A real page-turner. It's crazy how crazy women are!

The Bacchae - Compared to the other version I've read Paul Roche's translation seems to me worthy of worship in itself. Fantastic

Only Euripides captures the pure fire of being, the very essence of human experience we want to shy from yet never will.

Exactly what it says on the tin. There is no additional commentary in this edition, it is just the three plays listed above.

Spoilers ahead

Alcestis- A man trades his wife for eternal life and then realizes that that life without his wife is unbearable. Hercules takes a break from his labors to punch death in the face- this is the best part of the play and happens off screen.

Medea- probably Euripides most famous play. I was familiar with the plot before picking this up and im not all that familiar with Greek plays. Outstanding. Far more narratively complex than I first realized with well developed characters.

The Bacchae- Dionysus takes revenge on his relatives. This one was downright creepy.

Overall this is an excellent collection of plays. I just wish I had some commentary with these plays so I had a better understanding of them.

I loved these plays!

Alcestis - funny. heracles is there. ( on obligation )
Medea - THE GOAT! THAT IS WHY HE IS THE GOAT!!!!!
The Bacchae - erm... what the freak? also might be yaoi.

Medea is my favorite Euripides play. I included it in my thesis, and I teach it in my Introduction to Humanities class. Many people misunderstand Medea. I think it's an excellent example of feminism.

I had to read Medea for Western Humanities and she is CRAZY!

My comments address THE BACCHAE.
I have no idea what this play means for I do not understand the cult of Dionysus or the unbridled id released in this story. Even more than the other Greek plays I have read, this one needs a guide but I have found no one who seems to truly understand it. I suppose I enjoyed the story two stars worth, but the third is awarded on the basis of the potential pleasure of coming to understand this story better.

SO dramatic. as a result of that, engaging. these are like greek soap operas.

I will not fault the translator in his work as he did the best with the material of Euripides. The Baccchae, the best among the three works of play-writer, hardly works well as a tragedy. The catalyst of the ill-fated character’s punishment is his egregious dickishness which makes it difficult to sympathize with his demise. The play named Alcestis finishes before it even begins and the Medea reads like a poorly written modern-day revenge story. None of these compare to the works of Aeschylus and Sophocles, go read that.

Lovely stories. I read it because I am reading The Silent Patient and wanted some background.