The Oresteia

The Oresteia follows the curse on the house of Atreus across three plays. In Agamemnon, the king returns from Troy and is murdered by his wife Clytemnestra. In The Libation Bearers, their son Orestes avenges his father by killing his mother. In The Eumenides, Orestes is pursued by the Furies until Athena sets up a court to judge him, replacing the endless cycle of revenge with the rule of law.

Ted Hughes completed his version shortly before his death in 1998. It is not a literal translation, but it has a savage, physical energy that brings the plays to life on the page and on the stage. The language is stark, rhythmic and often shocking.

Readers who want a closer rendering of the Greek may prefer Robert Fagles’ version, but for sheer dramatic force Hughes is hard to match.

Our verdict

A thrilling way into Greek tragedy, best read aloud.