In power, passion, and the brilliant display of moral conflict, the drama of ancient Greece remains unsurpassed. For this volume, Professor Moses Hadas chose nine plays that feature Greek drama at its finest: both the diversity and grandeur of its tragedy and the critical and satiric genius of its comedy, in outstanding translations of the past and present. His introduction explores the religious origins, modes of production, structure, and conventions of the Greek theater. Individual prefaces illuminate each play and clarify the author's place in the continuity of the Greek dramatic tradition.

Included in this volume are Aeschylus' Agamemnon and Eumenides; Sophocles' Antigone, Oedipus the King, and Philoctetes; Euripides' Medea, Hippolytus, and Trojan Women; and Aristophanes' Frogs. A special preface by John Gassner discusses the influence and importance of these classics in world theater.

AESCHYLUS

A complete fifth-centuryAthenian, he was an aristocrat by birth, a democrat by commilment. He fought at Marathon, Athen's proudest victory. And he was the creator of her proudest artistic achievement, tragedy. By using more than one actor he changed the form of plays from recited poetry to true dramatic dialogue, thereby making possible the sweeping grandeur of his great trilogy, THE ORESTIA.

SOPHOCLES

The most popular tragedian of the Golden Age, he expanded the scope of classic drama by his technical innovations and lyric intensity, leaving the world such masterpieces as ANTIGONE and OEDIPUS THE KING, the play Aristotle called the perfect model of Greek tragedy.

EURIPIDES

A prolific author, Euripides wrote some one hundred plays. In contrast to his contemporaries, he brought an exciting--and to the Greeks, a stunning--realism to the "pure and noble" form of tragedy. Although he was greatly criticized for failing to idealize his heroes and heroines, his influence altered drama forever, and he is regarded today as the originator of modem dramatic sensibility.

ARISTOPHANES

The most famous comic playwright of ancient Greece, he wrote what are now the only extant representatives of Greek Old Comedy. His three outstanding characteristics---gross obscenity, exquisite lyricism, and a serious concem for decency and morality---may seem a strange combination to the modem reader, but they accurately reflect the mood of the Dionysiac festivals at which comedy was performed. Aristophanes is still regarded by modem audiences as a master of risque wit and brilliant comic invention.

The Legacy of Greece, by John Gassner

Introduction

1 AESCHYLUS

Agamemnon

Summary of Choephoroe

Eumenides

2 SOPHOCLES

Antigone

Oedipus the King

Summary of Oedipus at Colonus

Philoetetes

3 EURIPIDES

Medea

Hippolytus

Trojan Women

4 ARISTOPHANES

Frogs