Euripides’ Cyclops

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?



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


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



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)


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.”


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

Documents

Euripides’ Cyclops