The Glorification of Athens in Greek Drama

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THE

IK GKLEK DnA?'

by erroair) UTlU B u tts

A d i s s e r t a t i o n subm it te d i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f th e re q u ire m e n ts f o r th e d e g re e o f D o cto r o f P h ilo s o p h y , i n th e D epartm ent o f C l a s s i c a l la n g u a g e s , i n th e G rad u ate C o lle g e o f th e S t a t e U n iv e r s ity o f Iowa ti&y, 1942

ProQuest Number: 10831755

All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is d e p e n d e n t upon the quality of the copy subm itted. In the unlikely e v e n t that the a u thor did not send a c o m p le te m anuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if m aterial had to be rem oved, a n o te will ind ica te the deletion.

uest ProQuest 10831755 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). C opyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C o d e M icroform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 4 8 1 0 6 - 1346

7~ / j? * £ 735>&

PREFACE

The s u b j e c t o f t h i s d i s s e r t a t i o n was s u g g e s te d to me by P r o f e s s o r lioy C. F l i c k l n g e r , Head o f th e D epartm ent o f C l a s s i c a l L anguages o f th e S t a t e U n iv e rs ity o f Iowa*

H is s u g g e s tio n s

h a v e a id e d me i n c o m p letin g t h i s w ork; h e , how­ e v e r , i s i n no way r e s p o n s ib le f o r any o p in io n s o r e r r o r s h e r e i n ex p re ssed *

To P r o f e s s o r F l i c k l n g e r , my t e a c h e r , c o lle a g u e , and p e r s o n a l f r i e n d , I sh o u ld l i k e to e x p re s s my h e a r t f e l t a p p r e c i a ti o n f o r h i s a s s i s t ­ a n c e , exam ple, en co u rag em en t, and i n s p i r a t i o n

Class

140Cl >942

HERTZ

/.

th ro u g h o u t my g r a d u a te work and te a c h in g c a re e r*

H. R* B u tts

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

C h a p te r

I

C h a p te r

II

A eschylus

17

C h a p te r I I I

S o p h o cles

88

C h a p te r

IV

E u rip id e s

164

C h a p te r

V

A ris to p h a n e s

300

C h a p te r

VI

Some P a r a l l e l s

370

C o n c lu sio n

382

B ib lio g ra p h y

391

C h a p te r V II

I n tr o d u c t io n

4

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION The pro b lem s c o n n e c te d w ith th e p a s s a g e s I n th e e x ta n t G reek d r a m s w hich p r a i s e and g l o r l f y A thens a r e w e ll known an d hav e been d is c u s s e d by th e e d i t o r s , common•a;

t a t o r s , and s t u d e n ts o f th e drama th ro u g h o u t th e y e a rs o f s c h o la r s h ip *

T h is s tu d y aim s t o a ssem b le th e p a s s a g e s from

th e dram as th e m se lv e s and th e o p in io n s o f th e c r i t i c s on th e s e p a s s a g e s i n o r d e r to form a d e f i n i t e id e a o f th e p o e ts* m o tiv e i n I n tr o d u c in g su c h p a ssa g e s* The s u s c e p t i b i l i t y o f th e A th e n ia n s to th e p r a i s e o f t h e i r c i t y may be I l l u s t r a t e d by t h e i r r e a c t i o n to a la u d a to r y d ith y ra m b composed by P in d a r , o f w hich o n ly t h i s frag m e n t h a s b e e n p r e s e r v e d :*

T at Xixopat x a i ickn4f«vo$ x at d o fd tp o t, ‘EAXdeo* fp e ta p a , x le iv a t *A8av«i, daipdviov ircoAteepov. These w ords, a lth o u g h d i s p l e a s i n g t o th e p o e t* s f e l l o w c i t i s e n s a t T h eb es, w ere so g r a t i f y i n g t o th e p r a i s e - l o v i n g A th e n ia n s t h a t th e y rew ard ed him s u b s t a n t i a l l y , a s t o l d i n

*Cf * G* K* Bowra, P in d a r i C arm ina: P re s s (1 9 3 5 ), F rag* 64* 4

O x fo rd , C laren d o n

s e v e r a l somewhat c o n t r a d i c t o r y a n e c d o te s* ^

fphe young comic

p o e t A ris to p h a n e s c h id e d th e A th e n ia n s f o r t h e i r r e s p o n s iv e ­ n e s s to f l a t t e r y o f t h e i r c i t y , u s in g a s exam ples th e same words o f f l a t t e r y a s P in d a r had u s e d i n t h e d ith y ra m b J u s t c i t e d , when th e c h o ru s o f th e A c h a rn ia n s (v ss* 6 3 6 -4 0 )® th u s r i d i c u l e s i t s a u d ie n c e s

Updrepov 6* dp3* &%&

xdXe&v o t xpSoSei* igm tsm hnt*

xptfcov t&lv tooveipdvoo* ixdAoov* xdxeidfj voo'td t i * efsot ebetv did toOv orewdvoe* t * ' 5xp*>v tSv sertUtov fcxdfrooee t l 6i

dpi* dftetttnsdoas Xtxopd* xeOAoeiev 'Ae^va*,

U$pt*o iclv Iv dift *1* Xivopdv, d*dwv Tipf)v xepid^as* I t sh o u ld be n o te d t h a t A ris to p h a n e s p o i n ts o u t t h a t th e s e w ords r e s u l t e d i n m a t e r i a l re w a rd s , T}t!fpeTQ xav I v , " a t any p r i c e . 1* A r i s t o t l e * r e p r e s e n t s S o c r a te s a s s a y in g : 06 yaXexdv 2F o r exam ple, F* B la s s , I s o c r a t l s O r a tlo n e a : L e ip z ig , B* 0 . T eubner (1 8 9 5 ), Hepl 'kVTibooi& k 1 6 6 , i s th e a u t h o r i t y f o r th e in f o rm a tio n t h a t th e A th e n ia n s made him a sp« C ra ig , "The I n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f A eschylus* P e r s a e ," C la s s . R ev. XXXVIII (1 9 2 4 ), 9 8 -1 0 1 , e s p e c i a l l y 101*

^ C f * M a rs h a ll M acG regor, S tu d ie s and D iv e rs io n s i n Greek L i t e r a t u r e s London, Edward A rnold” and So. (I937TT 20 and 33; c f . a l s o Schmid 207s " . . . f r e i von jedem chau­ v i n i s m s •"

28

b o rn d r a i'ia tis t o f su b lim e we n iu s * tt

n io m fie ld ~ went

f a r t h e r th a n o t h e r c r i t i c s i n e s tim a tin g A e s c h y lu s 1 aim when he rem arked: K ecesse e s t autem q u id q u id c i r c a i s t u d tempus P e r s is a c c i d e r a t , A th e n ie n s ib u s p ro b e c o g n itu n f u i s s e . P o rro i p s a m a te r ie s adeo g r a v is e r a t &c s u b l i a i i s , u t a b h i s t o r i a e v e rifc a te v e l la tu m un­ g u es d isc ed © re f a c in u s f u i s s e t , p r a e s e r tir a quura n i h i l e x e o g i t a r i p o s s e t , quo m agis h o r io r if ic e l a u d a r e n t u r A th e n ie n s e s , quam s i q u is r e s , ab i i s i n I s t o b e l l o g e s t a e , s i m p l i c i t e r e t s i n e fu c o n a r r a r e t * K agnopere v e ro m iro r cuiquem (W ieland* i n Prooem io ad suam Persarum v e rsio n em e d i t an in Euseo A t t i c o , L ips* 1802) in m enten v e n is s e , A eschylo p ro p o situ rn f u i s s e u t o s te n d e r e t cl&dem Persarum ortam e s s e e M inia eorum f i b u c i a e t g u p e rb ia , a d i i s m e rito c a s t i g a t i s * b ih il ta le e o g ita r& t p o e ta , q u i nullum aliu m s i b i finem p r o p o s u e r a t, quam u t a v id a e A thenian siuia s oxSveo p.ep-v'np.^vos, and th e chorus o f e ld e r s th e n u t t e r s a n a p p r o p r ia te e p i t h e t a s I t c r i e s (vs# 2 8 6 ): 2

x oyval y* 'A ea v ai

U ncom plim entary?

6

a fo :s .

Ko* b u t r a t h e r most p le a s in g to th e

a u d ie n c e to l e a r n t h a t i t s m i l i t a r y m ig h t made i t h a te d by I t s enem ies#

When more o f th e d e s t r u c t i o n o f X e rx e s 1

s u p e r io r f l e e t h a s been re c o u n te d oxdv feort x a l to o flrro v o s ©epctfcfs*

2

s d e l Xfav As i s n a t u r a l ,

S o p h o cles c a r e f u l l y worked an a l l u s i o n t o t h i s i n t o h i s p la y ; b u t t h e r e may be some d o u b t a s to th e a c c u ra c y w ith Y/hich he acco m p lish ed t h is *

T r a d itio n does n o t re c o r d

o c c u rre n c e s o f t h i s humane a c t b e fo re th e d ra m a tic d a te o f t h i s p la y ; th e two best-know n I n c id e n ts were th e b u r i a l o f th e A rg lv es who had a id e d th e cau se o f P o ly n ic e s i n a tte m p t­ in g to r e g a in th e hegemony o f Thebes from h i s b r o t h e r E te o c le s , as a llu d e d to I n th e Oedipus a t Colonus (th e s u b je c t o f E u r ip id e s ’ S u p p lia n ts ), and th e p r o t e c t i o n o f th e c h il d r e n o f H e ra c le s a g a in s t th e A rglve E u ry sth eu s by Demophon, T h e s e u s’ son ( th e s u b je c t o f E u r ip id e s ’ C h ild re n o f H e r a c le s )*

I t m ust be to th e s e I n c i d e n ts , th o u g h , t h a t

Oedipus r e f e r r e d a t vss* 2 5 8 -6 2 , o r a t l e a s t I t would be o f th e s e I n c id e n ts t h a t th e c i t i z e n s would th in k a s they h e a rd th e s e l i n e s s p o k e n * ^ tw ic e :

Here T heseus p la y s t h i s p a r t

f i r s t , when he r e c e iv e s O edipus, and se c o n d , when

he p r o t e c t s him a g a in s t Creon*

» C f . th e comments o f th e e d i t o r s to th e s e l i n e s , e . g . W under-W ecklein, S chneldew in-K auok, and Jebb*

112 Cam pbell (n* ad v s . 67) f e l t t h a t

x 6 Xeo6 o%

(vs* 67) was n o t a p p li c a b l e to th e tim e when C olonus had become a su b u rb o f A th e n s, b u t i t i s c o n c e iv a b le t h a t t h i s i n c i d e n t a s h e re r e l a t e d may have happened e a r l y In T h e se u s’ r e i g n , when he had j u s t u n ite d th e demes*

But

i n th e famous ode Schneidew in-B auck (n* ad v s , 696) p o in te d o u t a t r u e an ach ro n ism In th e m ention o f Pelops* g r e a t D o rian i s l e (vs* 695) and a g a in in P o ly n ic e s ’ s t a t e ­ ment t h a t h e h a d m a rrie d A d ra stu s * d a u g h te r when he went to D o rian Argos (vs* 1301)*

How th e D o rian s d id n o t i n ­

vade G re e c e , a c c o rd in g to t r a d i t i o n , u n t i l a f t e r th e T ro ja n w ar ( t r a d i t i o n a l d a te o f D o rian in v a s io n 1104 B. C .) . In l i n e w ith t h i s Cam pbell (n* ad lo c * ) i n t e r p r e t e d vss* 694 f • o f th e C olonus ode to mean t h a t A sia and th e P eloponnesus w ere " th e two r i v a l s o f A th e n ia n g r e a t n e s s ," b u t , in my o p in io n , t h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n I s p o s s ib ly n o t c o rre c t*

A s ia , th e P elo p o n n o su s, and th e t e r r i t o r y s u r ­

rounding A t t ic a would c o n s t i t u t e " th e w orld" in T h e se u s 1 a g e , w h ich , I b e l i e v e , S ophocles m eant to im p ly . But c e r t a i n l y S ophocles m ust have "nodded" a t v s . 1066 when h e sp eak s o f th e A th e n ia n s a s $e»v& 61 0T)oei6av &xpd

C am pbell, n . ad l o c . ) , w hich Jeb b

c le v e r l y t r a n s l a t e d " th e f o llo w e rs o f Theseus a r e t e r r i b l e in t h e i r m ight" - t h a t , how ever, i s n o t th e r e g u l a r , o r

113 c o r r e c t , c o n n o ta tio n o f ©rjae 1 6 a v •

H a r r i s o n ^ was c o r r e c t

when she s a i d " a chance p o e t concerned to g l o r i f y th e h e ro may c a l l th e A th e n ia n s ’T h e s e id a e . ’ " F o r th e p o e t ’s tre a tm e n t o f T h eb es, s e e s e c t i o n V.

I t s h o u ld be s a i d h e re f o r c o n ti n u i ty o f th o u g h t,

how ever, t h a t th e tr e a tm e n t i s a s w e ll a d a p te d to h i s own tim es a s to th e d ra m a tic d a te o f th e p l a y . I t i s d i f f i c u l t to a f f i r m wnat i s th e e x a c t s t a t u s o f th e governm ent o f Colonus when Oedipus a r r i v e s a t th e s h r in e o f th e Humonidcs. "Apxei T fs afrrSv, 9\ 'x t

To h i s q u e s tio n ( v s .

6 6

rcX^Gei X6 y o s;

th e s t r a n g e r r e p l i e s ( v s . 67) 'E x

to o

xaT '

& jto

p a a iX & o s T d 6 * a p x e x a i .

Tho I n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f Jebb ( I I , 22 i ' . , who th o u g h t t h a t i t i s a ls o a b so rb ed i n t o th e c i t y ) and Cam pbell ( I , 279 and ii. ad v s . 67, who th in k s t h a t "S o p h o cles h as s t r i v e n to c a r r y th e s p e c t a t o r s back to a tim e , n o t only b e fo re th e i n s t i t u t i o n o f dem ocracy, but b e fo re th o demes o f A t tic a were f i r m l y u n ite d i n to one o p p o s ite .

a re d ir e c tly

But t h e r e i s no doubt t h a t th e ch o ru s i s con­

ceiv ed as tr u e c i t i z e n s , f o r Croon a d d re s s e s th e n as fctiyeveTs ( v s . 7 2 8 , where T i n s l e y ^ commented: 7t/i *Ci. Ja n e a l i e n H a r r is o n , Them is: U n iv e rs ity P re s s (1 9 2 7 ), 317.

S ic onnes

C am bridge,

^ G f • P e t e r E lm sle y , S o p h o c lis Oedipus C o lo n eu s: L e ip z ig , Hartmann (1 8 2 4 ).

)

114 lib ri:

s a t i s Goo'ieuTixGs ad v o lu n ta te m c o n c ilia n d a m

A theniansium ) and when O edipus makes h i s answ er to h i s b r o t h e r - i n - la w , h e sa y s t h a t he h as been a c c e p te d by a 6 \ i v x a l y€vos t

6

itav ( " in te n d e d t o move th e a u d ie n c e ,"

C am pbell, n . ad vs* 7 7 3 ),

w hich would im ply t h a t th e

p e o p le had a v o ic e i n th e go v ern m en t. A thens and C olonus a r e f r e q u e n t l y one I n t h i s p la y .

On th e o t h e r hand t h e r e a ro many d i s t i n c t l o c a l

refe ren c es.

The s t r a n g e r to whom A n tig o n e and

f i r s t ta lk t e l l s

( v s s . 42 f . ) O edipus t h a t th e

Oedipus g o d d e sse s

w orshiped In t h a t p la c e w ere c a l l e d E6 p e v t 6 es b u t e l s e ­ where by o t h e r nam es.

H a rris o n (Myth, and Mon. 253)

has c l e a r l y shown t h a t t h i s was th e t i t l e o f th e s e god­ d e s s e s h e r e , I . e . a t C o lo n u s, and a t S ic y o n , b u t n o t a t A thens.

The ch o ru s g iv e s Oedipus and h i s d a u g h te rs

d e t a i l e d i n s t r u c t i o n s a t v s s . 469-92 f o r p e rfo rm in g th e w in e le ss s a c r i f i c e s to th e s e g o d d e s s e s , d o u b tle s s in s t r i c t a c c o rd w ith l o c a l t r a d i t i o n .

In h i s f u r t h e r

acco u n t o f th e p la c e th e s t r a n g e r p o in ts o u t ( v s s . 62 f . ) th a t th e s e p la c e s a r e n o t renowned b u t known to th e su rro u n d in g c o u n try (w hich I I n t e r p r e t to be ta k e n by th e a u d ie n c e a s a com plim ent by c o n t r a s t ) .

A gain a t v s .

1596 Jebb (n . ad l o c . ) , fo llo w in g th e s c h o l i a s t , saw lo c a l s i g n i f i c a n c e i n th e l o c a l e g iv e n by th e m essenger in h i s a c c o u n t o f Oedipus* p r e p a r a tI o n f o r d e a th .

115 I t I s im p o s s ib le to d e c id e e x a c tly what i s m eant by th e r e f e r e n c e to th e Eum olpidae a t vs* 1053* Cf* H a r r is o n , P ro le g * 553 f * , f o r an I n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h i s r e f e r e n c e , w hich may h o ld th e k e y .

P erh ap s t h i s

i s a n o th e r exam ple o f vague t r e a tm e n t, which was in te n d ­ ed t o rem ind th e a u d ie n c e o f t h e i r b elo v e d m y s te rie s which th e y h a d won th ro u g h th e c o n te s t o f E re c h th e u s and Eumolpus b u t w ith o u t im p ly in g more* The p o e t h as c l e a r l y made u se o f two te c h n iq u e s which a r e n o te d e lse w h e re i n h i s p la y s to h o ld th e a t ­ t e n t i o n o f h i s a u d ie n c e and g r a t i f y c e r t a i n p l e a s u r a b le e x p e c ta tio n s *

One i s th e u se o f f o r e n s ic d is c u s s io n s *

In t h i s p la y he h as employed two su c h a l t e r c a t i o n s , one betw een O edipus and Creon I n to w hich T heseus e n te r s l a t e r (vss* 728-1048) and a n o th e r betw een O edipus end h i s so n P o ly n ic e s , i n which A ntigone p a r t i c i p a t e s a t tim es (vss* 1 2 5 4 -1 4 4 6 ).

The o t h e r I s th e r o l l o f geo­

g r a p h ic a l nam es, s i m i l a r to th o s e u sed by A eschylus In th e P ro m eth eu s*

H ere t h i s l i s t I s s l i g h t , co m p risin g

o n ly th o s e who s to o d b e fo re Thebes ( v s s . 1315-22) b u t th e words would hav e f a l l e n on welcome e a r s . Two exam ples o f vag u en ess o f tr e a tm e n t have been m entioned.

T h is was d o u b tle s s in te n d e d by th e p o e t along

w ith a n o th e r vague p r e s e n t a t i o n - th e tomb o f Oedipus* This i s shrouded in g r e a t m y ste ry .

Jebb (p . x x v i) i s

116 d o u b tle s s c o r r e c t i n s a y in g t h a t S o p h o cles m ere ly u t i ­ l i s e d a l o c a l myth which h e found a lr e a d y e x i s t i n g , h a rm o n izin g i t w ith th e O edlpua th e K ing,

P ut t r a d i t i o n

p la c e d Oedipus* g ra v e a t th e A reopagus a s w e ll as a t Colonus*

H a rris o n ( P r o le g * 254) s u g g e s te d t h a t th e p o e t

b ro u g h t O edipus to C olonus r a t h e r th a n to th e A reopagus b ecau se th e ttl o c a l a t t r i b u t i v e t i t l e o f th e g o d d e sse s (1* e . Sum enidos) a t C olonus s u i t e d th e g e n e r a l m oral o f t h i s p l a y . n36

j n a d d it i o n to th e s e two t r a d i t i o n s a t

Athens t h e r e w ere t r a d i t i o n s o u t s i d e th e c ity *

Ilia d

X X III, 679 f* Im p lie s t h a t O edipus was b u r ie d a t Thebes* From h i s knowledge o f t h i s p a ssa g e P a u sa n ia s ( I , x x v i i i , 7) was u n w illin g to a c c e p t e i t h e r S ophocles* s ta te m e n t o r th e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f th e g ra v e a t A thens w ith in th e e n c lo su re o f th e A reopagus and so u g h t f a r t h e r .

On In ­

q u iry , how ever, h e found t h a t th e bones o f O edipus had been b ro u g h t from T hebes.

V e rra ll® ? i n t e r p r e t e d A eschy­

lu s* s ta te m e n t in th e Seven to be i n a c c o rd w ith B o e o tia n t r a d i t i o n when h e commented;

wThe a l l u s i o n h e re t h e r e f o r e

^ C f. a ls o h e r Myth* and Itlon* 5 6 4 , f o r a re a s o n f o r two v e r s io n s o f h i s g ra v e , a n d u f * a ls o F r a z e r , P a u sa n ia s I I , 367, f o r an e n t i r e l y o p p o s ite v e r s i o n . The o p in io n o f A rth u r B ernard Cook, Z eu s: C am bridge, U n iv e r s ity P re ss (3 v o l s . , 1 9 1 4 -4 0 ), I I , i i , 1154 f . a b o u t h i s m eta­ m orphosis I n to a sn ak e i s i n t e r e s t i n g when i t i s remem­ b ered t h a t Erechfcheus was a ls o a sn a k e . 37Cf . A. V e r r a l l , The Seven /igajjqgt Thebes o f A esc h y lu s: London, E a c m illa n and Co. (1& 87), n . ad v s . $95.

117 f o llo w s a u t h o r i t y :

b u t i t i s a c u rio u s I l l u s t r a t i o n o f

th e freedom w ith w hich th e s e q u a a i - h i s t o r i c a l le g e n d s w ere t r e a t e d , t h a t A eschylus

w r itin g f o r a n A th e n ia n

a u d ie n c e sh o u ld ig n o re a s t o r y which i n S o p h o cles grew i n t o som ething o f deep n a t i o n a l im p o r ta n c e .1*

The s c h o l i ­

a s t to v s . 91 o f th e O edipus a t Colonus g iv e s s t i l l a n o th e r t r a d i t i o n , h i s rem oval to and b u r i a l a t L te o n u a. These o t h e r t r a d i t i o n s need n o t c o n ce rn u s h e r e , how ever; i t i s s u f f i c i e n t to s a y t h a t w ith p a t r i o t i c f e r v o r S ophocles a c c e p te d th e t r a d i t i o n t h a t s u i t e d b o th h i s p la y and h i s a u d ie n c e , th e A th e n ia n t r a d i t i o n .

But h e re

a g a in he seem in g ly needed to make a c h o ic e betw een pur© A thenian t r a d i t i o n and th e t r a d i t i o n o f C olonus, h i s n a tiv e dome.

A tte m p ts38 have been made to harm onize th e

acco u n t o f S op h o cles and p la c e th e tomb a t A thens o r C olonus.

Wordsworth®^ lo n g ago saw th o c o r r e c t i n t e r ­

p re ta tio n o f th is d i f f i c u l t y .

He e x p la in e d t h a t by im­

p l i c a t i o n th e p o e t seems to p o in t t o th e v i c i n i t y o f th e A c ro p o lis a t A thens and so endeavored wto s a t i s f y th e p o p u la r b e l i e f o f th o s e who clung to th e o p in io n t h a t th e body o f O edipus l a y i n t e r r e d i n t h a t s i t e . 11

But on th e

o th e r hand h e was n o t " f a i t h l e s s ” to h i s own v i l l a g e , f o r

®8C f. Je b b I I , x x v i-x x x iv ( I n tr o d u c tio n ) and H ar­ r i s o n , Myth, and Mon. 563 f . ®^Cf . C h r is to p h e r W ordsw orth, A thens and A ttic a ® : London, J . M urray (1 8 5 5 ), 203 f .

118 when A ntigone q u e s tio n e d T heseus a b o u t th e l o c a l e o f th e torab, he was u n a b le to d iv u lg e t h a t s e c r e t - b u t when l a s t se e n O edipus was s t i l l l in g e r in g a t Colonus*

"The

im p re ss io n t h e r e f o r e m ight s t i l l rem ain on t h e i r minds t h a t he i s y e t t h e r e . f a c t i s g i v e n .”

Ko e x p l i c i t c o n t r a d i t i o n o f t h a t

Thus S ophocles p erfo rm ed h i s p a t r i o t i c

d u ty to b o th and (p erh a p s u s in g a te c h n iq u e borrow ed from E u rip id e s i n h i s j t l c e s t l s ) p le a s e d a l l h i s a u d ie n c e by " le a v in g th e s e c r e t u n t o l d , ” as Cook (o p . c i t . 1155) s u g g e s ts . To answ er th e q u e s tio n o f Sophocles* m otive i n w r itin g t h i s p l a y , i t se e n s s u f f i c i e n t t o say t h a t by an achronism , v a g u en ess o f tr e a tm e n t, and im p lic a tio n he seemed to have been sa y in g to h i s a u d ie n c e t h a t h e re I s a p la y w r i t te n f o r A th e n ia n s and t h e i r c ity * we have h e r e , as

S h o r e y ^ O

In a word

w e ll e x p re ss e d i t ,

. . . th e b e a u ty o f Greek and A th e n ia n p a t r i o t i s m , p e r s o n i f i e d in T heseus and e x p re ss e d in h is sp e ec h es and In th e words o f th e ch o ru s to O edipus: F e a r n o t ; o u r k in g s h a l l sa v e th e e ; i f I am o ld The m ight o f t h i s f r e e la n d i s e v e r young. Sophocles m ust have known t h a t w ith such words Im p rin te d upon t h e i r m inds, th e c o n sc io u s n e ss o f t h e i r p a s t g lo ry renew ed, n o t o n ly would th e y o u th and o ld manhood o f th e

^ G f . P a u l S h o re y , "S o p h o c le s ," apud M artin C l a s s i c a l L e c tu re s ; C am bridge. M a ss., H arvard T Jnive'rsIty P r e s s » rro ra rr, 77.

119 la n d go f o r t h from th e t h e a t e r w ith a renew ed c o u ra g e and d e te r m in a tio n to f i g h t to th e end i n th e l i f e - a n d d e a th s t r u g g l e o f h i s n a t i v e c i t y , b u t a l s o in ju d g in g such a p la y th e v e r d i c t would n o t be o t h e r th a n t h a t a s a c i t i z e n h e had done w e ll i n g l o r i f y i n g h i s c o u n try and had g iv e n to i t h i s g r e a t e s t g i f t .

But th e p la y was n o t

p re s e n te d b e fo r e th e p la y w rig h t d i e d .

The c i t y had .

f a l l e n ; and when i t was f i n a l l y se e n in th e t h e a t e r o f D ionysus, a g ra v e b u rd en hung upon th e h e a r t o f ev ery A th en ian a s h e r e a l i z e d h i s c o u n tr y ’s fo rm er g r e a tn e s s and th e d e f e a t to w hich sh e had f a l l e n .

They m u st,

how ever, have g iv e n posthum ous p r a i s e to t h e i r son as th e y saw t h i s g r e a t p a n e g y ric i n b e h a lf o f A th en a’ s c i t y and h e a rd th e ohorus c h a n t i t s paean o f g lo ry to th e g ra n d e u r which s t i l l rem a in e d .

The ju d g es m ust have f e l t

t h a t t h i s was th e p la y to w hich f i r s t p la c e sh o u ld be g iv en b ecau se i t s a u th o r had s tre n g th e n e d t h e i r w avering f a i t h a t t h i s c r u c i a l moment in t h e i r h i s t o r y .

So i t

may be s a i d t h a t S o p h o c le s, th e t r u e p a t r i o t , gave to h is c o u n try a t th e end o f h i s long l i f e a c a l l to d u ty In h e r tim e o f g r e a t e s t need - h i s o n ly p o s s i b l e , y e t most f i t t i n g s e r v i c e to A th en s; she In t u r n made him h e r chosen p o e t .

120 h.

F ragm ents

S o p h o cles f r e q u e n t l y chose an A t t i c le g e n d f o r h i s p l o t s , as I s shown from th e f r a g m e n ts .

A lthough o n ly

e ig h t t i t l e s o f p la y s which d e a l d i r e c t l y w ith P t t l o s u b je c ts and le g e n d have come down to modern tim e s , t h i s does n o t mean t h a t th e s e a lo n e r e l a t e d to A th e n s, f o r in th e p la y j u s t d is c u s s e d th e theme and s p i r i t o f th e whole i s A ttic * P e a r s o n ^ k &s w e ll sum m arised th e ev id e n ce o f th e fra g m e n ts on th e s u b j e c t o f A t t i c legends C©crops th e e a r th - b o r n was th e e a r l i e s t f i g u r e i n th e m y th ic a l seq u en ce o f th e A th e n ia n kings* The A t t i c le g e n d s were f a v o u r i t e s u b j e c t s w ith S op h o cles and E u r ip id e s , and h e re i f anywhere th e y were in d e b te d to l o c a l t r a d i t i o n s a t l e a s t a s much a s to l i t e r a r y m odels* No doubt th e o u t l i n e s o f th e c h ie f s t o r i e s had been f i x e d by p re v io u s w rite rs « • • He th e n l i s t s th e fo llo w in g a s A t t ic p la y s :

T ereus

(Frags* 5 8 1 -9 5 ), F r o c r ls (Frag* 5 3 3 ), C reusa (F ra g s . 3505 9 ), w hich may be th e same a s Ion (Frags* 319-22)» Aegeus (F ra g s. 1 9 - 2 5 ) , T heseus (Frag* 2 4 6 ), and P haedra (F ra g s . 6 7 7 -9 3 ).

I t i s s t r a n g e t h a t he d id n o t In c lu d e th e

T rip to lem u s (F ra g s . 596-617) i n h i s l i s t , f o r t h i s must have been o f d i r e c t A t t i c s i g n i f i c a n c e .

The o p in io n o f

Schmid (g iv e n on p* 8 9 , above) t h a t t h i s was h i s e a r l i e s t

^ C f * h i s F ragm ents I , xxx ( I n t r o d u c t io n ) ; th e number­ ing o f h i s e d i t i o n i s u se d h e r e . C f. a ls o Schmid 451.

121 p la y h a s been a c c e p te d a lr e a d y I n t i l l s stu d y #

P e a rso n

h im s e lf ( I I , 240-43) seems to im ply some c o n n e c tio n w ith A thens b u t h e does n o t in c lu d e i t h e re #

B a te s ’ comment

(S ophocles 275 f . ) on t h e px*obable h a n d lin g o f th e theme o f t h i s i s d o u b tle s s c o r r e c t :

"T here would a p p e a r to be

l i t t l e m a t e r i a l h e re f o r a t r a g i c p l o t ; b u t th e p o e t would have a good o p p o r tu n ity to g l o r i f y A t t i c a a s th e la n d from w hich knowledge o f th e c u l t i v a t i o n o f th e s o i l sp re a d t o o t h e r c o u n t r i e s .

11

F rags* 323-27 a re a t t r i b u t e d to th e Ken o f Camicus*

I t was C am icus, i t w i l l be rem em bered, where

D aedalus a li g h t e d a f t e r h i s f l i g h t frora th e p r is o n o f Minos*

Kow D aedalus i s som etim es c o n sid e re d to havo been

an A th e n ia n ^ ana I t would have been in k eeping w ith A thenian t r a d i t i o n to cla im an in v e n to r among th e e a r ly d w e lle rs o f A th e n s. 'AGrjvafttv xdyois*

Frag* 323 r e f e r s to xXeivoT* T h is p la y may have In c lu d e d A t t ic

t r a d i t i o n and le g e n d . B e fo re le a v in g th e d is c u s s io n o f th e frag m e n ts i t sh o u ld be m en tio n ed t h a t th e d is c o v e ry o f rem ains o f T ra c k e rs (Frags* 314-18) gave modern s c h o la r s a new i n s i g h t I n to th e d ra m a tic te c h n iq u e o f S o p h o c le s.

^ 2 C f. P a u s a n ia s I , 21, 4 and H. I . Rose, H yglnl F a b u la e : L eyden, A. V. S i j t h o f f (1 9 3 4 ), F a b u la e XXXIX, "6 CXLIV, and CCLXXIV a s w e ll a s o t h e r a cc o u n ts*

122 W hereas i t had been assumed by some t h a t S o p h o c les would n o t s to o p to b ro ad humor i n com posing h i s s a t y r p l a y s , th e s e fra g m e n ts show t h a t th e p o e t c o u ld , and d i d , lo w e r h is l o f t y m ethods o f c o m p o s itio n i n o r d e r t o amuse h i s a u d ie n c e .

Here a g a in h e made in n o v a tio n s in th e t r a d i -

t i o n a l myths . B ecause o f i n s u f f i c i e n t in fo r m a tio n i t i s im­ p o s s ib le to make g e n e r a l i z a t i o n s a b o u t th e p l o t s o f l o s t p la y s .

Rut from th e e x ta n t p la y s and th e s e fra g m e n ts i t

i s a plausJ-bl© a ssu m p tio n t h a t i n com posing o t h e r p la y s th e g l o r i f i c a t i o n o f A thens was n o t n e g le c te d by S o p h o c le s.

11

The t r i l o g i c ( o r t e t r a l o g i c ) sy stem o f com­ p o s i t io n was abandoned by S o p h o c le s, a c c o rd in g to S u i d a s . ^ A lthough t h i s le x ic o g r a p h e r ’s s ta te m e n t i s open to q u e s tio n and t h e r e i s i n s u f f i c i e n t e v id e n c e to make a d e f i n i t e s ta te m e n t on e i t h e r s i d e , i t I s p ro b a b le t h a t Sophocles composed o n ly a few , i f an y , t r i l o g i e s ; how ever, he d o u b tle s s e x h ib ite d h i s p la y s i n groups b u t w ith d i s u n i te d th em es. 43

Mere i s se en a n o th e r e v id e n c e

C f. B a te s , S op h o cles 217 f . , f o r a d is c u s s io n o f th e s e c h a n g e s. 44 C f. Ada A d le r, S u id ae L e x ic o n : L e ip z ig , 8 . S . Teubner (5 v o l s . , 1 9 2 8 -3 8 ), s . v . Zo