Bacchae

A bold new translation of this shockingly modern classic work by Forward Prize-winning poet, Robin Robertson

This stunning translation, by the acclaimed poet Robin Robertson (Forward Prize, Man Booker shortlist 2018), has reinvigorated Euripides’ devastating take of a god’s revenge for contemporary readers, bringing the ancient verse to fervid, brutal life.

Dionysus, god of wine and ecstasy, has come to Thebes, and the women are streaming out of the city to worship him on the mountain, drinking and dancing in wild frenzy. The king, Pentheus, denouces this so-called ‘god’ as a charlatan. But no mortal can deny a god and no man can ever stand against Dionysus.

‘The dialogue is taut, volcanic and often exquisitely beautiful… Euripides deserves to have his exquisite verse transformed into modern speech, and in Robertson I believe he has found a poet who can do that.’ Edith Hall, Literary Review