1. Euripides’ Phœnissæ

2. Phœnissæ –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.

3. 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)

4. 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)

5. 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)

6. 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)

7. 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)

8. 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)

9. 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)

10. 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)

11. 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)

12. 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)

13. 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)

14. 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)

15. 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)

16. 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)

17. 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 (1763-1766)