Olympians
AphroditeApolloAresArtemisAthenaHadesHephaestusHeraHermesHestiaPoseidonZeusAll Olympians
Titans
AsteriaAstraeusAtlasClymeneCriusCronusDioneEosEpimetheusEurybiaEurynomeHyperionAll Titans
Greek Gods
AeolusAetherAmphitriteAnemoiApateAsclepiusAuraBiaChaosCirceDeimosDemeterAll Greek Gods
Myths
CreaturesElementsFiguresGigantesGreek MythsHeroesMonstersMortalsMoviesNorsePlacesPlanetsAll Myths
Plays
AeschylusAristophanesEuripidesSophoclesAll Plays
Ancient Sources
ApollodorusAeschylusAristophanesApolloniusAll Ancient Sources
Olympians
Olympians
AphroditeApolloAresArtemisAthenaHadesHephaestusHeraHermesHestiaPoseidonZeusAll Olympians
Titans
Titans
AsteriaAstraeusAtlasClymeneCriusCronusDioneEosEpimetheusEurybiaEurynomeHyperionAll Titans
Greek Gods
Greek Gods
AeolusAetherAmphitriteAnemoiApateAsclepiusAuraBiaChaosCirceDeimosDemeterAll Greek Gods
Myths
Myths
CreaturesElementsFiguresGigantesGreek MythsHeroesMonstersMortalsMoviesNorsePlacesPlanetsAll Myths
Plays
Plays
AeschylusAristophanesEuripidesSophoclesAll Plays
Ancient Sources
Ancient Sources
ApollodorusAeschylusAristophanesApolloniusAll Ancient Sources

Aeschylus · c. 525-456 BC

Persians

Πέρσαι
Ancient Sources / Aeschylus / Persians

Read our guide to Persians

Persians was staged at Athens in 472 BC, eight years after the battle of Salamis, and is the only surviving Greek tragedy on a historical event. The scene is Susa, where the Persian elders and Queen Atossa wait for news of Xerxes' invasion of Greece and learn that the army and fleet have been destroyed. The sections follow the play's own units (parodos, episodes, choral songs and exodos) and keep the standard line numbers of the Greek text.

Read from the start
Text
Greek original with English translation, 14 passages, about 9000 words in English.
Translator
Herbert Weir Smyth (modernised by Perseus) (1922)
Edition
Greek text: Herbert Weir Smyth (ed. and trans.), Aeschylus, Loeb Classical Library, London: William Heinemann, 1922, as digitised by Perseus. English: Herbert Weir Smyth, Aeschylus, Loeb Classical Library, London: William Heinemann, 1922 (Perseus's modernised version of Smyth's prose translation)
Cite as
Aeschylus, Persians 1 (by line number)

Contents · 14 passages

  1. 1–154Parodos: the Persian elders at Susa fear for the army988 words
  2. 155–248First episode: Atossa's dream and her questions about Athens1157 words
  3. 249–289Second episode: the Messenger announces the defeat322 words
  4. 290–352Second episode: Atossa questions the Messenger about the dead588 words
  5. 353–446Second episode: the Messenger describes the sea-battle at Salamis912 words
  6. 447–531Second episode: the island, the retreat and the Strymon831 words
  7. 532–597First stasimon: Zeus has broken the power of Persia410 words
  8. 598–680Third episode: Atossa's libations and the Chorus calls up Darius595 words
  9. 681–738Third episode: the ghost of Darius learns of the disaster683 words
  10. 739–786Third episode: Darius on Xerxes' folly and the kings of Persia518 words
  11. 787–851Third episode: Darius' warning and farewell640 words
  12. 852–908Stasimon: the Chorus remember the reign of Darius292 words
  13. 909–1001Exodos (1): Xerxes returns and the Chorus ask for the dead559 words
  14. 1002–1076Exodos (2): the lament of Xerxes and the Chorus543 words

More by Aeschylus

English translation by Herbert Weir Smyth (modernised by Perseus) (1922). Original text: Greek text: Herbert Weir Smyth (ed. and trans.), Aeschylus, Loeb Classical Library, London: William Heinemann, 1922, as digitised by Perseus. English: Herbert Weir Smyth, Aeschylus, Loeb Classical Library, London: William Heinemann, 1922 (Perseus's modernised version of Smyth's prose translation).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.