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Peithō on Trial: Aeschylus’ Oresteia

Peithō on Trial: Aeschylus’ Oresteia. Part 1: Agamemnon. Red-figure vase painting: Aegisthus slays Agamemnon. In Aeschylus’ Oresteia , Clytemnestra commits the murder. Peithō on Trial…. “Persuasion, maddening child of Ruin / overpowers him — Ruin plans it all” (p. 118)

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Peithō on Trial: Aeschylus’ Oresteia

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  1. Peithō on Trial: Aeschylus’ Oresteia Part 1: Agamemnon Red-figure vase painting: Aegisthus slays Agamemnon. In Aeschylus’ Oresteia, Clytemnestra commits the murder.

  2. Peithō on Trial… • “Persuasion, maddening child of Ruin / overpowers him — Ruin plans it all” (p. 118) • biatai de hētalaina peithō, | proboulou pais aphertosatas • “Woeful Persuasion, indomitable daughter of conniving ruin, works her violence on him” (line 385) Agamemnon

  3. Agenda • Recap and Update • Peithō and Oresteia • To Tread or Not to Tread? • Clytemnestra versus Agamemnon in the Red Carpet Scene Agamemnon

  4. Recap and Update Peithō and Oresteia

  5. Why Oresteia? • Peithō as pillar… • Of democracy • Of justice • Peithō on trial Peithō and Athens Agamemnon

  6. Aphrodite Pandemos at Athens Site of Pandemos shrine

  7. Pandēmos, Word Notes etymology interpretation “of all the people” public national common vulgar • pan • “all” • dēmos • “people” Agamemnon

  8. Pausanias on Pandemos “When Theseus had united into one state the several villages, he established the cult of Aphrodite Pandemos and of Peitho.”

  9. Nicander on Pandemos “Solon … authorized … brothels to deal with young men in their prime. And ... Solon used the money earned by the girls to build a temple to Aphrodite Pandemos….”

  10. Aeschylus’ Oresteia • Persuasion and revenge • Agamemnon • Libation Bearers • Persuasion and justice • Eumenides Agamemnon

  11. Oresteia: Background The plays. . . The politics. . . 508/7 Cleisthenic reforms 490-479 Persian Wars 463-461 Ephialtes’ ascendancy at Athens 461-429 Pericles’ ascendency at Athens 458 Oresteia produced • Playwright • Aeschylus (525/4-456 BCE) • Plays (458 BCE) • Agamemnon • Libation Bearers • Eumenides • Menelaus (lost) Podlecki, Anthony J. The Political Background of Aeschylean Tragedy. Ann Arbor, 1966. Print. Agamemnon

  12. Agamemnon: Analysis • Prologue (pp. Penguin 104 f.) • Watchman • Chorus entry (105 ff.) • misgivings: expedition, portent of eagles and hare • Dialogue (112 ff.) • Fire signals • Chorus (117 ff.) • Paris’ crime • Dialogue (121 ff.) • Victory. Menelaus lost? • Chorus (129 ff.) • Helen’s blood wedding • Agon (132 ff.) • Red-carpet welcome • Chorus (141 ff.) • Foreboding • Dialogue (143 ff.) • Cassandra scene • Chorus (158 ff.) • Perils of power. Murder • Finale (160 ff.) • Corpses, recriminations, voctory lap, more recriminations Agamemnon

  13. To Tread or Not to Tread? Clytemnestra versus Agamemnon in the Red Carpet Scene

  14. Notes To tread Not to tread not gift, hubristic I’m humble and modest I’m not equal clyt made arg for you cast steps I’m a great warrior I’ll be soft misogyny card gender arguments • deserve reward of gods • victory brought by gods • I murdered your daughter • brought home woman • persuasion by guilt • gods honor me • loving wife • really hubristic • gender arguments Agamemnon

  15. Clytemnestra’s Speech-Act (p. 139) AGAMEMNON Victory in this . . . war of ours, it means so much to you? CLYTEMNESTRA “O give way (pithou, “obey”)! The power is yours if you surrender, / all of your own free will, to me”

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