Greek Tragedies, Volume 1 (Volume 1)

By David Grene and David; Lattimore Richmond [editors] Grene

Book Overview

In three paperback volumes, the Grene and Lattimore editions offer a selection of the most important and characteristic plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides from the nine-volume anthology of The Complete Greek Tragedies. Over the years these authoritative, critically acclaimed editions have been the preferred choice of more than three million readers for personal libraries and individual study as well as for classroom use.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226307905
• ISBN13: 9780226307909
• Release Date: February 1992
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 295 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 1.0" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

Which version?

is this the translated version? It's reading material for a Greek and Roman mythology class im taking.

Antigone!

I really liked this book. Antigone in particular. Although, it doesnt make sense how the three books by Sophocles were separated and only two are here, still the translators are great and clear.

Greek Tragedies

Thank you for your prompt delivery, the book was in good condition and my daughter is using it for her classes

What's in it?

Volume 1 contains Aechylus' Agamemnon and Prometheus Bound, Sophocles' Oedipus the King and Antigone, and Euripides' Hippolytus.

Uprightness of heart

ANTIGONE portrays a sister's honorable act of burying her brother. HIPPOLYTUS tells of a young man resisting temptation. Phaedra, faced with love, first elects silence, and then seeks to conquer it with discretion and good sense. Phaedra's confession to the nurse is related to the husband's son. Phaedra dies by her own hand and Theseus, the husband, misguidedly orders the banishment of his son. This is a fabulous collection of some of the best plays ever written. The translations are excellent. Aeschylus's AGAMEMNON and PROMETHEUS BOUND are included. Brightness, austerity, directness are qualities in the works serving to give joy to the readers. Cassandra foretells Agememnon's doom. Prometheus, in PROMETHEUS BOUND believes that one day Zeus will come to him in amity. Prometheus gave mortals hope, and his conduct is perceived as a criminal enterprise by Zeus. Prometheus believes that all that the mortals have came from him. Hermes scolds Prometheus as a thief of fire. Prometheus avers that there is no disgrace in suffering. The volume also contains OEDIPUS THE KING, Sophocles. Creon and Oedipus have been commanded to drive out the pollution from the land. Creon is brother to Queen Jocasta. Oedipus believes his father Polybus of Corinth has died a natural death and that he has escaped the prophecy. He then learns that Polybus is not his father. Jocasta begs him to stop his inquiries. As he seeks to unravel the mystery of his birth and his fate, tragedy ensues.

Various stories make or break Lattimore's translations

Lattimore does a good translation of several greek tragedies in this book. The book is great in terms of the stories that are presented, especially Oedipus the King. Oedipus is THE example of the perfect Greek tragedy. It is moving, ironic, and sad combined into a play. However, the same could not be said for Agamemnon; which is not only dull in reading, but also long and pointless in plot and storyline. Any sense of emotions and feeling is completly deprived in Aeschylus's play. Overall, it is a good book and reflects upon the early writers and their beliefs of tragedy.