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Rating: 
Summary: ancient Greek comedy at its best
Review: Aristophanes was to theatre what Socrates was to religion and politics--the funny, irreverent "bad boy." My favorite of these 4 plays has to be "The Clouds", which is in fact a parody mocking and making fun of Socrates (spelled or mis-spelled Sokrates). Very funny dialogue.David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"
Rating: 
Summary: Great Ancient Greek Political Parodies
Review: I should first point out that I read a different edition of this book, and the one that I had had only two plays - The Birds and The Frogs. I will review only these two. Aristophanes has a "no holds barred" type of approach to controversial political decisions and actions. The Birds is a comedy that ridicules the disastrous Greek expedition to Sicily in 413 B.C. Arisotophanes is a wonderful writer and he uses similes and parables throughout his writing. Besides being comedic, The Birds pays tribute to man's eternal desire to achieve the freedom and beauty associated with birds.
The Frogs is a parody on the stupidy and culpability of persons afflicted with their own preoccupation with themselves. We see these types of "puffed up" personalities all around even in this day and age. So like the frogs we hear in our ponds and marshes chirping the same old songs. This is acually as timely as it was when it was written sometime around 400 B.C. Hard to believe.
Rating:
Summary: the best translators around
Review: If you're loooking for a good collection of Aristophenes for casual use or reference, this is it. These translations are excellent, far better than the so-so translations that Aristophenes usually recieves. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Good old-fashioned fun
Review: The character Socrates, in "The Clouds," makes endless fart jokes and rags on effeminate men. A 5th century BCE "South Park"! In "Lysistrata," Athenian women conspire to abstain from sex until their husbands agree to quit fighting the war. Needless to say, the war is over almost as soon as the plan is put into action. In "The Birds" and "The Frogs," talking animal choruses satirize human society. Uber-clever translation by Arrowsmith, Lattimore, and Parker seamlessly carries all the juicy vulgarities into modern English. Aristophanes is a master of puns, yet I didn't feel like I was reading a translation--this edition is filled with quality English word play, such that I rarely needed to consult the footnotes to understand the jokes.
Rating:
Summary: Get on the right page
Review: The reviews attached here seem to refer to another collection by another translator--the Arrowsmith edition, apparently. Instead of "Clouds" we have two lesser plays--"Parliament of Women" and "Wealth." The translation's lively, the notes very helpful, the glossary mentioned in other reviews is absent here. All in all, a very useful introduction to Aristophanes, and endless fun.
Rating:
Summary: Great Student Edition
Review: This book is physically constructed like a student edition -- i.e., cheaply. The paper is cheap and thick, the ink thick and sometimes blotchy, with that great newspaper smell. If you're looking for a lovely edition of Aristophanes to sit on the mantle with your nice books, this is not. The text is also organized like a student edition. The translations are great, lively, readable and fun. Each of the four plays is followed by a commentary, with textual and contextual explanation (pointing out Greek jokes that couldn't be translated, explaining Athenian politics, etc.). The back of the book is a glossary of names, places and institutions. The aids are clear and very helpful, especially for first time readers.
Rating:
Summary: Great Student Edition
Review: This book is physically constructed like a student edition -- i.e., cheaply. The paper is cheap and thick, the ink thick and sometimes blotchy, with that great newspaper smell. If you're looking for a lovely edition of Aristophanes to sit on the mantle with your nice books, this is not. The text is also organized like a student edition. The translations are great, lively, readable and fun. Each of the four plays is followed by a commentary, with textual and contextual explanation (pointing out Greek jokes that couldn't be translated, explaining Athenian politics, etc.). The back of the book is a glossary of names, places and institutions. The aids are clear and very helpful, especially for first time readers.
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