ConversationThe Persians: Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and his ancient history professor. Student: I know you put a lot of effort into making all the arrangements for the play in New York. Getting us to see the special group discount plus getting the department to help with the price of the tickets. Professor: Well, it's not every day we have the opportunity to attend the production of Aeschylus' The Persians, performed by the National Theatre of Greece, no less. You know, it's the earliest surviving Greek tragedy, the very first one. Student: Oh, I didn't realize that The Persians is the oldest of all the Greek plays. That's kinda neat. Aeschylus lived in like the 5th century B.C.E., right? Professor: Yes, he lived during a series of wars that the Persians chronicles the Persian Wars and that's what makes this play unusual, it takes about historical events that were occurring more or less around the time it was written. We'll talk about it in next week's class. Student: Oh, that's interesting. Is it the only Greek play that talks about like, the current events at that time? Professor: That's right. Well, the only play that we know of, anyway. If other playwrights wrote through on similar topics, those plays have been lost, but we're getting sidetracked. You wanted to tell me something? Student: Yes, I know you're not going to be too happy about this, but I just don't think I would enjoy this play. Professor: I'm sorry to hear that. Oh, what's the problem? Student: Well, seeing a play in a language I don't understand. I just don't think I'd get very much out of it, so I ... Professor: Well, you'll surely understand something. We'll be studying the play beforehand, so you'll be familiar with it. Anyway, attendance is required. It's in the syllabus. And there's a short paper on it due, too. That's also mentioned in the syllabus. Student: I sorta misplaced my syllabus. Professor: Well, you'll need to get a copy of it from a classmate. Anyway, the play will have supertitles. That's common practice nowadays. Student: Supertitles? Professor: Like, subtitles in movies, but they usually project them across the top of the stage. Student: Oh yeah, I know what they are. They had them in our Intro to Music class when we went to the opera in New York. Professor: Well, there you have gone. See, people go to the opera all the time. They don't necessarily know the language in which the opera is being performed. What language was your opera in? Student: Russian, another language I don't understand. Professor: And, did you enjoy it? Student: Well, it was a little frustrating at first, not understanding the words, but once I got passed that, yeah I actually did get a lot out of it.