Ancient Plays

A year inside Ivy League Football, unveiling the heart and soul of college football’s oldest teams as they compete amidst a rapidly changing collegiate sports world—from an award-winning, bestselling author. "A reminder that Ivy football is the American Beauty Rose of the fall sport...

The war at Troy did not end when the city fell. For the Greeks who sailed home, and the women they carried off as slaves, the worst was still to come — and it is the tragedians, not Homer, who tell that story. Twenty-five centuries ago, in the open-air theater on the slope of the Athenian Acropolis, three poets created an art form that has never been surpassed. Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides took the old stories of gods and heroes — the house of Atreus, the fall of Troy, the curse of Oedipus, the fury of Medea — and turned them into something the world had never seen: tragedy. ...

Sophocles was born at Colonus, near Athens in about 496 BC and is considered to be one of the premier playwrights of Greek tragedy. His stories may have been filled with strife, but Sophocles himself was prosperous and came from a good family. It is said that he was handsome, wealthy, and a highly respected citizen of Athens. During his life, he wrote over 120 plays and was instrumental in how plays would eventually be performed, including the addition of stage props.

Inspired by the mythic house of Thebes, Sophocles’s defining Greek tragedies follow the fates that befall three doomed generations.

Journey into the Heart of the Cosmos: A Narrative Retelling of India’s Jewel of Puranas Are you a character in a story written before time began? In a world consumed by noise, speed, and fleeting distractions, the human soul craves a map - a guide to understand where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. For thousands of years, the Vishnu Purana has served as that map. Revered as the Purana Ratna (The Jewel of Puranas), this ancient text is not merely a collection of myths; it is a profound cosmological thriller that weaves together the birth of stars, the rise and fall ...

The ultimate, full-cast dramatisations of Homer’s two epic Greek masterpieces, with exceptional casts including Derek Jacobi, Christopher Eccleston, Tim McInnerny and Benedict Cumberbatch REDISCOVER THE EPIC MYTHS BEFORE YOU SEE CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S MAJOR MOTION PICTURE Attributed to the Greek...

A classic comedy by the great Oscar Wilde. The Importance of Being Earnest is his short farce consisting of numerous noms de plume, a case of mistaken identity, an identity left in a case by mistake, and the mistake of revealing ones identity in the presence of a previous employer, which may result post-script in a case for Scotland Yard. Or to put much more simply, of Jack and his attempts to woo Gwendolyn, his would-be bride... even if she does seem to think his name is Earnest.

Brought to you by Penguin. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2024 WINNER OF THE BOLLINGER EVERYMAN WODEHOUSE PRIZE FOR COMIC FICTION 2024 SHORTLISTED FOR THE NERO AWARD FOR DEBUT FICTION 2024 LONGLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE LONGLISTED FOR THE DYLAN...

Julius Caesar is one of Shakespeare’s most compelling Roman plays. The plot against Caesar and the infamous assassination scene make for unforgettable listening. Brutus, the true protagonist of the play, is mesmerizing in his psychological state of anguish, forced to choose between the bonds of friendship and his desire for patriotic justice.

Enjoy the most notable plays of William Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, and Othello. Shakespeare was known for his writings on tragedies and these four works are known to be some of the finest tragedies ever written.

Before Twilight and True Blood, only one vampire commanded “the children of the night". In this bloodthirsty tale of unholy terror, Count Dracula slips into Victorian London with a cargo of his native Transylvanian soil - so he can rest between victims. The city seems helpless against his frightful power, and only one man, Dr. Van Helsing, can stop the carnage. But to do this, he must uncover the vampire’s lair and pierce his heart with a wooden stake.

There is no finer way to welcome young people (or adults!) to the pleasures of Shakespeare than with these four masterful retellings of the Bard's most beloved plays. Ranging from the pure magic of A Midsummer Night's Dream to the heartbreak of young love in Romeo and Juliet, featuring the spine-tingling tragedy of Macbeth (complete with ghost and witches) and culminating in the laugh-out-loud hijinks of Twelfth Night.

The secret of their identities has fueled debate for hundreds of years: Who are the nameless nobleman and the dark-haired mistress? And what did they do to inspire the creation of more than 150 deeply intimate poems? Whether William Shakespeare's sonnets are pure fiction or the lingering echo of an autobiographical account, this exquisitely written collection defied traditional love poem conventions to explore the many layers of romance, the dangers of lust, and the nuances of beauty.

What is Go? Go is a deceptively simple two-player game, played on square boards of various sizes. According to legend, the Chinese Emperor Yau invented this game to teach his son concentration, balance, and discipline. Over time, this game spread to Japan and across the globe. For over four millennia, war leaders and sages have consulted this game to learn strategy, wisdom, and mental mastery. In How to Play Go, you’ll discover everything you need to know to play this ancient game.

Princess Muriel's daring gambit pits her against a bloodless gargoyle prince in a fight for freedom, where wit and womanly wiles must conquer stone and savagery. In the ancient realm of Ardanthia, where extinction looms over all non-human species, a chilling spectacle unfolds: the Femme Fatale Arena. Here, King Valorian orchestrates a bloodthirsty spectacle, pitting male monsters against each other for the ultimate prize – a human mate. Princess Muriel, repulsed by her half-brother's savage games, devises a daring plan to end the barbarity. She volunteers herself as the sacrificial maiden...

The Short Play Adam Reborn has been joined by a short story originally entitled "The Garden" which started over 40 years ago as the precursor to the Play. This story has been updated and refurbished to give it a consistent new theme that joins the two works and gives a fresh perspective on the nature of man and the glory of human accomplishment. The result is a tribute to man's greatness and his unending pursuit of values.

Kalidasa: The Great Poet and Playwright of Ancient India is a concise non-fiction book that explores the life and work of one of the most celebrated poets and playwrights in Indian history. Kalidasa's work is known for its beauty, insight, and enduring relevance. His plays and poems are still performed and studied today, and his influence can be seen in a wide range of fields, from literature and art to philosophy and religion. This book provides a comprehensive overview of Kalidasa's body of work, including his famous plays Abhijnanashakuntalam and Vikramōrvaśīyam, as well as his epic ...

Step into a world where ancient vitality meets modern living with "Primal Fitness Unlocked" – your ultimate guide to tapping into the enduring strength of our ancestors. Journey through the ages with a tome that defies conventional fitness manuals, delving deep into the roots of human strength and endurance. Unlock the secrets of "Unearthing Ancient Fitness A Primer," where the collision of history and exercise science reveals the profound importance of physical vitality across civilizations. Then, seamlessly transition into an understanding of the Paleo Lifestyle that extends beyond ...

Award-winning narrator Mike Vendetti recites "Sonnet 18" by William Shakespeare.

Everyone knows something of Shakespeare's sonnets, even if only in memorable fragments like "the darling buds of May", or "remembrance of things past", or "the marriage of true minds". For centuries these wonderfully crafted, intense lyrics have stood for something valued about youth, love, and the emotional complexities belonging to that time of life. This new recording presents all 154 of Shakespeare's sonnets, using the New Cambridge Shakespeare texts.