The Dithyramb
• First composed by Arion of Methymna (Hdt. i.23) • A song, sung by a chorus at the Dionysia to recount the stories of the life of Dionysus. • Choregia • Bands of performers who sang and danced at various festivals, most especially that of Dionysus. • In the city they sang the Dithyramb • In the country they sang the more raucous komodia (Comedy). The Dionysia
• Instituted at Athens in 534 BC. • A celebration of the various stages of wine production • Four Dionysia at Athens: • Little (Rural) Dionysia – December, to celebrate the harvest (disputed) • Lenaea – January, to celebrate the pressing (theatrical presentations) • Anthesteria – February/ March, to open last years casks • Great Dionysia – March/ April, with the main procession and contests.
• Celebrants dressed as Dionysus, Maenads or Satyrs • The Procession: • Women (drunk, of course) carried an Ithyphallic statue • Men (drunk as well) dressed as women followed Theatre Aeschylus
• 525 – 465 BC • He claimed that it was Dionysus, appearing to him in a dream, who compelled him to write tragedy (Paus. i.21.2). • Credited as the father of modern theatre, but his first dramatic entry was in 499 BC – the city Dionysia was already well established. • Served at the Battle of Marathon in 490 • The only personal fact mentioned on his grave-stone. • Won his first Dionysia in 484. Title unknown. Aeschylus Only 7 of 70 plays extant
• 472: The Persae • 469/8: Seven Against Thebes • 459: Suppliants • Victory at the Dionysia over Sophocles. • 458; (last production) Oresteia • Agamemnon / Libation Bearers / Eumenides • Prometheus Bound • may have been composed by his son Euphorion Aeschylus, Agamemnon
• First play of the Oresteia, produced in 458 BC • Set at Mycenae, Clytemnestra awaits the return of Agamemnon from Troy • When he arrives, she lays out a purple carpet for him to walk from his chariot to the palace. Fatalism?
• The Chorus: • “Zeus, who sets mortals on the path to understanding, Zeus, who has established as a fixed law that “wisdom comes by suffering.” • “Harsh, it seems to me, is the grace of gods enthroned upon their awful seats.” (Agamemnon 179 – 80) Hubris
• [375] The penalty for reckless crime is ruin when men breathe a spirit of pride above just measure, because their mansions teem with more abundance than is good for them. But let there be such wealth as brings no distress, enough to satisfy [380] a sensible man. For riches do not protect the man who in wantonness has kicked the mighty altar of Justice into obscurity. Nemesis
• As Agamemnon enters the palace, Clytemnestra and Aegisthus kill him • Punishment for the murder of Iphigenia • Punishment for the crime of Atreus • But is it just? Does murder requite murder?
Piere-Narcisse Guerin 1817 The Death of Agamemnon Inherited Sin?
• “…an old Hubris tends to bring forth [765] in evil men, sooner or later, at the fated hour of birth, a young Hubris and that irresistible, unconquerable, unholy spirit, Recklessness, [770] and for the household black Curses, which resemble their parents.” Agamemnon Aeschylus, Libation Bearers
• Second play in the Oresteia • Orestes, son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra • Raised at Athens (or other places) • Returns 8 years later • Charged by Apollo to avenge his father • Kills Aegisthus and his own mother • Driven mad by the Furies Charles Auguste van den Berghe
Aeschylus, Eumenides
• Orestes seeks refuge at Delphi • Apollo purifies him but cannot stop the Furies • Apollo advises Orestes to find justice with Athena • Orestes is pursued to Athens • Seeks sanctuary on the Hill of Ares, the Areopagus Eumenides
• The Trial: • Athena acts as judge • Appoints a jury of elders • The Furies prosecute… Apollo defends • Orestes acquitted • Athena: • Orders the Furies to become the Eumenides • The Areopagus to be a court of justice • Sophocles • Electra: The sister of Orestes • Ajax: Another revenge story • Euripides • Andromache: The captivity of the wife of Hector • Electra: The killing of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus • Hecuba: The wife of Priam – revenge again. • Helen: • Heraclidae: • Orestes: • Trojan Women: All about sins against women. Blood Feud
• Family members obligated to avenge the death of kin. • Vendetta • Retribution came either by death or compensation • Blood money • Wergild • See ‘The Shield of Achilles’ Iliad 18. 478 – 608. • No system of state prosecution or state sanctioned punishment Heraclidae
• 80 years after Troy (ca. 1104 BC) • Sons of Heracles seek sanctuary at Marathon • Pursued by officers of Eurystheus • Demophon, son of Theseus, protects the Heraclidae • Eurystheus captured and executed Heracles Polynices
4 generations 4 generations
Arsitodemus = Argeia
• Aristodemus was one of the Heraclidae who fought Eurystheus at Marathon Arsitodemus = Argeia
Eurysthenes Procles
• The two royal families of Sparta are descendants of the two houses of Eurysthenes and Procles. The Heraclidae
Agiad: Eurypontid: • Eurysthenes • Procles • 3 kings • 12 kings • Eunomus – Lycurgus • Leon [590- 560] • 8 kings? • Anaxandrides [560-520] • Ariston [550 – 515] • Cleomenes [520 – 490] • Demaratus [515 – 491]