A. F. Garvie
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781904675365
- eISBN:
- 9781781387146
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5949/liverpool/9781904675365.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Plays and Playwrights: Classical, Early, and Medieval
This book's first appearance (1969) was a full response to the publication (in 1952) of a papyrus fragment from Oxyrhynchus which indicated a late production date (in the 460s bc) for Aeschylus' ...
More
This book's first appearance (1969) was a full response to the publication (in 1952) of a papyrus fragment from Oxyrhynchus which indicated a late production date (in the 460s bc) for Aeschylus' trilogy Supplices, thus upsetting the previous scholarly consensus that it was an early work — indeed the earliest Greek tragedy to survive. There was, the book argued, no longer good reason to suppose that the play belonged to an early stage in its author's development. A final chapter also examines the evidence for reconstruction of the other, lost plays of the trilogy. Few would now argue, as they used to, that Supplices belongs to the 490s but some still have the feeling that it looks like an early play; they attempt to put it back into the 470s. Stylistic and structural evidence, itself often subjective, is not strong enough to place the play in one decade or exclude it from the previous one; but the book remains convinced that, even without the additional testimony of the papyrus, all the internal evidence points to the 460s. While the view that Supplices is very early may now have died, some of the salutary lessons of P.Oxy 2256 fr. 3 have still to be learnt and it is timely for this re-issue to be presented to a new generation of Aeschylean students and scholars.Less
This book's first appearance (1969) was a full response to the publication (in 1952) of a papyrus fragment from Oxyrhynchus which indicated a late production date (in the 460s bc) for Aeschylus' trilogy Supplices, thus upsetting the previous scholarly consensus that it was an early work — indeed the earliest Greek tragedy to survive. There was, the book argued, no longer good reason to suppose that the play belonged to an early stage in its author's development. A final chapter also examines the evidence for reconstruction of the other, lost plays of the trilogy. Few would now argue, as they used to, that Supplices belongs to the 490s but some still have the feeling that it looks like an early play; they attempt to put it back into the 470s. Stylistic and structural evidence, itself often subjective, is not strong enough to place the play in one decade or exclude it from the previous one; but the book remains convinced that, even without the additional testimony of the papyrus, all the internal evidence points to the 460s. While the view that Supplices is very early may now have died, some of the salutary lessons of P.Oxy 2256 fr. 3 have still to be learnt and it is timely for this re-issue to be presented to a new generation of Aeschylean students and scholars.
A.F. Garvie
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781904675365
- eISBN:
- 9781781387146
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5949/liverpool/9781904675365.003.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Plays and Playwrights: Classical, Early, and Medieval
This chapter analyses Oxyrhynchus Papyri 2256 fr. 3, a subject of controversy among scholars. It compares the fragment with fr. 2, noting a number of resemblances. Probably written in the late second ...
More
This chapter analyses Oxyrhynchus Papyri 2256 fr. 3, a subject of controversy among scholars. It compares the fragment with fr. 2, noting a number of resemblances. Probably written in the late second or early third century ad, the work could be the didascalia of a play of Aeschylus. The last few lines were corrupted, yet the information contained in the second to fourth lines is very clear and straightforward and implies that Aeschylus defeated Sophocles. The chapter also considers attempts to determine whether another interpretation of the papyrus is plausible, or even possible. It cites the argument that the Supplices does not belong to the same tetralogy as the Danaids and Amymone.Less
This chapter analyses Oxyrhynchus Papyri 2256 fr. 3, a subject of controversy among scholars. It compares the fragment with fr. 2, noting a number of resemblances. Probably written in the late second or early third century ad, the work could be the didascalia of a play of Aeschylus. The last few lines were corrupted, yet the information contained in the second to fourth lines is very clear and straightforward and implies that Aeschylus defeated Sophocles. The chapter also considers attempts to determine whether another interpretation of the papyrus is plausible, or even possible. It cites the argument that the Supplices does not belong to the same tetralogy as the Danaids and Amymone.
A.F. Garvie
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781904675365
- eISBN:
- 9781781387146
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5949/liverpool/9781904675365.003.0002
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Plays and Playwrights: Classical, Early, and Medieval
This chapter examines the stylistic evidence concerning the Supplices by challenging the validity of the scholars' interpretation that it was the earliest extant play of Aeschylus. Drawing attention ...
More
This chapter examines the stylistic evidence concerning the Supplices by challenging the validity of the scholars' interpretation that it was the earliest extant play of Aeschylus. Drawing attention to a number of peculiarities in Prometheus, it argues that the Supplices was not an authentic play of Aeschylus based on the weakness of stylistic arguments for dating it. The chapter considers Aeschylus's stylistic development to determine whether the Supplices is indeed removed in style from his other plays. It also raises the possibility that Aeschylus's treatment of the iambic trimeter is largely stichic, not only in the Supplices but also in his other works such as Prometheus, Persae, and Agamemnon. Finally, it rejects the notion that Prometheus is an authentic late play of Aeschylus and that the Supplices, on stylistic grounds, marked the beginning of Aeschylus's career.Less
This chapter examines the stylistic evidence concerning the Supplices by challenging the validity of the scholars' interpretation that it was the earliest extant play of Aeschylus. Drawing attention to a number of peculiarities in Prometheus, it argues that the Supplices was not an authentic play of Aeschylus based on the weakness of stylistic arguments for dating it. The chapter considers Aeschylus's stylistic development to determine whether the Supplices is indeed removed in style from his other plays. It also raises the possibility that Aeschylus's treatment of the iambic trimeter is largely stichic, not only in the Supplices but also in his other works such as Prometheus, Persae, and Agamemnon. Finally, it rejects the notion that Prometheus is an authentic late play of Aeschylus and that the Supplices, on stylistic grounds, marked the beginning of Aeschylus's career.
A.F. Garvie
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781904675365
- eISBN:
- 9781781387146
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5949/liverpool/9781904675365.003.0003
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Plays and Playwrights: Classical, Early, and Medieval
This chapter examines the structure of the Supplices, more than half of which consists of lyrics. It considers the claim that the chorus' role of ‘protagonist’ in the play does not really explain the ...
More
This chapter examines the structure of the Supplices, more than half of which consists of lyrics. It considers the claim that the chorus' role of ‘protagonist’ in the play does not really explain the extent of its lyric and that Eumenides has the lowest proportion of lyric to dialogue of any Aeschylean play, arguing that the cases are not quite the same. It underscores the central dramatic role of the chorus from the beginning of the Supplices, in contrast to Eumenides where Orestes is for the most part the central character. It also cites the chorus as a principal character in Eumenides and the principal character in the Supplices. In addition, the chapter discusses Aeschylus's adoption of the third actor, between Supplices and Eumenides, and its implications for the mailer. Finally, it suggests that Aeschylus was experimenting when he decided to make the chorus his ‘protagonist’ in both plays.Less
This chapter examines the structure of the Supplices, more than half of which consists of lyrics. It considers the claim that the chorus' role of ‘protagonist’ in the play does not really explain the extent of its lyric and that Eumenides has the lowest proportion of lyric to dialogue of any Aeschylean play, arguing that the cases are not quite the same. It underscores the central dramatic role of the chorus from the beginning of the Supplices, in contrast to Eumenides where Orestes is for the most part the central character. It also cites the chorus as a principal character in Eumenides and the principal character in the Supplices. In addition, the chapter discusses Aeschylus's adoption of the third actor, between Supplices and Eumenides, and its implications for the mailer. Finally, it suggests that Aeschylus was experimenting when he decided to make the chorus his ‘protagonist’ in both plays.
A.F. Garvie
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781904675365
- eISBN:
- 9781781387146
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5949/liverpool/9781904675365.003.0004
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Plays and Playwrights: Classical, Early, and Medieval
This chapter examines various attempts to establish the date of the Supplices based on its supposed allusions to contemporary events, as well as the argument from the similar praises of Argos in the ...
More
This chapter examines various attempts to establish the date of the Supplices based on its supposed allusions to contemporary events, as well as the argument from the similar praises of Argos in the Supplices and the Eumenides that both plays must have been written in the same period. It begins by considering Aeschylus's treatment of Argos as a constitutional monarchy and whether to grant asylum to the Danaids, along with the relationship between tragedy and democratic civic ideology at Athens. It rejects the notion that Aeschylus was using the Supplices as a means to express his own political views, claiming that the reason for Argos's strange (and anachronistic) constitution is purely dramatic. It also suggests that Aeschylus is writing for an audience that regarded democracy as the ideal form of constitution. The chapter concludes by highlighting a double tragedy in the Supplices: granting asylum to the Danaids may be disastrous for both Pelasgus and his people.Less
This chapter examines various attempts to establish the date of the Supplices based on its supposed allusions to contemporary events, as well as the argument from the similar praises of Argos in the Supplices and the Eumenides that both plays must have been written in the same period. It begins by considering Aeschylus's treatment of Argos as a constitutional monarchy and whether to grant asylum to the Danaids, along with the relationship between tragedy and democratic civic ideology at Athens. It rejects the notion that Aeschylus was using the Supplices as a means to express his own political views, claiming that the reason for Argos's strange (and anachronistic) constitution is purely dramatic. It also suggests that Aeschylus is writing for an audience that regarded democracy as the ideal form of constitution. The chapter concludes by highlighting a double tragedy in the Supplices: granting asylum to the Danaids may be disastrous for both Pelasgus and his people.
A.F. Garvie
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781904675365
- eISBN:
- 9781781387146
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5949/liverpool/9781904675365.003.0005
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Plays and Playwrights: Classical, Early, and Medieval
This chapter re-examines the evidence cited by many scholars for the lost plays of the Aeschylean trilogy Supplices. It first considers the evidence for the correct reading at line 8 and the ...
More
This chapter re-examines the evidence cited by many scholars for the lost plays of the Aeschylean trilogy Supplices. It first considers the evidence for the correct reading at line 8 and the existence of a subsidiary chorus at the end of the play. It also analyses four elements that are common to all the scholarly interpretations, or at least not contradicted by one or more of them, as well as the disagreement over the consequences of the murder committed by the fifty daughters against their respective husbands on the orders of Danaus. Furthermore, the chapter claims that Ovid cannot be used for the reconstruction of Aeschylus's trilogy; that Aeschylus must have used more than one source that he probably adapted to suit his own dramatic purpose; and that the Supplices itself contains hints of coming events that can be used for the reconstruction of the lost plays.Less
This chapter re-examines the evidence cited by many scholars for the lost plays of the Aeschylean trilogy Supplices. It first considers the evidence for the correct reading at line 8 and the existence of a subsidiary chorus at the end of the play. It also analyses four elements that are common to all the scholarly interpretations, or at least not contradicted by one or more of them, as well as the disagreement over the consequences of the murder committed by the fifty daughters against their respective husbands on the orders of Danaus. Furthermore, the chapter claims that Ovid cannot be used for the reconstruction of Aeschylus's trilogy; that Aeschylus must have used more than one source that he probably adapted to suit his own dramatic purpose; and that the Supplices itself contains hints of coming events that can be used for the reconstruction of the lost plays.
