Garvie A. The Plays of Aeschylus

2nd Edition, Revised and Expanded. — London, Oxford, New York: Bloomsbury Academic, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2016. — X, 102 p.This excellent introduction to the six extant plays of Aeschylus is fully revised and updated, with additional further reading, ideal for the student unfamiliar with these earliest of Greek tragedies. Aeschylus is the oldest of the three great Greek tragedians and lived from 525/524 to 465/455. He took part in the battle of Marathon in 490 and probably also in the battle of Salamis in 480, the subject of his Persians. Working in chronological order of their first production, this volume explores Persians, the earliest Greek tragedy that has come down to us; Seven against Thebes; Suppliants; and the three plays of the Oresteia trilogy: Agamemnon, Libation Bearers, and Eumenides. The book also contains an essay on Prometheus Bound, now generally thought not to be by Aeschylus, but accepted as his in antiquity. The volume is a companion to The Plays of Euripides (by James Morwood) and The Plays of Sophocles (by Alex Garvie) also available in second editions from Bloomsbury. A further essential guide to the themes and context of ancient Greek tragedy may be found in Laura Swift's new introductory volume, Greek Tragedy.Aeschylus is the oldest of the three great Greek tragedians. Born probably in 525 or 524 BC, he lived through the end of tyranny at Athens and the restitution of democracy. He took part in the battle of Marathon in 490 BC and probably also in the battle of Salamis in 480 BC, the subject of his Persians. During his life, he made at least two visits to Sicily and died there at Gela in 456 or 455 BC. Those who wish may believe the late story that he was killed by a tortoise, which an eagle dropped on his bald head, mistaking it for a rock on which to crack the tortoise’s shell.His first tragedies were presented in 499 BC, and his first victory in the tragic competition (see below) was gained in 484 BC. He may have composed between eighty and ninety plays, of which only six have survived, plus a seventh which is probably not a genuine work of Aeschylus. Fragments of many of the lost plays have been preserved, but of others, only the titles are known.The present book will deal with the six plays in the chronological order of their first production: Persians (472 BC), the earliest Greek tragedy that has come down to us, Seven against Thebes (467 BC), Suppliants (probably 463 BC), and the three plays of the Oresteia trilogy, Agamemnon, Libation Bearers and Eumenides (458 bc ). All of these dates are certain, except Suppliants. It used to be regarded as a very early play, but in 1952 a scrap of papyrus from Egypt was published which showed that it could not have been produced before 470 BC. The book contains also an essay on Prometheus Bound, a play whose attribution to Aeschylus seems never to have been questioned in antiquity, but which is now probably regarded by most scholars as not the work of Aeschylus.Excellent text on the subject.Chronology.
Persians.
Seven against Thebes.
Suppliants.
The Oresteia: (i) Agamemnon.
The Oresteia: (ii) Libation Bearers.
The Oresteia: (iii) Eumenides.
Prometheus Bound.
Epilogue.
Suggestions for Further Reading.