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螤苇蚁蟽蔚蟼
Essa pe莽a 茅 considerada 煤nica entre as trag茅dias remanescentes do per铆odo por retratar um evento hist贸rico - a guerra entre os gregos e os persas 鈥� em vez de dramatizar uma 茅poca distante, de her贸is m铆ticos. A pe莽a gira em torno do desastre em que os invasores da Gr茅cia viram suas for莽as navais aniquiladas pelos gregos na Batalha de Salamina.
A a莽茫o se passa na capital persa onde um mensageiro leva 脿 rainha a not铆cia do desastre. Depois de atribuir a derrota da P茅rsia a independ锚ncia e bravura gregas assim como ao castigo dos deuses aos persas por terem ido al茅m dos limites da 脕sia, a pe莽a termina com o retorno do rei Xerxes, falido e humilhado, confirmando a extin莽茫o do poderio persa.
A a莽茫o se passa na capital persa onde um mensageiro leva 脿 rainha a not铆cia do desastre. Depois de atribuir a derrota da P茅rsia a independ锚ncia e bravura gregas assim como ao castigo dos deuses aos persas por terem ido al茅m dos limites da 脕sia, a pe莽a termina com o retorno do rei Xerxes, falido e humilhado, confirmando a extin莽茫o do poderio persa.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 473
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About the author
Aeschylus
1,638听books1,068听followersGreek
螒喂蟽蠂蠉位慰蟼
, Esquilo in Spanish, Eschyle in French, Eschilo in Italian, 协褋褏懈谢 in Russian.
Aeschylus (c.鈥�525/524 BC 鈥� c.鈥�456 BC) was an ancient Greek tragedian often described as the father of tragedy. Academic knowledge of the genre begins with his work, and understanding of earlier Greek tragedy is largely based on inferences made from reading his surviving plays. According to Aristotle, he expanded the number of characters in the theatre and allowed conflict among them. Formerly, characters interacted only with the chorus.
Only seven of Aeschylus's estimated 70 to 90 plays have survived. There is a long-standing debate regarding the authorship of one of them, Prometheus Bound, with some scholars arguing that it may be the work of his son Euphorion. Fragments from other plays have survived in quotations, and more continue to be discovered on Egyptian papyri. These fragments often give further insights into Aeschylus' work. He was likely the first dramatist to present plays as a trilogy. His Oresteia is the only extant ancient example. At least one of his plays was influenced by the Persians' second invasion of Greece (480鈥�479 BC). This work, The Persians, is one of very few classical Greek tragedies concerned with contemporary events, and the only one extant. The significance of the war with Persia was so great to Aeschylus and the Greeks that his epitaph commemorates his participation in the Greek victory at Marathon while making no mention of his success as a playwright.
Aeschylus (c.鈥�525/524 BC 鈥� c.鈥�456 BC) was an ancient Greek tragedian often described as the father of tragedy. Academic knowledge of the genre begins with his work, and understanding of earlier Greek tragedy is largely based on inferences made from reading his surviving plays. According to Aristotle, he expanded the number of characters in the theatre and allowed conflict among them. Formerly, characters interacted only with the chorus.
Only seven of Aeschylus's estimated 70 to 90 plays have survived. There is a long-standing debate regarding the authorship of one of them, Prometheus Bound, with some scholars arguing that it may be the work of his son Euphorion. Fragments from other plays have survived in quotations, and more continue to be discovered on Egyptian papyri. These fragments often give further insights into Aeschylus' work. He was likely the first dramatist to present plays as a trilogy. His Oresteia is the only extant ancient example. At least one of his plays was influenced by the Persians' second invasion of Greece (480鈥�479 BC). This work, The Persians, is one of very few classical Greek tragedies concerned with contemporary events, and the only one extant. The significance of the war with Persia was so great to Aeschylus and the Greeks that his epitaph commemorates his participation in the Greek victory at Marathon while making no mention of his success as a playwright.
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June 20, 2024
'Persians' is the first Greek tragedy I have read. It is based on a historic event - the Persian king Xerxes comes back home after the disastrous defeat of his navy by the Greeks. Everybody laments the loss of the many young Persian men and the Persian fleet.
The role of the Chorus was something new to me. The Chorus is one of the main characters, it has its own point of view and its voice. It does most of the mourning.
CHORUS
Aaaaiii! Cry out your sorrows,
and learn the tale in full.
Where are they now, that multitude
of other friends so dear to us?
Where are the ones who stood by you鈥�
Pharandaces, and Sousas, and Pelagon,
with Agabatas and Dotamas,
Psammis, and Sousiskanes,
who came from Agbatana?
XERXES
I left them there. They perished,
tumbling out of their Tyrian ship
by the coast of Salamis,
beaten against its rugged shore.
CHORUS
Aaaiii! Where is Pharnouchus, your friend,
and Ariomardus, that glorious man?
And lord Seualcus or Lilaios,
descended from a noble line,
or Memphis, Tharybis, and Masistras,
or Hystaichmas and Artembares?
I am asking you about them, too.
(...)
XERXES
Those leaders of our forces are all dead.
CHORUS
They are gone? Alas! And with no glory!
XERXES
Aaaaiiii! The sorrow!
CHORUS
Alas! Alas, you spirits above,
you bring us such disaster,
so unforeseen and yet so clear to see, 1180
as if the goddess of folly, Ate,
had glanced at us in this calamity.1
XERXES
We have been hit by blows,
smitten by unexpected blows of fate!
CHORUS
Yes, all too clearly stricken!
(...)
CHORUS
And of our splendid Persian glory
what has not perished?
XERXES
Do you see my robes鈥�
what鈥檚 left of them?
CHORUS
Yes, I see . . . I see them now.
XERXES
And my quiver here . . .
CHORUS
What are you saying?
Is this what has been saved?
XERXES
. . . this holder for my arrows?
CHORUS
So small a remnant from so many!
XERXES
We have lost all our protectors!
The role of the Chorus was something new to me. The Chorus is one of the main characters, it has its own point of view and its voice. It does most of the mourning.
CHORUS
Aaaaiii! Cry out your sorrows,
and learn the tale in full.
Where are they now, that multitude
of other friends so dear to us?
Where are the ones who stood by you鈥�
Pharandaces, and Sousas, and Pelagon,
with Agabatas and Dotamas,
Psammis, and Sousiskanes,
who came from Agbatana?
XERXES
I left them there. They perished,
tumbling out of their Tyrian ship
by the coast of Salamis,
beaten against its rugged shore.
CHORUS
Aaaiii! Where is Pharnouchus, your friend,
and Ariomardus, that glorious man?
And lord Seualcus or Lilaios,
descended from a noble line,
or Memphis, Tharybis, and Masistras,
or Hystaichmas and Artembares?
I am asking you about them, too.
(...)
XERXES
Those leaders of our forces are all dead.
CHORUS
They are gone? Alas! And with no glory!
XERXES
Aaaaiiii! The sorrow!
CHORUS
Alas! Alas, you spirits above,
you bring us such disaster,
so unforeseen and yet so clear to see, 1180
as if the goddess of folly, Ate,
had glanced at us in this calamity.1
XERXES
We have been hit by blows,
smitten by unexpected blows of fate!
CHORUS
Yes, all too clearly stricken!
(...)
CHORUS
And of our splendid Persian glory
what has not perished?
XERXES
Do you see my robes鈥�
what鈥檚 left of them?
CHORUS
Yes, I see . . . I see them now.
XERXES
And my quiver here . . .
CHORUS
What are you saying?
Is this what has been saved?
XERXES
. . . this holder for my arrows?
CHORUS
So small a remnant from so many!
XERXES
We have lost all our protectors!
June 23, 2024
You almost feel shy before opening "The Persians." We know its historical immensity.
And then we apprehend a long and dull reading, a generality that we apply all too often to the dramatic theatre of antiquity, sometimes wrongly. Not always.
Finally, careful reading and some research parallel to the discovery of the work have fascinated us with this story that comes from afar.
And then we apprehend a long and dull reading, a generality that we apply all too often to the dramatic theatre of antiquity, sometimes wrongly. Not always.
Finally, careful reading and some research parallel to the discovery of the work have fascinated us with this story that comes from afar.
October 10, 2016
What鈥檚 done, I know, is done; yet I will sacrifice
In hope that time may bring about some better fate.
the mother of Xerxes
3 1/2
Bust of Aeschylus. From the Capitoline Museums, Rome
Aeschylus (c. 525/524 鈥� c. 456/455 BC) is the earliest of the four great Greek playwrights, parts of whose oeuvre have survived to the present day. (The others are, of course, Sophocles (c. 497/6 鈥� winter 406/5 BC) and Euripides (c. 480 鈥� c. 406 BC) [these three tragedians] and the comic playwright Aristophanes (c. 446 鈥� c. 386 BC).
Seven of Aeschylus鈥� plays have survived, with about 75 other plays known only through fragments or references to their titles. The Persians is now thought to be the earliest of the seven. The play was produced in 472 BC. Other than comedies, it is the only Greek play of the Classical era whose subject matter is taken from actual history, rather than from legend.
The subject of the play is the battle of Salamis, which occurred in 480 BC.
Wilhelm von Kaulbach - Die Seeschlacht bei Salamis 鈥� 1868
As the painting makes clear, Salamis was a naval engagement, one in which the Greeks (vastly outnumbered) defeated the invading Persian forces led by King Xerxes.
The play does not, however, take place near Salamis, nor at the time of the battle 鈥� rather, it is set in the Persian royal court at Susa, a few months after the battle. At the beginning of the play the court has not heard from Xerxes鈥� army for some time, and rumors and dread are rife. Then a messenger arrives, who tells the horrible news of what has transpired. King Xerxes himself is a survivor, and arrives later in the play 鈥� his mother, Atossa, and the ghost of Darius, king prior to Xerxes, make up the only three named characters. The messenger and the chorus complete the cast.
In telling of the Persian calamity, Aeschylus (who is believed to have seen the battle, perhaps even fought in it) obviously plays to the home crowd. One can almost hear the audience hooting, hollering, applauding as the deaths of various Persian generals are announced.
But, though this 鈥渢ragedy鈥� (more a triumph from the Greek point of view) seems of little interest to the modern reader as drama, I found myself curiously affected by it. First, even as perhaps fictionalized history, it did appeal to the historian in me. And the last part of the play, in which the glost of Darius laments the foolishness of Xerxes in falling into the trap set for him by the Greeks, certainly has traditional elements of the tragic, even though being presented from a point of view quite different from that of the audience.
The play is short, easily read in an hour or so. The translation by Philip Vellacott appealed to me, as indicated by the great number of underlinings I made. Recommended.
In hope that time may bring about some better fate.
the mother of Xerxes
3 1/2
Bust of Aeschylus. From the Capitoline Museums, Rome
Aeschylus (c. 525/524 鈥� c. 456/455 BC) is the earliest of the four great Greek playwrights, parts of whose oeuvre have survived to the present day. (The others are, of course, Sophocles (c. 497/6 鈥� winter 406/5 BC) and Euripides (c. 480 鈥� c. 406 BC) [these three tragedians] and the comic playwright Aristophanes (c. 446 鈥� c. 386 BC).
Seven of Aeschylus鈥� plays have survived, with about 75 other plays known only through fragments or references to their titles. The Persians is now thought to be the earliest of the seven. The play was produced in 472 BC. Other than comedies, it is the only Greek play of the Classical era whose subject matter is taken from actual history, rather than from legend.
The subject of the play is the battle of Salamis, which occurred in 480 BC.
Wilhelm von Kaulbach - Die Seeschlacht bei Salamis 鈥� 1868
As the painting makes clear, Salamis was a naval engagement, one in which the Greeks (vastly outnumbered) defeated the invading Persian forces led by King Xerxes.
The play does not, however, take place near Salamis, nor at the time of the battle 鈥� rather, it is set in the Persian royal court at Susa, a few months after the battle. At the beginning of the play the court has not heard from Xerxes鈥� army for some time, and rumors and dread are rife. Then a messenger arrives, who tells the horrible news of what has transpired. King Xerxes himself is a survivor, and arrives later in the play 鈥� his mother, Atossa, and the ghost of Darius, king prior to Xerxes, make up the only three named characters. The messenger and the chorus complete the cast.
In telling of the Persian calamity, Aeschylus (who is believed to have seen the battle, perhaps even fought in it) obviously plays to the home crowd. One can almost hear the audience hooting, hollering, applauding as the deaths of various Persian generals are announced.
But, though this 鈥渢ragedy鈥� (more a triumph from the Greek point of view) seems of little interest to the modern reader as drama, I found myself curiously affected by it. First, even as perhaps fictionalized history, it did appeal to the historian in me. And the last part of the play, in which the glost of Darius laments the foolishness of Xerxes in falling into the trap set for him by the Greeks, certainly has traditional elements of the tragic, even though being presented from a point of view quite different from that of the audience.
The play is short, easily read in an hour or so. The translation by Philip Vellacott appealed to me, as indicated by the great number of underlinings I made. Recommended.
November 28, 2015
"XERXES
Wail, wail the miserable doom, and to the palace hie!
CHORUS
Alas, alas, and woe again!
XERXES
Shriek, smite the breast, as I!
CHORUS
An evil gift, a sad exchange, of tears poured out in vain!
XERXES
Shrill out your simultaneous wail!
CHORUS
Alas the woe and pain!
XERXES
O, bitter is this adverse fate!
CHORUS
I voice the moan with thee!
XERXES
Smite, smite thy bosom, groan aloud for my calamity!
CHORUS
I mourn and am dissolved in tears!
XERXES
Cry, beat thy breast amain!
CHORUS
O king, my heart is in thy woe!
XERXES
Shriek, wail, and shriek again!
CHORUS
O agony!
XERXES
A blackening blow鈥�
CHORUS
A grievous stripe shall fall!
XERXES
Yea, beat anew thy breast, ring out the doleful Mysian call!
CHORUS
An agony, an agony!
XERXES
Pluck out thy whitening beard!
CHORUS
By handfuls, ay, by handfuls, with dismal tear-drops smeared!
XERXES
Sob out thine aching sorrow!
CHORUS
I will thine best obey.
XERXES
With thine hands rend thy mantle's fold鈥�
CHORUS
Alas, woe worth the day!
XERXES
With thine own fingers tear thy locks, bewail the army's weird!
CHORUS
By handfuls, yea, by handfuls, with tears of dole besmeared!
XERXES
Now let thine eyes find overflow鈥�
CHORUS
I wend in wail and pain!
XERXES
Cry out for me an answering moan鈥�
CHORUS
Alas, alas again! "
Thats basically my daily internal monologue
Wail, wail the miserable doom, and to the palace hie!
CHORUS
Alas, alas, and woe again!
XERXES
Shriek, smite the breast, as I!
CHORUS
An evil gift, a sad exchange, of tears poured out in vain!
XERXES
Shrill out your simultaneous wail!
CHORUS
Alas the woe and pain!
XERXES
O, bitter is this adverse fate!
CHORUS
I voice the moan with thee!
XERXES
Smite, smite thy bosom, groan aloud for my calamity!
CHORUS
I mourn and am dissolved in tears!
XERXES
Cry, beat thy breast amain!
CHORUS
O king, my heart is in thy woe!
XERXES
Shriek, wail, and shriek again!
CHORUS
O agony!
XERXES
A blackening blow鈥�
CHORUS
A grievous stripe shall fall!
XERXES
Yea, beat anew thy breast, ring out the doleful Mysian call!
CHORUS
An agony, an agony!
XERXES
Pluck out thy whitening beard!
CHORUS
By handfuls, ay, by handfuls, with dismal tear-drops smeared!
XERXES
Sob out thine aching sorrow!
CHORUS
I will thine best obey.
XERXES
With thine hands rend thy mantle's fold鈥�
CHORUS
Alas, woe worth the day!
XERXES
With thine own fingers tear thy locks, bewail the army's weird!
CHORUS
By handfuls, yea, by handfuls, with tears of dole besmeared!
XERXES
Now let thine eyes find overflow鈥�
CHORUS
I wend in wail and pain!
XERXES
Cry out for me an answering moan鈥�
CHORUS
Alas, alas again! "
Thats basically my daily internal monologue
April 29, 2015
A celebration of a Greek victory
13 March 2012
This is actually quite an unusual Greek play in that it does not deal with a mythological event. Granted deals with historical events, but he wrote comedy as opposed to tragedy (and I have explained elsewhere what is meant by Greek Tragedy). Excluding Aristophanes, The Persians is the only historical play that we have, and it is possible that it is the only historical play that was ever written during the classical period of Ancient Greece.
The play is about the Persian defeat at Salamis and is set entirely within the palace in Susa. Once again (as we always see) the unities of time and place are obeyed. While many seem to point to Aristotle as being the one who developed the unities, we must remember that Aristotle lived at least two generations after the great dramatists. Aristotle was the pupil of Plato who in turn was the pupil of Socrates, who was alive when Euripides and Sophocles were producing their plays.
This play is pretty much a pat on the back for the Athenians for winning what was considered to be the unwinnable war. It is also the second of the two sources that we have regarding the Battle of Salamis, however we need to remember that this was written from the Athenian viewpoint and in turn was written by Aeschylus' viewpoint, so it will automatically be biased in favour of the Athenians. However, it is a very useful source as numerous generals on the Persian side were named, and the play also outlines the Achameid Dynasty (the line of kings from whom Darius and Xerxes' were descended).
I won't go into too much detail regarding the battle of Salamis as this is discussed extensively in other places (by me as well as others). However the Battle of Salamis (which was a naval battle) is considered to be one of those points upon which of history swings. I am not entirely convinced by this argument, namely because I also believe in divine influence (as we can see from the Battle of Jerusalem when Sennacerib's army was completely destroy by something during the night) but then as we read through this play we can also see numerous references to the gods. However Aeschylus is theologically wrong when dealing with Persian religion. He seems to think that they had a polytheistic religion when in reality, by Xerxes' time, Persia had become Duotheistic, where two gods, equal and opposite, are forever slugging it out with each other (this is Xorastrianism in a really small nutshell).
One thing we must remember though is that Xerxes' survived. This is actually quite unusual for a king who is defeated in battle. Senacerib was killed by his sons upon his return to Ninevah, namely because his defeat was evidence that he no longer had the support of the gods. However, there are two possible answers to why he was no deposed. The first, and the more unlikely, is that Xorastrianism did not allow for this and that defeat is not necessarily the disapproval of the gods, but rather just bad luck. However, this, as far as I am concerned, is not a hugely satisfying answer.
The second answer to this question, I suspect, comes from the Bible, namely from the Book of Esther. Now the events in Esther occur during the reign of Xerxes (though there is debate as to whether it is Xerxes or not, however, for the purpose of my argument, I will take it as it stands) and deals with the festival of Purim. Here the Jews were marked for death, and it was only the intervention of Esther that enable them to be saved. Now, we ask the question of why were they marked for death, and what swayed Xerxes to listen to Haman (boo, hiss). It is clear from the book that Haman (boo, hiss) hated Mordechai (Yay) and the Jews, but I doubt he could have gone to Xerxes and said 'I hate these people, please wipe them out' (by the way, the 'yays' and the 'boo hisses' apparently come from the Jewish tradition when this book is read).
Okay, the Bible indicates that the events in Esther occurred in the twelfth year of the reign of Xerxes, which put it around 474 BC, where as the Persian Wars occurred in 480 to 479 BC, which is about 5 years afterwards. So when I think about it, it is unlikely the the attempted genocide of the Jews could have been related to the Persian Wars. The reason I suggested this is because it is common for a minority group to be blamed for an empire's failure, as we saw in Nazi Germany. So, I guess my thoughts about this pomgrom would be incorrect. However, let us further consider more evidence from the Bible. The feast at which Xerxes' first wife, Vashti, is set in the third year of his reign, which is before the Persian wars. However, it also appears that Esther was married to him probably a few months after, and was queen while Xerxes was away in Greece. This suggests that Amestris (the Greek name of Xerxes' wife) is in fact Esther. Now, I checked and they indicate that she was actually Vashti, but it then goes on to expound the Akkadian root of both words and this seems to indicate that Amestris is Esther as opposed to Vashti. I believe that that is the case, based on the biblical record (if it is correct that Ahasuerus and Xerxes are in fact the same person).
So, I guess my point is that the reason that Xerxes' was not deposed was because he was persuaded by Haman to blame the Jews for his defeat at Salamis, however through the intervention of Esther, this blame was then shifted back onto Haman, who was then subsequently executed. Anyway, this is all speculation, however I do enjoy speculating about ancient historical events, which is why I wrote this in the first place.
13 March 2012
This is actually quite an unusual Greek play in that it does not deal with a mythological event. Granted deals with historical events, but he wrote comedy as opposed to tragedy (and I have explained elsewhere what is meant by Greek Tragedy). Excluding Aristophanes, The Persians is the only historical play that we have, and it is possible that it is the only historical play that was ever written during the classical period of Ancient Greece.
The play is about the Persian defeat at Salamis and is set entirely within the palace in Susa. Once again (as we always see) the unities of time and place are obeyed. While many seem to point to Aristotle as being the one who developed the unities, we must remember that Aristotle lived at least two generations after the great dramatists. Aristotle was the pupil of Plato who in turn was the pupil of Socrates, who was alive when Euripides and Sophocles were producing their plays.
This play is pretty much a pat on the back for the Athenians for winning what was considered to be the unwinnable war. It is also the second of the two sources that we have regarding the Battle of Salamis, however we need to remember that this was written from the Athenian viewpoint and in turn was written by Aeschylus' viewpoint, so it will automatically be biased in favour of the Athenians. However, it is a very useful source as numerous generals on the Persian side were named, and the play also outlines the Achameid Dynasty (the line of kings from whom Darius and Xerxes' were descended).
I won't go into too much detail regarding the battle of Salamis as this is discussed extensively in other places (by me as well as others). However the Battle of Salamis (which was a naval battle) is considered to be one of those points upon which of history swings. I am not entirely convinced by this argument, namely because I also believe in divine influence (as we can see from the Battle of Jerusalem when Sennacerib's army was completely destroy by something during the night) but then as we read through this play we can also see numerous references to the gods. However Aeschylus is theologically wrong when dealing with Persian religion. He seems to think that they had a polytheistic religion when in reality, by Xerxes' time, Persia had become Duotheistic, where two gods, equal and opposite, are forever slugging it out with each other (this is Xorastrianism in a really small nutshell).
One thing we must remember though is that Xerxes' survived. This is actually quite unusual for a king who is defeated in battle. Senacerib was killed by his sons upon his return to Ninevah, namely because his defeat was evidence that he no longer had the support of the gods. However, there are two possible answers to why he was no deposed. The first, and the more unlikely, is that Xorastrianism did not allow for this and that defeat is not necessarily the disapproval of the gods, but rather just bad luck. However, this, as far as I am concerned, is not a hugely satisfying answer.
The second answer to this question, I suspect, comes from the Bible, namely from the Book of Esther. Now the events in Esther occur during the reign of Xerxes (though there is debate as to whether it is Xerxes or not, however, for the purpose of my argument, I will take it as it stands) and deals with the festival of Purim. Here the Jews were marked for death, and it was only the intervention of Esther that enable them to be saved. Now, we ask the question of why were they marked for death, and what swayed Xerxes to listen to Haman (boo, hiss). It is clear from the book that Haman (boo, hiss) hated Mordechai (Yay) and the Jews, but I doubt he could have gone to Xerxes and said 'I hate these people, please wipe them out' (by the way, the 'yays' and the 'boo hisses' apparently come from the Jewish tradition when this book is read).
Okay, the Bible indicates that the events in Esther occurred in the twelfth year of the reign of Xerxes, which put it around 474 BC, where as the Persian Wars occurred in 480 to 479 BC, which is about 5 years afterwards. So when I think about it, it is unlikely the the attempted genocide of the Jews could have been related to the Persian Wars. The reason I suggested this is because it is common for a minority group to be blamed for an empire's failure, as we saw in Nazi Germany. So, I guess my thoughts about this pomgrom would be incorrect. However, let us further consider more evidence from the Bible. The feast at which Xerxes' first wife, Vashti, is set in the third year of his reign, which is before the Persian wars. However, it also appears that Esther was married to him probably a few months after, and was queen while Xerxes was away in Greece. This suggests that Amestris (the Greek name of Xerxes' wife) is in fact Esther. Now, I checked and they indicate that she was actually Vashti, but it then goes on to expound the Akkadian root of both words and this seems to indicate that Amestris is Esther as opposed to Vashti. I believe that that is the case, based on the biblical record (if it is correct that Ahasuerus and Xerxes are in fact the same person).
So, I guess my point is that the reason that Xerxes' was not deposed was because he was persuaded by Haman to blame the Jews for his defeat at Salamis, however through the intervention of Esther, this blame was then shifted back onto Haman, who was then subsequently executed. Anyway, this is all speculation, however I do enjoy speculating about ancient historical events, which is why I wrote this in the first place.
January 23, 2017
" [...] 危蟿畏 未蠀蟽蟿蠀蠂委伪
未蔚 胃伪 蟺蟻慰未蠋蟽慰蠀渭蔚 蠈蟺慰喂慰蠀蟼 伪纬伪蟺维渭蔚. "
螚 未蠀蟽蟿蠀蠂委伪 蟿慰蠀 蠂伪渭苇谓慰蠀 蟺维谓蟿伪 蟺蟻慰魏伪位蔚委 位蠉蟺畏. 危蟿畏谓 蟿蟻伪纬蠅未委伪 伪蠀蟿萎, 渭蔚 蟽蠀纬魏委谓畏蟽蔚 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻伪 畏 苇渭蠁伪蟽畏 蟺慰蠀 未蠈胃畏魏蔚 蟽蟿慰谓 蠂伪渭蠈 蠈蟽蠅谓 伪魏慰位慰蠉胃畏蟽伪谓, 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 谓伪 苇蠂慰蠀谓 蔚蟺喂位慰纬萎, 蟿慰谓 螢苇蟻尉畏- 蠈蠂喂 渭蠈谓慰 蔚蟺喂蠁伪谓蔚委蟼 蟺位慰蠉蟽喂慰喂 维谓未蟻蔚蟼, 蟺慰蠀 蔚魏蟿苇位蔚蟽伪谓 蠂蟻苇畏 蟽蟿蟻伪蟿畏纬蠋谓, 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟺慰位位慰委 伪谓蠋谓蠀渭慰喂, 慰喂 纬蠀谓伪委魏蔚蟼, 慰喂 纬慰谓蔚委蟼 魏伪喂 蟿伪 蟺伪喂未喂维 蟿蠅谓 慰蟺慰委蠅谓 未蔚谓 胃伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 尉伪谓伪未慰蠉谓 锟斤拷慰蟿苇.
螤慰位蠉 蟽蠀纬魏喂谓畏蟿喂魏蠈蟼 魏伪喂 蟽蠀渭蟺伪胃畏蟿喂魏蠈蟼 慰 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻伪蟼 蟿畏蟼 螁蟿慰蟽蟽伪蟼, 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪蟼 蟿慰蠀 螢苇蟻尉畏 魏伪喂 蠂萎蟻伪蟼 蟿慰蠀 螖伪蟻蔚委慰蠀. 螚 伪纬蠅谓委伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰 纬喂慰 蟿畏蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 畏 伪纬蠅谓委伪 魏维胃蔚 渭维谓伪蟼, 伪委蟽胃畏渭伪 蟺伪谓伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓慰 魏伪喂 未喂伪蠂蟻慰谓喂魏蠈.
"螤蠈蟽慰 蟺慰位蠉 渭蔚 蟽蟺维蟻伪尉蔚谓 畏 胃位委蠄畏,
蟿喂蟼 蟿蠅蟻喂谓苇蟼 渭伪蟼 蟽蠀渭蠁慰蟻苇蟼 纬蟻喂魏蠋谓蟿伪蟼
魏喂 蠈蟽蔚蟼 伪魏蠈渭畏 伪蟺维谓蠅 渭伪蟼 胃伪 蟺苇蟽慰蠀谓.
未蔚 胃伪 蟺蟻慰未蠋蟽慰蠀渭蔚 蠈蟺慰喂慰蠀蟼 伪纬伪蟺维渭蔚. "
螚 未蠀蟽蟿蠀蠂委伪 蟿慰蠀 蠂伪渭苇谓慰蠀 蟺维谓蟿伪 蟺蟻慰魏伪位蔚委 位蠉蟺畏. 危蟿畏谓 蟿蟻伪纬蠅未委伪 伪蠀蟿萎, 渭蔚 蟽蠀纬魏委谓畏蟽蔚 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻伪 畏 苇渭蠁伪蟽畏 蟺慰蠀 未蠈胃畏魏蔚 蟽蟿慰谓 蠂伪渭蠈 蠈蟽蠅谓 伪魏慰位慰蠉胃畏蟽伪谓, 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 谓伪 苇蠂慰蠀谓 蔚蟺喂位慰纬萎, 蟿慰谓 螢苇蟻尉畏- 蠈蠂喂 渭蠈谓慰 蔚蟺喂蠁伪谓蔚委蟼 蟺位慰蠉蟽喂慰喂 维谓未蟻蔚蟼, 蟺慰蠀 蔚魏蟿苇位蔚蟽伪谓 蠂蟻苇畏 蟽蟿蟻伪蟿畏纬蠋谓, 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟺慰位位慰委 伪谓蠋谓蠀渭慰喂, 慰喂 纬蠀谓伪委魏蔚蟼, 慰喂 纬慰谓蔚委蟼 魏伪喂 蟿伪 蟺伪喂未喂维 蟿蠅谓 慰蟺慰委蠅谓 未蔚谓 胃伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 尉伪谓伪未慰蠉谓 锟斤拷慰蟿苇.
螤慰位蠉 蟽蠀纬魏喂谓畏蟿喂魏蠈蟼 魏伪喂 蟽蠀渭蟺伪胃畏蟿喂魏蠈蟼 慰 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻伪蟼 蟿畏蟼 螁蟿慰蟽蟽伪蟼, 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪蟼 蟿慰蠀 螢苇蟻尉畏 魏伪喂 蠂萎蟻伪蟼 蟿慰蠀 螖伪蟻蔚委慰蠀. 螚 伪纬蠅谓委伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰 纬喂慰 蟿畏蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 畏 伪纬蠅谓委伪 魏维胃蔚 渭维谓伪蟼, 伪委蟽胃畏渭伪 蟺伪谓伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓慰 魏伪喂 未喂伪蠂蟻慰谓喂魏蠈.
"螤蠈蟽慰 蟺慰位蠉 渭蔚 蟽蟺维蟻伪尉蔚谓 畏 胃位委蠄畏,
蟿喂蟼 蟿蠅蟻喂谓苇蟼 渭伪蟼 蟽蠀渭蠁慰蟻苇蟼 纬蟻喂魏蠋谓蟿伪蟼
魏喂 蠈蟽蔚蟼 伪魏蠈渭畏 伪蟺维谓蠅 渭伪蟼 胃伪 蟺苇蟽慰蠀谓.
November 16, 2018
Representada pela primeira vez em 472 a. C., Persas 茅 a pe莽a grega mais antiga que chegou completa ao nosso tempo.
O tema 茅 a Batalha de Salamina, "a m茫e de todas as guerras". A ac莽茫o decorre em Susa, P茅rsia, iniciando-se com a glorifica莽茫o e esperan莽a de vit贸ria do ex茅rcito atacante e terminando com os lamentos do sobrevivente Xerxes, cujos trajes reais esfarrapados simbolizam a derrota numa guerra onde pereceram quase todos os persas pelas armas dos gregos.
(Wilhelm von Kaulbach, Battle of Salamis)
O tema 茅 a Batalha de Salamina, "a m茫e de todas as guerras". A ac莽茫o decorre em Susa, P茅rsia, iniciando-se com a glorifica莽茫o e esperan莽a de vit贸ria do ex茅rcito atacante e terminando com os lamentos do sobrevivente Xerxes, cujos trajes reais esfarrapados simbolizam a derrota numa guerra onde pereceram quase todos os persas pelas armas dos gregos.
(Wilhelm von Kaulbach, Battle of Salamis)
June 3, 2019
Yet the insidious guile of god鈥攚hat mortal man can escape it? Who with agile foot can lightly overleap and escape its toils?
This is a mournful gaze of the vanquished. Fortuna's Wheel has spun and the Imperium has been struck. The famed army of the title have been routed at Salamis.
There's very effective use of the chorus, the tempo of such leads us to the precipice.
This is a mournful gaze of the vanquished. Fortuna's Wheel has spun and the Imperium has been struck. The famed army of the title have been routed at Salamis.
There's very effective use of the chorus, the tempo of such leads us to the precipice.
April 3, 2021
N茫o posso mentir, j谩 me passaram textos cl谩ssicos pelas m茫os que fizeram as minhas del铆cias e este "Persas" n茫o provocou um impacto muito significativo. Mas h谩 algo de especial nele, nem que seja o facto de se tratar da pe莽a grega mais antiga que chegou inteira aos nossos dias, ou at茅 o espantoso poder evocativo da palavra: muito antes de Xerxes entrar em cena, 茅 pela m茫o do Mensageiro que se torna poss铆vel desenhar mentalmente toda a desgra莽a que se abateu sobre os b谩rbaros 鈥� "A costa de Salamina e toda a regi茫o em volta est茫o juncadas dos cad谩veres", "do lado dos Gregos, irrompe um grande clamor, semelhante a um canto, cujo eco 茅 devolvido pelos rochedos da ilha"... esta evoca莽茫o dos acontecimentos passados 茅 violenta e arrepiante, mas tamb茅m incrivelmente bela (talvez por ser t茫o sensorial).
May 30, 2019
Esta foi uma leitura que n茫o superou as minhas expectativas iniciais, pois esperava um pouco mais desta trag茅dia de 脡squilo.
Achei o texto bastante repetitivo, com um enredo mon贸tono e pouco diversificado. A ac莽茫o 茅 quase inexistente, tratando-se maioritariamente, de uma descri莽茫o pormenorizada da derrota do ex茅rcito Persa pela m茫o do ex茅rcito Grego. Sendo o relato feito pela voz dos Persas, 茅 um relato muito pungente, cheio de emo莽茫o, que n茫o deixa o leitor indiferente. Assistimos 脿 dolorosa amplia莽茫o da desgra莽a dos Persas, que remete para uma subtil glorifica莽茫o da superioridade militar grega. No entanto, para al茅m deste aspecto central, muito bem conseguido e que se repete ao longo de toda a trag茅dia, este texto pouco mais me "falou".
Enquanto leitora senti a falta de algumas das caracter铆sticas da trag茅dia grega, e interroguei-me sobre esta estrutura um pouco diferente das que li anteriormente. Uma pesquisa sobre esta obra, revelou-me que Os Persas seriam a segunda trag茅dia de uma tetralogia (grupo de tr锚s trag茅dias, seguidas de uma pe莽a sat铆rica, tudo do mesmo autor), mas que foi a 煤nica chegar at茅 aos nossos dias. Sabendo isto, julgo que apenas lendo a obra no seu devido contexto se poderia avaliar correctamente sobre a mesma. Infelizmente, tal j谩 n茫o 茅 poss铆vel, e apesar de n茫o ter gostado particularmente desta pe莽a, reconhe莽o o seu valor, e fico feliz por a mesma ter sobrevivido at茅 aos nossos dias. N茫o posso no entanto, aconselhar a sua leitura.
Para o post completo visite:
Achei o texto bastante repetitivo, com um enredo mon贸tono e pouco diversificado. A ac莽茫o 茅 quase inexistente, tratando-se maioritariamente, de uma descri莽茫o pormenorizada da derrota do ex茅rcito Persa pela m茫o do ex茅rcito Grego. Sendo o relato feito pela voz dos Persas, 茅 um relato muito pungente, cheio de emo莽茫o, que n茫o deixa o leitor indiferente. Assistimos 脿 dolorosa amplia莽茫o da desgra莽a dos Persas, que remete para uma subtil glorifica莽茫o da superioridade militar grega. No entanto, para al茅m deste aspecto central, muito bem conseguido e que se repete ao longo de toda a trag茅dia, este texto pouco mais me "falou".
Enquanto leitora senti a falta de algumas das caracter铆sticas da trag茅dia grega, e interroguei-me sobre esta estrutura um pouco diferente das que li anteriormente. Uma pesquisa sobre esta obra, revelou-me que Os Persas seriam a segunda trag茅dia de uma tetralogia (grupo de tr锚s trag茅dias, seguidas de uma pe莽a sat铆rica, tudo do mesmo autor), mas que foi a 煤nica chegar at茅 aos nossos dias. Sabendo isto, julgo que apenas lendo a obra no seu devido contexto se poderia avaliar correctamente sobre a mesma. Infelizmente, tal j谩 n茫o 茅 poss铆vel, e apesar de n茫o ter gostado particularmente desta pe莽a, reconhe莽o o seu valor, e fico feliz por a mesma ter sobrevivido at茅 aos nossos dias. N茫o posso no entanto, aconselhar a sua leitura.
Para o post completo visite:
November 17, 2019
Conservando diante dos olhos este castigo, lembrai-vos sempre de Atenas e da Gr茅cia e que ningu茅m despreze a sua sorte presente porque, ao cobi莽ar o que 茅 dos outros, pode deitar por terra uma grande felicidade.
December 18, 2017
Written in 472 B.C., Aeschylus鈥檚 Persians is the oldest surviving play in the history of Western drama. How astonishing, then, to consider that the first piece of Greek tragedy to come down to us was written not from a Greek perspective, but ostensibly from that of an implacable enemy defeated a mere eight years prior; an enemy that had terrorized all the Greeks, enslaved many of them, and had sacked the very city in which the play was first performed.
Aeschylus, along with many of the play鈥檚 original viewers, was likely at the Battle of Salamis. The graphic imagery conjured by the Persian Messenger鈥攖he sea being so cluttered with corpses and debris that one couldn鈥檛 see the water; bodies clustering on the shoreline like litter; Athenian marines using the splintered, jagged ends of their rowing oars to skewer wounded Persians in the water like fish鈥攚ere probably drawn not from Aeschylus鈥檚 imagination, but from his memory. Many of his viewers would have had similar recollections. Many of them would have lost friends in the battle, and some of them may have suffered from symptoms of what we would now call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For those who didn鈥檛 participate in the battle, the memory of the war would have recalled the deep existential dread they must have felt for the prospect of their total annihilation at the hands of a foreign invader; a level of terror impossible to comprehend by those of us who have never lived in the path of an invading army.
Needless to say, there were doubtless some exposed nerves in the audience that would have been touched upon seeing a play set not at Salamis or at Athens, but at the Persian court at Susa. There is certainly some Greek triumphalism woven into the dialogue, as the characters lament the folly of trying to subdue the irrepressible Greek genius. But there is also an admirable effort on Aeschylus鈥檚 part to make the Persian experience鈥攖hat of the 鈥渙ther鈥濃€攑alatable to his Athenian audience. The festival goers gathered at the Dionysia would have been permitted to see their great oriental nemesis no longer as a faceless terror, but as a king reduced to a beggar in rags; a defeated and despondent victim of the mercurial intelligences which rule the fates of all men of all races. In the world of gods and men, the mighty could be cast down without notice and without recourse.
Such was the warning of Aeschylus to an Athens which was entering its golden age. One wonders if, fifty-seven years later, the sailors embarking from an Athens which was now the center of an aggressive and expansionary maritime empire on the doomed Sicilian Expedition spared a thought for the inconsolable Xerxes and his fawningly pitiful mother.
Aeschylus, along with many of the play鈥檚 original viewers, was likely at the Battle of Salamis. The graphic imagery conjured by the Persian Messenger鈥攖he sea being so cluttered with corpses and debris that one couldn鈥檛 see the water; bodies clustering on the shoreline like litter; Athenian marines using the splintered, jagged ends of their rowing oars to skewer wounded Persians in the water like fish鈥攚ere probably drawn not from Aeschylus鈥檚 imagination, but from his memory. Many of his viewers would have had similar recollections. Many of them would have lost friends in the battle, and some of them may have suffered from symptoms of what we would now call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For those who didn鈥檛 participate in the battle, the memory of the war would have recalled the deep existential dread they must have felt for the prospect of their total annihilation at the hands of a foreign invader; a level of terror impossible to comprehend by those of us who have never lived in the path of an invading army.
Needless to say, there were doubtless some exposed nerves in the audience that would have been touched upon seeing a play set not at Salamis or at Athens, but at the Persian court at Susa. There is certainly some Greek triumphalism woven into the dialogue, as the characters lament the folly of trying to subdue the irrepressible Greek genius. But there is also an admirable effort on Aeschylus鈥檚 part to make the Persian experience鈥攖hat of the 鈥渙ther鈥濃€攑alatable to his Athenian audience. The festival goers gathered at the Dionysia would have been permitted to see their great oriental nemesis no longer as a faceless terror, but as a king reduced to a beggar in rags; a defeated and despondent victim of the mercurial intelligences which rule the fates of all men of all races. In the world of gods and men, the mighty could be cast down without notice and without recourse.
Such was the warning of Aeschylus to an Athens which was entering its golden age. One wonders if, fifty-seven years later, the sailors embarking from an Athens which was now the center of an aggressive and expansionary maritime empire on the doomed Sicilian Expedition spared a thought for the inconsolable Xerxes and his fawningly pitiful mother.
June 30, 2018
螠蔚 蟿慰蠀蟼听螤苇蚁蟽蔚蟼听慰 螒喂蟽蠂蠉位慰蟼 未委未伪蟽魏蔚喂 蟿慰 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓慰 纬苇谓慰蟼 蠈蟿喂 畏 畏胃喂魏萎 蟿维尉畏 未喂伪蟿伪蟻维味蔚蟿伪喂, 蠈蟿伪谓 慰 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰蟼 蠁蟿维蟽蔚喂 蟽蟿畏谓听蠀尾蟻喂. 螝伪喂 畏 蠉尾蟻喂蟼 纬蔚谓谓喂苇蟿伪喂, 蠈蟿伪谓 蠀蟺蔚蟻尾伪委谓慰蠀渭蔚 蟿慰 渭苇蟿蟻慰 蟺慰蠀 未蠈胃畏魏蔚 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 胃蔚蠈 蟽蟿畏 蠁蠉蟽畏 渭伪蟼.听螚 蠀蟺苇蟻尾伪蟽畏 伪蠀蟿萎 蔚渭蠁伪谓委味蔚蟿伪喂 蟽伪谓 伪位伪味慰谓蔚委伪 伪蟺苇谓伪谓蟿喂 蠈蠂喂 渭蠈谓慰 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 维位位慰蠀蟼 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺慰蠀蟼 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟽蟿慰谓 委未喂慰 蟿慰 胃蔚蠈, 蟿慰蠀 慰蟺慰委慰蠀 畏 慰蠀蟽委伪 魏伪喂 畏 尾慰蠉位畏蟽畏 蔚魏蠁蟻维味蔚蟿伪喂 蠁喂位维谓胃蟻蠅蟺畏 伪位位维 魏伪喂 伪未蠀蟽蠋蟺畏蟿伪 蟽魏位畏蟻萎 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 谓蠈渭慰蠀蟼 蟿畏蟼 蠁蠉蟽畏蟼.
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June 9, 2021Full bitaitan莽o soon.
August 31, 2020
Esta 茅 a trag茅dia onde a hist贸ria se faz mito, ao contr谩rio daquelas onde o mito se aproxima dos homens e das suas viv锚ncias. Quem o diz 茅 Manuel de Oliveira Pulqu茅rio na introdu莽茫o a este texto magn铆fico e, em v谩rios sentidos, 煤nico. Escrito pouco tempo depois da guerra que op玫e Xerxes 脿 cidade de Atenas, n茫o nos apresenta o lado hel茅nico do acontecimento, nem o acontecimento em si, mas antes a vis茫o persa de uma batalha hist贸rica, dos antecedentes e das suas consequ锚ncias. N茫o andamos aqui no dom铆nio das pe莽as tr谩gicas situadas nos tempos m铆ticos de um 脡dipo ou de um Orestes. Andamos sim num tempo hist贸rico preciso, que tivera lugar havia pouco e que os atenienses ainda recordavam. S贸 a铆 j谩 se v锚 que, tantos anos passados, n茫o aprendemos muito mais.
August 3, 2015
Yikes. This is the type of ancient Greek drama that is painful to read. The plot: the Persian army was routed by the Greeks. That's it. We are told this in the opening moments of the play, and for 50 pages must read repetitive laments. Chorus: "Oh woe! Woe! What happened to (long list of Greek names)?" Xerxes: "They died in battle." Chorus: "Oh, WOE! WOE! And what of (long list of more Greek names)?" Xerxes: "They, too, died in battle!" Chorus: "Oh, WOE! WOE!"
For fifty pages. I'm not kidding.
The mother of Xerxes meets the ghost of her husband, who commands her to comfort Xerxes, but then we never see the mother again. Does she comfort him? What happened in their emotional meeting? We never find out--only more of the Chorus lamenting. It was just dreadful.
While deciding to explore Greek drama, I'm glad I read Sophocles first. I wouldn't have picked up another play if I had read The Persians first. I can only hope that Aeschylus' other work is better than this!
For fifty pages. I'm not kidding.
The mother of Xerxes meets the ghost of her husband, who commands her to comfort Xerxes, but then we never see the mother again. Does she comfort him? What happened in their emotional meeting? We never find out--only more of the Chorus lamenting. It was just dreadful.
While deciding to explore Greek drama, I'm glad I read Sophocles first. I wouldn't have picked up another play if I had read The Persians first. I can only hope that Aeschylus' other work is better than this!
June 14, 2021
3'5 鈽�
El que tiene experiencia en la miseria
sabe, amigos, que tras una tormenta
de miserias, el hombre se estremece
ante cualquier evento, y cuando el hado
le es favorable, cree que esta brisa
habr谩 de serle siempre bienhechora.
El que tiene experiencia en la miseria
sabe, amigos, que tras una tormenta
de miserias, el hombre se estremece
ante cualquier evento, y cuando el hado
le es favorable, cree que esta brisa
habr谩 de serle siempre bienhechora.
December 6, 2024
oh how i love this play
April 15, 2024
鈥m谩 contraversial a冒 segja 镁etta um 脝sk媒los en 镁etta var alveg sm谩 mid鈥�
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April 13, 2023
螒蟻蠂伪委伪 螘位位畏谓喂魏萎 螞慰纬慰蟿蔚蠂谓委伪
1) 螛蔚慰纬慰谓委伪 / 螆蟻纬伪 魏伪喂 螚渭苇蟻伪喂 / 螒蟽蟺委蟼 螚蟻伪魏位苇慰蠀蟼 (750-650 蟺.围.)
2) 螞蠀蟻喂魏萎 螤慰委畏蟽畏 (630-570 蟺.围.)
3) 螤苇蟻蟽伪喂 (472 蟺.围.)
蠂蟻蠈谓慰蟼 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽畏蟼 魏蟻喂蟿喂魏萎蟼: 1 位蔚蟺蟿蠈
螚 蟺蟻蠅喂渭蠈蟿蔚蟻畏 蟽蠅味蠈渭蔚谓畏 蔚位位畏谓喂魏萎 蟿蟻伪纬蠅未委伪.
螕蟻维蠁蟿畏魏蔚 7 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 蟺蔚蟻委蟺慰蠀 渭蔚蟿维 蟿伪 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 蔚尉喂蟽蟿慰蟻蔚委 (螡伪蠀渭伪蠂委伪 蟿畏蟼 危伪位伪渭委谓伪蟼).
螌蟺慰蟿蔚 纬喂伪 伪蠀蟿慰蠉蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟺蟻蠅蟿慰蔚委未伪谓 蟿畏谓 蟿蟻伪纬蠅未委伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 萎蟿伪谓 蟺慰位蠉 蠁蟻苇蟽魏伪.
螝伪喂 蠁蠀蟽喂魏维 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎 蟺慰蠀 慰 螒喂蟽蠂蠀位慰蟼 蟽蠀渭渭蔚蟿蔚委蠂蔚 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿畏 蟿畏谓 螡伪蠀渭伪蠂委伪
蟿伪 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟿伪 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味慰谓蟿伪喂 渭蔚 渭蔚纬维位畏 伪魏蟻委尾蔚喂伪.
螚 蟺位慰魏萎 伪蟺位萎 渭喂伪蟼 魏伪喂 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 螒喂蟽蠂蠉位慰 伪蠀尉萎胃畏魏伪谓 慰喂 畏胃慰蟺慰喂慰委
魏伪喂 渭蔚喂蠋胃畏魏伪谓 蟿伪 蠂慰蟻喂魏维. 韦伪 蟺蟻蠈蟽蠅蟺伪 位委纬伪, 慰 蟺蠈谓慰蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟺慰位蠉蟼.
螘委谓伪喂 蔚尉维位位慰蠀 魏伪喂 慰 蟺蟻蠋蟿慰蟼 未蟻伪渭伪蟿慰蠀蟻纬蠈蟼.
螤蟻喂谓 伪蟺蠈 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 慰喂 胃蔚伪蟿蟻喂魏苇蟼 蟺伪蟻伪蟽蟿维蟽蔚喂蟼 萎蟿伪谓 慰蠀蟽喂伪蟽蟿喂魏维 胃蟻畏蟽魏蔚蠀蟿喂魏慰委 蠉渭谓慰喂
蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 慰蟺慰委慰蠀蟼 慰 螛苇蟽蟺喂蟼 蟺伪蟻蔚谓苇尾伪位蔚 苇谓伪 蟺蟻蠈蟽蠅蟺慰 蟺慰蠀 渭蔚 伪蠁萎纬畏蟽畏
魏伪喂 渭委渭畏蟽畏 蟺伪蟻委蟽蟿伪谓蔚 蟿慰蠀蟼 渭蠉胃慰蠀蟼 蟿蠅谓 胃蟻畏蟽魏蔚蠀蟿喂魏蠋谓 蠉渭谓蠅谓.
螣 螒喂蟽蠂蠉位慰蟼 蟺蟻蠈蟽胃蔚蟽蔚 魏伪喂 未蔚蠀蟿蔚蟻伪纬蠅谓喂蟽蟿萎 魏伪喂 蔚位伪蟿蟿蠋谓慰谓蟿伪蟼 蟿伪 渭苇蟻畏 蟿慰蠀 蠂慰蟻慰蠉
蟺伪蟻蔚谓苇尾伪位蔚 未喂伪位蠈纬慰蠀蟼 胃蔚伪蟿蟻喂魏慰蠉 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻伪,
蠂蟻畏蟽喂渭慰蟺慰喂蔚委 胃蔚伪蟿蟻喂魏维 蟽魏畏谓喂魏维, 蔚蟺喂渭蔚位蔚委蟿伪喂 蟿畏谓 蟽魏畏谓喂魏萎 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽委伪 蟿蠅谓 蠀蟺慰魏蟻喂蟿蠋谓,
蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味蔚喂 渭蔚 蔚谓蟿蠀蟺蠅蟽喂伪魏蠈蟿蔚蟻伪 蟻慰蠉蠂伪 尾蔚位蟿喂蠋谓蔚喂 蟿喂蟼 胃蔚伪蟿蟻喂魏苇蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 渭维蟽魏蔚蟼
魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 蠁慰蟻维 魏慰胃蠈蟻谓慰蠀蟼 蠋蟽蟿蔚 蟿慰 伪谓维蟽蟿畏渭维 蟿慰蠀蟼 谓伪 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺喂慰 蔚蟺喂尾位畏蟿喂魏蠈.
螆蟿蟽喂 慰喂 伪位位伪纬苇蟼 蠀蟺慰尾维位慰蠀谓 蟿慰 胃蔚伪蟿萎 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 蟺伪蟻伪蟽蠉蟻慰蠀谓
蟽蟿畏谓 纬慰畏蟿蔚委伪 蟿畏蟼 胃蔚伪蟿蟻喂魏萎蟼 蠄蔚蠀未伪委蟽胃畏蟽畏蟼.
螘委谓伪喂 渭喂伪 蟿蟻伪纬蠅未委伪 蟽蟿畏谓 慰蟺慰委伪 伪蟺慰蠀蟽喂维味慰蠀谓 慰喂 螆位位畏谓蔚蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 蟽魏畏谓萎.
螣喂 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 渭蠈谓慰 螤苇蚁蟽蔚蟼
螘魏蟿蠈蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 围慰蟻蠈 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰谓 伪蟺慰蟿蔚位慰蠉谓 纬苇蟻慰谓蟿蔚蟼 维蟻蠂慰谓蟿蔚蟼 螤苇蚁蟽蔚蟼,
慰喂 蠀蟺蠈位慰喂蟺慰喂 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 畏 尾伪蟽委位喂蟽蟽伪 螒蟿蠈蟽蟽伪 畏 渭维谓伪 蟿慰蠀 畏蟿蟿畏渭苇谓慰蠀 螢苇蟻尉畏,
蟿慰 蠁维谓蟿伪蟽渭伪 蟿慰蠀 螖伪蟻蔚委慰蠀 蟿慰蠀 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 螢苇蟻尉畏,
慰 螢苇蟻尉畏蟼 慰 委未喂慰蟼 蟺慰蠀 蔚蟺喂蟽蟿蟻苇蠁蔚喂 畏蟿蟿畏渭苇谓慰蟼 魏伪喂 蟿苇位慰蟼 苇谓伪蟼 伪纬纬蔚位喂伪蠁蠈蟻慰蟼
蟺慰蠀 魏维谓蔚喂 蟿畏谓 伪蟻蠂萎 蟽蟿畏谓 伪纬纬蔚位委伪 蟿蠅谓 魏伪魏蠋谓 渭伪谓蟿维蟿蠅谓.
螚 蟺位慰魏萎 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蟺蟻慰伪谓苇蠁蔚蟻伪 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蟺位萎.
螔位苇蟺慰蠀渭蔚 蟿慰蠀蟼 螤苇蚁蟽蔚蟼 谓伪 渭伪胃伪委谓慰蠀谓 蟽蟿伪未喂伪魏维 蟿伪 魏伪魏维 渭伪谓蟿维蟿伪 蟿畏蟼 萎蟿蟿伪蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼.
韦慰 渭畏谓蠉渭伪蟿伪 蟿慰蠀 螒喂蟽蠂蠉位慰蠀 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟺慰位位维.
韦畏谓 苇蟺伪蟻蟽畏, 蟿畏谓 蠁喂位慰未慰尉委伪, 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 伪位伪味慰谓蔚委伪 蟿畏蟼 蔚尉慰蠀蟽委伪蟼
胃伪 蟿喂蟼 伪魏慰位慰蠀胃萎蟽慰蠀谓 畏 谓苇渭蔚蟽喂蟼 (慰蟻纬萎 魏伪喂 蔚魏未委魏畏蟽畏 蟿蠅谓 胃蔚蠋谓)
魏伪喂 畏 蟿委蟽喂蟼 ( 蟿喂渭蠅蟻委伪 魏伪喂 魏伪蟿伪蟽蟿蟻慰蠁萎 蟿慰蠀蟼).
August 6, 2023
倬丕乇爻蹖鈥屬囏� 丕诏賴 丕卮鬲亘丕賴 賳讴賳賲 賯丿蹖賲蹖鈥屫臂屬� 鬲乇丕跇丿蹖 賴爻鬲 讴賴 賲丕 亘賴卮 丿爻鬲乇爻蹖 丿丕乇蹖賲. 亘乇丕蹖 賴賲蹖賳 卮丕蹖丿 毓蹖亘鈥屬囏й屰� 讴賴 賲蹖禺賵丕賲 亘賴卮 亘诏蹖賲 趩賳丿丕賳 賲賳氐賮丕賳賴 賳亘丕卮賴 丕賲丕 禺亘 亘丕夭 丕蹖賳 賲卮讴賱鈥屬囏� 乇賵 亘丕賴丕卮 丿丕卮鬲賲.
賳賲丕蹖卮 賲孬賱 诏夭丕乇卮 噩賳诏 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴. 讴賱 乇賵丕蹖鬲 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳 賲蹖诏匕乇賴. 噩丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丌鬲賵爻丕貙 賴賲爻乇 丿丕乇蹖賵卮 賵 賲丕丿乇 禺卮丕蹖丕乇卮丕貙 賵 诏乇賵賴蹖 丕夭 亘夭乇诏丕賳 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖 禺亘乇 卮讴爻鬲 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖鈥屬囏� 丕夭 蹖賵賳丕賳蹖鈥屬囏� 乇賵 賲蹖卮賳賵賳. 丿蹖丕賱賵诏鈥屬囏� 亘蹖卮鬲乇 氐乇賮 賱蹖爻鬲 讴乇丿賳 賲賳丕胤賯 賲禺鬲賱賮 蹖賵賳丕賳 賵 丕賮乇丕丿 卮讴爻鬲 禺賵乇丿賴 賲蹖卮賴 鬲丕 乇賵丕蹖鬲 賳亘乇丿. 蹖賴 亘禺卮蹖 丕夭 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴賲 讴賴 乇賵丨 丿丕乇蹖賵卮 馗丕賴乇 賲蹖卮賴 丕賵賳噩丕 賴賲 亘丕夭 卮乇賵毓 賲蹖讴賳賴 亘賴 賱蹖爻鬲 讴乇丿賳 倬丕丿卮丕賴丕賳 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖.
丿乇 賳賴丕蹖鬲 賴賲 讴賴 禺賵丿 禺卮丕蹖丕乇 乇賵蹖 氐丨賳賴 賲蹖丕丿 讴賱丕 亘賴 丌賴 賵 賳丕賱賴 賵 夭丕乇蹖 賲蹖诏匕乇賴 賵 丿乇 賳賴丕蹖鬲 賴賲 亘丕 賴賲賵賳 丨丕賱鬲 氐丨賳賴 乇賵 鬲乇讴 賲蹖诏賴 賵 賳賲丕蹖卮 鬲賲賵賲 賲蹖卮賴...
禺賱丕氐賴 丕蹖賳讴賴 乇賵丕蹖鬲貙 卮禺氐蹖鬲 賵 蹖丕 丿蹖丕賱賵诏 噩匕丕亘蹖 鬲賵蹖 賳賲丕蹖卮 賳賲蹖卮賴 倬蹖丿丕 讴乇丿. 丕賳鬲禺丕亘 丕蹖賳讴賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丕夭 丿蹖丿诏丕賴 丕賷乇丕賳賷賴丕蹖 亘丕夭賳丿賴 亘賴 鬲氐賵蹖乇 讴卮蹖丿賴 亘卮賴 賲蹖鬲賵賳爻鬲 禺蹖賱蹖 噩匕丕亘 亘丕卮賴 丕賲丕 禺亘 丕賵賳 賴賲 鬲丕孬蹖乇 禺丕氐蹖 賳丿丕卮鬲. 賮賯胤 亘丕毓孬 卮丿 蹖賴 毓賷亘 丿蹖诏賴 鬲賵蹖 賳賲丕蹖卮 倬蹖丿丕 讴賳賲 讴賴 丕賵賳賲 丕毓鬲賯丕丿 丿丕乇蹖賵卮 賵 禺卮丕蹖丕乇 賵 丌鬲賵爻丕 亘賴 禺丿丕蹖丕賳 蹖賵賳丕賳蹖 亘賵丿 賵 賲丿丕賲 丕爻賲 丕夭 夭卅賵爻 賵 倬賵夭賵蹖丿賵賳 賵 亘賯蹖賴 禺丿丕賴丕 賲蹖丕賵乇丿賳.
賳賲丕蹖卮 賲孬賱 诏夭丕乇卮 噩賳诏 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴. 讴賱 乇賵丕蹖鬲 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳 賲蹖诏匕乇賴. 噩丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丌鬲賵爻丕貙 賴賲爻乇 丿丕乇蹖賵卮 賵 賲丕丿乇 禺卮丕蹖丕乇卮丕貙 賵 诏乇賵賴蹖 丕夭 亘夭乇诏丕賳 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖 禺亘乇 卮讴爻鬲 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖鈥屬囏� 丕夭 蹖賵賳丕賳蹖鈥屬囏� 乇賵 賲蹖卮賳賵賳. 丿蹖丕賱賵诏鈥屬囏� 亘蹖卮鬲乇 氐乇賮 賱蹖爻鬲 讴乇丿賳 賲賳丕胤賯 賲禺鬲賱賮 蹖賵賳丕賳 賵 丕賮乇丕丿 卮讴爻鬲 禺賵乇丿賴 賲蹖卮賴 鬲丕 乇賵丕蹖鬲 賳亘乇丿. 蹖賴 亘禺卮蹖 丕夭 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴賲 讴賴 乇賵丨 丿丕乇蹖賵卮 馗丕賴乇 賲蹖卮賴 丕賵賳噩丕 賴賲 亘丕夭 卮乇賵毓 賲蹖讴賳賴 亘賴 賱蹖爻鬲 讴乇丿賳 倬丕丿卮丕賴丕賳 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖.
丿乇 賳賴丕蹖鬲 賴賲 讴賴 禺賵丿 禺卮丕蹖丕乇 乇賵蹖 氐丨賳賴 賲蹖丕丿 讴賱丕 亘賴 丌賴 賵 賳丕賱賴 賵 夭丕乇蹖 賲蹖诏匕乇賴 賵 丿乇 賳賴丕蹖鬲 賴賲 亘丕 賴賲賵賳 丨丕賱鬲 氐丨賳賴 乇賵 鬲乇讴 賲蹖诏賴 賵 賳賲丕蹖卮 鬲賲賵賲 賲蹖卮賴...
禺賱丕氐賴 丕蹖賳讴賴 乇賵丕蹖鬲貙 卮禺氐蹖鬲 賵 蹖丕 丿蹖丕賱賵诏 噩匕丕亘蹖 鬲賵蹖 賳賲丕蹖卮 賳賲蹖卮賴 倬蹖丿丕 讴乇丿. 丕賳鬲禺丕亘 丕蹖賳讴賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丕夭 丿蹖丿诏丕賴 丕賷乇丕賳賷賴丕蹖 亘丕夭賳丿賴 亘賴 鬲氐賵蹖乇 讴卮蹖丿賴 亘卮賴 賲蹖鬲賵賳爻鬲 禺蹖賱蹖 噩匕丕亘 亘丕卮賴 丕賲丕 禺亘 丕賵賳 賴賲 鬲丕孬蹖乇 禺丕氐蹖 賳丿丕卮鬲. 賮賯胤 亘丕毓孬 卮丿 蹖賴 毓賷亘 丿蹖诏賴 鬲賵蹖 賳賲丕蹖卮 倬蹖丿丕 讴賳賲 讴賴 丕賵賳賲 丕毓鬲賯丕丿 丿丕乇蹖賵卮 賵 禺卮丕蹖丕乇 賵 丌鬲賵爻丕 亘賴 禺丿丕蹖丕賳 蹖賵賳丕賳蹖 亘賵丿 賵 賲丿丕賲 丕爻賲 丕夭 夭卅賵爻 賵 倬賵夭賵蹖丿賵賳 賵 亘賯蹖賴 禺丿丕賴丕 賲蹖丕賵乇丿賳.
September 7, 2021
*book explores grief*
Me: 5 stars
Me: 5 stars
December 2, 2021
The play can be broken down into "Man, I can't believe that the Greeks beat us THAT hard", but I felt it.
August 27, 2021
The Persian Empire invaded Greece in 480 B.C., and came to grief when the Greeks decisively defeated the Persians at the naval battle of Salamis and the land battle of Plataea. And just seven or eight years after that key moment from classical history, those dramatic events were brought to the Athenian stage by the playwright Aeschylus 鈥� in The Persians, the first Western play that has survived to the present day in its complete form.
Aeschylus (c. 525-455 B.C.) is conventionally spoken of as being the first of Athens鈥� triad of great tragic dramatists, with Sophocles and Euripides following after him and building upon his achievements. But making that kind of flat statement does not do justice to the magnitude of Aeschylus鈥� status as an innovator. Before Aeschylus, characters in classical Greek drama spoke only to the chorus 鈥� a holdover, no doubt, from the time when Greek plays served a strictly religious function. Aeschylus, by contrast, had characters in his plays speak to each other. In that regard, he can truly be called the Father of Drama.
And when Aeschylus wrote about the Greco-Persian Wars, he wrote not only as a concerned Athenian citizen and talented dramatist, but also as a military veteran who had risked his life to preserve the Athenian democracy. Aeschylus was about 35 years old when he fought the invading armies of the Persian emperor Darius I, at the Battle of Marathon in September of 490 B.C. Ten years later, Aeschylus took up arms again, when Darius鈥� son, the emperor Xerxes, launched his own invasion of Greece; and Aeschylus participated in the two Athenian victories that sent Xerxes鈥� soldiers reeling back in defeat: the naval battle of Salamis (September, 480 B.C.), and the land battle of Plataea (August, 479 B.C.).
Aeschylus鈥� experience of battle and victory certainly informed his writing of The Persians, and the play won the Dionysia dramatic competition in Athens in 472 B.C. As we consider the impact of The Persians, it behooves us to reflect that the events of the play were as recent, for Aeschylus and his audience, as the Boston Marathon bombing or the Russian annexation of Crimea would be for people of today.
As the play begins, a chorus of Persia鈥檚 elder statesmen awaits word of the outcome of Xerxes鈥� invasion of Greece. Persia鈥檚 queen, Atossa 鈥� the wife of the deceased king, Darius, and mother of the current king, Xerxes 鈥� meets the elders in front of a government building in front of the Persian capital at Susa, and joins them in expressing concern regarding the outcome of the campaign, particularly as she has been having strange dreams of late. The Chorus Leader鈥檚 cautious hope that Atossa鈥檚 dream portends victory for Persia is dashed when a messenger arrives and reports the bad news for Persia: 鈥淥 you cities throughout all Asian lands,/O realm of Persia, haven of vast wealth,/One blow has smashed your great prosperity 鈥�/The flower of Persia has been destroyed!/Our men have perished!鈥� (pp. 13-14) The messenger describes the unfolding of the Persians鈥� disastrous defeat at Salamis, and adds that Xerxes, who 鈥渄id not sense the Greek man鈥檚 cunning/Or the envy of the gods鈥� (p. 19), had something of a front-row seat from which to watch the ruin of his army:
From high up
On a promontory right beside the sea
Xerxes watched. He had an excellent view
Of his entire army, and, as he looked
And witnessed the extent of his defeat,
He groaned, tore his robes, gave out a shrill cry,
And quickly issued orders to his troops,
Who ran away confused. (p. 22)
Xerxes鈥� mother, Atossa, laments 鈥� while scolding the chorus for not interpreting her dream harshly enough: 鈥淭his overpowers me 鈥� the utter ruin/Of our entire force! Those visions last night 鈥�/the ones I saw so clearly in my dreams 鈥�/how plainly they revealed these blows to me./Your sense of them was far too trivial鈥� (p. 24).
The Chorus meanwhile places the blame for the Persian disaster squarely at the feet of the Persian emperor, Xerxes:
Xerxes marched them off to war, alas!
Xerxes, to our sorrow, killed our men!
Xerxes, in his folly, took them all鈥� (p. 25)
In one of the play鈥檚 most striking moments, the Chorus, acting in response to a plea from Atossa, calls upon the ghost of the late king Darius, hoping that he can provide further information regarding these sad events. Darius, it turns out, cannot see what is going on in the larger world, and must be informed of Xerxes鈥� defeat by the Persian elders. Once he has heard of the Persian disaster at Salamis, Darius sees in it evidence of divine will punishing fatal human pride:
[W]hen the man himself is in a hurry,
The god will take steps, too鈥�.It was my son
Who, knowing nothing of these matters,
With his youthful rashness brought them on. (p. 33)
Darius focuses on Xerxes鈥� building of a vast pontoon bridge across the Bosporus, suggesting that doing so was an impious act that invited divine retribution: 鈥淭hough a mortal man,/He sought to force his will on all the gods,/A foolish scheme鈥� (p. 33). The dead Persian emperor foretells the even greater defeat that Persia will suffer in the land battle at Plataea, and remarks ironically that Xerxes, who had yearned so eagerly after glory, 鈥渉as achieved his mighty deed,/The greatest of them all, truly immense,/Whose memory will never be erased 鈥�/He has removed from Susa all its citizens鈥� (p. 34).
Eventually, Xerxes returns home. Alone, with his clothing dirty and torn, with nothing in his possession but a quiver empty of arrows, he is a wretched shadow of the richly equipped emperor who set forth in his finest battle array, with vast armies behind him, to crush those impudent Greeks. And his first words indicate to the reader or viewer the 鈥渁ll about me鈥� mindset that has brought Xerxes to this overthrow:
O my situation now is desperate!
My luck has led me to a cruel fate
Which I did not foresee! How savagely
A demon trampled on the Persian race.
What must I still endure in this distress?
鈥 how I wish
A fatal doom from Zeus had buried me
With all those men who perished! (p. 40)
Xerxes鈥� self-pitying lament for his misfortune stands in stark contrast to what a Greek audience would have expected in terms of dignified behaviour in defeat. While Aeschylus was writing more than a century before Aristotle set down his ideas about tragedy in the Poetics, the basic ideas would already have been deep-seated within the Greek psyche: Hubris or fatal pride leads the tragic hero to hamartia, the fatal decision or act that leads to the hero鈥檚 fall from greatness. In the aftermath, the hero experiences anagnorisis 鈥� recognition that his own actions have led to his fall, and acceptance of responsibility for what has happened.
Xerxes has fatal pride aplenty, and his choice to invade is a classic example of hamartia. But there is no acceptance of responsibility for the consequences of his own policy decisions 鈥� no declaration that 鈥渢he daric stops here.鈥� Instead, it鈥檚 all the fault of a god or a demon; and for Xerxes, the main problem with this overwhelming Persian defeat that cost the lives of thousands of young soldiers and sailors is that it鈥檚 made things really tough for Xerxes.
Xerxes focuses at first on how he is 鈥渁 sad/And useless wretch鈥� (p. 40) who has been cursed by the gods. In fairness, however, I must acknowledge that Xerxes later laments 鈥渢he pain of those poor wretches鈥� from his army and navy who 鈥渓ie gasping on the shore鈥� (p. 41); and he closes by crying out for the thousands of his forces killed in the battle of Salamis: 鈥淎aaiii! Alas, for those destroyed in the flat-bottomed boats 鈥� the force of those three-tiered galleys!鈥� (p. 48) Is he on his way toward accepting responsibility for what he has done?
And, while we鈥檙e asking questions 鈥� Would the Athenians have seen this play as an end-zone dance over the prone and whining Xerxes? I think not. The ancient Greek religion emphasized patient endurance of the will of the gods, acceptance of one鈥檚 fate. Xerxes would stand as an example of what not to do; his determination to outdo his father Darius, to avenge the defeat at Marathon, caused him to impiously bridge the seas, and to wage a vain and selfish war that led to his army鈥檚 destruction. Such, I think, would have been the sentiments in the minds of the original audiences for The Persians, as they left the Theatre of Dionysus at the base of the Acropolis.
It is quite a thing to read the first Western play whose text has survived to the present day. The completeness of Aeschylus鈥� vision stands out to the reader鈥檚 mind at once. It was no doubt among the greatest of all the tragic dramas written up to its time; and its greatness endures today.
Aeschylus (c. 525-455 B.C.) is conventionally spoken of as being the first of Athens鈥� triad of great tragic dramatists, with Sophocles and Euripides following after him and building upon his achievements. But making that kind of flat statement does not do justice to the magnitude of Aeschylus鈥� status as an innovator. Before Aeschylus, characters in classical Greek drama spoke only to the chorus 鈥� a holdover, no doubt, from the time when Greek plays served a strictly religious function. Aeschylus, by contrast, had characters in his plays speak to each other. In that regard, he can truly be called the Father of Drama.
And when Aeschylus wrote about the Greco-Persian Wars, he wrote not only as a concerned Athenian citizen and talented dramatist, but also as a military veteran who had risked his life to preserve the Athenian democracy. Aeschylus was about 35 years old when he fought the invading armies of the Persian emperor Darius I, at the Battle of Marathon in September of 490 B.C. Ten years later, Aeschylus took up arms again, when Darius鈥� son, the emperor Xerxes, launched his own invasion of Greece; and Aeschylus participated in the two Athenian victories that sent Xerxes鈥� soldiers reeling back in defeat: the naval battle of Salamis (September, 480 B.C.), and the land battle of Plataea (August, 479 B.C.).
Aeschylus鈥� experience of battle and victory certainly informed his writing of The Persians, and the play won the Dionysia dramatic competition in Athens in 472 B.C. As we consider the impact of The Persians, it behooves us to reflect that the events of the play were as recent, for Aeschylus and his audience, as the Boston Marathon bombing or the Russian annexation of Crimea would be for people of today.
As the play begins, a chorus of Persia鈥檚 elder statesmen awaits word of the outcome of Xerxes鈥� invasion of Greece. Persia鈥檚 queen, Atossa 鈥� the wife of the deceased king, Darius, and mother of the current king, Xerxes 鈥� meets the elders in front of a government building in front of the Persian capital at Susa, and joins them in expressing concern regarding the outcome of the campaign, particularly as she has been having strange dreams of late. The Chorus Leader鈥檚 cautious hope that Atossa鈥檚 dream portends victory for Persia is dashed when a messenger arrives and reports the bad news for Persia: 鈥淥 you cities throughout all Asian lands,/O realm of Persia, haven of vast wealth,/One blow has smashed your great prosperity 鈥�/The flower of Persia has been destroyed!/Our men have perished!鈥� (pp. 13-14) The messenger describes the unfolding of the Persians鈥� disastrous defeat at Salamis, and adds that Xerxes, who 鈥渄id not sense the Greek man鈥檚 cunning/Or the envy of the gods鈥� (p. 19), had something of a front-row seat from which to watch the ruin of his army:
From high up
On a promontory right beside the sea
Xerxes watched. He had an excellent view
Of his entire army, and, as he looked
And witnessed the extent of his defeat,
He groaned, tore his robes, gave out a shrill cry,
And quickly issued orders to his troops,
Who ran away confused. (p. 22)
Xerxes鈥� mother, Atossa, laments 鈥� while scolding the chorus for not interpreting her dream harshly enough: 鈥淭his overpowers me 鈥� the utter ruin/Of our entire force! Those visions last night 鈥�/the ones I saw so clearly in my dreams 鈥�/how plainly they revealed these blows to me./Your sense of them was far too trivial鈥� (p. 24).
The Chorus meanwhile places the blame for the Persian disaster squarely at the feet of the Persian emperor, Xerxes:
Xerxes marched them off to war, alas!
Xerxes, to our sorrow, killed our men!
Xerxes, in his folly, took them all鈥� (p. 25)
In one of the play鈥檚 most striking moments, the Chorus, acting in response to a plea from Atossa, calls upon the ghost of the late king Darius, hoping that he can provide further information regarding these sad events. Darius, it turns out, cannot see what is going on in the larger world, and must be informed of Xerxes鈥� defeat by the Persian elders. Once he has heard of the Persian disaster at Salamis, Darius sees in it evidence of divine will punishing fatal human pride:
[W]hen the man himself is in a hurry,
The god will take steps, too鈥�.It was my son
Who, knowing nothing of these matters,
With his youthful rashness brought them on. (p. 33)
Darius focuses on Xerxes鈥� building of a vast pontoon bridge across the Bosporus, suggesting that doing so was an impious act that invited divine retribution: 鈥淭hough a mortal man,/He sought to force his will on all the gods,/A foolish scheme鈥� (p. 33). The dead Persian emperor foretells the even greater defeat that Persia will suffer in the land battle at Plataea, and remarks ironically that Xerxes, who had yearned so eagerly after glory, 鈥渉as achieved his mighty deed,/The greatest of them all, truly immense,/Whose memory will never be erased 鈥�/He has removed from Susa all its citizens鈥� (p. 34).
Eventually, Xerxes returns home. Alone, with his clothing dirty and torn, with nothing in his possession but a quiver empty of arrows, he is a wretched shadow of the richly equipped emperor who set forth in his finest battle array, with vast armies behind him, to crush those impudent Greeks. And his first words indicate to the reader or viewer the 鈥渁ll about me鈥� mindset that has brought Xerxes to this overthrow:
O my situation now is desperate!
My luck has led me to a cruel fate
Which I did not foresee! How savagely
A demon trampled on the Persian race.
What must I still endure in this distress?
鈥 how I wish
A fatal doom from Zeus had buried me
With all those men who perished! (p. 40)
Xerxes鈥� self-pitying lament for his misfortune stands in stark contrast to what a Greek audience would have expected in terms of dignified behaviour in defeat. While Aeschylus was writing more than a century before Aristotle set down his ideas about tragedy in the Poetics, the basic ideas would already have been deep-seated within the Greek psyche: Hubris or fatal pride leads the tragic hero to hamartia, the fatal decision or act that leads to the hero鈥檚 fall from greatness. In the aftermath, the hero experiences anagnorisis 鈥� recognition that his own actions have led to his fall, and acceptance of responsibility for what has happened.
Xerxes has fatal pride aplenty, and his choice to invade is a classic example of hamartia. But there is no acceptance of responsibility for the consequences of his own policy decisions 鈥� no declaration that 鈥渢he daric stops here.鈥� Instead, it鈥檚 all the fault of a god or a demon; and for Xerxes, the main problem with this overwhelming Persian defeat that cost the lives of thousands of young soldiers and sailors is that it鈥檚 made things really tough for Xerxes.
Xerxes focuses at first on how he is 鈥渁 sad/And useless wretch鈥� (p. 40) who has been cursed by the gods. In fairness, however, I must acknowledge that Xerxes later laments 鈥渢he pain of those poor wretches鈥� from his army and navy who 鈥渓ie gasping on the shore鈥� (p. 41); and he closes by crying out for the thousands of his forces killed in the battle of Salamis: 鈥淎aaiii! Alas, for those destroyed in the flat-bottomed boats 鈥� the force of those three-tiered galleys!鈥� (p. 48) Is he on his way toward accepting responsibility for what he has done?
And, while we鈥檙e asking questions 鈥� Would the Athenians have seen this play as an end-zone dance over the prone and whining Xerxes? I think not. The ancient Greek religion emphasized patient endurance of the will of the gods, acceptance of one鈥檚 fate. Xerxes would stand as an example of what not to do; his determination to outdo his father Darius, to avenge the defeat at Marathon, caused him to impiously bridge the seas, and to wage a vain and selfish war that led to his army鈥檚 destruction. Such, I think, would have been the sentiments in the minds of the original audiences for The Persians, as they left the Theatre of Dionysus at the base of the Acropolis.
It is quite a thing to read the first Western play whose text has survived to the present day. The completeness of Aeschylus鈥� vision stands out to the reader鈥檚 mind at once. It was no doubt among the greatest of all the tragic dramas written up to its time; and its greatness endures today.
August 18, 2014
Reading it may be an easy a way to know a bit about ancient greek culture as well as recognize that some of the main topics of literature were present even back the, for there's the lament of the persinas that follows having lost the Battle of Salamis against the people from Athens, attributing it to a damnation given by gods. The ghost aparition of Darius allowes a reflection about death. Such are the wonders that have always been fundamental to humankind.
One point worth nothing is that, the use of premonitory dreams that the Queen, Darius' wife, experiences give their fate a more unavoidable character, this resource has been largely used in posterior writings of all ages.
It's the second part of a trilogy, but this is the only part that has survived. Sometimes it's a bit surprising to consider the fact that something as old (it's from 472 b.C.) has persisted, not only the test of time in terms of preservation, but also in quality. I might not have much to say, but I definitely enjoyed it.
One point worth nothing is that, the use of premonitory dreams that the Queen, Darius' wife, experiences give their fate a more unavoidable character, this resource has been largely used in posterior writings of all ages.
It's the second part of a trilogy, but this is the only part that has survived. Sometimes it's a bit surprising to consider the fact that something as old (it's from 472 b.C.) has persisted, not only the test of time in terms of preservation, but also in quality. I might not have much to say, but I definitely enjoyed it.
April 26, 2020
螒蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠀蟻纬畏渭伪蟿喂魏蠈 苇蟻纬慰...
螚 伪谓伪魏慰委谓蠅蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 萎蟿蟿伪蟼 蟿畏蟼 螡伪蠀渭伪蠂委伪 蟿畏蟼 危伪位伪渭委谓伪蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 尾伪蟽委位喂蟽蟽伪, 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 螢苇蟻尉畏 魏伪喂 畏 蔚渭蠁维谓喂蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 "蔚喂未蠋位慰蠀" 蟿慰蠀 谓蔚魏蟻慰蠉 螖伪蟻蔚委慰蠀, 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 螢苇蟻尉畏 纬喂伪 谓伪 魏伪蟿伪位萎尉蔚喂 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 胃蟻萎谓慰 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 螢苇蟻尉畏 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 螤苇蚁蟽蔚蟼 纬苇蟻慰谓蟿蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 蠂慰蟻慰蠉 纬喂伪 蟿畏谓 萎蟿蟿伪, 蟿畏谓 伪蟺蠋位蔚喂伪 魏伪喂 蟿畏 蠁蟻委魏畏 蟿慰蠀 蟺慰位苇渭慰蠀 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟿伪 伪委蟿喂伪 蟺慰蠀 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 慰未畏纬萎蟽慰蠀谓 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿萎谓 渭蔚 魏蠀蟻喂蠈蟿蔚蟻慰 蟿畏谓 伪渭蔚蟿蟻慰苇蟺蔚喂伪 螚 渭蠈谓畏 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 伪蟻蠂伪委蔚蟼 蟿蟻伪纬蠅未委蔚蟼 蟺慰蠀 伪谓伪蠁苇蟻蔚蟿伪喂 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂魏蠈 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟼 纬蟻伪渭渭苇谓畏 渭蔚 苇谓伪 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠀谓蠀蠁伪委谓蔚喂 蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 渭蔚 蟿畏 渭蠀胃慰位慰纬委伪 伪蟺慰蟿蔚位蠋谓蟿伪蟼 渭喂伪"蟽蟺慰蠀未萎 蟿畏蟼 萎蟿蟿伪蟼"...
螚 伪谓伪魏慰委谓蠅蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 萎蟿蟿伪蟼 蟿畏蟼 螡伪蠀渭伪蠂委伪 蟿畏蟼 危伪位伪渭委谓伪蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 尾伪蟽委位喂蟽蟽伪, 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 螢苇蟻尉畏 魏伪喂 畏 蔚渭蠁维谓喂蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 "蔚喂未蠋位慰蠀" 蟿慰蠀 谓蔚魏蟻慰蠉 螖伪蟻蔚委慰蠀, 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 螢苇蟻尉畏 纬喂伪 谓伪 魏伪蟿伪位萎尉蔚喂 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 胃蟻萎谓慰 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 螢苇蟻尉畏 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 螤苇蚁蟽蔚蟼 纬苇蟻慰谓蟿蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 蠂慰蟻慰蠉 纬喂伪 蟿畏谓 萎蟿蟿伪, 蟿畏谓 伪蟺蠋位蔚喂伪 魏伪喂 蟿畏 蠁蟻委魏畏 蟿慰蠀 蟺慰位苇渭慰蠀 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟿伪 伪委蟿喂伪 蟺慰蠀 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 慰未畏纬萎蟽慰蠀谓 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿萎谓 渭蔚 魏蠀蟻喂蠈蟿蔚蟻慰 蟿畏谓 伪渭蔚蟿蟻慰苇蟺蔚喂伪 螚 渭蠈谓畏 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 伪蟻蠂伪委蔚蟼 蟿蟻伪纬蠅未委蔚蟼 蟺慰蠀 伪谓伪蠁苇蟻蔚蟿伪喂 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂魏蠈 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟼 纬蟻伪渭渭苇谓畏 渭蔚 苇谓伪 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠀谓蠀蠁伪委谓蔚喂 蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 渭蔚 蟿畏 渭蠀胃慰位慰纬委伪 伪蟺慰蟿蔚位蠋谓蟿伪蟼 渭喂伪"蟽蟺慰蠀未萎 蟿畏蟼 萎蟿蟿伪蟼"...
November 26, 2024
鈥淓n lijkenstapels zullen, drie geslachten ver stomme getuigen zijn voor 't stervelingenoog
dat geen, die mens is, bovenmenslijk denken moet.
Want overmoed die bloeit gedijt tot korenaar van schuld, en wat men maait is traandoordrenkte oogst鈥�
dat geen, die mens is, bovenmenslijk denken moet.
Want overmoed die bloeit gedijt tot korenaar van schuld, en wat men maait is traandoordrenkte oogst鈥�
December 9, 2024
4,5
Nada como una buena propaganda pol铆tica para terminar bien la noche
Nada como una buena propaganda pol铆tica para terminar bien la noche
April 3, 2025
"Farewell you elders. Even amid your woes
Your spirits must take delight in daily joys.
For wealth is useless down among the dead."
A play about a powerful ruler who tried to take too much by reaching too far is a crazy thing to read in 2025
Your spirits must take delight in daily joys.
For wealth is useless down among the dead."
A play about a powerful ruler who tried to take too much by reaching too far is a crazy thing to read in 2025
October 2, 2014
As I have come to find out, Aeschylus is one of the founders of tragic plays- I can certainly see why. What is especially unfortunate about this, however, is that 92 plays by him once existed. Now there are only approximately six known to have been by him. Regardless, The Persians is a very good play for a few reasons.
Apparently, this is one of the only Greek plays to deal with something that actually occurred at the time. I find this interesting because it reveals that not very many playwrights wanted to deal with real issues in their plays as opposed to the fantastic and godly. There are no Greek charatcers present in this play, which I also think is unique, seeing as most plays of this time deal of things mostly centered around Greece. Although the situation in The Persians involves Greece to a great degree, it is heavily centered around Persia.
I honestly thought that I would be bored by these plays because of their age and content, but I find that starting with the plays of Aeschylus has exposed me to the potential of these plays being more intriguing to me than I originally thought- I look forward to endeavoring to read more of his works and the works of others that were around during this age!
Apparently, this is one of the only Greek plays to deal with something that actually occurred at the time. I find this interesting because it reveals that not very many playwrights wanted to deal with real issues in their plays as opposed to the fantastic and godly. There are no Greek charatcers present in this play, which I also think is unique, seeing as most plays of this time deal of things mostly centered around Greece. Although the situation in The Persians involves Greece to a great degree, it is heavily centered around Persia.
I honestly thought that I would be bored by these plays because of their age and content, but I find that starting with the plays of Aeschylus has exposed me to the potential of these plays being more intriguing to me than I originally thought- I look forward to endeavoring to read more of his works and the works of others that were around during this age!
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