Aeschylus: The Persians (Classical Texts Series)

A ghost summoned with bizarre rituals from the underworld, the elaborate protocol of the Persian court, a thrilling eye-witness account of the battle of Salamis - as the earliest surviving European drama it is of incalculable interest for students of ancient literature: as the only extended account of the Persian wars by an author who fought in ... "A ghost summoned with bizarre rituals from the underworld, the elaborate protocol of the Persian court, desperate lamentation, self-mutilation, and a thrilling eyewitness account of the battle of Salamis - these are some of the features of Aeschylus' Persians which make it one of the most exciting examples of ancient theatre. As the earliest surviving European drama it is of incalculable interest of students of ancient literature: as the only extended account of the Persian wars by an author who fought in them, it is a unique document of the Athenian historical imagination. In this, the first English language edition of the text with a commentary for thirty-five years, the particular focus is on the the visual and aural effects Aeschylus created, his extraordinarily rich imagery, and the play's unrivalled contribution to Athenian democratic ideology."--Jacket Contents 7 Acknowledgements 8 Introduction 9 1. Remember Athens 9 2. Aeschylus 11 3. Persians and Historical 'Reality' 13 4. Historical Tragedy 15 5. History and Myth 17 6. The Tetralogy 18 7. Political Perspective 19 8. Aeschylus' Sources 22 9. Religion 23 10. Persians as Tragedy 24 11. Visual and Aural Dimensions 27 12. Imagery 29 13. Style and Language 30 14. The Text 33 Illustrations 37 Symbols in the Apparatus 41 Text and Translation 43 Commentary 113 Metrical Appendix 187 Abbreviations and Bibliography 197 Index 208 As the earliest surviving European drama, Persians is of incalculable interest to students of ancient literature. This edition offers facing translation, commentary and notes that focus on the visual and aural effects Aeschylus created, his extraordinarily rich imagery, and the play’s unique contribution to Athenian democratic ideology. Aeschylus ; Edited With An Introduction, Translation And Commentary By Edith Hall. Greek Text And English Translation On Facing Pages. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 189-201). Combines the spellbinding dramatization of an actual battle with a searing indictment of war that transcends the centuries.