Aeschylus I - The Complete Greek Tragedies

I am so thrilled to have reached this point in my studies of ancient Greece.

And although I've read many of the Greek tragedies before, now I'm doing it with a deeper understanding of Greek history and culture, giving me a deeper appreciation for these timeless works.

And while it's difficult to appreciate the beauty of the poetry much of the time (I'm reading it in English translation, after all) Greek tragedy provides a window into that world like no other.  

And it gives me great joy.

It's almost as if I'm watching a newsreel created by the ancient Greeks themselves.  Or reading the cover of the The New York Times (or People Magazine) circa 500BC.

Greek tragedy shows us what these people thought of on an everyday level.  And that gives me a real thrill.

This series from The University of Chicago, now in its third edition, provides wonderful translations.  But just as important for me, it provides detailed analysis of each play, discussion of its initial reception when first presented as well as its treatment and appreciation over the course of history.  

It also provides short synopses of the plot, as well as outlines of the Greek myth(s) that each play brings to life.

It also provides a biography of each playwright.

Before starting each play I feel like I have a near-perfect understanding of its context, which deepens my understanding and appreciation.

This book, of course, covers the earliest extant works of Aeschylus: The Persians, The Seven Against Thebes, The Suppliant Maidens and Prometheus Bound.

I enjoyed them immensely, and I can't wait to continue on through the rest of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes and beyond.