I can't recall how I know the story of Ion, but it must be somewhat common knowledge. Euripides left Athens late in life, retiring in Macedonia. Athenian citizens would struggle during the long wars with Sparta, especially during the last tens years, and Athens eventually lost in 404 bce.

This meant he lived through Athens 50 years of Greek dominance that lasted from roughly the battle of Salamis in 480 to the beginning of the Peloponnesian war in 431. They are also largely anti-war statements, a reflection of his times.Įuripides lived from c. In sum, these are complex and interesting works that deserve multiple readings.but I have only read them once so far. They are more dynamic, they keep the reader/viewer entertained, and still, there is so much going on behind the words that is completely counter to what is overtly being said. His play structure no longer feels like a selection of long dull monologues that only affect in sum, and that are entirely disturbing. His understated satire is still prominent, but has become much more sophisticated and not entirely negative. They show a lot of developed complexity compared to the collection of earlier plays I read previously. Translated by Philip Vellacott, 1954, revised 1973įormat: 249 page Penguin Classics paperback The Bacchae and Other Plays : Ion, The Women of Troy, Helen, The Bacchae by Euripides “Williams has done a fine version of The Bacchae in vigorous, plain language, and I think that the beautifully rendered choruses, if distributed in the manner he envisions, would have great power in performance.49. The translation is accompanied by a striking essays from Martha Nussbaum, who offers both a well-shaped approach to the play for new readers and many challenging thoughts for those seeking to deepen their appreciation of the work.” - Stephen Halliwell, University of Birmingham His treatment of the lyrics uses a rhythmically bold form whose accents would particularly lend themselves to effective choral acting. Williams handles the spoken poetry of the original in a flexible verse that encompasses a wide range of tone.

“This new version of The Bacchae should allow English readers to appreciate some of the rich qualities of Euripides' masterpiece. It is an excellent study of the psychological, religious, and moral issues that Euripides raises.” - Charles Segal, Princeton University Martha Nussbaum's subtle, wide-ranging, and well-informed introduction does justice to the disturbing, transgressive energy of the play. “Williams's fine translation of The Bacchae achieves something of what Longinus (in On The Sublime) admires in Euripides, 'sobriety in the midst of the Bacchic revels.' Williams convinces us of Dionysus' power to make a man slip into madness, but in language that never forgets its form and control.

The bacchae