Seneca: Medea

Hs Medea is a very important addition to Senecan scholarship, both for the quality of the translation and commentary it provides, and for the comprehensive and engaging introduction. Indeed, this must count as one of the very best overall introductions to Senecan tragedy in general, rich in information and judicious in assessment, but also fully attuned to the complexities of Senecas literary ambitions. On the vexed question of recitation vs. performance H rightly reminds us that Seneca and his contemporaries were quite likely to regard all tragedies 'as in principle suitable for stage performance' (p.10). The section on the relationship between philosophical doctrine and tragic writing is especially forceful and convincing. H prints his own text alongside an essential but useful apparatus; he offers a close, readable translation, not without considerable charm especially in the lyric passages. The commentary is as full and detailed as its scale allows. It will be read with great profit not just by students of any age and experience, but also by scholars and specialist, who will be delighted by the many shrewd observations it contains on intertextual models, metre and its stylistic effect, characterization, and connections with Senecas prosework. It is to be hoped that the availability of such an excellent edition will widen the readership of Senecas tragedies among students.'

• PrefaceINTRODUCTION1. The author2. The development of tragedy3. Seneca and the myth of Medea4. Seneca's Medea5. The Medea as literature6. Seneca's Medea and the question of staging7. The Manuscript tradtionTEXT AND TRANSLATIONCOMMENTARYAbbreviationsBibliographyIndex