THE PHOENICIAN WOMEN Essay Example For Students

THE PHOENICIAN WOMEN Essay A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. ii. Trans. Shelley Dean Milman. London: J.M. Dent Sons, 1922. JOCASTA: Believe me, O Eteocles my son,Old age is not by wretchedness aloneAttended: more discreetly than rash youthExperience speaks. Why dost thou woo ambition,That most malignant goddess? O forbear!For shes a foe to justice, and hath enteredFull many a mansion, many a prosperous city,Nor left them till in ruin she involvesAll those who harbour her: yet this is sheOn whom thou doatst. Twere better, O my son,To cultivate equality, who joinsFriends, cities, heroes, in one steadfast leagueFor by the laws of nature, through the worldEquality was stablished: but the wealthyFinds in the poorer man a consant foe;Hence bitter enmity derives its source.Equality, among the human race,Measures, and weights, and numbers hath ordained:Both the dark orb of night and radiant sunTheir annual circuits equally perform;Each, free from envy, to the other yieldsAlternately; thus day and night affordTheir services to man. Yet wilt not thouBe satisfied to keep an equal portionOf these domains, and to thy brother giveHis due. Where then is justice? Such respectAs sober reason disapproves, why payst thouTo empire, to oppression crowned with triumph?To be a public spectacle thou deemstWere honourable. Tis but empty pride.When thou hast much already, why submitTo toils unnumbered? Whats superfluous wealthBut a mere name? Sufficient to the wiseIs competence: for man possesses naughtWhich he can call his own. Though for a timeWhat bounty the indulgent gods bestowWe manage, they resume it at their will:Unstable riches vanish in a day.Should I to thee th alternative proposeEither to reign, or save thy native land,Couldst thou reply that thou hadst rather reign?But if he conquer, and the Argive spearsOerpower the squadrons who from Cadmus spring,Thou wilt behold Thebes taken, wilt beholdOur captive virgins ravished by the foe:That empire which thou seekst will prove the baneOf thy loved country; yet thou still persiststIn mischievous ambitions wild career.Thus far to thee. And now to you I speak,O Polynices; favours most unwiseAre those Adrastus hath on you bestowed,And with misjudging fury are you comeTo spread dire havoc oer your native land.If you (which may the righteous gods avert!)This city take, how will you rear the trophiesOf such a battle? How, when you have laidYour country waste, th initiatory ritesPerform, and slay the victims? On the banksOf Inachus displayed, with what inscriptionAdorn the spoilsFrom blazing Thebes these shieldsHath Polynices won, and to the godsDevoted? Never, O my son, through GreeceMay you obtain such glory. But if youAre vanquished and Eteocles prevail,To Argos, leaving the ensanguined fieldStrewn with unnumbered corses of the slain,How can you flee for succour? Twill be saidBy some malignant tongue: A curst allianceIs this which, O Adrastus, thou hast formed:We to the nuptials of one virgin oweOur ruin. You are hastening, O my son,Into a twofold mischief: losing allThat you attempt, and causing your brave friendsTo perish. O my son s, this wild excessOf rage, with joint occurrence, lay aside.By equal folly when two chiefs inspiredTo battle rush, dire mischief must ensue. We will write a custom essay on THE PHOENICIAN WOMEN specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now