The Tragedies of Euripides, Volume I. — Reading Companion

Choral Lament as Structural Anchor

In every play, the chorus provides a lyrical counterpoint to the action, often describing landscapes that mirror the protagonist's emotional state. In Hippolytus, the chorus sings of "the sands of the neighboring shore, and mountain wood, where with the swift-footed dogs he wont to slay the wild beasts." This pastoral memory contrasts sharply with the later scene on the "wave-beaten shore" where the messenger reports Hippolytus' death. Similarly, in Medea, the chorus of Corinthian women comments on the injustice of Medea's exile, while in Hecuba, the chorus of captive Trojan women laments the fall of Troy. Buckley's translation preserves the choral odes in full, often with line numbers and brief glosses on mythological references.

Recurring Imagery of the Sea and Shore

The sea functions as both a boundary and a source of divine punishment. In Hippolytus, Theseus calls upon his father Neptune, "the ruler of the ocean," to destroy his son, and the messenger describes a "voice like the subterraneous thunder of Jove" coming from the sea before the bull appears. In Iphigenia in Aulis, the Greek fleet is becalmed at Aulis, and the sacrifice is demanded to allow the ships to sail. In Iphigenia in Tauris, the sea separates Iphigenia from her homeland, and the plot revolves around escape by ship. Buckley's notes often explain geographical references, such as the "Saronic Sea" or "Henetian steeds," grounding the imagery in real locations.

Movement Between Palace and Wilderness

Euripides structures his plays around a spatial opposition between the domestic sphere (the palace or house) and an external, often hostile landscape. In Hippolytus, the action moves from the palace to the "desert country" and the shore. In Medea, the protagonist shifts from the house to the public space before the palace, and finally to the chariot of the sun. In Hecuba, the queen moves from the Greek camp to the tomb of Achilles. Buckley's translation marks these shifts with stage directions (e.g., "Enter from the palace") and the chorus often comments on the transition. The pattern emphasizes the isolation of the central figure as they leave the safety of home.

Buckley's Scholarly Apparatus and Textual Choices

Theodore Alois Buckley, a Christ Church scholar, aimed at a "literal" translation that would serve students reading the Greek original. His preface states that the translations are "based upon the same text" (Dindorf's) with exceptions noted at the foot of the page. The footnotes are predominantly critical, discussing variant readings or explaining difficult passages. For example, in Hippolytus, a note on line 42 glosses "Limna" as a place near Troezen. Buckley also includes an introduction summarizing Euripides' life and education, noting his study under Anaxagoras and Protagoras. Readers should be aware that the translation prioritizes accuracy over poetic flow, and the notes assume a reader who can consult the Greek.

Because this volume collects ten separate plays, readers may benefit from approaching each tragedy as an independent work while noting the recurring motifs of exile, divine vengeance, and choral commentary. Buckley's literal style and critical notes make this edition particularly useful for those studying the Greek text or comparing translations. The plays are arranged in the order given on the title page, beginning with Hecuba and ending with Iphigenia in Tauris, but they can be read in any sequence.

There is a particular ache in Euripides’ wandering choruses, those exiled women who can only mourn in unison, that stayed with me long after I closed the volume. It surfaced again, unexpectedly, while leafing through A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10 — Reading Companion. The language is rougher, the gods less talkative, yet the same quiet hopelessness seems to linger in the margins, waiting to be remembered.