After his work on Sophocles' ‘Theban trilogy’ (Oedipus Rex [2011]; Antigone [2013]; Oedipus at Colonus [2015]), M. presents us with a new translation of Aeschylus' Agamemnon, the first play of the tragic trilogy known as Oresteia, based on the most important critical editions of the text. Being the first chapter of the Atridai family's saga, the Agamemnon requires a comprehensive introduction that takes into account both the mythological and the literary aspects of the work. This is exactly what M. provides at the beginning of his book, where readers can find a plentiful 44-page introduction, clear and useful regardless of their level of expertise. M. divides the introduction into two parts, in which he focuses, respectively, on two classical issues faced by scholars of Aeschylus: his career and his art. After the essential information about the playwright's life, M. develops and extends his investigation in order to describe the structure of Agamemnon precisely. First he focuses on the appeal of Aeschylean tragedy and, in particular, upon the reason why Aeschylus' plays were much appreciated in the fifth century b.c., by evaluating them against the background of the form and content of Greek tragedy, of which he provides a useful summary. M. then examines the plot through a compelling analysis, particularly remarkable as it compares Aeschylus' narration of Agamemnon's return/murder with other versions of the story which circulated in Greece, especially those found in the Iliad, the Odyssey and the Cypria. Furthermore, M. enriches his account of Aeschylus' version of the story through detailed examinations of the most striking passages of the play, with special attention devoted to the choral odes and their universal as well as philosophical messages. Personally, I would not have placed ‘The Mythological Background’ as an appendix: rather, I think that including this section at the beginning of ‘The Art of the “Agamemnon”’ would have been a greater help to the reader and given the flow of the argument greater coherence.

Those familiar with Greek tragedy will be impressed by the fluid and aesthetic way in which M. has translated an extremely difficult tragic text. Indeed, what is truly impressive is M.’s concern in providing an elegant and lucid translation accessible to a wide range of different audiences, without neglecting the heavy πάθος and solemnity that characterise Aeschylean tragedy. M. does not restrict himself in presenting a literal translation, but he manages to shape a modern theatrical text, enhanced by the rhymed stanzas of the chorus. M.’s rendering of Greek metrical reply in modern language makes the reading of the Agamemnon an authentic experience, which gives the reader an idea of dramatic rhythmic cadence. This exemplary version of the Agamemnon is one of the most accessible and satisfying translated editions, even for a non-specialist audience. A substantial number of footnotes (86) on Greek names, words, myths and places provide readers with an awareness of the facts and allusions necessary to understand the tragic context better and thereby grasp the deeper significance of Aeschylus' play.