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BOWIE, A.M., Aristophanes. Myth, Ritual and Comedy. Cambridge University Press, 1996. XVI,328p. Paperback. Nice copy.'B. states that his book offers a mediation between positions for and against modern critical methods, and that it is part of an attempt to show how aspects of ancient culture can be elucidated by structuralist methodology. (...) B.'s aim is not to show what Aristophanes meant, but merely to indicate some interpretations of the plays which were available to the original audience. But he seems to me to take too little account of the nature of that audience and the immediate circumstances of the plays. Aristophanes was putting on a performance for a general audience, and was hoping to win the contest of comedies. (...) Myths and ritual are certainly important in some scenes of Aristophanes, but in the plays as a whole I am not persuaded that they are as significant as B. maintains.' (DOUGLAS M. MACDOWELL in The Classical Review (New Series), 1994, pp.263-65). From the library of the late Prof. W. Geoffrey Arnott. € 27.50 (Antiquarian) ISBN: 9780521575751