Two Dramatizations from Vergil: I. Dido—the Phœnecian Queen; II. The Fall of Troy

Chapter 3: PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

About This Book

A volume presents two stage adaptations drawn from Virgil’s epic: one dramatizes the tragic love between a Trojan exile and the queen of Carthage, tracing their meeting, passion, and the doomed fallout imposed by fate; the other stages the fall of Troy, concentrating key episodes of siege and destruction. Both are rendered into English verse with added lyrics, stage directions, and musical accompaniment for performance, condensing epic narrative passages into theatrical scenes and emphasizing dramatic speech, action, and scenic suggestions intended for classroom or stage presentation.

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

The first edition of this volume, containing only the Dido: An Epic Tragedy, a dramatization of the love story of Æneas and Dido, was published in 1900, and met with a gratifying success. Teachers of Vergil have found the book an interesting supplement to their study and presentation of the text; and in numerous instances high-school and college classes have staged the play with most excellent results.

The book has been out of print for several years; but the continued demand from teachers who desire to use it has made a second edition desirable. This is accordingly offered in the present volume, under a new title, and containing a second dramatization from Vergil—this from the second Æneid, the story of the Fall of Troy.

F. J. M.

Chicago, 1908