This new verse translation of Aristophanes comedies offers one of the world s great comic dramatists in a form that is both historically faithful and theatrically vigorous. Aristophanes plays were produced for the festival theater of classical Athens in the fifth century BC and encompass the whole gamut of humor from brilliantly inventive fantasy to obscene vulgarity. This edition includes a substantial general introduction and introductory essays for each of the plays as well as full explanatory notes and an index of names. About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World s Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford s commitment to scholarship providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features including expert introductions by leading authorities voluminous notes to clarify the text up-to-date bibliographies for further study and much more.