Courageous children; The Phoenician Women, Euripides

 

Why you might read The Phoenician Women?

This play seems to be a later retelling. It shows us what the Greeks at the time of writing thought was missing from the Oedipus story. It retells the story we see in Seven against Thebes with additions. These liberties in retelling make this an interesting addition to the overarching story.

While lesser-know this piece is important for my Self Education project. It holds this place as it completes the picture of Oedipus. It also shows how stories were changed as time went on and were not static. This is even true when very little time has passed between the authors. It is a lot like how these days we do covers of songs and make them our own.

The Story of The Phoenician Women

Iocasta, mother and wife of Oedipus, laments the situation. The situation that Oedipus' house finds itself in. The two brothers took an oath to share the throne turn about each year. While the other went into exile. This was done in fear of a prophecy that said they would die at each other's hand by the sword. But Eteocles will not give up the throne to Polyneices after his allotted time. He takes it a step further and banishes him into exile. Polyneices in exile marries a princess of Argos and is, in time, given an army to oppose his brother in Thebes. The army of Argos is drawn up in front of the city, but Iocasta has called for a truce. She puts together a meeting of the brothers to try and make a peace. 

Polyneices arrives in the city for the discussion but first, his mother asks him about being in exile. He outlines a fleeting existence as the poor man, even a prince, has few friends. He also outlines to her how he came to marry and the fortune that came from it. He also says he is reluctant to sack his own city. His father in law was persistent that he should reclaim his throne. His brother arrives and they both state their cases. Polyneices, his claim to the throne and his birthright. While Eteocles states his absolute refusal to give up the throne. Their mother pleads with them to come to an agreement but Eteocles refuses. The two brothers trade insults and resolve to meet each other in battle. Eteocles orders Polyneices out of the city and goes back to planning the battle.

Creon arrives and gives Eteocles council about the battle. The news comes that the army from Argos has chosen champions. These champions will lead forces against each gate. Creon councils Eteocles to do the same for the defence of the gates. Eteocles asks Creon to ask Theirsias for an oracle because he will not speak to Eteocles. Theirsias arrives and is reluctant to give the Oracle with Creon's son present. Creon insists, Theirsias says that in order for Thebes to win Creon must sacrifice his son. Creon reacts with horror and starts to refuse, but Theirsias says the Oracle is what the Oracle is. Theirsias leaves and Creon charges his son to flee Thebes. He hopes for him to escape before the general public hears of the oracle. Creon leaves and his son chooses instead to take his own life as sacrifice for the victory of the Thebans. He states that he would be nothing more than a coward if he did not.

A messenger enters to tell Iocasta of the battle. The messenger details Thebes' victory and how the fights went at some of the gates. He also informs Iocasta that her sons are still alive but she senses a but and forces him to continue. He then tells her that the sons have agreed to meet in solo combat. She calls Antigone and together they run to the battle in hopes of persuading the brothers not to fight.

Creon enters lamenting his son. A second messenger arrives and tells him of the death of the two brothers, he laments the house of Oedipus. The messenger then gives the details of the fight. He tells of how the brothers first injured each other but kept fighting. They fought until Eteocles killed Polyneices. Eteocles then turned his back on him and was slain before Polyneices died. Their mother and Antigone arrive and weep over them. Their mother in sadness grabs one of their swords and kills herself. He then speaks of the following confusion about who had won. He finishes with the battle and rout that followed. Here the Thebans slaughtered the army of Argos.

Antigone and the bodies of the three arrive and Antigone laments loudly their loss. Oedipus arrives from his room and is told the news and he laments. Creon reenters and focuses all present on the burials of the three. He orders as the new king that Polyneices be dumped outside the borders and unburied. He even goes so far to say he will put to death any who bury him. This is a continuation of the promise Eteocles made before the battle. He also announces that his son will marry Antigone and that Oedipus will be exiled. On hearing, this Antigone refuses that marriage. Instead, she pledges to go into exile with her father. It takes a bit for her to convince her father and this is where the play ends. 

Reflections on The Phoenician Women

I chose the subtitle of courageous children as these are the turning points in this story. First Creon's son and his focus on honour. Not wanting to be labelled a coward leads him to a sacrifice of himself for the good of his city. It is one thing when sons lay down their lives in battle for their city. To do so as a sacrifice and by his own hand is a show of courage. The second is Antigone's refusal to abandon her father to his exile. Rather than be queen, she would rather be his eyes and keep him from stumbling.

Creon appoints himself king as he is to marry the eldest remaining daughter of the line. When she refuses that position there is no talking of him not being king. This I find interesting as his claim to legitimacy walks away. I am surprised he does not force Antigone into that marriage to keep his claim to legitimacy. But he rather seems either unphased by it or it is off to little note to actually mention in the play.

It is interesting to see the dialogue between Iocasta and Polyneices. It details the sufferings of a son in exile who has found no friends. She is shocked to find he has gone hungry and that the friends of his father have abandoned him. We have seen exile many times in the Greek plays so far. This is the first time we have been shown the hardships as well as the relief of finding a benefactor.

Oedipus' rather feeble living is mentioned a few times over the course of the play. It is quickly apparent that he is miserable. Yet he counts it not compared to the exile that Creon pronounces over him at the end of the play. He Prophecies about both the misery that will come and his eventual death in a foreign land. 

What others have to say about The Phoenician Women

"“The Phoenician Women” was probably first presented, along with the two lost tragedies “Oenomaus” and “Chrysippus”" From Ancient Literature

And from Greek Mythology "Menoeceus—who represents the highest form of love: altruistic love—decides to put the needs of his larger community before his very own life"

Comparisons to other texts

Again like the story of Oedipus himself in Oedipus the King we see that family trying to outwit or outrun fate. Yet fate always wins. In Oedipus the king, Oedipus is taken to the wilderness to die. This is because the prophecies say he will kill his father and marry his mother. He survives and is taken in. Eventual heads to the Oracle to find his family. On the way kills his father. Later he kills the Sphinx in Thebes and is given the queen as a wife who turns out to be his mother. In this play we see the brothers choosing to share power. They do this to try and avoid the prophecy about them killing each other in battle. Rather than achieving that they put themselves down that very path to their deaths.

In the seconds Oedipus play Oedipus at Colonus we see Oedipus and Antigone in exile. This play fits in the intervening time. There is no suggestion in Oedipus at Colonus that he had spent any time in Thebes after losing his sight. Thus this play could have been put together to cover that intervening period. Though Euripides has taken liberty with the story. He, therefore, adds that he was in Thebes during the battle with the forces from Argos.

This also links with what I have recently read in The suppliant women. This play dealt with the burial of the vanquished champions of Argos after the loss at Thebes. It follows quite tidily chronologically after this play. Like this play shows Creon as the new king of Thebes. 

Antigone tells of what would come directly after this play. by telling of how Antigone buries her brother. In this play, we have seen her vow to do so but we must look to other sources to see this play out. That being said the play Antigone makes no reference to her going into exile with her father. Which adds more weight to my comment about this possibly being a latter addition to fill in the gap in the story. 

Conclusion

We have seen that this is not an original story but rather a retelling with additions. It also brings in characters from other plays that are not mentioned in the original. We see the children of the piece being the brave ones. The ones that are willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of others. We also looked at the legitimacy of Creon's taking the throne after Oedipus' family are dead. Also Polynices' difficulties in exile. We finished up by looking at how the story differs from the story it is based on. As well as the one it has borrowed characters from. 

Have you read The Phoenician Women? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read The Phoenician Women but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

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