Today only, pick up works by four influential ancient Greek playwrights! Download the Harvard Classics: Nine Greek Dramas for free.
Then, continue exploring ancient Greece by adding the two-volume Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns and Homerica for only $0.99. Just use coupon code AESCHYLUS at checkout. Get both today!
Today’s free book includes:
- The House of Atreus Trilogy, by Aeschylus and translated by E.D.A. Morshead
- Agamemnon
- The Libation-Bearers
- The Furies
- Prometheus Bound, by Aeschylus and translated by E.H. Plumptre
- Oedipus the King, by Sophocles and translated by E.H. Plumptre
- Antigone, by Sophocles and translated by E.H. Plumptre
- Hippolytus, by Euripides and translated by Gilbert Murray
- The Bacchae, by Euripides and translated by Gilbert Murray
- The Frogs, by Aristophanes and translated by B.B. Rogers
Get all nine plays for free today!
Gain further insight into ancient Greek culture
and mythology with this week’s $0.99 bonus book, the two-volume Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns and Homerica. This book includes Homeric poetry, as well as Hesiod’s Theogony, Works and Days, and more. Hesiod’s narrative poetry elegantly presents both mythology and daily life in ancient Greece, providing a remarkable window into the past. This Loeb Classical Library edition includes both the Greek text and an authoritative English translation.
Interested in the lives and contributions of the great dramatists featured in this week’s free book? Keep reading.
Four Great Playwrights of Ancient Greece
If we were to visit fifth-century Athens, we would witness the he flourishing of historiography, philosophy, politics, and science with Socrates, Plato, Herodotus, Thucydides, Pericles, and Hippocrates. But some of the most brilliant contributions to this era were artistic. The playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes brought all the learning of the age home to Athenian hearts.
Aeschylus
Lifetime: c. 525–455 BCE
Claim to Fame: Considered the “Father of Tragedy”
Famous Lines: “Time, as it grows old, teaches all things.” —Prometheus Bound
Bio: It is believed that Aeschylus was born in Eleusis, a small town near Athens. During his lifetime, he wrote over 70 plays and won the prestigious Dionysian dramatic festival 13 times. In addition to being a talented playwright, he was also a soldier and heroically defended Athens against the invading Persian army at the Battle of Marathon.
Due to his celebrity status, many legends about Aeschylus fill the annals of history. An especially famous tale is about Aeschylus’ entry into the theatrical world. According to myth, Aeschylus spent his youth working at a vineyard. As he cared for the grapes, he developed great reverence for Dionysus, the god of wine and theater. One night, the god appeared to young Aeschylus in a dream and told him to turn his attention to writing plays. Obediently, Aeschylus began writing his first tragedy the very next day.
Another popular legend about Aeschylus surrounds his death: supposedly, an eagle mistook the playwright’s bald head for a stone and dropped a tortoise upon it to break the shell, accidentally killing Aeschylus. The fate of the tortoise is unknown.
Sophocles
Lifetime: c. 496–406 BCE
Claim to fame: Perhaps won more dramatic competitions than any other playwright in ancient Greece
Famous Lines:
“Think: all men make mistakes,
But a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong,
And repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.”
—Antigone
Bio: Sophocles was born in Colonus, not far from Athens. He was the son of a wealthy merchant and was thus provided with a sparkling education.
As a playwright, he wrote around 120 dramas for various festivals, winning at least 24 of them. Surprisingly, his success didn’t go to his head. He was well-known for his generous spirit, character, and humility. He held Aeschylus in high regard and respected his rival, Euripides. When Euripides passed away in 406 BCE, Sophocles led the public mourning. Sophocles himself died shortly afterwards and, according to legend, passed away while reading Antigone aloud.
Euripides
Lifetime: c. 480–406 BCE
Claim to Fame: Euripides’ plays are considered modern, as he created realistic and multifaceted characters
Famous Lines: “In this world second thoughts, it seems, are best.” —Hippolytus
Bio: Prior to his birth, Euripides’ father sought advice from an oracle. The oracle told him that his son would be honored by all men and win many contests. Thus, young Euripides was trained in athletics and the arts.
Euripides won several athletic contests as a youth and was also a painter. He’s best remembered for his dramas, although he only won first prize at dramatic festivals on four occasions. This is likely due to the popularity of his rival, Sophocles.
Euripides’ plays feature elegant rhetoric, multidimensional characters, and realistic plot lines. Euripides, like many artists, wasn’t fully appreciated until after his death. In the Middle Ages, his plays were rediscovered and praised by many great writers, including Dante Alighieri.
Aristophanes
Lifetime: c. 446–386 BCE
Claim to Fame: Considered the “Prince of Comedy”
Famous Lines: “It is the compelling power of great thoughts and ideas to engender phrases of equal size.” —The Frogs
Bio: Aristophanes is the best-known comedic playwright of ancient Greece. His fantastical plays are marked by razor-sharp satire, slapstick humor, clever puns, and witty dialogue. He satirizes almost everything—politics, war, philosophy, even the Greek gods. What is remarkable about Aristophanes’ plays is that their humor has endured, entertaining audiences for over 2,000 years—a testament to the Prince of Comedy’s wit.
Aristophanes is also remarkable for his bold nature. He never shied away from poking fun at public figures. Not even Socrates, Euripides, or the general Cleon were safe from being caricatured in his plays. While there’s no record of how Socrates felt about being caricatured, we do know that the general Cleon was furious. In fact, Cleon was so angry with Aristophanes that he attempted to take legal action against him. However, this was not possible: satire was not a criminal offense. But, perhaps Cleon thought the threat would deter Aristophanes from writing about him further. It appears that quite the opposite happened—Aristophanes responded by simply parodying Cleon again.
Today only, get Harvard Classics: Nine Greek Dramas for free. Then, add the two-volume Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns and Homerica for only $0.99. Just use coupon code AESCHYLUS at checkout. Get both today!
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