New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-18
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE PRoMETHEUs BOUND OF EsCHYLUs
With Notes and an Introduction. BY r. H. MArhLE
Amherst College Boston, john Allyn.

THE PROMETHEUs BOUND OF HSCHILUs'
With Notes and an Introdnc ton By H. H. MAlhhHH'
Amherst College. Boston: john Allyn
good American edition OF the Prometheus
Bound of Eschylus for the use Of schools and
colleges has long been wanted by American stu
dents and teachers. English and German TEXTBOOKS
with all their wealth of learning and original re-
search, not adapted to the taste OF our teach-
ers to the necessities of our students, nor 10 'ne
needs and demands of our classical schools Both
our students and teachers will therefore be prepared
10 give hearty welcome to this scholarly ana
elegant vet sensible and suitable edition of the fav-
orite production of the Father of Greek dramatsts
The book has been prepared, as the editor says In
his preface TO meet the wants OF students VINO
often begin the study of the Greek drama with
this play The editor lays no claim to originality
and makes no display of learning At the same
time he makes ample and free use of the best ed-
lions. giving due credit where the language used
or the view adopted is that of any single editor
and he habitually sends the student to the lexi-
con or grammar whenever satisfactory definition
or a sufficient explanation can be found there. in
preference to furnishing IL unsought and ready
made in the notes. The text is mainly that of Dim
dorf, with such variations as have generally re-
ceived the sanction of more recent scholars Of the
$50 pages which the book contains thrty-three
are occupied by the introduction, sixty by the text
sixtyfour by the notes, and the rest by the pref
ace and an appendix on the lyric parts OF the play
The Notes are brief, judcious, helpful where help
is needed, always suggestive and stimulating pithy,
juicy sometimes spicy with just enough of allu-
sion to modern life and manners TO make them in
telligibe and interesting, while the eye is kept
ever fixed on the play and the stage the actors and
the acts The renderngs concise, accurate, apt,
close TO the Greek and at the same time idiOmatc,
poetical, picturesque,-in word, Kschylean.
Professor Mather has gift and grace which might
almost be called genius for translating Greek po-
etry
Perhaps the most noteworthy feature OF the edl-
ton is the introduction. Beginning with brief
and vivid portraiture Of the life and character OF
Eschylus, and q just appreciation of the supreme
service which he rendered to the Attic DRAMA 1t
proceeds to give an analysis of the Prometheus
Bound. in which the profound and often misappre-
hended idea of the play is clearly noted and then
passes to graphic and somewhat detailed descrip-
ton of the representation of Greek plays the thea
tres the scenery and the actors such as the student
in reading his first play, needs in order to form any
right conception of the immense difference, the
utter contrast in many respects both in form and
spirit between the dramatic representations OF the
Greeks and modern thea rical performances. In
preparing this description Professor Mather has
shown good judgment in using what he considers
the best authorities, and has wisely avoided cum
bering his edition with useless discussions of dis
puted points which would not even be read by
those for whom the book was designed While he
is practical and sensible teacher no is also
graceful and attractive writer and in this introduce
ton has so reproduced the old Greek Theatre with
it's actors and its authors-who often trained and
instructed the actors-and it's throngs of rapt and
inspired spectators that not only the classical stu
dent, but the ordinary reader, without any great
stretch of imagination, may easily conceve himself
aspresent and the whole scene as living and moving
again before his own eyes. The book is of excel
lent L, popraphy,