Post on 04-Jan-2016
1Odysseus, Companions, Cyclops, Satyrs
Euripides’ Cyclops
Primitive Sophistication
2
Agenda
• Euripides’ Cyclops– What do you Think?
• Introduction to Satyr Drama– What, When, Why, How
• Euripides’ Cyclops– Production, Myth
• Cyclops: Frivolous or Serious?– plus Agon Pages 23–5
• What Would Plato Say?– What Would You Say Back?
3Odysseus, Companions, Cyclops, Satyrs
Euripides’ Cyclops
What do you Think?
4
Cyclops: Your Reactions …
To Characters• Odysseus• Cyclops• Silenus• Satyrs
To Humor• cannibalism• sexuality
– Helen» “When you took that
woman, did you all take turns?”(Satyr Coryphaeus, p. 19)
– Silenos, Cyclops» “It’s a bitter wine I’ll
have to drink now”(Silenos p. 36)
How different from tragedy/comedy?
5
Cyclops: Your Reactions …
• more fun to read– adventure
• mythological parody• liked
– relationship between c s strange» sexual humor
• toilet humor– farts
6Odysseus, Companions, Cyclops, Satyrs
Introduction to Satyr Drama
What, When, Why, How
7
Satyr / Silenos
• rustic• pleasure-addicted• divine-immortal• Dionysus’ retinue
Satyr with pipes and holder,Athenian cup, Epiktetos
circa 510 BCE
Dionysus with Satyrs,Athenian cup (“Brygos painter”)circa 510 BCE
9Return of Dionysus
Satyr Drama: Origins
• Dionysian– komos– thiasos
• 533 BCE (ca.) tragedy
• Late 500s, satyr drama
10
Satyr Drama: Elements
Structure• earlier satyr drama
– loose, agitated
• “tragic” Cyclops (late 400s)– prologue– parodos– 4 episodes
» one with agon
– stasimon choral interludes– off-stage “killing” scene
(656 ff.)– exodos
Humor, theme, treatment• profanity• sexuality• paratragedy• topicality?
“Pronomos Vase”late 400s BCE Athenian(Naples Museum)
Coryphaeus (chorus leader)
Playwright Demetrius
Satyr choreuts (chorus members)
Dionysus and Ariadne Queen-character
Himeros (= Eros) Heracles(Pappo)silenos
Pronomos (piper) Charinus (kithara player)King-character
14Odysseus, Companions, Cyclops, Satyrs
Euripides’ Cyclops
Production, Myth
15
Production
• Composed– post 411
• Produced– ca. 408
• Tetralogy ?
• Prize ?
Actor playing Silenus in a satyr drama (from Pronomos Vase)
Aetna Lydians
Ithaca
Troy
Athens
Greece
Sicily
Italy
Mount Aetna from Taormina, by Thomas Cole (1844)
Odysseus and men blinding Cyclops(archaic vase painting)
Blinding of Cyclops, with Satyrs (circa 413)
20Odysseus, Companions, Cyclops, Satyrs
Cyclops: Frivolous or Serious?
plus Agon Pages 23–5
ODYSSEUS Where are the walls and city-towers?
SILENUS This is no city, No man inhabits here.
ODYSSEUS Who does inhabit it? Wild animals?
SILENUS The Cyclopes. They live in caves, not houses.
ODYSSEUS Who governs them? Or do the people rule?
SILENUS They are savages. There is no government.
Political Resonances
22
Odysseus and Cyclops: Traditional Treatment
Odysseus• crafty• intelligent• resourceful
Cyclops• stupid• barbaric• naive
23
… in Agon in Cyclops
Odysseus• crafty• intelligent• resourceful
Cyclops• atheist• relativist• egoist-sophist
“Forget this sacrilege and do what is right. Many have paid the price for base profits.”
“To eat, to drink from day to day, to have no worries—that’s the real Zeus for your clever man.”
24Odysseus, Companions, Cyclops, Satyrs
What Would Plato Say?
What Would You Say Back?
25
What would…
Plato say?• foolish imitation• doesn’t like that c speaks ill of z
– or other impieties• Plato would like punishment part• Plato would criticize the “for a woman”• exemplifies value of good government• wouldn’t like it – violates hierarchy• the war thing – Cyclops oversimplifies• Plato would not want debate• the symbolism perhaps above our
heads• the ugly representing the ugly
• you say back?• meant to be entertainment
– i’m up to it• doing it to survive• goes with the tragedy thing
– validates tragedy more generally• agrees with the Helen thing