Euripides’ PhœnissæPhœnissæPlot SummaryPlot Summary (cont.)Slide 5Slide 6Slide 7Phœnissæ Plot Summary (cont.)Slide 9Slide 10Slide 11Slide 12Slide 13Slide 14Slide 15Slide 16Slide 17Euripides’ PhœnissæPhœnissæ–Important Names•Iocasta•Creon•Polynices•Eteocles•Antigone•Teiresias•Menœceus–Date: ca. 409 B.C.–Recent commentary by Donald J. Mastronarde–Probably part of a trilogy. The titles of the other plays are disputed.–There are almost certainly later interpolations. The precise lines interpolated are disputed.Plot Summary–I. Prologue by Iocasta (1-87)•A. History of Cadmus’ line (1-9)•B. Her name (10-13)•C. The tragedy of the house so far (14-80)–1. The birth of Œdipus (13-31)–2. The murder of Laïus (31-44)–3. The riddle of the sphinx and Œdipus’ resulting marriage and children (45-58)–4. Œdipus’ downfall (59-69)–5. Eteocles and Polynices (70-80)•D. The truce (81-87)Plot Summary (cont.)–II. Dialogue between Antigone and the pedagogue (Teichoscopia) (88-201)•A. Pedagogue’s opening speech (88-102)•B. The “Seven Against Thebes” (103-181)–1. Hippomedon (119-131)–2. Tydeus (132-144)–3. Parthenopæus (145-155)–4. Polynices and Adrastus (156-171)–5. Amphiaraus (171-177)–6. Capaneus (178-191)•C. Pedagogue’s closing speech (192-201)Plot Summary (cont.)–III. Parodos (202-260)•A. Self-description (202-236)•B. The impending battle (237-260)–IV. Dialogue between Iocasta, Polynices, and Eteocles (261-636)•A. Dialogue between Polynices and the chorus (261-301)•B. Dialogue between Polynices and Iocaste (302-442)Plot Summary (cont.)–1. Iocaste’s speech (302-353)»a. Her joy (302-316)»b. Her grief (317-325)»c. Œdipus’ grief (326-335)»d. Polynices’ marriage (336-349)»e. Conclusion (350-353)–2. Polynices’ speech (357-378)»a. His love of Thebes (357-370)»b. He asks about his family (371-378)–3. Dialogue (379-442)»a. Polynices’ wandering (379-407)»b. His alliance to Adrastus and Tydeus (408-425)»c. The attack against Thebes (426-442)Plot Summary (cont.)•C. Dialogue between all three (443-636)–1. Iocasta opens the debate (452-468)–2. Polynices’ argument (469-496)–3. Eteocles’ argument (499-525)–4. Iocasta tries again (528-585)–5. Stichomythia (588-636)Phœnissæ Plot Summary (cont.)–1. Iocaste’s speech (302-353)»a. Her joy (302-316)»b. Her grief (317-325)»c. Œdipus’ grief (326-335)»d. Polynices’ marriage (336-349)»e. Conclusion (350-353)–2. Polynices’ speech (357-378)»a. His love of Thebes (357-370)»b. He asks about his family (371-378)–3. Dialogue (379-442)»a. Polynices’ wandering (379-407)Phœnissæ Plot Summary (cont.)»b. His alliance to Adrastus and Tydeus (408-425)»c. The attack against Thebes (426-442)•C. Dialogue between all three (443-636)–1. Iocasta opens the debate (452-468)–2. Polynices’ argument (469-496)–3. Eteocles’ argument (499-525)–4. Iocasta tries again (528-585)–5. Stichomythia (588-636)Phœnissæ Plot Summary (cont.)–V. First Stasimon (638-689)•A. Strophe: Cadmus, Dionysius (638-656)•B. Antistrophe: the dragon; the Sparti (657-675)•C. Epode: appeal to Epaphus (676-689)–VI. Dialogue between Eteocles and Creon (690-783)•A. C enters (691-696)•B. Introductory material (697-705)•C. War is imminent (706-719)•D. They discuss strategy (720-756)Phœnissæ Plot Summary (cont.)•E. E’s three requests (757-783)–1. Marry Hæmon to Antigone (757-762)–2. Consult Teiresias (766-773)–3. Forbid Polyneices’ burial (774-777)–VII. Second Stasimon (784-833)•A. Strophe: Ares (present) (784-800)•B. Antistrophe: Cithæron (past) (801-817)•C. Epode: Gæa (distant past) (818-833)Phœnissæ Plot Summary (cont.)–VIII. Dialogue between Creon and Teiresias (834-976)•A. T led in by his daughter and Menœcius (834-848)•B. C’s question (849-864)•C. T delays (865-910–1. On Œdipus (865-877)–2. On Eteocles, Polynices, and Thebes (878-884)–3. T reluctant to reveal the cure (885-895)–4. C forces him to speak (896-910)•D. Menœcius must die (911-918)Phœnissæ Plot Summary (cont.)•E. C refuses (919-928)•F. T explains the reason (929-959)•G. C chooses his son over his city (962-969)–IX. Menœcius’ self-sacrifice (970-1018)•A. Creon urges M to flee (970-976)•B. M agrees until C leaves (977-990)•C. M will kill himself to save Thebes (991-1018)–X. Third Stasimon (1019-1066)•A. Strophe: the Sphinx (1019-1042)Phœnissæ Plot Summary (cont.)•B. Antistrophe: the house of Cadmus (1043-1066)–XI. Messenger speech (1067-1283)•A. Eteocles’ attendant (1212) summons Iocaste (1067-1076)•B. E and P are still alive; M is dead (1077-1092)•C. The seven part 2; cf. 103-181 (1093-1140)•D. Battle description (1175-1199)•E. Reluctant messenger tells of the arrangement for single combat between the brothers (1200-1258)Phœnissæ Plot Summary (cont.)•F. He urges Iocaste to go to the battle and stop them (1259-1263)•G. Iocaste and Antigone go (1264-1283)–XII. Fourth Stasimon: a dirge (1283-1305)–XIII. Messenger speech (1307-1479)•A. Creon mourns Menœcius (1307-1331)•B. Messenger: the brothers are dead (1331-1346)•C. Messenger: Iocaste is dead (1347-1353)•D. Messenger speech part 1: the death of the brothers (1354-1426)Phœnissæ Plot Summary (cont.)•E. Messenger speech part 2: the death of Iocaste and the Theban victory (1427-1479)–XIV. Kommos (1480-1581)•A. Antigone mourns (1485-1538)•B. Œdipus learns what has happened (1539-1581)–XV. Dialogue between Creon, Antigone, and Œdipus (1582-1766)•C. Œdipus exiled by Creon (1584-1594)•D. Œdipus mourns (1595-1624)•E. Creon forbids Polynices’ burial (1625-1634)Phœnissæ Plot Summary (cont.)•F. Antigone argues with Creon (1639-1692)–1. She will bury Polynices (1639-1672)–2. She will not marry Hæmon (1673-1677)–3. She will go with Œdipus (1678-1692)•G. Œdipus tells of his fated end (1703-1709)•H. Œdipus and Antigone depart, mourning (1710-1763)•I. Choral coda