Aristophanes: Frogs

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Aristophanes's classic send-up of rivalry within the ultra-competitive world of fifth-century Athenian theatre wins a new lease on life in this fresh line-for-line translation by Peter Meineck. Premiered in 2021 by Aquila Theatre and accompanied here by Meineck's notes and wide-ranging Introduction, this Frogs offers the best view yet of a high-stakes afterlife contest between two of Athens's late great playwrights. Both are undisputed masters of tragedy. But only one can win and return to save the city.

Reviews

"Peter Meineck draws on his vast experience as both theatre producer and classical scholar in this lively and thoroughly contemporary translation of Aristophanes's rambunctious but heady Frogs. In highlighting Aristophanes's own concern for spectacle, stage action, and musicality, Meineck offers flexible guidance not only for modern producers of this comedy but also for readers eager to visualize an Aristophanic play in its original setting and to marvel at its enduring comic brilliance."
Ralph M. Rosen, Vartan Gregorian Professor of the Humanities and Classical Studies, University of Pennsylvania
"Meineck's edition of Frogs is a fantastic resource for students, teachers, and anyone interested in ancient theatre. His Introduction skillfully condenses an impressive amount of information about ancient history, myth, and theatre, contextualizing the play in a clear and accessible manner. His crisp and modern translation imaginatively brings the text and music of Aristophanes to life for todays audiences."
Rosa Andjar, Deputy Director of Liberal Arts and Lecturer in Liberal Arts, Kings College London
"Peter Meinecks new translation of Aristophanes' Frogs offers expert and funny solutions to [the many challenges of translating this play], and he shines most brightly when it comes to the comic playwrights particularly hard-to-tackle choral odes and monody, as he rewrites Aristophanes' lyrics to tunes by AC/DC, Wu-Tang Clan, and Bruce Springsteen. While reading Meineck's latest translation, I had YouTube open the entire time, tapping my feet to 'Thunder Struck,' 'Triumph,' and 'The Rising.' . . . Meineck's primary objective, as always, is creating a translation that can beperformed(he is founder of Aquila, a theater company that is known for original music, among other things), and his most recent offering, with its attention to music, stands out from other translations ofFrogs,because Meineck represents the different musical styles of Aeschylus and Euripides in creative and modern ways. . . . Meineck'sFrogsprovoked such a rousing discussion in my grad-level class that I look forward to assigning it in my undergraduate classes as well. So, grab a copy of Meineck'sFrogs, open YouTube, and soon you will be humming Europe's 'The Final Countdown,' but with a slight twist, after Meineck, as 'the finalsmackdown'."
Laurialan Reitzammer, University of Colorado at Boulder, in Bryn Mawr Classical Review

"[T]he introduction contains all a student or teacher would need to fully understand the play. Firstly, the reader is provided with a clear and concise historical and cultural background to the play spread over 15 pages. This also includes sub-divided information on all the conventions of Old Comedy including festivals, the theatre building, masks, costumes, props, music and staging. Secondly, Meineck provides the reader with a 36-page character information list. . . . I found this to be a really useful resource for students of all abilities in my classes. . . . For those . . . who would like to start their exploration into Greek comedy, or for those more seasoned readers looking for an interesting take on the work of Aristophanes, this is a worthwhile read."
Ben Greenley, in Journal of Classics Teaching

Author Bio

Peter Meineckis Associate Professor of Classics at New York University, where he holds the endowed chair in Classics in the Modern World. He is the founder of Aquila Theatre.