The Frogs by Aristophanes Hardcover in Slipcase Signed and Numbered Ltd Ed. 1937

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The Frogs by Aristophanes Hardcover in Slipcase 1937.
The Limited Editions Club number copy 1283 of 1,500 copies circa 1937, … Read more The Frogs by Aristophanes Hardcover in Slipcase 1937.
The Limited Editions Club number copy 1283 of 1,500 copies circa 1937, translated from the Greek by William James Hickie, with an introduction by Gilbert Seldes, striking wood engravings by John Austen.
Book is Fine, off white cloth with just a touch of toning, black wood engraving on front board with black titles on board and on spine, clean silver top stain.
Brown folder in fine condition, Slipcase has a few minor splits that can be repaired.
A very presentable Limited Editions Club Book, Limited edition. 1937.
Signed and numbered 1283 of 1500 copies.
Aristophanes, the greatest of comic writers in Greek and in the opinion of many, in any language, is the only one of the Attic comedians any of whose works has survived in complete form He was born in Athens about the middle of the fifth century B C, and had his first comedy produced when he was so young that his name was withheld on account of his youth. He is credited with over forty plays, eleven of which survive, along with the names and fragments of some twenty-six others. His satire deal with political, religious, and literary topics, and with all its humor and fancy is evidently the outcome of profound conviction and a genuine patriotism. The Attic comedy was produced at the festivals of Dionysus, which were marked by great license, and to this, rather than to the individual taste of the poet, must be ascribed the undoubted coarseness of many of the jests. Aristophanes seems, indeed, to have been regarded by his contemporaries as a man of noble character. He died shortly after the production of his "Plutus," in 388 B. C. "The Frogs" was produced the year after the death of Euripides, and laments the decay of Greek tragedy which Aristophanes attributed to that writer. It is an admirable example of the brilliance of his style, and of that mingling of wit and poetry with rollicking humor and keen satirical point which is his chief characteristic. Here, as elsewhere, he stands for tradition against innovation of all kinds, whether in politics, religion, or art. The hostility to Euripides displayed here and in several other plays, like his attacks on Socrates, is a result of this attitude of conservatism. The present play is notable also as a piece of elaborate if not over-serious literary criticism from the pen of a great poet.
This is an English translation of Aristophanes' popular comedy in which the god Dionysus seeks to bring the great dramatist Euripides from Hades, where he encounters another great Classical playwright, Aeschylus. Includes background material on the historical and cultural context of this work, suggestions for further reading, and notes. The Focus Classical Library provides close translations with notes and essays to provide access to understanding Greek culture and the roots of contemporary thought. See less