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Persians
- Narrated by: Guy Bethell
- Length: 1 hr and 2 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Ancient, Classical & Medieval Literature
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Publisher's Summary
Aeschylus’ historical tragedy Persians, with its dire warnings against the hubris of imperialist overreach, is as relevant today as it was when first presented to an Athenian audience in 472 BC. This new edition of the classic drama features a literal translation by Mark Will (translator of Fernando Pessoa’s Message) which reconstructs in contemporary English verse the epic cadences of the original Greek.
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What listeners say about Persians
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- Kindle Customer
- 05-30-19
An ancient classic that remains relevant today
I thoroughly enjoyed this edition of Persians by Aeschylus, translated by Mark Will. This ancient Greek tragedy tells of the Persian King Xerxes' expedition against the Greeks, and his army's catastrophic loss against the enemy. In this play, Aeschylus warns against the hubris of imperial over-reach, which I must say has been relevant throughout the history of man. I also got the paperback copy and it includes some extra materials: a very helpful preface on the historical context of the play, relevant maps of the time, and some very interesting details regarding the author. There are also very helpful end notes which include explanations of terms and context, and production suggestions. Mark Will points out in the preface the continued relevance of this work by Aeschylus, despite the time that has lapsed since he wrote it, especially with the US-Middle East conflict in the recent years. He draws political parallels between the ancient and modern forms of imperialism. Will does an excellent job with this translation, being a poet himself. The lyrical verses flowed so well I read the entire text in one sitting. Thoroughly recommended.
1 person found this helpful
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- Taylor Britton
- 06-13-19
persians, big fans of zeus
didnt know Darius the Great was such a big fan of Zeus. bad ass he learned the ways of the Force Ghost before he croaked thou