Post on 18-Jan-2016
transcript
The Eumenides
Acropolis and Environs
Areopagus
Areopagus
The Eumenides
• Dramatis personæ– Orestes
– Clytemnestra (ghost)
– The Pythia
– Apollo
– Athena
– Chorus 1: Eumenides
– Chorus 2: Athenian women
• Setting– 1: The temple of Apollo
at Delphi– 2: The acropolis at
Athens
• The Plot– Athena and an Athenian
court exonerate Orestes and give the Eumenides a new divine role.
The Eumenides: Plot
– I. At the temple of Apollo in Delphi (1-234)• A. The Pythia’s speech (1-63)
– 1. Before entering temple (1-33)
» a. History of prophecy at Delphi / Prayer to Apollo and Zeus (1-19)
» b. Prayer to Athena, Dionysus, springs, Poseidon, Zeus again (20-31)
» c. She enters the temple (32-33)
– 2. After entering temple (34-63)
» a. She describes her horror (34-38)
» b. She retells what she saw (39-59)
» c. She calls upon Apollo (61-64)
Red-Figure Krater 1
Red-Figure Krater 2
Red-Figure Krater 3
The Eumenides: Plot (cont.)
• B. Apollo’s speech (64-93)– 1. He will defend Orestes (64-66)
– 2. He has lulled the Eumenides to sleep (66-68)
– 3. He describes the Eumenides (67-73)
– 4. He tells Orestes to seek sanctuary at Athena’s temple in Athens (74-80)
– 5. Foretells the trial and Orestes’ acquittal (81-83)
– 6. Declares that he did indeed order Orestes to murder Clytemnestra (84)
– 7. Interruption: Orestes begs Apollo for further aid (85-87)
– 8. Apollo asks Hermes to accompany Orestes to Athens; invokes Zeus Xenios (88-93)
The Eumenides: Plot (cont.)
• C. Clytemnestra wakes the chorus (94-139)– 1. She is dishonored for her murder among the dead, but
Orestes has gone free (94-105)– 2. She reminds the Eumenides of her sacrifices and their
duty (106-116)– 3. She awakens them (117-139)
• D. 1st Stasimon: the Eumenides sing of their shame and disgust at Apollo (140-177)
– 1. They rouse themselves (140-142)– 2. Their shame at falling asleep... (143-148)– 3. …turns to anger at Apollo, a young god who has unjustly
used force against senior citizens (149-154)
The Eumenides: Plot (cont.)
– 4. They are driven on by the foul murder of Clytemnestra (155-161)
– 5. Zeus’ generation rules by force, not by right (162-167)
– 6. Apollo has sullied himself and his shrine (169-172)
– 7. They vow to fight on (175-178)
• E. Apollo appears and argues with the Eumenides (179-234)
– 1. Apollo orders them away, threatening and abusing them (179-197)
– 2. Stichomythia: Eumenides blame Apollo for his actions and defend their own (198-212)
The Eumenides: Plot (cont.)
– 3. Apollo accuses them of ignoring Zeus, Hera, and Aphrodite’s rights with their one-sided view (213-224)
– 4. The Eumenides refuse to quit (225-231)– 5. Apollo will continue to help Orestes, who sought his
help (232-234)
– II. Outside the temple of Athena in Athens• A. Orestes argues with the Eumenides (235-298)
– 1. He prays to Athena; she does not appear yet (235-244)– 2. The Eumenides search for Orestes (245-257)– 3. The spy him and sing of his punishment (258-275)– 4. Orestes claims he has been purified by Apollo (276-286)
The Eumenides: Plot (cont.)
– 5. He summons Athena; again she does not appear (287-298)
• B. 2nd Stasimon (299-396)– 1. Orestes must pay (299-306)
– 2. The Eumenides pursue only the guilty (307-320)
– 3. Their divine role is ancient (321-359)
– 4. They perform a necessary service none of the other gods will undertake (360-367)
– 5. They bring down the arrogant (368-385)
– 6. They are steadfast and right, though terrible (385-396)