Richmond Lattimore was an American poet and classicist, celebrated for his translations of Greek classics, particularly his renderings of the Iliad and Odyssey. These versions are widely regarded as among the finest English translations available. His approach aimed to preserve the spirit of the original epics while making them accessible to contemporary readers.
In three paperback volumes, the Grene and Lattimore editions offer a selection of the most important and characteristic plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides from the nine-volume anthology of The Complete Greek Tragedies. Over the years these authoritative, critically acclaimed editions have been the preferred choice of more than three million readers for personal libraries and individual study as well as for classroom use.
Richmond Lattimore explores the multifaceted role of Greek poetry in shaping drama, questioning the relative importance of Sophocles as a poet versus his moral and narrative contributions. The work delves into the intricate relationship between poetry and language, particularly in translation, while providing insightful analysis of key plays from Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Through this examination, Lattimore highlights the rich interplay between poetic form and dramatic expression in ancient Greek literature.
A brief discussion of the life of Aeschylus and the structure of early tragedy accompanies a translation of the three plays based on H.W. Smyth's Loeb Classical Library text