书名：Euripides Ten Plays 欧里庇得斯戏剧十部
难度：Lexile蓝思阅读指数990L
作者：Euripides欧里庇得斯
出版社名称：Signet Classics
出版时间：1998
语种：英文 
ISBN：9780451527004
商品尺寸：10.6 x3.4 x 17.3 cm
包装：简装
页数：608 （以实物为准）

欧里庇得斯是古希腊三大悲剧诗人之一，他的作品反映了雅典奴隶社会民主制度衰落时期的政治和思想的危机。他反对内战，反对虐待妇女，拥护民主，对神表示怀疑，同情穷人和奴隶。希腊悲剧到了诗人手里，社会问题才提得特别鲜明，普通人的形象才占重要地位，心理描写才更为深刻—这就是诗人对于戏剧发展的贡献。
欧里庇得斯的风格比较华美，语言流畅，对话接近口语，十分自然。他的诗的特点是明白清晰，只是剧中往往充满了冗长的说理和辩论。欧里庇得斯在世时，他的悲剧不大受人欢迎，他死了以后，他的名声反而更大，喜剧诗人阿里斯托芬对欧里庇得斯揶揄备至，但也欣赏他的才华。亚里士多德在《诗学》中对欧里庇得斯有许多指责，但也称赞他“很能产生悲剧的效果”。欧里庇得斯对罗马和后世欧洲戏剧的影响，比他的两位前辈悲剧诗人大得多。罗马诗人塞内加和奥维德都摹仿过他的《美狄亚》。但丁在《神曲》中只提到欧里庇得斯。高乃依，拉辛和歌德也摹仿过欧里庇得斯的作品。在英国，诗人拜伦、雪莱、布朗宁等也推崇欧里庇得斯。
Euripides Ten Plays《欧里庇得斯戏剧十部》为Signet Classics推出的英文版，是由Sidney Monas翻译的现代英文版，内容完整无删减，书本小巧便携。包括：《阿尔刻提斯》《希波吕托斯》《伊翁》《厄勒克特拉》《伊菲格纳亚在奥里斯》《在陶洛人里的伊菲格纳亚》《美狄亚》《酒神的伴侣》《特洛伊妇女》《独目巨人》。

A modern translation exclusive to signet

From perhaps the greatest of the ancient Greek playwrights comes this collection of plays, including Alcestis, Hippolytus, Ion, Electra, Iphigenia at Aulis, Iphigenia Among the Taurians, Medea, The Bacchae, The Trojan Women, and The Cyclops.

Introduction
Translator’s Preface

  Alcestis
  Hippolytus
  Ion
  Electra
  Iphigenia at Aulis
  Iphigenia Among the Taurians
  Medea
  The Bacchae
  The Trojan Women
  The Cyclops
Glossary of Classical Names

欧里庇得斯（Euripides，前480年~前406年）与埃斯库罗斯和索福克勒斯并称为希腊三大悲剧大师，他一生共创作了九十多部作品，保留至今的有十八部。对于欧里庇得斯的评价，古往今来一向褒贬不一，有人说他是伟大的悲剧作家，也有人说悲剧在他的手中衰亡，无论这些评价如何反复，无庸置疑的是欧里庇得斯的作品对于后世的影响是深远的。 

Euripides, the youngest of the three great Athenian playwrights, was born around 485 BC of a family of good standing. He first competed in the dramatic festivals in 455 BC, coming only third; his record of success in the tragic competitions is lower than that of either Aeschylus or Sophocles. There is a tradition that he was unpopular, even a recluse; we are told that he composed poetry in a cave by the sea, near Salamis. What is clear from contemporary evidence, however, is that audiences were fascinated by his innovative and often disturbing dramas. His work was controversial already in his lifetime, and he himself was regarded as a “clever” poet, associated with philosophers and other intellectuals. Towards the end of his life he went to live at the court of Archelaus, king of Macedon. It was during his time there that he wrote what many consider his greates work, the Bacchae. When news of his death reached Athens in early 406 BC, Sophocles appeared publicly in mourning for him. Euripides is thought to have written about ninety-two plays, of which seventeen tragedies and one satyr-play known to be his survive; the other play which is attributed to him, the Rhesus, may in fact be by a later hand.
Paul Roche, a distinguished English poet and translator, is the author of The Bible’s Greatest Stories. His other translations include Euripides: Ten Plays (Signet), Oedipus Plays of Sophocles (Meridian) and The Orestes Plays of Aeschylus (Meridian).

CHARACTERS
APOLLO
DEATH
CHORUS, elders of Pherae
MAIDSERVANT
ALCESTIS, wife of Admetus
ADMETUS,king of Pherae
EUMELUS, son of Admetus and Alcestis
SISTER OF EUMELUS
HERACLES
PHERES, father of Admetus
BUTLER TO ADMETUS
ATTENDANTS, guards,servants, citizens of Pherae 

       TIME AND SETTING
The past: The god Apollo inpunishment for a misdemeanor was once constrained by his father, Zeus, to tend the cattle of Admetus in the plains of Thessaly. To reward Admetus for being a kind and just master he extracted from the Fates the promise that they would let Admetus off death when his time came provided someone else died for him. The only one willing to do this was his own wife, Alcestis.
The present: The fatal day for Admetus’ death has come. As arranged, Alcestis is dying in his stead. People ask,“Is there no hope?” Apollo arrives to plead with Death for the queen’s life. Slendidly dressed as an archer, with bow and quiver, he steps into the city square of Pherae outside the palace.

       PROLOGUE
APOLLO: Ah!House of Admetus whereI was a lowly servant once, yes, I a god! And all because Zeus slew my son Asclepius, hurled lightning through his heart, andI in my rage slaughtered his one-eyed giants, the Cyclopes who forge his thunderbolts. For my punishment the Father made me flunky to a mortal man. So here I came, my host’s cattleman and staunch supporter of his house until this day.An upright man myself, I found an upright man, and by tricking the Fates I saved him from his time of death. Those ladies made this bargain with me:
“We’ll letAdmetus off his dying, for now, if he’ll exchange one body for another down below.” 
Well, he importuned and canvassed all his near and dear, including father and old gray-haired mother, and found absolutely no one to give up the light for him and die: no one, that is, except his wife. She’s limp in his arms this moment in the house, gasping out her last. Today’s the day she has to die and flit from life. ButI’ve come outside the house, thesefriendly halls, I don’twant death’s contagion smeared all over me in there.
[He sees DEATH emerge, drably and mournfully dressed with a drawn sword]
Ah!no less than Death himself, the great undertaker, 
itching to take her down to the house of Hades…
Right on time too! 
He’s been watching for this day—the day she dies.

[DEATH lumbers forward with a snarl]