Perspectives of War: Ancient Greek Texts in Dialogue With the Modern World

Perspectives of War: Ancient Greek Texts in Dialogue With the Modern World is a performance/workshop presented as part of the 31st Ave Open Street program in Astoria, Queens.

Presenting selections from ancient Greek tragedies, epics and histories—in original English translations—Perspectives of War examines war and its consequences—violence, conquest, greed, loss, displacement, mental and psychological trauma, and so on—from various viewpoints.

Texts to be performed include selections from the tragedies The Trojan Women, which explores the loss of family, property and country from the perspective of the conquered women of Troy; Iphigeneia in Aulis, which examines the horrific lengths an army’s leaders go to in order to launch an expedition; and Hercules, which shows the preeminent Greek hero bring violence into his own family while he is in a temporary frenzy. Selections also include a scene from The Iliad presenting nature revolting against the rampaging warrior Achilles; and the Sicilian debate in Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, in which the Athenian citizens deliberate whether to launch a massive expedition against the Sicilian state of Syracuse.