layered analysis then you may want to look elsewhere. A thorough reader may also be bothered by the absence and placement of certain plays in the anthology. Ultimately it's a pleasant and truly useful anthology with some flaws. I do give it my personal endorsement despite those flaws.
That being said the translations are quite readable and entertaining to read. I also think that the plays which are selected are quite good especially for someone new to Greek Theatre.
If you are looking for a entertaining introduction to Greek drama in an easy to approach volume, look no further, but if it's multi layered analysis then you may want to look elsewhere. A thorough reader may also be bothered by the absence and placement of certain plays in the anthology. Ultimately it's a pleasant and truly useful anthology with some flaws. I do give it my personal endorsement despite those flaws.
February 16, 2020
The translations allowed the raw emotions of the ancient Greek Tragedies to shine through, which is an A+ in my book. The plays are well selected. If you familiarize yourself with the conventions of Greek theater before reading you will have done yourself a big favor since you'll be able to appreciate why some awkward parts seem so awkward.
May 19, 2021
As a huge Greek drama and mythology lover, my freshmen year literature teacher recommended me this book and I absolutely annotated each and every page! At first I didn’t really understand how to interpret old plays and dramas but as you read furthermore, you start to understand the words and meanings. My favorite story from this book is Sophocles!
September 22, 2022
I read this book for a literature class and found that many of its themes are still relevant today. The writing is a bit stiff, but that can be expected from the antiquities. It is a must that anyone interested in literature should read the classics such as these in order to know from which path it all descends.
February 2, 2021
Good starter pack, but you can certainly find better translations out there. The mix of translators used here is a bit disorienting, honestly.
Ratings for the individual plays are left in their respective book listings.
Ratings for the individual plays are left in their respective book listings.
February 15, 2018
I only read Aeschylus' Agamemnon and Sophocles' Oedipus the King for my Ancient Lit class... let's just say they were both interesting reads... haha
Read
February 5, 2023(CL C 3183, Spring 2023)
April 19, 2025
This was a hard read as it’s a play but there were some lines that i relate to
January 21, 2026
Lowkey interesting but I had to read it for AP lit. Lots of good stories with meanings that you wouldn’t notice right away
May 22, 2009
This was an opportunity for me to read some of the classic stories in their original (if translated) forms. Oedipus, Medea, and the Oresteia were particularly interesting in terms of their lasting impact on "Western" culture and literary traditions. I enjoyed the plays of Euripides the most in this volume, as he clearly represents the Greek capacity for self-examination and critical thinking.
I found myself questioning some of the translator and editor's decisions, particularly in the case of Aristophanes, where the prose is rendered as rhyming doggerel. I have to give some credit to his choices, since "The Frogs," is a comedy and I'll admit I laughed out loud a few times, but I found myself wondering at times what meaning was being lost in order to preserve humor, rhyme, and meter. I also found the Oresteia to be deadly dull, even if it is an important literary work. It's hard to know if this was a result of the translation or if it would be so otherwise.
I found myself questioning some of the translator and editor's decisions, particularly in the case of Aristophanes, where the prose is rendered as rhyming doggerel. I have to give some credit to his choices, since "The Frogs," is a comedy and I'll admit I laughed out loud a few times, but I found myself wondering at times what meaning was being lost in order to preserve humor, rhyme, and meter. I also found the Oresteia to be deadly dull, even if it is an important literary work. It's hard to know if this was a result of the translation or if it would be so otherwise.
April 30, 2014
I don’t think I’ve ever read any Greek dramas before – maybe Oedipus in high school, I remember discussing the play, but I don’t remember reading it. I feel like I should spend more time with the form. I did find the synopsis at the front of each play useful especially for Aeschylus’ plays. But then I found Aeschylus too dry for words and nap-inducingly dull. Euripides was too misogynistic – though ironically I found this to a hopeful sign: why so much anxiety of women unless the women in Euripides’ life weren’t “behaving?” Frogs by Aristophanes was funny and clever, but I was constantly wondering how much was lost in translation. I really like Sophocles the best. He told the best stories and seemed to have the most range.
July 19, 2008
woot madea and other fun filled greek dramas some being good some making you want to punch yourself in the stomach.
February 17, 2009
I'm not a great fan of greek drama. From what I read, Medea was my favorite.
January 17, 2010
I really enjoyed -- well, maybe not ENJOYED, but appreciated -- Trojan Women. What an interesting commentary on the aftermath of war.
October 12, 2011
I liked Euripedes the best--he seemed to hold women in high regard. I alsoloved Aristophanes' comedy "Frogs."
May 4, 2023
Oedipus: sweet home Alabama
Medea: psycho ex
yeah......mhm school books..
Medea: psycho ex
yeah......mhm school books..
Want to read
May 29, 2009Greek Drama (Bantam Classics) by Moses Hadas (1984)
July 6, 2015
Rating : 3 stars
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews