EURIPIDES: ELECTRA; With Introduction, Translation and Commentary

Euripides; M. J. Cropp

ISBN 10: 1908343699 / ISBN 13: 9781908343697

Published by Aris & Phillips, 2013

About this Item

Aris & Phillips Classical Texts; 281 pages; King Agamemnon is long dead and his murderers rule at Argos. His son Orestes returns from exile to kill them his own mother Clytemnestra and her seducer Aegisthus. Thus he will release his sister Electra from oppression and reclaim his home and kingdom. This is the only episode from Greek legend treated in surviving plays by all three of the great Athenian tragedians of the fifth century B. C. Aeschylus in his Libation-bearers (part of the Oresteia trilogy) , Sophocles and Euripides each in plays called Electra. Together these plays form a unique record of development and divergence in the content and style of tragedy. In Euripides' hands the story becomes a tragedy of all too human emotions and illusions. The revenge of Orestes is subsumed by Electra's hatred and resentment of her mother and the usurper. The killing of Clytemnestra by her children brings them not joy and restoration but revulsion, separation and renewed exile. Unwarned by the gods, they recognise too late the costs to them of executing Apollo's justice. Text with facing translation, commentary and notes.

Seller Inventory # 41428

Bibliographic Details

• Title: EURIPIDES: ELECTRA; With Introduction, Translation and Commentary
• Publisher: Aris & Phillips
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: Greek, Modern (post 1453)
• ISBN 10: 1908343699
• ISBN 13: 9781908343697
• Binding: Softcover
• Edition: Second Edition.
• Condition: Fine
• Weight: 0.75 pounds
• Seller catalogs:
  • Classical Studies::Aris & Phillips Classical Texts

About this title

Synopsis

King Agamemnon is long dead and his killers rule at Argos. Orestes returns from exile to avenge his father by killing his mother Clytemnestra and her seducer Aegisthus. His vengeance will release his sister Electra from oppression and restore Orestes to his home and kingdom. This is the only episode from Greek legend treated in surviving plays by all three of the great Athenian tragedians of the fifth century B.C. ― Aeschylus in his Libation-bearers (part of the Oresteia trilogy), Sophocles and Euripides each in plays named Electra. The three plays provide a unique record of development and divergence in the content and style of Athenian tragic drama. In Euripides' hands the story becomes a tragedy of all too human emotions and illusions. Orestes' revenge is subordinated to Electra's hatred and resentment of her mother and the usurper. Clytemnestra's death brings not joy and restoration but revulsion, separation and renewed exile. Unwarned by the gods, Electra and Orestes recognise too late the human costs of executing Apollo's justice.

This edition of Euripides' play was first published in 1988. The second edition is extensively revised to reflect more recent work on the text of the play and its interpretation. Greek text with facing-page English translation, introduction and commentary.

About the Author

Martin J. Cropp is Professor Emeritus of Greek and Roman Studies at the University of Calgary. In the Aris & Phillips Classical Texts series he has edited Euripides’ Electra (1988, 2013), Euripides’ Iphigenia in Tauris (1st edition 2001), Euripides: Selected Fragmentary Plays, Volume 1 with Christopher Collard and Kevin Lee (1995, revised 2009) and Volume 2 with Christopher Collard and John Gibert (2004), Minor Greek Tragedians, Volume 1: The Fifth Century (2019) and Minor Greek Tragedians, Volume 2: Fourth-Century and Hellenistic Poets (2021).