The esteem in which satyr drama was held in antiquity still arouses curiosity and controversy. Twelve new papers, generated in North America by a distinguished cast of scholars, explore questions central to the genre. How did satyr drama relate to comedy and tragedy; how closely was it tied to its tragic trilogy? How did the Athenians react to pro-satyric drama, such as the Alcestis? How far did satyr plays reflect contemporary political life? Fresh conclusions are adduced from the fragments, particularly those of Aeschylus, and there is special study of Euripides' Cyclops, not least for its possible reflection of the fifth-century sophists.



George W.M. Harrison received his Ph.D from Johns Hopkins University with a thesis on Seneca and Lucan. He has edited a volume for this press on Seneca in Performance (2002) and has written a book on the Roman historical play, Octavia. His other scholarly interests include Plutarch, and the archaeology of Crete during the Roman Empire. He has translated one play for performance, and is completing the script of his second play. He splits his time between Montreal and Crete.



Aiskhylos Satyrikos - A.J. Podlecki Family loyalty and betrayal in Euripides' Cyclops and Alcestis: a recurrent theme in satyr play - Z. Philip Ambrose The lexis erotike in Euripides' Cyclops - Willeon Slenders Perjury and the perversion of language in Euripides' Cyclops -Judith Fletcher The Cyclops and the Alcestis: tragic and the absurd - Hanna M. Roisman Nothing to do with satyrs? Alcestis and the concept of prosatyric drama - Niall W. Slater The sophisticated Cyclops - C.W. Marshall Of sophists, tyrants, and Polyphemos: the nature of the beast in Euripides' Cyclops - Patrick O'Sullivan Satyrs, citizens, and self-presentation - Mark Griffith But comedy has satyrs too - Ian C. Storey Images of satyr-plays in South Italy - Thomas Carpenter Positioning of satyr drama and characterisation in the Cyclops - George W.M. Harrison