Euripides: Iphigenia in Tauris

by Cropp, M. J.

• ISBN13: 9780856686528
• ISBN10: 0856686522
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-12-01
• Publisher: Liverpool University Press

Summary

Iphigenia in Tauris tells the story of the princess Iphigenia who was sacrificed by her father Agamemnon to expedite his campaign against Troy but was rescued by the goddess Artemis and transported to the land of the Taurians. There she herself must perform human sacrifices as a priestess of Artemis in the local cult. Troy has now been sacked, and Agamemnon murdered by his wife and avenged by his son Orestes. With his motherAes blood on his hands, Orestes is guided by Apollo to seek purification through bringing the image of the Tauric Artemis to Greece, and so is reunited with his sister. The drama centers on IphigeniaAes near-sacrifice at OrestesAe hands, their recognition in the nick of time, and their ingenious and thrilling escape to bring the cult of Artemis to Halae and Brauron near Athens.

Table of Contents

General Editor's Foreword	6	(1)
Editor's Preface	7	(1)
Map: the world of Iphigenia and Greek Black-Sea settlements	8	(1)
General Introduction to the Series
Shirley A. Barlow
The Ancient Theatre	9	(2)
Greek Tragedy	11	(13)
Euripides	24	(7)
Introduction to Iphigenia in Tauris
Plot and Themes	31	(12)
Mythical and Cultic Background
Iphigenia and Orestes	43	(4)
The Taurians	47	(3)
Brauron and Halai	50	(6)
The Play in the Theatre	56	(3)
The Chorus in the Drama	59	(1)
Date and Contemporary Plays	60	(2)
The Play's Reception in Antiquity	62	(3)
Greek Text and Critical Apparatus	65	(3)
IPHIGENIA IN TAURIS
Greek Text	68	(1)
English Translation	69	(102)
COMMENTARY	171	(96)
Additions and Corrections to the Commentary	266	(1)
Bibliography and Abbreviations for Iphigenia	267	(6)
General Bibliography for Euripides	273
Indexes
Ancient Authors and Texts	279
Language, Style, Metre	280
Names and Places	281
Topics	282