R.P. Brumoy - Le Théâtre des Grecs - 1749

A rare set of this collection of Greek plays, in six volumes -

The publication of Brumoy's treatise had a tremendous impact on the revival of Greek theatre in France, and then in Europe. At the time he was composing his work, the classical plays of Greek theatre were read and known only to scholars.

Brumoy presents the entirety of Greek theatre as it was known at the time; he thus offers prose translations, either complete or anthologized, of the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes -

The first volume begins with three discourses that constitute an ample preface and a study of Greek theatre: On Greek theatre; On the origin of tragedy; On the parallel between ancient and modern theatre -

Brumoy did not content himself with providing a complete translation of seven major plays of Greek theater; each time he offers an introduction, an analysis, and above all a comparison with other works that are commented on from excerpts, thus following Sophocles' Oedipus (admitted as the jewel of Greek theater), Seneca's Oedipus, and then Corneille's -

Furthermore, Brumoy's work as a translator is entirely new, endowed with a genuine conception, not lacking the pedagogical character necessary for his undertaking.

List of translated and studied pieces:
Tome I :
- Oedipus by Sophocles, by Seneca, by Corneille, and by Orsatto Giustiniano
- Electra by Sophocles

Tome II :
- The Coephores of Aeschylus
- Electra by Euripides
- Philoctetes by Sophocles
- Hippolyte of Euripides
- Iphigenia by Euripides (in Aulis and then in Tauris at the beginning of Volume III)

Volume III :
- Alcestis by Euripides
- Tragedies of Aeschylus: Prometheus, The Seven Against Thebes, The Persians, Agamemnon, The Eumenides and The Suppliants or The Danaids
- Sophocles' tragedies: Ajax the Furious, Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus

Volume IV:
- The Women of Trachis
- Hercules on Mount Oeta by Seneca
- Hercules Dying by Rotrou
- Euripides' Tragedies: Hecuba, Orestes, and The Phoenician Women
- The Thebaid of Seneca
- Part of Rotrou's Antigone
- The Thebaid, or the Brothers Enemies
- Jocaste de Lodovico Dolcé
- Medea by Seneca, Corneille, and Lodovico Dolce
- Andromache
- The Suppliants, or The Argive Women
- Rhesus
- The Trojan Women
- Seneca's Troades

Volume V :
The Bacchae
- The Heraclids
- Hélène
- Ion
- Furious Hercules
- Aristophanes' Comedies: The Acharnians, The Knights, The Clouds, and The Wasps

Volume VI :
- The Peace
- The Birds
The Festivals of Ceres
- Lysistrata
- The Frogs
- The Haranguers or The Assembly of Women
- Plutus
- Euripides' The Cyclops

R.P. Brumoy - The Greek Theatre - 1749 - Volume I, II, III, IV, V and VI - Jean-Baptiste Coignard & Antoine Boudet -

XV - 532 [1] 471 - 474 - 578- 587-470 pages.

Good condition of the bindings, volumes in their full period marbled calfskin, dirt and wear from handling, the spines of volumes II and VI damaged with loss of material, several headcaps missing, joints cracked, corners worn, red edges, the spines smooth adorned with gilt fleurons, gilt titles and volume numbers, triple gilt fillets framing the boards.

Good interior condition, foxing and signs of dampness, pretty borders, beautiful initials, tailpieces, volumes nicely enhanced by the frontispieces and engraved vignettes -

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