Euripedes' Alkestis

[yadfothgildloc]

Can anyone give me the names of some commentaries on Eupides' Alkestis, or his style in general? I'm havign a devil of a time with it, and Lushig and Roisman aren't comprehensive enough for me, just starting.

[annis]

I have A.M. Dale's, from Oxford, 1966 printing. From the preface:

The imaginary audience to whom this commentary is addressed includes both pupils and professional colleagues. Younger school children were excluded, since there already exist simplified versions of this play designed for them, but I hope the Sixth Form may find things in it to interest them. Perhaps undergraduates were most often in my mind,

I have this because I hoard Greek commentaries. I have not yet attempted this play, or any other for that matter.

It has just under 40 pages of introductory matter (the Tetralogy, the Legend, textual matters), then the play, and pp 51-130 hold the commentary, in a fairly small typeface.

[yadfothgildloc]

Do you recommened it?

(I'm particularly having difficulties with the vocab and Syntax. The only other Greek I've read is Plato's Apology (after a year in Crosby and Schaeffer).

[Paul]

Can anyone give me the names of some commentaries on Eupides' Alkestis, or his style in general? I'm havign a devil of a time with it, and Lushig and Roisman aren't comprehensive enough for me, just starting.

Hi,

I'm the last person to discourage someone from studying Greek tragedy, but....depending on how much Greek you've studied, you will likely find the tragedians tough sledding - I know I do.

If you're determined to do Euripides, you should have no difficulty finding a used copy of Bayfield's "The Alcestis of Euripides". I have no personal knowledge of this text, but I know Bayfield's commentary on Homer and it's quite solid.

And speaking of Homer....well, you might consider him instead of Euripides - at least for now.

Cordially,

Paul

[chrisb]

Bayfield's Alcestis is one of the Macmillan Elementary Classics series. I have a copy of Euripides Medea in the same series with notes and vocabulary by Bayfield. I studied this for GCE O Level back in 1961!! If the Alcestis is as good, you should find it quite useful. It will take some digging around in second hand book shops to find one.

chrisb

[yadfothgildloc]

I'm the last person to discourage someone from studying Greek tragedy, but....depending on how much Greek you've studied, you will likely find the tragedians tough sledding - I know I do.

Cordially,

Paul

I'm taking it through my university, so I don't have much choice in it. We're doing Homer next year though.

Thanks for the suggestion though!