Author Description

This book contains the Four Plays of Aeschylus: The Suppliant Maidens, The Persians, The Seven Against Thebes, and The Prometheus Bound. Aeschylus was a Greek playwright and tragedian; he is often considered the father of tragedy. Being born in Athens, as a citizen he was expected to participate in the defense of the city. It is interesting that the epitaph on his gravestone makes no mention of his career as a writer, and only celebrates his participation in the Greek victory over the Persian army at the Battle of Marathon.It is estimated that Aeschylus wrote seventy to ninety plays, of which only seven have survived. Fragments of the others plays have survived in references and quotations, and are still be unearthed today.According to Aristotle, Aeschylus revolutionized theatre, by allowing characters to interact with each other. Prior to him characters only interacted with the Chorus. Aeschylus was so well liked in Athens that his plays were the only works allowed to be restaged at theatre competitions at religious festivals.