Andreas Ch. Zoulas (born 1942 in Astakos, Aitoloakarnania), has a long tradition as a reporter, political editor and editor-in-chief of Athenian newspapers such as Kathimerini. Among his important work in television and radio, stands his engagement with the translation and commentary of ancient Greek drama.

More specifically, the important intellectual has translated the surviving works of classical drama in their entirety, namely the seven tragedies of Aeschylus, the seven tragedies and the satirical drama of Sophocles, the eleven comedies of Aristophanes,  the nineteen tragedies of Euripides and the five comedies of Menander.

As for the satirical work of the Batrachomyomachia, as in his previous work, Zoulas sought here too the absolute correspondence of verses with the ancient text as well as isosyllabicity (verse of the translation with the translated verse of the ancient text). In just 303 verses, which are attributed by many to Homer and by others to Pigris, well-known images from the Iliad epic are parodied in an apt and creative way. In response to those who would describe Batrachomyomachia as a ‘children’s play’, Andreas Zoulas appropriately notes: “It is neither children’s reading nor a ‘children’s play’. It can only be addressed to people from the early years of adolescence onwards. This is obvious, as only people of these ages-and not young children-know or should know the Iliad and can, therefore, enjoy its parody.”

The publication is complemented by a special study by Zoulas, where verses and “images” of Batrachomyomachia are quoted, taken verbatim or with variations from the Iliad, as well as a short comic play for children that Zoulas wrote inspired by Batrachomyomachia and ancient Greek children’s games.