Germanicus Read online

Translator’s Preface

  I first saw Louw’s Germanicus performed in 1956 while still at school, and for a second time in the early 1970s (when I had gained considerably more experience of Roman history), at a production of the Stellenbosch University Drama Department. That performance awakened my ambition to bring this great play to the attention of the anglophone classical and theatrical worlds.

  The staff of NB Publishers, Cape Town, Louw’s literary executors, are thanked for entrusting me with the exhilarating task of realising my ambition and for licensing me to publish this volume. Particular thanks to Catrina Wessels, Marga Stoffer, Eloise Wessels and Kerneels Breytenbach for advice and practical help.

  The publication of this translation as an e-book would not have been possible without the help of my editor and agent, Lisl Haldenwang of Dragonfly eBooks, UK. Thanks to the University of Stellenbosch Research fund for subvention of publishing costs.

  Parts of the Introduction derive from two papers of mine (listed in the Select Bibliography). Both appeared in Akroterion. My thanks to its former editor, Christoff Zietsman, then of Stellenbosch, now of the University of the Free State, for permission to use these. The kindness of the late John Betts of Bristol, who shortly before his untimely death carefully scrutinised and annotated the Introduction, is gratefully remembered. Its present format is thanks to his perspicacious advice.

  My husband Piet is thanked for help with the simplification of the Caesars’ family tree, and for proofreading the translation. Our friend Frans Maritz is gratefully remembered and his widow Jessie is again thanked for their birthday gift of more than forty years ago – the tenth reprint of Louw’s text (Cape Town: Tafelberg-Uitgewers, 1970), which formed the basis of this translation.

  My friend Maridien Schneider is thanked for technical help with my original draft. Thanks also to the Louw heirs, in particular Peter Louw and Nico Muller, for their whole-hearted encouragement of my venture.

  Stellenbosch, May 2013