The ridiculousness of the new Socratic ideas; The Clouds, Aristophanes

 Why you might read The Clouds?

The Clouds is a fun look at the idea of the Old and the New way. The uncertainty that it brings and focuses on the worries of the traditionalist. It takes a look at how Socrates' school was seen at least by some as a threat to their way of life.

In my Self Education project, it is a nice change from the super-serious greek plays we have encountered so far. It also gives insight into how dissent was portrayed in the ancient Greek world.

The story of The Clouds

The Clouds is a play in two acts. The first act is in three scenes while the second is a single scene. It is broadly about the folly of the, at the time new, Socratic thought.

The first act starts with Strepsiades failing to sleep because of the debts his son is racking up. These are coming due for interest that very day. Strepsiades wakes his son and tries to convince him to go to the school of Philosophy next door. His son won't and goes to race his horses instead. Strepsiades decides to go to the school himself. Here he meets the new gods the clouds. After a fairly brief time there leaves as Socrates cannot get him to remember anything. He returns having convinced his son to go to the school. He then asks Socrates to teach his son the arguments right and wrong. If he can only remember one let it be wrong so he can win the argument with those who hold his debt and get out of paying.

The second act starts with Strepsiades' son returning from school. Between him and his father, they argue their way out of the debts that were due. Strepsiades is then hit by his son who uses the wrong argumentation to justify his actions. He then goes on to justify that he should also hit his mother. Strepsiades takes a servant with tools and a torch and gets him to pull up the roof which he then sets on fire. He does this as vengeance for the corruption of his son.

Reflections on The Clouds

This is another satire. This time as a political narrative of the times in Athens. The Socratic way of thinking was new and untested. Many, including Aristophanes, wondered if it would corrupt the youth and threaten their way of life.

The fourth wall breaks with Socrates appealing to the audience is quite interesting. Aristophanes is the earliest in my list that we have seen characters break with the play and acknowledge the audience. It is a device we still see today in the tradition of pantomime. It is also occasionally seen in TV shows.

It is also of interest that Strepsiades is keen for his son to learn the way of wrong when it suits him. Showing that breaking a moral compass may have immediate returns but it always comes back to bite us. His son is neither moral nor immoral as a character before his education. It is his father's choice of education that sets him on this immoral path.

What others have to say about The Clouds

"The 'new education' that the sophists at the 'Thinkery' pioneer represents the first stirrings of scientific theories that were circulating in Athens at the time of the play's production in the fifth century BCE." From Spark Notes

"Aristophanes' comedies were seen as a masterful blend of wit and invention. Often criticized for their crude humor and suggestive tone, his plays were popular among the Athenian audiences. However, to his many critics, he brought Greek tragedy down from the high levels of such tragedians as Aeschylus with his use of parody, satire, and vulgarity. " From World History Encyclopedia

Comparisons with other texts

Like The Acharnians, The Clouds is mainly Satire. Here though the focus is on the fight between the old and the new. By contrast, The Acharnians is dissent against the war with Sparta.

By contrast one of Euripides' plays, for example, Orestes is a lot more serious and tragic. While both end with death the tone of The Clouds is a lot more jovial. It feels as if Aristophanes is having a lot more fun with his audience by not being so lofty with his storytelling.

Conclusion

The Clouds is a satirical play that explores the idea of the new way against the old way. It centers around a father and son. The son eventually goes to the Socratic thinkery. He comes out corrupted and argumentative. This is what the father wanted to escape his creditors. It is not long however until the son turns this against his father. 

Have you read The Clouds? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read The Clouds 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.

Get a copy of The Clouds. 

Poking fun at the Peloponnesian war in Athens; The Acharnians, Aristophanes

Why you might read The Achanians?

The Achanians is the first political Satire on the list. As such it is both an interesting read and a step in the development of the play. As well as being the start of satire as a way to criticize the ruling powers.

For my Self Education project, it is a great stepping stone toward modern plays and modern satire.

Story of The Achanians

The Achanians is a two Act play with two distinct scenes. The first is in the Pynx where the Assembly meets in Athens. The second is in front of our main character Dikaiopolis' house. 

The first act starts with Dikaiopolis sitting in the Pynx waiting for everyone to show up. He waits even though he arrived on time. He laments how no-one seems to take it seriously.  The others, including the council, arrive and the session is started. There are delegates from Persia who Dikaiopolis speaks against. Then delegates from Thrace are seen and again Dikaiopolis speaks against them.

The scene shifts to in front of Dikaiopolis' house. Here Dikaiopolis gets a friend to go to Sparta and sue for a personal peace. The friend returns with three different wineskins representing three different durations of peace. He chooses the longest one. He is then accosted by the chorus as a traitor but talks his way out of being stoned to death.

The second act starts with  Dikaiopolis setting up a market outside his house. In his market, there is only one exemption that the hero Lamachus cannot buy. He allows Boethians and Megarians to trade though they are banned in the rest of Athens. He sells first to a Magarian who sells him, two girls. He then sells an Informer to a Boethian. Both times Informers try and disrupt the sale and confiscate the goods. Both times Dikaiopolis sends them on their way. The play ends with Lamachus being called to war and Dikaiopolis being called to a feast. Lamachus returns injured and dismayed. While Dikaiopolis returns full of wine having triumphed in the drinking contest.

Reflections on The Achanians

It is interesting to read the first real piece of satire and dissonance. Here we have one old man going against the mainstay of Athens during the Peloponnesian war. He even sues for his own peace and argues for the Spartan side of the war as valid. He just wants to live the simple life and the war to go away.  The whole thing seems to be, especially the end part, a stick in the eye for anyone thinking this time was about glory in Athens.

Our main character is a nobody, he is just a farmer stuck in Athens. All of Attica was in Athens as the Spartans were raiding around the countryside for years on end. Aristophanes puts this nobody up against the assembly. And then against other Athenian citizens who were for the war. Yet he and his personal peace with Sparta come through intact. Everything comes out rosey for our nobody.

From a little digging, it looks like this was actually written at the time of the war. It was also performed at the time. As such it really is a political Satire of the war.

What others have to say about The Achanians

"Produced at the Lenaea in 425 BC, The Acharnians is the third play composed by Aristophanes, his earliest extant work, and the earliest Ancient Greek comedy that has survived entirely intact to this day." From Greek Mythology

"The play is notable for its absurd humour and its imaginative appeal for an end to the Peloponnesian War against the Spartans, which was already into its sixth year when the play was produced." From Ancient Literature

Comparisons with other texts

Unlike the History of the Peloponnesian War, this text is a commentary aimed at putting an end to the war. The history of the Peloponnesian war covers the entire war. By contrast, this text captures a snapshot after 6 years. They clearly cover the same event but in various styles. Thucydides is trying to report true history. Aristophanes on the other hand is conveying dissent to the war as it is going on. 

We can also look at The Suppliant Women by Euripides. This was a far more serious play and a tragedy. By comparison, The Acharnians is a comedy in both the traditional and modern sense. Its absurdist humor shines through every stage of the play. And as such, it was an interesting read.

Conclusion

The Acharnians is a play in two acts. It is a piece of satire and political dissent. As such it is a much easier read than some of the plays covered so far. It pokes fun at the first six years of the Peloponnesian war. It even takes shots at the leaders and generals of the war. 

Have you read The Acharnians? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read The Acharnians 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.

Get a copy of The Acharnians. 

Deception to facilitate sacrifice; Iphigenia in Aulis, Euripides

Sorry this post is late. It almost got missed in the prechrismas rush. 

Why might you read Iphigenia in Aulis?

Iphigenia in Aulis gives us insight into what happened to the army before they arrive in Troy. As such it shows some of those same characters in a different light. We see Agamemnon as a father, as well as a deceiver. We see Archilles as a saviour for Iphigenia. 

For my Self-Education, it gives these ideas and more. It treats again with the theme of sacrifice and of family. In doing so it helps to round my understanding of Greek life and thought. Again it is Euripides adding to the canon of stories that have gone before him. He adds greater depth to the stories while using well-known characters.

The Story of Iphigenia in Aulis

Agamemnon has the army bound for Troy pulled up in the bay at Aulis because of unfavourable winds. Agamemnon has sent his wife a letter asking for his daughter Iphigenia to come. She is to come and marry Achilles. This, however, is a ruse. They are planning to sacrifice her to Artemis. This is because the oracle has told them that this will give them fair winds and victory at Troy. Agamemnon is having a bout of conscience. He is writing and then sending a slave with a letter to his wife to tell her not to send their daughter. 

But the letter and slave and intercepted by Menelaus and he opens the letter and is angry with Agamemnon. He confronts him and the two of them state their cases. Before they finish a messenger arrives telling them Iphigenia has arrived at camp. Her, mother, Clytemnestra has come also. Agamemnon laments his situation, at his lamentation Menelaus changes his tune. He starts saying that they should not sacrifice her. That it is not right for him to ask Agamemnon for this to recapture an unfaithful wife. They discuss if she can be saved. Agamemnon points out that the whole assembly knows about the need for the sacrifice. If he sends her away now they are likely to kill the two brothers. Agamemnon does his best to organise it so the Iphigenia and her mother do not hear about the sacrifice. He hopes they can continue to expect a marriage then retreats into his tent. 

Iphigenia and her mother enter in a chariot. Clytemnestra organises the slaves to get them from the chariot and look after the horses. While this is happening Agamemnon comes back out of the tent. They both great Agamemnon and Iphigenia wraps her father in a hug. During this conversation, Agamemnon starts crying over Iphigenia. He will not tell her why. He also tries to persuade Clytemnestra to go back to Argos but she insists on taking part in the wedding.

Achilles enters and he and Clytemnestra get talking. It quickly comes out that he had heard nothing about Iphigenia being brought to the camp to marry him. He is quite angry. The slave that earlier tried to deliver the message for the women to turn back, pulls them aside. After checking that it is private he tells them Agamemnon's plan. Both are agast and Clytemnestra pleads for Achilles to protect them. If he doesn't it would ruin his name considering his name had been used in the plot. He agrees but asks her to first try and reason with Agamemnon and he leaves. Agamemnon returns and finds the women crying and suspicious. Once he stops pretending Clytemnestra begs him to find his compassion and decency. How could he come home to his family even after a successful campaign and expect them to be Ok with it? Iphigenia pleads her case as well but Agamemnon, while not unmoved, is resolute. 

Achilles arrives with a small group of troops to protect Iphigenia. Protect her from the hoards of men who have been stirred up for her sacrifice. Iphigenia turns around and accepts her fate. She bids Achilles to neither spill blood or die for her sake but that she will be the sacrifice for all Greece. She goes freely with Agamemnon's guards. 

A messenger comes to give the news to Clytemnestra, her daughter is not dead but stolen away by some god. He tells the story of how bravely Iphigenia went to her death. How when it came to taking her life there was a substitution, and they only found a dead deer and she was nowhere to be found. Clytemnestra disbelieves it. She thinks someone is just trying to make her not angry at Agamemnon. But he comes back and tells her the same story.

The Greeks set out that day for Troy and Clytemnestra takes Orestes back to Argos. 

Reflections on Iphigenia in Aulis

Agamemnon's deception implies that he does not think his daughter will come. Even if he presents the truth or even orders her to come. Is it because without him there to physically compel it he does not have authority? Or is it that he knows what he asks is deplorable? The second seems more likely, with his second thoughts at the beginning of the play. It even seems to be a theme throughout the play. 

I'm the kind of person who cringes at things. Achilles meeting Clytemnestra is just that cringe-worthy. As she goes on about marriage he has no knowledge of. They do come to an understanding and as expected Clytemnestra is embarrassed. But the embarrassment fades to anger when they find out the truth what Agamemnon has planned. Her clinging to Achilles shows the utter desperation. He owes her nothing. A minute ago she made an utter fool of herself in front of him and yet he is the only place for her to turn.

The disappearance and substitution of Iphigenia is a great solution. This nicely gets out of the problem faced by Agamemnon. Though first, we see his and his daughters resolve to follow what the oracle has said. It is a nice touch to let her escape but again it is a little bit of playing to the audience. In this case, there is even a follow-up play written to help legitimise the ending. 

What others have to say about Iphigenia in Aulis

"Agamemnon’s ambivalence about sacrificing his own daughter, make it a curious and satisfying play which repays close analysis and discussion" says interesting literature.

Litcharts has this to say, "He(Agamemnon) is one of the most powerful men in Greece yet he’s in a moment of serious struggle and uncertainty."

Comparisons with other texts

The Iliad, which covers the war on Troy, does not include anything prior to the landing a Troy. So it is interesting to see this part of the story. Rather than being about the gathering of forces the army is already assembled and is stuck in a bay due to bad winds. It is not really the story we would expect to proceed the Iliad.

Iphigenia in Tauris is the story follows on from this play. With a young Orestes and Pylades finding Iphigenia at the temple of Artemis in Tauris. Its is a lovely reunion but must be a fair bit latter as Orestes is old enough to be travelling. The fact that he is travelling with Pylades suggests it is also while he is in exile. Both plays centre around Iphigenia's disappearance at the altar. Although in Tauris we only see it referenced rather than it happening in the course of the event in Aulis.

Like Hacabe's daughter in Hacabe, we see Iphigenia going to the sacrifice of her own free will. She does so as a person who is free and for the greater good of her people. Both young women are forced into the situation by an oracle. While Iphigenia is sacrificed to a god. Hacabe's daughter, by contrast, is sacrificed to the grave of Achilles. 

Conclusion

Iphigenia in Aulis is about the sacrifice of Agamemnon's daughter for the sake of being able to sail. It covers Agamemnon's deception to get the girl to come to him, as well as his second thoughts. We have covered Agamemnon's reasons for the deception. As well as the awkward interaction between Iphigenia's mother and Archilles. Finally, we looked at how this story is continued in Iphigenia in Tauris. Also, we covered how it fits before the siege of Troy.

Have you read Iphigenia in Aulis? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read Iphigenia in Aulis 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.

Get a copy of Iphigenia in Aulis. 

The aftermath; Orestes, Euripides

 

Why you might read Orestes?

Orestes is a play that fills in a gap. This gap is left by the earlier plays about how and why Orestes flees his home city. As such it helps to complete his story and give him more direct motivation for the next step in his story.

In my Self Education, this play shows the Greeks were not against adding to a story. It shows their want to see the whole story, in a similar way that we see today with novels getting prequels.

The Story of Orestes

The play starts with Electra at Oreste's bedside. He is tortured by the furies about killing his mother in vengeance for her killing his father. We hear that Helen and Menelaus have just arrived by ship. Helen enters lamenting the loss of her sister and blaming Electra. She then asks her a favour as she is too scared to walk around Argos because of the fathers of sons that fell at Troy. She asks Electra to go and make libations at her mothers grave. Electra refuses and suggests she sends her daughter Hermione instead. This Helen does after giving her specific instructions. Electra and the chorus then discuss her brother's condition more. She charges them to be quiet and not wake him, though this conversation does eventually wake him. Orestes wakes in his right mind but does not really know what to do with himself. He keeps asking for her help to reposition himself. Electra informs him the Menelaus has arrived in town. Orestes speaks of his desire to see him as he is the only one that can preserve their lives. The madness overcomes him again and he rants and raves and shoots two arrows into the air at nothing. He regains himself and sends Electra off to get some sleep. 

Menelaus arrives, He and Orestes discuss the death of his mother. As well as the upcoming assembly to decide the sibling's fate. Tyndareus is the father of Helen and Orestes' mother. He complicates the discussion with his point of view. That is that Orestes and Electra must die. They should have sought a legal ruling not take her life themselves. Orestes does plead his case to him but it has no effect on him. Menelaus from this decides he cannot support Orestes too much for fear of his father in law and the crowd. Pylades, the friend who helped with the killing arrives. He and Orestes discuss Orestes' chances and their plan for the assembly. Pylades then helps Orestes to the assembly.

Electra awaits and asks where Orestes is. She is being told about him going to the assembly when a messenger arrives to tell her they are sentenced to death. The messenger gives an account on what happened at the assembly. This includes that Menelaus does nothing to help them and does not even attend. Electra starts lamenting her death. 

Orestes and Pylades arrive back. Orestes start to chastise Electra for her lamenting. He says that at least it's not death by stoning. Rather it is at their own hand, but that, even at her asking, he cannot take her life she must take her own. As they start to plan this Orestes asks Pylades to give them a burial but Pylades says if they must do so must he. Pylades then comes up with a rather foolhardy but desperate plan. His plan is to kill Helen as punishment to Menelaus before they die. Electra adds that they can take Hermione hostage. This would allow them to escape the city and punishment. So they set this plan in motion. When the two men go to kill Helen they get distracted for a moment by a slave and she disappears. They then proceed on with the next part of the plan. They successfully take Hemione hostage and lock all the gates. They then start setting up wood to make fires. If Menelaus won't let them out alive they will take the palace with them. Menelaus arrives and finds Orestes on the parapet with his sword at Hemione's throat.

Things are coming to a head and Menelaus is starting to cave to save his daughter. In pops Apollo and a sharp left turn with him. Apollo curbs both their anger and settles the situation. He sends Menelaus back to Sparta to be king there. He gives Orestes an exile lasting a year. In which time he will sort out the furies and the judgement for what he has done. Then he gets the throne of Argos and he gives Hermione to him to marry. With Electra, he gives her to Pylades as a wife. Helen he explains has been whisked away to be a goddess of the sea and Menelaus should take another wife. He says Helen was the gods' instrument to get the war between Argos and Troy. And they all go along with it, Orestes praises the Oracle for being right. 

Reflections on Orestes

This is the first time we have seen the consequences for Helen once she gets back from Troy. Though we did not expect to see her here. If she was at home with her husband Menelaus, she would have been Sparta as mentioned later in the play. In the end part of the play, I can't quite work out if it is revealed that Helen is a goddess or if she is made so by Apollo. Either way, she seems to skip out of the unfaithful wife situation straight into one far cushier.

I guess it goes with don't tempt a desperate man, how quickly this escalates. It escalates from we must die to let's kill Helen before we go. As well as let's use her daughter as a hostage and save ourselves. And there lies the point, when offered a way out from death it is so easy to grasp onto even the craziest of schemes. This is how false miracle cures get customers. 

The twist at the end, if you can call it that, seems to take the situation and turn it on its head. Including from he's going to kill my daughter to, sure he can marry her. It shows that at least in the theatre the gods must be obeyed. It is also a strange vindication for Orestes. It also sets this play up to fit into the chronology we have seen from other series of plays dealing with Orestes. In saying that it feels a little forced like the story must fit so we will make it do so no matter what it does to the plot lines. 

Oreste's initial view on his death is very fatalistic. He tries to get Electra to stop lamenting and just get on with it. The only thing he seems to be concerned about is at first their burial. Then in the unnecessary death of his friend with them. 

What others have to say about Orestes

From Greek Mythology "Orestes is, undeniably, unlike any other of the surviving ancient tragedies in terms of how loosely it is based on previous stories"

It "brings myths together in entirely new ways and freely adds to the mythic material" From Ancient Literature

Comparisons with other texts

Here we see the direct aftermath of plays like The Libation Bearers, Electra by Sophocles or Electra by Euripides. These are all different versions of Orestes coming back from exile. And on his return, finding his sister and killing their mother. 

The Eumenides traditionally follows the Libation Bearers. It follows Orestes as he gets a good judgement in exile. This play is set to bridge the gap between these two. Whether it needed bridging or not is another question. It does this bridging with its abrupt change when Apollo enters.

We see the importance placed on a proper burial. Though it does not go as far as we see in the Suppliant Women where they bring about a war to get the remains back from a foe. Even when they are the end of their line, Orestes is still thinking about being buried properly. 

Conclusion

Orestes from Euripides fills in a small gap in the timeline of Orestes. It does so by adding a mythical element with the arrival of Apollo in the end. The consequences for the unfaithful Helen are explored. As well as how the violence ramps up very quickly. We have looked at how it is fitted into the timeline. How there is still a focus on burial which we have seen in other plays.

Have you read Orestes? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read Orestes 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.

Get a copy of Orestes. 

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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Retrieving and preparing the dead; The Suppliant Women, Euripides

 

Why you might read The Suppliant Women?

This play gives greater insight into supplication in the ancient Greek world. It also reminds us of the procedure that is normally followed in ancient Greece. How personal rulers would take that process being disallowed. Even if only by one of the warring factions.

In my self-education project, it also serves to complete the Theban war. We saw this start with the sack on Thebes' seven gates. It also highlights the autonomy of different Greek cities. As well as how politics was debated between them.

The Story of The Suppliant Women

We find Aethra, mother of the king of Athens, as a supplicant to Demeter at Eleusis in Athens' jurisdiction. She is surrounded by the chorus of supplicants and they have ritually bound her there to hear their plea.

Theseus, her son, comes looking for her, as she has not returned, and finds her trapped so. He enquires of Adrastus what they are supplicant for. He is told of Argos' defeat at Thebes. They attacked to try and recapture his son-in-law's inheritance. He did this even though the gods through an oracle warned him not to. He pleads with Theseus to go and retrieve their dead for burial as the Thebans will not allow them to have them. This is a point of common Greek law that the dead can be removed even by the losers to be buried. Theseus at first refuses, chastising Adrastus for such an ill-thought-through war. His mother rebukes him and reminds him that his honour is based on doing what is right. She also reminds him that to not do it would be called a coward. 

Theseus takes the problem to the council and wins approval. He is just charging a herald to go to Thebes when one arrives from Thebes. The herald demands that they turn Adrastus out and do not come to his aid. There is then a short side track as the herald and Theseus argue about forms of government. Contrasting absolute monarchy of the Thebans with the elected office of the Athenians. He sends the message back to Thebes to give up the dead or they will go to war.

War is announced and the menfolk go to fight. A messenger returns with news that the Athenians are victorious. He tells of how they won the battle. The Thebans retreated to the wall. Theseus did not chase them as he had recovered the bodies. And their recovery was his only goal. Adrastus asks the messenger where the dead are to be buried. Their preparation is assured and everything is in hand.

The bodies arrive and are eulogised about before the decision is made to make on pyre and tomb for Capaneus. Shortly after Capaneus' widow arrives. She contrives to throw herself on his pyre and be with him in death. Her father Iphis pleads with her not to but is helpless to stop her. After she dies he laments his age and childless state.

The sons of the seven dead from Thebes enter carrying the urns of the fathers' bones. Their grandmothers are with them. Theseus goes to let them leave but Athene appears. She tells him not to let them leave until Adrastus swears and Oath. This oath is that Argos will never again attack Athens and will come to her aid in times of trouble. 

Reflections on The Suppliant Women

It is interesting to see the funeral process played out as part of a play. It shows us that the most common form of burial was that of the bones after the funeral pyre. And that before the funeral pyre the body was reassembled into its proper places. This suggests that it was not uncommon for a body to be at least partially dismembered. It is also interesting that there is no comment about decomposition. When you consider that the bodies were lying out in the field for a while. For as long as it took the supplicants to get to Athens and for the Athenian army to march to Thebes and back. Then again this is entertainment for the masses and maybe it was seen as unnecessary detail for a play. It is far to easy for me to slip back into thinking of these as history and forgetting the audience aspect.

It is amazing the difference having the gods on your side is seen to give. The king of Argos goes to war against the will of the gods. Due to this, he loses badly. This is given as a fact and nothing is said about the size of his army or the quality of his men. He is also the instigator in this war, and so has all the time he wants for planning and preparation. Then the king of Athens goes to war against the same opponent with the blessing of the gods. Even if this blessing is only by implication. He is defending the practice of allowing the dead to be removed from the battlefield even by the losers. With this blessing, he wins. Again nothing is said about the number or quality of his men. Nothing is said either of the fact that both sides agreed to and knew about the war. There was no surprise attack here. There would not have been much time for the Athenians to prepare. It would have just been calling together the army and marching. All this and yet the outcome is seen to come down to the gods blessing.

Athene's inclusion in the play is a little odd. She reminds Theseus of the best course of action. She does not add any knowledge that the mortals present did not know. As such the recommendation could have come from anyone already present. Theseus could have required that oath without prompting.

The interlude between Theseus and the herald from Thebes is quite interesting. The herald is quite strident in his opinion and almost combative with Theseus. Theseus on the other hand while just a strident is a lot more laid back in his answers to the herald. He does reprimand the herald for bringing it up at all as it is not his place to comment. 

What others have to say about The Suppliant Women

From Classical Literature "Funeral rites were very important to the ancient Greeks and the theme of not allowing the bodies of the dead to be buried occurs many times."

"It does add to the myth surrounding the defeat of the Argives at Thebes." From Ancient history encyclopedia

Comparisons with other texts

Like the Children of Heracles, we start the play with supplicants. Unlike the children of Heracles, these are not our main characters for the rest of the play. They rather they bring into view and affect the main character, Theseus. We also see his mother ceremonially trapped at the alter by the other supplicants. This seems to be an effort to gain her ear personally as much about gaining the ear of the god in question. It is interesting that Theseus' mother was on her way to pay tribute to the gods about another matter. It is also interesting that there was a way to keep her there. It must have been well established across the ancient Greek world. For it is foreigners from Argos that knew enough to bind her.

This is the first time we have seen, in direct action, the grief of a wife. It has not been unusual to see the grief of mothers. This we even see in this play as well, but the grief of this wife is severe and new to us. She is said to have run from home, presumably Argo's, to die on her husbands funeral pyre. It is interesting to note the way the play is set out. If they had not had to have fight for the bodies she may not have arrived in time.

Unlike Euripides Electra, the story is not one predominately of revenge. Rather this is wanting a proper burial for their sons, in the case of the suppliants. For Theseus, it is about protecting the values of the time. Though it is like Antigone where we see a sister desperate to bury her brother. The two plays are based on the same events the attempted sack of Thebes by seven champions. This play details the burial of the champions. Whereas Antigone deals with the burial of the son of Oedipus who lost at the head of Argos' army. 

Conclusion

We have looked at how important burial of the dead after battle was to the Greeks. As well as the interesting universality of supplication in the Greek world. We have also discussed what we can glean about the burial rights in ancient Greece. 

This play also sits after and alongside the plays Antigone and Seven against Thebe. It serves to complete the picture of Athens involvement in the war. Which is otherwise a war between Argos and Thebes.

Have you read The Suppliant Women? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read The Suppliant 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.

Get a copy of The Suppliant Women. 

A play of two parts; Andromache, Euripides

 Why you might read Andromache?

Andromache adds another aspect to the Orestes story. We find Orestes dotted about in the Greek plays. Together they give us a fairly complete picture of the important parts of his life. Well, those after he returns to avenge his father, we have yet to see his growing years. 

While this is one of Euripides' less well-known plays I have included it for two reasons. First, is that of completion. I decided with this project that covering the breadth of an author is of more value than touching the highlights. This gives me a broader view and focus.

Second, is that of completing some stories that would otherwise be less than complete. In this example, we only see what Orestes does in his second exile because of this play.

The Story of Andromache

 We find Andromache at the altar of Thetis in Phthia as a supplicant. She is trying to save her life from Hermione, the King's wife. Hermione is desperate to kill Andromache. Andromache was the king's concubine before he married Hermione. She has also born him a son, while Hermione is barren. Hermione blames Andromache for both her barrenness and her husband's disregard of her. Neoptolemus, the King, is away on business and so is not there to protect Andromache. Andromache has sent her son away, for his own protection. She has also sent for Peleus, the King's father to stop this plan coming to fruition. On her side, Hermione has sent for her father, the King of Sparta.

Menelaus is Hermione's father. He arrives and convinces Andromache to leave the altar or he will kill her son. He has retrieved the son from where she sent him away. After she submits to being bound, he informs her that Hermione will kill her son anyway. Menelaus makes preparations for the killing but Peleus arrives. He challenges Menelaus' authority to kill a slave he does not own. He also asks why there has been no trial and concludes that this is murder. Menelaus concedes to Peleus who unbinds Andromache. She is wary that the two will overtake them and ambush them somewhere. Peleus tells her not to worry, that he may be old but he is still capable.

Hermione's nurse enters and tells of Hermione's regret. She has regrets for the actions that have passed to the point of attempting suicide. Hermione enters and pleads with the nurse to let her kill herself. Lest her husband comes home and throws her out of the house, or worse, kill her.

Orestes arrives and Hermione tells him her troubles. Orestes resolves to take her away and to take him as his own wife as was promised to him before the war on Troy. He tells of going to Neoptolemus and pleading with him to give her as his wife but to no avail. He also tells of a plot he has to kill Neoptolemus for that very slight at the Oracle. Orestes and Hemione flee together.

Peleus returns to hear that Hermione has fled with Orestes. He also hears that Orestes has a plan to kill Neoptolemus at the shrine. A messenger enters and tells Peleus that Neoptolemus is dead. He requests the story: Orestes stirred up the people of Delphi. He did so by telling them that Neoptolemus had come to rob the temple again; with this deception, Orestes gathers a group of men to fall on them as they enter the temple. It is here that Neoptolemus dies.

Peleus laments his age and how he is childlessness. He is visited by Thetis, a goddess and his once wife, she tells him where to take Andromache and her son. She promises that the line will live on through that son. She also tells him to take Neoptolemus' remains back to Delphi and bury him there as a sign to the people of Delphi. Finally, she tells him to wait for her in a seaside cave. From there she will come and get him and make him a god and that he will live with her. 

Reflections on Andromache

This is a play of two parts, it turns rapidly about halfway through. It starts as a play about jealousy and taking that to extremes. It then switches to being about Oreste's revenge on Neoptolemus for taking his wife. He does so by taking both his wife and his life. 

These parts are both rather discrete but also very intertwined. The jealous one is none other than that double promised wife. The first half of the play is a cautionary tale of having two lovers under the same roof. This is true, even if one is a concubine and the other a wife: this causes major strife. The wife is filled with jealousy about the concubine having given her husband a son when so far she has not. We assume from the text that he is no longer sleeping with the concubine. Rather, had her before he was married and yet that is not enough to forestall the jealousy.

Peleus' lament as the play starts to draw to a close is timely. The response of Thetis is both a reminder of the truths of the situation and a promise of the fantastical. It reminds Peleus there is an illegitimate heir even if there are not legitimate ones. If he follows instructions the line can continue through that illegitimate heir. He is also reminded that this is also a continuation of the Trojan line at the same time through the child's mother. Becoming a god is rather fantastical. We only see it mentioned in the play and we assume it comes to fruition later. It does give otherwise poor and lonely Peleus a good ending.

It seems more likely that Orestes hears of the problems with Hermione. He then comes to town at Andromache's request.  That is on his way to the Oracle, seems less likely. He must have already planned to put to death Neoptolemus and his escape with Hemione. The act he puts on that he will take her out of her circumstances is far more self-serving than altruistic. 

What others have to say about Andromache

"As with most of the plays written during this time, the audience was well aware of the myth concerning Andromache and her life after the Trojan War." Comments Ancient history encyclopedia

Greek Legends and Myths notes ​"Andromache was described as being loving, loyal and dutiful, all characteristics of the perfect wife to the Ancient Greeks." about Andromache herself.

Comparisons with other texts

Andromache begins with a supplicant at the altar of a god. This is seen in the beginnings of both Heracles and The children of Heracles., though with those plays we see the supplicant's prayer answered in the form of a defender. By contrast, Andromache is tricked into removing herself from the position of supplicant. This happens before help arrives. Thankfully, it does still arrive and is in time to keep her from being killed with her son. Heracles also involves deaths as we see in Andromache with the death of Neoptolemus. But Andromache feels a lot less like a tragedy as Neoptolemus is not cast as the hero; that being said, neither is he cast as the villain until the second half of the play. We end with the almost triumphant end of his grandfather, Peleus.

Like Euripides' Electra, we again see the vengeful side of Orestes. In Electra, he falls on his father's murderers and kills both his mother and his mother's new husband. Here in this play, we see him killing Neoptolemus for denying him a wife that had been promised to him. You could say that in both plays we also see his softer side in how he interacts with the women. In Electra, he gives hope and love to his sister by giving her to be married. This is after he kills Neoptolemus, while he himself goes to exile. We see this care again in his taking away Hermione from her troubles and taking her as his wife. This, as I have said is a little self-serving.

The Medea is exactly the kind of story that Hermione is afraid of. She is scared that a slave woman who used to be a queen would attack her - or even usurp her position as queen: unlike the Medea. It is this that drives Hermione to such lengths as to plot Andromache's death. She does so while her husband is not around to stop her.  

Conclusion

Andromache is a play of two parts. First, the plotting of the jealous Hermione. Second, the fear of Hermione for the consequences of the failed plot. We have looked at how these two halves intertwine. As well as how Orestes showing up being overly serendipitous. 

There are parallels to be drawn with other Greek plays like Medea or Electra. But these are no carbon copies but rather similar themes or situations. In all Andromache tries to tie off some of the loose ends after the battle of Troy and is an interesting read.

Have you read Andromache? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read Andromache 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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