Aeschylus' Oresteia

This is a fully revised new edition of Michael Ewans' 1995 English
translation of the Oresteia, taking into account the extensive work published on the
trilogy in recent years. Accompanying this lucid, accurate and actable translation is a
substantial introduction, outlining the festival setting of the plays, the original
performance conditions and performance style, the form and meaning of the trilogy, the
issues surrounding the act of translation, and finally a survey of some major
productions since 1980. The text itself is a thoroughly competitive translation into
modern English verse, now significantly revised in the light of recent scholarship on
the Greek text. It is followed by a theatrical commentary on each scene and chorus,
providing unique insights into how the plays might have been staged in ancient Athens
and how they can be staged today. The book also includes notes on the translation, two
glossaries of names and Greek terms, selected further reading, and a chronology of
Aeschylus' life and times. Aeschylus' Oresteia: Translation and Theatrical
Commentary is the most comprehensive English edition of Aeschylus' masterpiece,
and this new edition fully meets the needs of teachers, students and practitioners
working on the trilogy as well as those interested in ancient Greek drama and literature
more broadly.