Richmond Lattimore fu un poeta e classicista americano, celebrato per le sue traduzioni dei classici greci, in particolare le sue versioni dell'Iliade e dell'Odissea. Queste versioni sono ampiamente considerate tra le migliori traduzioni inglesi disponibili. Il suo approccio mirava a preservare lo spirito degli epici originali, rendendoli accessibili ai lettori contemporanei.
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