415 BC the TROJAN WOMEN Euripides
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Essay 2 Sample Responses
Classics / WAGS 23: Second Essay Responses Grading: I replaced names with a two-letter code (A or B followed by another letter) so that I could read the essays anonymously. I grouped essays by levels of success and cross-read those groups to check that the rankings were consistent. Comments on the assignment: Writers found all manner of things to focus on: Night, crying, hospitality, the return of princes from the dead (Hector, Odysseus), and the exchange of bodies (Hector, Penelope). Here are four interesting and quite different responses: Essay #1: Substitution I Am That I Am: The Nature of Identity in the Iliad and the Odyssey The last book of the Iliad, and the penultimate book of the Odyssey, both deal with the issue of substitution; specifically, of accepting a substitute for a lost loved one. Priam and Achilles become substitutes for each others' absent father and dead son. In contrast, Odysseus's journey is fraught with instances of him refusing to take a substitute for Penelope, and in the end Penelope makes the ultimate verification that Odysseus is not one of the many substitutes that she has been offered over the years. In their contrasting depictions of substitution, the endings of the Iliad and the Odyssey offer insights into each epic's depiction of identity in general. Questions of identity are in the foreground throughout much of the Iliad; one need only try to unravel the symbolism and consequences of Patroclus’ donning Achilles' armor to see how this is so. In the interaction between Achilles and Priam, however, they are particularly poignant. -
Trojan Women: Introduction
Trojan Women: Introduction 1. Gods in the Trojan Women Two gods take the stage in the prologue to Trojan Women. Are these gods real or abstract? In the prologue, with its monologue by Poseidon followed by a dialogue between the master of the sea and Athena, we see them as real, as actors (perhaps statelier than us, and accoutered with their traditional props, a trident for the sea god, a helmet for Zeus’ daughter). They are otherwise quite ordinary people with their loves and hates and with their infernal flexibility whether moral or emotional. They keep their emotional side removed from humans, distance which will soon become physical. Poseidon cannot stay in Troy, because the citizens don’t worship him any longer. He may feel sadness or regret, but not mourning for the people who once worshiped but now are dead or soon to be dispersed. He is not present for the destruction of the towers that signal his final absence and the diaspora of his Phrygians. He takes pride in the building of the walls, perfected by the use of mason’s rules. After the divine departures, the play proceeds to the inanition of his and Apollo’s labor, with one more use for the towers before they are wiped from the face of the earth. Nothing will be left. It is true, as Hecuba claims, her last vestige of pride, the name of Troy remains, but the place wandered about throughout antiquity and into the modern age. At the end of his monologue Poseidon can still say farewell to the towers. -
Demetrius Poliorcetes and the Hellenic League
DEMETRIUSPOLIORCETES AND THE HELLENIC LEAGUE (PLATE 33) 1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND D JURING the six years, 307/6-302/1 B.C., issues were raised and settled which shaped the course of western history for a long time to come. The epoch was alike critical for Athens, Hellas, and the Macedonians. The Macedonians faced squarely during this period the decision whether their world was to be one world or an aggregate of separate kingdoms with conflicting interests, and ill-defined boundaries, preserved by a precarious balance of power and incapable of common action against uprisings of Greek and oriental subjects and the plundering appetites of surrounding barbarians. The champion of unity was King Antigonus the One- Eyed, and his chief lieutenant his brilliant but unstatesmanlike son, King Demetrius the Taker of Cities, a master of siege operations and of naval construction and tactics, more skilled in organizing the land-instruments of warfare than in using them on the battle field. The final campaign between the champions of Macedonian unity and disunity opened in 307 with the liberation of Athens by Demetrius and ended in 301 B.C. with the Battle of the Kings, when Antigonus died in a hail of javelins and Demetrius' cavalry failed to penetrate a corps of 500 Indian elephants in a vain effort to rescue hinm. Of his four adversaries King Lysimachus and King Kassander left no successors; the other two, Kings Ptolemy of Egypt and Seleucus of Syria, were more fortunate, and they and Demetrius' able son, Antigonus Gonatas, planted the three dynasties with whom the Romans dealt and whom they successively destroyed in wars spread over 44 years. -
'The Women of Troy' Euripides Subverts the Ancient Greek
In his play ‘The Women of Troy’ Euripides subverts the ancient Greek idea of heroism and brutally strips away heroic illusions surrounding the glory of battle. Whilst Euripides suggests that women and children are victims of war, his overarching critique on the destructive, means that the play portrays all characters as victims, including belligerents. As a powerful protest against imperialistic war common in ancient Greece and a warning against waging war, as the Greeks were preparing to do in Sicily, the play radically focuses on the immense anguish of the Trojan women. The death of the children is used to by Euripides to brutally expose the devastating impacts of war on those who are innocent and powerless. However Euripides inclusion of the suffering of the Greek soldiers displays how women and children are not the only victims of war, which is universally destructive in nature. The torment of the Trojan women is the focal point of the play as Euripides emphasises their abject misery relentlessly throughout the play. This is initially evident in the prologue where Hecuba, the “true face of misery”, laments her downfall from queen to slave and sarcastically describes her now being “throned in the dust”, highlighting to the readership her loss of status and all worldly possessions. Through Hecuba, Euripides illustrates the women’s grief using brutal and sensory imagery as she state her desire to “plough my face with my nails until the wrinkles run red”. Euripides poignantly connects he emotional pain to her physical pain to present the magnitude of her suffering in a way that is conceivable to the audience. -
Female Characters, Female Sympathetic Choruses, and the “Suppression” of Antiphonal Lament at the Openings of Euripides’ Phaethon, Andromeda, and Hypsipyle*
FRAMMENTI SULLA SCENA (ONLINE) Studi sul dramma antico frammentario Università deGli Studi di Torino Centro Studi sul Teatro Classico http://www.ojs.unito.it/index.php/fss www.teatroclassico.unito.it ISSN 2612-3908 1 • 2020 FEMALE CHARACTERS, FEMALE SYMPATHETIC CHORUSES, AND THE “SUPPRESSION” OF ANTIPHONAL LAMENT AT THE OPENINGS OF EURIPIDES’ PHAETHON, ANDROMEDA, AND HYPSIPYLE* VASILIKI KOUSOULINI NATIONAL AND KAPODISTRIAN UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS [email protected] Female choruses abound in Euripides’ plays.1 While there are many in his extant plays, we also encounter choruses of women in his fragmentary ones.2 Little attention has been paid to the existence of sympathetic female choruses in Euripides’ fragmentary dramas and their in- teraction with female characters. A sympathetic female chorus seems to appear in conjunction with a female character in many Euripidean fragmentary plays. The chorus of the Alexander in * This research is co-financed by Greece and the European Union (European Social Fund- ESF) through the Opera- tional ProGramme «Human Resources Development, Education and LifelonG LearninG» in the context of the pro- ject “Reinforcement of Postdoctoral Researchers - 2nd Cycle” (MIS-5033021), implemented by the State Scholar- ships Foundation (ΙΚΥ). 1 There is a female chorus in Euripides’ Medea, Hippolytus, Andromache, Hecuba, Suppliant Women, Ion, Electra, Trojan Women, Iphigenia among the Taurians, Helen, Phoenician Women, Orestes, Iphigenia in Aulis, and Bacchae. Mastronarde observed that there are 15 male choruses, 62 female choruses, and 105 choruses with undetermined gender in Euripides’ corpus. Cf. MASTRONARDE 2010, 103. AccordinG to Calame, the 82% of Euripides’ traGic choruses con- sists of women. Cf. CALAME 2020, 776. -
ABSTRACT a Director's Approach to Euripides' Hecuba Christopher F. Peck, M.F.A. Mentor: Deanna Toten Beard, Ph.D. This Thesi
ABSTRACT A Director’s Approach to Euripides’ Hecuba Christopher F. Peck, M.F.A. Mentor: DeAnna Toten Beard, Ph.D. This thesis explores a production of Euripides’ Hecuba as it was directed by Christopher Peck. Chapter One articulates a unique Euripidean dramatic structure to demonstrate the contemporary viability of Euripides’ play. Chapter Two utilizes this dramatic structure as the basis for an aggressive analysis of themes inherent in the production. Chapter Three is devoted to the conceptualization of this particular production and the relationship between the director and the designers in pursuit of this concept. Chapter Four catalogs the rehearsal process and how the director and actors worked together to realize the dramatic needs of the production. Finally Chapter Five is a postmortem of the production emphasizing the strengths and weaknesses of the final product of Baylor University’s Hecuba. A Director's Approach to Euripides' Hecuba by Christopher F. Peck, B.F.A A Thesis Approved by the Department of Theatre Arts Stan C. Denman, Ph.D., Chairperson Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Baylor University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Fine Arts Approved by the Thesis Committee DeAnna Toten Beard, Ph.D., Chairperson David J. Jortner, Ph.D. Marion D. Castleberry, Ph.D. Steven C. Pounders, M.F.A. Christopher J. Hansen, M.F.A. Accepted by the Graduate School May 2013 J. Larry Lyon, Ph.D., Dean Page bearing signatures is kept on file in the Graduate School. Copyright © 2013 by Christopher F. Peck -
Preliminary Studies on the Scholia to Euripides
Preliminary Studies on the Scholia to Euripides CALIFORNIA CLASSICAL STUDIES NUMBER 6 Editorial Board Chair: Donald Mastronarde Editorial Board: Alessandro Barchiesi, Todd Hickey, Emily Mackil, Richard Martin, Robert Morstein-Marx, J. Theodore Peña, Kim Shelton California Classical Studies publishes peer-reviewed long-form scholarship with online open access and print-on-demand availability. The primary aim of the series is to disseminate basic research (editing and analysis of primary materials both textual and physical), data-heavy re- search, and highly specialized research of the kind that is either hard to place with the leading publishers in Classics or extremely expensive for libraries and individuals when produced by a leading academic publisher. In addition to promoting archaeological publications, papyrologi- cal and epigraphic studies, technical textual studies, and the like, the series will also produce selected titles of a more general profile. The startup phase of this project (2013–2017) is supported by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Also in the series: Number 1: Leslie Kurke, The Traffic in Praise: Pindar and the Poetics of Social Economy, 2013 Number 2: Edward Courtney, A Commentary on the Satires of Juvenal, 2013 Number 3: Mark Griffith, Greek Satyr Play: Five Studies, 2015 Number 4: Mirjam Kotwick, Alexander of Aphrodisias and the Text of Aristotle’s Metaphys- ics, 2016 Number 5: Joey Williams, The Archaeology of Roman Surveillance in the Central Alentejo, Portugal, 2017 PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON THE SCHOLIA TO EURIPIDES Donald J. Mastronarde CALIFORNIA CLASSICAL STUDIES Berkeley, California © 2017 by Donald J. Mastronarde. California Classical Studies c/o Department of Classics University of California Berkeley, California 94720–2520 USA http://calclassicalstudies.org email: [email protected] ISBN 9781939926104 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017916025 CONTENTS Preface vii Acknowledgments xi Abbreviations xiii Sigla for Manuscripts of Euripides xvii List of Plates xxix 1. -
Central Balkans Cradle of Aegean Culture
ANTONIJE SHKOKLJEV SLAVE NIKOLOVSKI - KATIN PREHISTORY CENTRAL BALKANS CRADLE OF AEGEAN CULTURE Prehistory - Central Balkans Cradle of Aegean culture By Antonije Shkokljev Slave Nikolovski – Katin Translated from Macedonian to English and edited By Risto Stefov Prehistory - Central Balkans Cradle of Aegean culture Published by: Risto Stefov Publications [email protected] Toronto, Canada All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without written consent from the author, except for the inclusion of brief and documented quotations in a review. Copyright 2013 by Antonije Shkokljev, Slave Nikolovski – Katin & Risto Stefov e-book edition 2 Index Index........................................................................................................3 COMMON HISTORY AND FUTURE ..................................................5 I - GEOGRAPHICAL CONFIGURATION OF THE BALKANS.........8 II - ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES .........................................10 III - EPISTEMOLOGY OF THE PANNONIAN ONOMASTICS.......11 IV - DEVELOPMENT OF PALEOGRAPHY IN THE BALKANS....33 V – THRACE ........................................................................................37 VI – PREHISTORIC MACEDONIA....................................................41 VII - THESSALY - PREHISTORIC AEOLIA.....................................62 VIII – EPIRUS – PELASGIAN TESPROTIA......................................69 -
Women of Troy Intro.Pdf
The Women of Troy by Euripides An Introduction "The Women of Troy" ( also known as “The Trojan Women”) is a tragedy by the ancient Greek playwright Euripides. It was first presented at the City Dionysia of 415 BC, along with two other unconnected tragedies and one comedy. It follows the fates of Hecuba, Andromache, Cassandra and the other women of Troy after their city has been sacked, their husbands killed, and their remaining families about to be taken away as slaves. It is often considered one of Euripides’ greatest works, and among the best anti-war plays ever written. Dramatis Personae (Characters in the Drama) POSEIDON, god of the sea and earthquakes HECUBA, deposed queen of Troy CHORUS OF CAPTIVE TROJAN WOMEN TALTHYBIUS, a Greek herald CASSANDRA, daughter of Hecuba ANDROMACHE, wife of Hector, son of Hecuba MENELAUS, king of Sparta HELEN, wife of Menelaus and the cause of the war Synopsis The play begins with the god Poseidon lamenting the fall of Troy. He describes the city's desecration. The sanctuaries of the gods are splattered with blood. King Priam is dead. The Trojan gold is being loaded into the Greek ships and the captive Trojan women await their allotted fate. As the dawn comes, the dethroned Trojan queen Hecuba awakens in the Greek camp to mourn her tragic fate and curse Helen as the cause, and the Chorus of captive Trojan women echoes her cries. The Greek herald Talthybius arrives to tell Hecuba what will befall her and her children: Hecuba herself is to be taken away as a slave of the hated Greek general Odysseus, and her daughter Cassandra is to become the conquering general Agamemnon's concubine. -
Sidney's 'Defence of Poetry', Written in 1581, and the First Important Piece of Literary Criticism in English
Trojan Suffering, Tragic Gods and Transhistorical Metaphysics The Greek, decisive confrontation with the daemonic world-order gives to tragic poetry its historico-philosophical signature. Walter Benjamin1 The Reasons for Suffering When Philip Sidney defended theatre in the first substantial example of literary criticism in the English language, his Defence of Poetry (1581), he used a story from ancient Greece to illustrate tragedy's emotive power: Plutarch yielded a notable testimony of the abominable tyrant Alexander Pheraeus; from whose eyes a tragedy, well made and represented, drew abundance of tears, who without all pity had murdered infinite numbers, and some of his own blood; so as he that was not ashamed to make matters for tragedies, yet could not resist the sweet violence of a tragedy. And if it wrought no farther good in him, it was that he, in despite of himself, withdrew himself from hearkening to that which might mollify his hardened heart.2 Sidney was struck that Alexander of Pherae, a wicked Greek tyrant of the 4th century BCE, was induced to weep by 'the sweet violence of a tragedy'. Indeed, the emotion so overpowered Alexander that he had to absent himself, for fear that his hardened heart could be made capable of pity. The tragedy which upset the tyrant was Euripides' Trojan Women, as we know from the passage in Plutarch where Sidney had found it (see below). The sufferings that Alexander could not bear to watch were those of Hecuba and 1 Andromache, women who lost their families at Troy. Trojan Women constitutes an extended lament and searing statement of the philosophical incomprehensibility of human suffering. -
Athenian Empire 478To 404B.C. Formation Of
ATHENIAN EMPIRE 478 TO 404 B.C. FORMATION OF DELIAN LEAGUE TO FALL OF ATHENS ERA SUMMARY – ATHENIAN EMPIRE In the years following the Persian War, Athens was rebuilt and the Greek navy expanded its domination of the Aegean Sea. Further naval victories over Persia resulted in the freeing of several Ionian Greek colonies from the Persian yoke and the increased prestige of Greece as a sea power. Athenian control of the Greek navy was made possible the by creation of the Delian league, a group of Greek colonies located in the Aegean Sea united for defense. Although this league was nominally a confederation, it was dominated by Athens, and eventually became the foundation of the Athenian Empire. Athens became very wealthy due both to its domination of trade in the region and also to the inflow of tribute that had to be paid to Athens in return for protection from Persia. The most important statesmen in Athens in the years immediately after the Persian War, were Cimon, son of Miltiades, and Aristides. Both were involved in the organization of the Delian league and the rebuilding of Athens, including the construction of a fortified wall around the city to protect it from future invasions. Sparta opposed the building of walled cities, lest they fall into enemy hands, but the Athenians insisted and eventually a great wall was built from Athens to the sea, wide enough to drive two Chariots abreast. During the same period, great temples and state houses were built, funded mostly from the Delian league tributes, on a scale never before seen on the continent of Europe. -
HECUBA by Euripides
HECUBA by Euripides translated by Jay Kardan and Laura-Gray Street POLYDORUS HECUBA CHORUS POLYXENA ODYSSEUS TALTHYBIUS THERAPAINA AGAMEMNON POLYMESTOR Script copyright Jay Kardan and Laura-Gray Street. Apply to the authors for performance permissions. Hecuba — translated by Kardan and Street — in Didaskalia 8 (2011) 32 POLYDORUS I come from bleakest darkness, where corpses lurk and Hades lives apart from other gods. I am Polydorus, youngest son of Hecuba and Priam. My father, worried Troy might fall to Greek offensives, sent me here, to Thrace, my mother’s father’s home and land of his friend Polymestor, who controls this rich plain of the Chersonese and its people with his spear. My father sent a large stash of gold with me, to insure that, if Ilium’s walls indeed (10) were toppled, I’d be provided for. He did all this because I was too young to wear armor, my arms too gangly to carry a lance. As long as the towers of Troy remained intact, and the stones that marked our boundaries stood upright, and my brother Hector was lucky with his spear, I thrived living here with my father’s Thracian friend, like some hapless sapling. (20) But once Troy was shattered—Hector dead, our home eviscerated, and my father himself slaughtered on Apollo’s altar by Achilles’ murderous son— then Polymester killed me. This “friend” tossed me dead into the ocean for the sake of gold, so he could keep Priam’s wealth for himself. My lifeless body washes ashore and washes back to sea with the waves’ endless ebb and flow, and remains unmourned, unburied.