Customer Reviews

Greek Tragedies, Vol. I (Agamemnon, Prometheus Bound, Oedipus the King, Antigone, Hippolytus)

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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.