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Three Plays: Alcestis / Hippolytus / Iphigenia in Taurus Paperback – January 1, 1974

by Euripides (Author), Philip Vellacott (Translator)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 33 ratings
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One of the greatest playwrights of Ancient Greece, the works of Euripides (484-406 BC) were revolutionary in their depiction of tragic events caused by flawed humanity, and in their use of the gods as symbols of human nature. The three plays in this collection show his abilities as the sceptical questioner of his age. Alcestis, an early drama, tells the tale of a queen who offers her own life in exchange for that of her husband; cast as a tragedy, it contains passages of satire and comedy. The tragicomedy Iphigenia in Tauris melodramatically reunites the ill-fated children of Agamemnon, while the pure tragedy of Hippolytus shows the fatal impact of Phaedra's unreasoning passion for her chaste stepson. All three plays explore a deep gulf that separates man from woman, and all depict a world dominated by amoral forces beyond human control.
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  1. Print length
    189 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Classics
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1974
  5. Dimensions
    0.49 x 5.22 x 7.72 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0140440313
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0140440317
  8. See all details
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About the Author

Euripides, the youngest of the three great Athenian playwrights, was born around 485 BC of a family of good standing. He first competed in the dramatic festivals in 455 BC, coming only third; his record of success in the tragic competitions is lower than that of either Aeschylus or Sophocles. There is a tradition that he was unpopular, even a recluse; we are told that he composed poetry in a cave by the sea, near Salamis. What is clear from contemporary evidence, however, is that audiences were fascinated by his innovative and often disturbing dramas. His work was controversial already in his lifetime, and he himself was regarded as a ‘clever’ poet, associated with philosophers and other intellectuals. Towards the end of his life he went to live at the court of Archelaus, king of Macedon. It was during his time there that he wrote what many consider his greates work, the Bacchae. When news of his death reached Athens in early 406 BC, Sophocles appeared publicly in mourning for him. Euripides is thought to have written about ninety-two plays, of which seventeen tragedies and one satyr-play known to be his survive; the other play which is attributed to him, the Rhesus, may in fact be by a later hand.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Classics; Revised ed. edition (January 1, 1974)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 189 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0140440313
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140440317
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.49 x 5.22 x 7.72 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 33 ratings

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Euripides

Euripides

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Euripides (/jʊəˈrɪpᵻdiːz/ or /jɔːˈrɪpᵻdiːz/; Greek: Εὐριπίδης; Ancient Greek: [eu̯.riː.pí.dɛːs]) (c. 480 – 406 BC) was a tragedian of classical Athens. He is one of the few whose plays have survived, with the others being Aeschylus, Sophocles, and potentially Euphorion. Some ancient scholars attributed 95 plays to him but according to the Suda it was 92 at most. Of these, 18 or 19 have survived more or less complete (there has been debate about his authorship of Rhesus, largely on stylistic grounds) and there are also fragments, some substantial, of most of the other plays. More of his plays have survived intact than those of Aeschylus and Sophocles together, partly due to mere chance and partly because his popularity grew as theirs declined—he became, in the Hellenistic Age, a cornerstone of ancient literary education, along with Homer, Demosthenes and Menander.

Euripides is identified with theatrical innovations that have profoundly influenced drama down to modern times, especially in the representation of traditional, mythical heroes as ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. This new approach led him to pioneer developments that later writers adapted to comedy, some of which are characteristic of romance. Yet he also became "the most tragic of poets",[nb 1] focusing on the inner lives and motives of his characters in a way previously unknown. He was "the creator of...that cage which is the theatre of Shakespeare's Othello, Racine's Phèdre, of Ibsen and Strindberg," in which "...imprisoned men and women destroy each other by the intensity of their loves and hates", and yet he was also the literary ancestor of comic dramatists as diverse as Menander and George Bernard Shaw.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
33 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ryan Kouroukis
5.0 out of 5 stars *Revised Translation Edition*
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2009
This is Philip Vellacott's highly acclaimed translation of Alcestis, Hippolytis and Iphigenia in Taurus.

They were originally translated in the '50's, but revised in the '70's. Both versions are almost identical for the most part, but the changes Vellacott made have more fluidity and are more speakable than his earlier version which contain an "air" of romantic archaic-ness. (I personally prefer his original translation mind you).

I think Vellacott's translations of Euripides are the best on the market, (more than the Loeb, and the Oxford editions) and this is why I keep coming back to his versions.

He makes us feel, see and hear everything going on in a Euripidean play than it is truly an amazing experience!
6 people found this helpful
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sara
1.0 out of 5 stars Penguin have you no shame?
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2013
Verified Purchase
The stories contained in this book are excellent. However, the formatting is so overwhelmingly poor that it is a tedious read. There are extra spaces between words and the formatting is something like you would expect in a free book. I trusted Penguin to produce well formatted books but I am saddened by this obvious breech of my trust. I wish I could get my money back. My time however, can never be regained. Do not buy this book expecting proper formatting as you are just as well off getting a free version.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

jill kendall
5.0 out of 5 stars Old ones are the best
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2021
Verified Purchase
Nice copy for reference
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Roman Clodia
4.0 out of 5 stars Not a scholarly edition but good for the general reader
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2010
Verified Purchase
The last of the three great Athenian tragedians whose work we still have, this volume contains three of Euripides' plays:

The Alcestis gives us the story of the woman who agrees to die for her husband which is mentioned in Plato's Symposium - but with a creepy and surprising end.

Hippolytus tells the story of Phaedra's fatal love for her stepson Hippolytus (son of Theseus and the Amazon Hippolyta).

And Iphigenia rewrites Aeschylus and Euripides' own Iphigenia in Aulis turning the story into something between comedy and tragedy.

Vellcott's translations are smooth and very readable though a little loose in terms of the original Greek, and the introduction is ok. So not a scholarly edition but excellent for the general reader.
5 people found this helpful
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PaulDirac
5.0 out of 5 stars Good service, Euripides is amazing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2016
Verified Purchase
Good service.
Print quality is good, I'll leave comments about Euripides to my betters, really interesting plays.
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The Lady in Waiting
5.0 out of 5 stars a great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 4, 2013
Verified Purchase
A wonderful read and splendid translation. I could not recommend Alcestis enough - a much overlooked tear jerker of a story... but does it have a happy ending?
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mr raymond j williams
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 16, 2015
Verified Purchase
As description many thanks
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