A collection of Euripides' most important plays in one volume. Translations are taken in full text from other single volumes in the Focus Classical Library, by authors Michael Halleran, Anthony Podlecki, and Stephen Esposito, with notes and a new introduction. As with all Focus Classical Library titles, this anthology has been designed with the student of Ancient Drama in mind, including modern translations close to the original, informed by the latest scholarship, and with an extensive introduction, interpretive essay, and footnotes -- all to the purpose of allowing the student to understand Greek drama, Greek mythology, and the context of Greek culture. This book is useful for courses in ancient drama, classical civilization, Greek tragedy, Classical mythology, etc.

This is an English translation of Euripides' tragedy Hippolytus about how Phaedra unsuccessfully fights her desire for Hippolytus, while he risks his life to keep her passion secret. Focus Classical Library provides close translations with notes and essays.

No play of Euripides is more admired than Hippolytus. The tale of a married woman stirred to passion for a younger man was traditional, but Euripides modified this story and blended it with one of divine vengeance to create a masterpiece of tension, pathos, and dramatic power. In this play, Phaedra fights nobly but unsuccessfully against her desire for her stepson Hippolytus, while the young man risks his life to keep her passion secret. Both of them, constrained by the overwhelming force of divine power and human ignorance, choose to die in order to maintain their virtue and their good names.

English translation. This is an extraordinary play filled with affecting human pathos -- innovative in its treatment of myth and bold in its dramatic structure. Includes essays on Euripides, performance, and interpretation of Myth; a list of suggested readings, notes, and map.

Euripides works with a common story pattern - a young man (Hippolytus) becomes the object of a married woman's (Phaedra's) desire, rebuffs her sexual overtures, and is then falsely accused to the woman's husband (Theseus, Hippolytus' father) of rape. To this familiar tale Euripides adds the story of divine vengeance - Aphrodite has brought about this passion in Phaedra in order to punish Hippolytus for condemning her and neglecting her realm of sex and marriage. The play explores the themes of passion and moderation, speech and silence, honour and shame, and the relationship between gods and mortals. This play holds a particular place in Euripidean studies, not only because of its acknowledged excellence and influence, but also because it allows the unique opportunity to observe the playwright's 'rewriting' of his earlier play on the same mythological topic, remarkably replacing the brazen Phaedra of earlier legend and previous treatments with a virtuous woman. Greek text with facing-page English translation, introduction and commentary.