Modern readers find it hard to come to terms with the gods in Euripides' dramas. Readers try to dismiss them as a literary convention. Stage productions leave them out, especially in the cases when they appear ex machina. Instead, they place disproportionate emphasis on the harsh criticisms of the gods uttered by some of the characters in the dramas, and have sought to interpret Euripides ironically, viewing his portrayal of the cruel and capricious gods as a means of drawing attention to the deficiencies of ancient Greek religion. In their view Euripides' dramas seek to question the nature and sometimes even the very existence of traditional Greek gods. In Euripides and the Gods, classicist Mary Lefkowitz sets out to show that the tragedian is not undermining ancient religion, but rather describing with a brutal realism what the gods are like, impressing upon his mortal audience the limitations of human understanding. Writing the first extended treatment of these issues for a general audience, Lefkowitz provides a book that deals with all of Euripides' dramas, and argues for a more tolerant and nuanced understanding of ancient Greek religion. Euripides, like Homer, is making a statement about the nature of the world and human life, terrifying but accurate. She explains how the idea that Euripides was an atheist derives from ancient biographies that drew their evidence from comic poets, and shows why the doubts about the gods expressed by his characters must be understood in their dramatic context. Euripides and the Gods offers a compelling invitation to return to the dramatic masterpieces of Euripides with fresh eyes.

About the Author
Mary Lefkowitz is Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities, emerita, at Wellesley College. Her many books on classical culture include Women in Greek Myth, Greek Gods, Human Lives, The Lives of the Greek Poets, and Not Out of Africa.

Reviews
Aimed at the general reader, but useful for more advanced students and professional scholars, too, the book includes summaries of many of the plays, including quotations in literal English translation with some Greek terms transliterated. Accessible, readable, and thought-provoking, it deserves a place on the bookshelves of schools, colleges and universities as well as of anyone interested in Greek drama, culture and religion. Highly recommended. * David Stuttard, Classics for All *
Although presented -- even by Lefkowitz herself -- as a book for the nonspecialist, scholars will find a wealth of information and solid argumentation in this splendid volume. * Nickolas P. Roubekas, Religious Studies Review *
This is a book worth noting, and not just because its sober analysis of Euripides' religious beliefs will be required reading for anyone interested in tragedy or Greek religion ... Intriguingly, she diagnoses an anachronism as the cause of that tradition's persistence: foreign to the plays' ancient context is the monotheistic conception of God's relationship to and interest in humanity ... Even detractors will have to engage with her arguments. * C. Michael Sampson (University of Manitoba), Phoenix: Journal of the Classical Association of Canada *
Lefkowitz's main point here remains compelling, that the gods in Euripides' dramas are no different than in Homeric epic or the works of Aeschylus and Sophocles ... Chapter 1, the strongest in the book, depicts in great detail the descent of Aristophanic commentary through the ages to twentieth-century critics who believe that the portrayal of the gods must be ironic. This chapter is the work of incisive scholarship, with years of study of ancient, medieval and modern texts brilliantly and clearly displayed. * Robin Mitchell-Boyask, Polis, The Journal for Ancient Greek Political Thought *
Lefkowitz presents a potent account for how Euripides's persona of "philosopher on the stage" came about, and describes how it then affected reception of his poetic corpus. If one were only interested in Euripides's original intentions and the likely responses of original audiences, her corrective offers serious food for thought. * Tyler Smith, Bryn Mawr Classical Review *
This eloquent and accessible study will be of value to anyone who wants to understand Euripides' tragedies and the beliefs about the gods and their influence on human life that they reflect. * Martin Cropp, University of Calgary *
A fresh, rich, and accessible approach, from an eminent scholar, to those troubling gods of Euripides (and Sophocles and Aeschylus). Lefkowitz takes them 'literally and seriously,' sweeps away modern misconceptions, and helps build a sounder understanding of the gods in Greek literature, theology, and life. * Jon D. Mikalson, University of Virginia *
[Lefkowitz] has written a perceptive account of Euripides's view of the gods and his use of them in his plays ... Lefkowitz writes clear and engaging prose and (or perhaps because) she eschews tendentious and easy theorizing. Thus anyone interested in Euripides, ancient Greek society, or Athenian drama can read this book with profit and enjoyment. Highly recommended. * Choice *


Awards
Winner of Shortlisted for the Phi Beta Kappa Christian Gauss Award.



Book Information
ISBN 9780190939618
Author Mary Lefkowitz
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 386g
Dimensions(mm) 137mm * 211mm * 23mm