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    The Persians
    The Persians
    The Persians
    Ebook52 pages30 minutes

    The Persians

    By Aeschylus

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    The Persians takes place in Susa, which at the time was one of the capitals of the Persian Empire, and opens with a chorus of old men of Susa, who are soon joined by the Queen Mother, Atossa, as they await news of her son King Xerxes' expedition against the Greeks. Expressing her anxiety and unease, Atossa narrates what is probably the first dream sequence in European theatre.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInteractive Media
    Release dateOct 19, 2016
    ISBN9781911535737
    Author

    Aeschylus

    Aeschylus (c.525-455 B.C) was an ancient Greek playwright and solider. Scholars’ knowledge of the tragedy genre begins with Aeschylus’ work, and because of this, he is dubbed the “father of tragedy”. Aeschylus claimed his inspiration to become a writer stemmed from a dream he had in which the god Dionysus encouraged him to write a play. While it is estimated that he wrote just under one hundred plays, only seven of Aeschylus’ work was able to be recovered.

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    Reviews for The Persians

    3.5/5

    66 ratings2 reviews

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    • 3/5
      While a bit dense at times, Aeschylus' work has incredible meaning to Western literature, and illustrates the complex emotions and mentalities surrounding the Persian court in the midst of the Greek Wars.
    • 4/5
      Both an amazing translation and a fascinating tragedy. It should be required reading for dramatists and English majors.

    Book preview

    The Persians - Aeschylus

    PERSIANS

    THE PERSIANS

    DRAMATIS PERSONAE

    ATOSSA, widow of Darius and mother of XERXES

    MESSENGER

    GHOST OF DARIUS

    XERXES

    CHORUS OF PERSIAN ELDERS, who compose the Persian Council of State

    SCENE

    Before the Council-Hall of the Persian Kings at Susa. The tomb of Darius the Great is visible. The time is 480 B.C., shortly after the battle of Salamis. The play opens with the CHORUS OF PERSIAN ELDERS singing its first choral lyric.

    CHORUS

    While o’er the fields of Greece the embattled troops

    Of Persia march with delegated sway,

    We o’er their rich and gold-abounding seats

    Hold faithful our firm guard; to this high charge

    Xerxes, our royal lord, the imperial son

    Of great Darius, chose our honour’d age.

    But for the king’s return, and his arm’d host

    Blazing with gold, my soul presaging ill

    Swells in my tortured breast: for all her force

    Hath Asia sent, and for her youth I sigh.

    Nor messenger arrives, nor horseman spurs

    With tidings to this seat of Persia’s kings.

    The gates of Susa and Ecbatana

    Pour’d forth their martial trains; and Cissia sees

    Her ancient towers forsaken, while her youth,

    Some on the bounding steed, the tall bark some

    Ascending, some with painful march on foot,

    Haste on, to arrange the deep’ning files of war.

    Amistres, Artaphernes, and the might

    Of great Astaspes, Megabazes bold,

    Chieftains of Persia, kings, that, to the power

    Of the great king obedient, march with these

    Leading their martial thousands; their proud steeds

    Prance under them; steel bows and shafts their arms,

    Dreadful to see, and terrible in fight,

    Deliberate valour breathing in their souls.

    Artembares, that in his fiery horse

    Delights; Masistress; and Imaeus bold,

    Bending with manly strength his stubborn bow;

    Pharandaces, and Sosthanes, that drives

    With military pomp his rapid steeds.

    Others the vast prolific Nile hath sent;

    Pegastagon, that from Aegyptus draws

    His high birth; Susiscanes; and the chief

    That reigns o’er sacred Memphis, great Arsames;

    And Ariomardus, that o’er ancient Thebes

    Bears the supreme dominion; and with these,

    Drawn from their watery marshes, numbers train’d

    To the stout oar. Next these the Lycian troops,

    Soft sons of luxury; and those that dwell

    Amid the inland forests, from the sea

    Far distant; these Metragathes commands,

    And virtuous Arceus, royal chiefs, that shine

    In burnish›d gold, and many a whirling car

    Drawn by six generous steeds from Sardis lead,

    A glorious and a dreadful spectacle.

    And from the foot of Tmolus, sacred mount,

    Eager to bind on Greece the servile yoke,

    Mardon and Tharybis the massy spear

    Grasp

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