cavafy 's review for:

An Oresteia by Euripides, Aeschylus, Sophocles

4.25

challenging dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This is the best translation of the Oresteia you could hope to find. Comparing Carson's work to the others available online, the difference is clear. Carson's translation has soul and uses language that is appropriately modern. It is smooth where other translations are awkward, focusing on getting the point across rather than forcing every single word from the original Greek. The combination of the different playwrights is interesting to see the variation is styles; my favourite is Euripides' Orestes because it feels so self aware and almost sardonic.