Tragedies II: Oedipus, Agamemnon, Thyestes, Hercules on Oeta, Octavia

Seneca - Complete Roman Drama in Translation

by Seneca

Seneca is a figure of first importance in both Roman politics and a leading adviser to Nero who attempted to restrain the emperor's megalomania; a prolific moral philosopher; and the author of verse tragedies that strongly influenced Shakespeare and other Renaissance dramatists. This volume completes the Loeb Classical Library's new two-volume edition of Seneca's tragedies. John Fitch's annotated translation, which faces Latin text, conveys the force of Seneca's dramatic language and the lyric quality of his choral odes. Seneca's plots are based on mythical episodes, in keeping with classical tradition. But the political realities of imperial Rome are also reflected here, in an obsessive concern with power and dominion over others. The "Octavia" is our sole surviving example of a Roman historical play; set at Nero's court, it was probably written by an admirer of Seneca as statesman and dramatist.

Genres: Classics, Plays, Fiction, Mythology

672 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 65

About the author

Lucius Annaeus Seneca (often known simply as Seneca or Seneca the Younger); ca. 4 BC – 65 AD) was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, and dramatist of the Silver Age of Latin literature. He was tutor and later advisor to emperor Nero, who later forced him to commit suicide for alleged complicity in the Pisonian conspiracy to have him assassinated.

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thyestes only I read as a college freshman in Rolfe Humphries's class--where like many colleges in the nation, we read his trans of Aeneid. He made comments like, "The translator has taken liberties here: Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes"; but he also reached off his office shelf in Appleton Hall, from his near complete Loeb classicals, Seneca's Thyestes for me to read along with Antigone, maybe…or maybe with the Aeneid, from which I'd read a few books in Latin at Classical HS, Springfield, MA (where unbeknownst to me, my ancestor Stephen Powers of Shutesbury fought under Daniel Shays.
From that week, I have thought Seneca's tragedies/closet dramas much preferable to Caesar for 2nd year Latin students: Caesar was after all added to make Eton boys soldiers. We in the US seem to have plenty of warmongers without reading Caesar--did Hillary read Caesar? Maybe.

Humphries loaned me his Loeb Seneca tragedies; but I also read Thyestes once I was writing my Ph.D. on 17C English verse, because Andrew Marvell translated part of the chorus just before Thyestes enters from exile.


Climb at Court for me that will
Tottering favors Pinacle;
All I seek is to lie still.
Settled in some secret Nest
In calm Leisure let me rest.
And far off the publick Stage
Pass away my silent Age.
Thus when without noise, unknown
I have liv'd out all my span,
I shall die, without a groan,
An old honest Country man.
Who expos'd to others Ey's,
Into his own Heart ne'r pry's,
Death to him's a Strange surprise.

[Gui Nabais Freitas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seneca as a tragedian is a writer of great psychological depth and dramatic tension.

'Agamemnon' is Seneca's take on the Greek original (though scholars believe that Seneca likely worked with other versions of the play rather than exclusively Aeschlyus's telling). Clytemnestra really comes out as a character of her own with her own justifications and struggles in killing her husband Agamemnon who has sacrificed their daughter, Iphigenia. The beginning speech, where she explains her own inner rage and the strength which a woman like her is not expected to have, sets the tone for a powerful and compelling tragedy. Cassandra, as Clytemnestra's foil, is also very convincingly and vividly drawn.

'Octavia' was likely written by an admirer of Seneca's, as it contains events which foreshadow what happens after Seneca's death. Nevertheless, it contains some stunning rhetoric - in particular between Seneca himself and Emperor Nero as to the powers which a ruler rightly has. 'Thyestes', the "prequel" to Agamemnon, exhibits that shocking violence and gore which Seneca has (perhaps unfairly) known for in his tragedies. Nevertheless, shocking though it is, I would not have described it as detracting or being entirely separate from the plot - the story is supposed to be very dark and perverse - and the violence seems very much to express that rather than be there purely for its own sake.

All in all, a great collection of tragedies. Moving and powerful they give you a sense of what Aristotle meant by catharsis. What really stands out for me in Seneca, however, is the psychological depth and characterisation - in this I think he may very well be the finest of all the classical tragedians (bold a claim as that is). And, of course, the Loeb edition is a wonderful one with the Latin original and very useful editorial comments before the beginning of each play.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa. These are some seriously dark, violent plays. More than the Greek playwrights (who weren't available during the Elizabethan Age), Roman writers like Seneca were tonal influences for Shakespeare and other composers of tragedy during his time. Thyestes, especially, with its scenes of cannibalism and despair, feels like a really twisted David Lynch movie.

[Brendan Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Roman theatre is crazy violent.

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seneca is my favorite Roman writer. "Thyestes" is the bloodiest, most emotional horror play I've ever read.

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply faintly erotic tales, which the Marquis De Sade must have had on his book list :))

[Nazareth Pez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encanta el lenguaje que usa Seneca en estos libros, en comparación a lo horrible que es leer los libros de autores griegos, los latinos le dan mil vueltas.

[Darren Brennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for the monstrous Thyestes