Full Text
Full Text
Full Text
A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty ot Graduate Studies
in Parlial Fulfilment of the Requirements
MoMaster University
October 1968
:f.IJ\STEIl or A1\T$ (1968) MoMASTlai UNIVmSm
(Latin) Hamilton, Ontario
11
No new commentary on Seneca t s ~el has appeared in English e1nce
Kingery's work, alib! "lmseqieLof, ~!!!II wb10h was onginal~ published in
1900 and :repr.1uted in 1966.. It therefore SEJeIned woJ'thwhUe to produce e.
comment.ar.y that might take into account the valuable work done on the tragedies
since 1900 and might attempt to interpret 11.~~.i 1ft more detaU than the
soope of Kinge17' i S book pemtted him, 1 have paid particular attention to
l1teral7, dramatic and philosophical. questions and have kept metr.1cal,
syntactical and textw'al comment to a sd.nimum" Except where otheMIliG in-
dicated I have tollowed the text of Medea in Theodor Thomann, .~'AA
J .:
disparaged unduly ..
-
text pays more note of the A tradition that teo, and 'eipe" and. tichter
'.\
".
iii
Par3ACE 111
CHAPl'ER mE 1
CHAPI'm TWO 46
OHAPTEft THR.EiE 92
CHAP!'IR FOTlt 137
CHmER FIVE 176
BIBLlOCllAPHY 190
iv
ClIAPTER ONE
A¢.h;orshin .and,J)a.\k!i
There can be little doubt that )[edea 18 the work of Seneoa the
phUosopher. The manuscripts attribute the tragedies to Seneca,l and in
. Quint .. 9~ 2, 9 a quotation from Me~. v" 451 1s a.ttributed to Seneoa,,2 Senecats
poetry 18 mentioned in Quint .. 10" 1, '28J Plln. j£. 5, " ,; and Ta.o .. S!i.
14, 52. It is true that there is no specific mention of Seneca.te tragedies
in these passages, but Tacitus uses the same word", "oamina" to desoribe
the tra.gedies of ;ompon,ius Secundus" (am. 11, 3)~
The arguments against Seneoan authol"ehip are tr1tling. Seneca him-
selt d06sn tt mention the tragedies but no stress should be placed on this
dangel'G1..1s argtJ,lllent as1!enti2f> The rH.st:tnotion made by the fUth century
writer Sidonius (9, 230 ft.) between Seneca the philosopher and Seneca. the
tragedian mJJ.Y' well be due to a. misunderstanding of Mart. ll1 61.
The internal evidence of Hedea and. most ot the other nine tra.gedies
suppoP'tte -$eneean-authoJ'!Ship ~ As-J ..W-. -Duf~ obse%"V'es,- ffThe -short; -pointed - - - -
J!El&teatiae both in tom and in expression resemble his prose ~ and there are
frequent parallels in thought, especially it, as often occurs, the thought
assumes a Stoic cast."
____________________________________•___________
.w_____._w_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _
1
It is true that the majority (though not aU) of the manuscripts attribute
their authorship to a lofarcus Seneca but mistakes of this kind are common enough.
2
When Quint. speaks of Seneca, he means Seneca. the philosopher, exoept perha.ps
in 9, 2, 98, when the Elder Seneca. may be meant.
1
Of the other plays I the octavj,! is a.lmost certainly not the work
cha.racter and there are important difi'erences in metre and language tN-In
the other tx·agedies. 1 HOe. authenticity has also been doubted" 'beca.use of
its gre<A.t length l:.I.ud the number or borrowings tronl the rest of the Senecan
~lconsistencies have often been condenmed. The strain caused by the conflict
between his moral ideals a.rG the political exigencies of bis association
with Nero must have been immerasEl and bas probably left ita mark on the
...
In. Helm, "Die P~atexta qctav~n, Sitz.-Ber. (Uer1in, 1931,.). ppo 283-347,
makes out a.n impressive case against authenticityo
.3L• HerrJrJann's attempts at dating (Le ,TheatrCluie Seneriue (Paris, 1924), pp.
78-147 are confused and quite unsoundi 0 .. Herzog, uDatierung del' Tragodien
des SeneC<1.s", Rb~ ~\l'lt... , '17 (1928), 51-104 relies on historical arguments that
are highly conjectural. w. strzelecki, "Aluzje Pol1tyczne W lIllektorycn
Tragoo.1ac.h ~)eneki", ~, 4'/,2 (1954-5), 97-100, is more cautious, but still
too dogma.tic.
3
tbat 5enlJca was 1ntaftste<i 1n the topic about 51 UX9 J S$G C" Qienoriu8 ~
~.
Rom1eche Stud1en (Leipz1g, 1922), pp. 426-9.. It one accepts that "oar.dna
crebrlu8 tactitareft (Tae. s. 1A, ;2) refers to tragedies, lllout of the
traged1ee 'AlaY well date t'rom. Nerots relan - _ period when S6n@06 IDUwt h&v~
~....ih,e. '!21
l$uripides t .~ became the aooopted venion of l~.ata ac1#ivitiee a.t Corinth
and directly or ind1rec'tly it 18 th.0 main source of $@nteoa'e plot" Miller's
parall~}l outl.ine8 of tho pla;y$l reveal how Ie Seneca has depal'ted. from
gur1pid~ ... nOfi.e.$aus acme; t.he briet$ot. of 1~!esfllMger speeches & no
cOn'espondence b~tn~n too prolOg'U.e8 or the choNna. The f">lOat obvious addition
in SWlDeea's plq is tht; Jr~e 8e~(vv. 670,...648).. th(\tX"~ aft) several other
lJiinor differences in detail (e .. g .. s~o on w .. 179...00; 255-6; 283; 570...4,)" Tb~
Creon scenE! in Sen~oa ifl baMd on li.,'ul'1p1d*st $Cml$~ Seneca'a Jason SCene
shows the Wlucncf~ ot the two JalOn scenes in lSur1p1d(f$ $ end th~ {ilfVen1a.; ot
&mecri's finaf aeene,'- an rOughly-baud ciftKuripide•• - though-in -seneca, }1eae-a, -
kills her chl1dnm. on. the stage. Verbal echoes end @choe, of lWrlpid.ea t i@as
an; diSQU8Sftd in p.. below.
There were several later Oreek plays on the Jj,MA them~. 2 but it se~8
l
Seneca's Tragedies (London, 1917), 1. 546-55.
2
lJ.eted by H.L o CleasbYJ tIThe ll'~ of Senecaft • ti~1...b lb (1907), 40.
4
find P1"Ot()typ1tUJ for Seineca t a '&l'4g00itu. in t.he tragedi~8 of Crates and. Diogl9lles
is ll.'d.$&U1dd .. 2 Nor I 1n new ot Seneoa t $ 41staate to:r the early lAtin writers
(0611. 12. 2), ieit 11k6ly that. h~ 1r1&de much tUJe of the !:te4@l tnpti1o$ by
liinniull and -%.C"itu~J 1n ~ Oa$el the t01"m(lr at least eaems to bave tol.1.OM'ea
t.."'llripide8 fail"ly' cloaelJr ..
n14911 8evenl. of thfJ d1£t(llnDCtiS in plot betmen Eunpides and &meea me::}f be
due to OV1d~ bu.t $!nce Md'" !..ep!l 18 103t., 8peculation if!) tru1t.1Q6$. It
seems improbable that ~ could have followed OVid too olo@6ly" OVid.'s
othe~ treatInent.s of the tilifAu theme may have Wl'i.mncelJi &necats plott W ..
!lE. 12), 13,-,8 Wl"JI have 8pUft'eU the marriage cho~ (w. ;6-115) and !'i~,1r. 7"
1'19-321 mq hav~ sp~ Seneca's lf~ Helle (vv. 6?()...848).
R~aMt!a
.&meca.!a pJ,aya (ap&rtt tmnthe incomplete ~.l were dividadinto fiVfJ_&QU _
by the f$ditoft of the .11th.nth centut.",1, 1n t.he b@l1~t t.hat. Seneca wat) follow-
ing Horace'e dictum 'tneve m1nOl" neu ait quinto p~etior aotu/ tabula" <Aal"
w.. 19()"'1).. It t,h(t poriod be~ chol'al t.lCiGa i8 maMt by act, lmt. conto"ns
1.
"ThE: Prototypes ot Senecata Tragedioe", .Ql, 42 (1947), 1-16.
2
S~G the ecmments by 11. CoIEeY'" "Seneca,. 'faged1ea 1922-1955"" lBoiM :2
(1951), 1;8-9.
5
. 1
to th~ pat.trf)Bl, bu.t severe difficulties adlll 1n the ease ot lAui. and .Q.d.
1\nl1~1'2 MOWS that on tha whole the corresponding acta ot the vari.oua t~e4i\i8
cover ~ stAge. in the development ot the plot.
~, have lelt that Sanega in hi. ctmet.lm to make individual. 3OanC's
on the emotional sltuatim" lt1~" th49 proloiJie aleo plays on the audience's
kMwl~ of the plot in a sene8 of ingenious 19»RJ&::!n.,t."fl!EDI. that bint at
1
~ K. Anlikerl lt9~_j!l!t~~'~~. m·§.!l!!QU II:Y~.!I! (f3em an4
St.uttprt..t 1960}" pp. 93-7"
:2
29. Si. pp .. 49-103.
3
E"g. W.H .. Friedrioh .. Y.UtDY!b!m_La. J~'ll!eH, !Jr.!mI'~!IR.b!l~ :l~..9Jmk (Leipeig,
19"). pp. 13;-6, thQugh Vriedrioh does allow that $\lOh 41&cnpancies are
114lUmal in Hd.
4
See on vv. 542-3 J 847 It.. tor som~ minor difficult.ies.
S
See on w. 26; 56-11;; 29SJ 401-6J 408; 849-18; 945...6; 970; l013; 1015 ..
6
it dixninishes the effect ot hoI' later outbursts. Most of the other scenes
tine messenger-sp'",E,'Ich and throws the tlhole play out of balance. Action and
tbe dramatic cont'lict that depends on the interplay ot personality is
largely lacking.l In the Creon· scene (vvo 119-300), l:or instance, Seneca·
does not make tbe outcome (the gra.nting of a. t"l~yfs dela.y to Medea) the result
or a. dramatic duel, but trioks out the scene with !!!!.t-en~.!!! and set speeches"
His di~tlogue is wooden, fOl' there is no real contact between hie characters
except at a. very superfioial verbal lavel. The same is true ot' the Jason
scene (vv .. 4.31-578), though there tbe cli.ma.x ubene est tenetur; vulne:t·,t
$eneca by the sta.lldards of Greek tragedy 01' the modern stage. He is not
-
In Moo. at least
Seneca does accord with Uorace's denand thl:.l.t the chol"'.d.l odes be relevant to
so.ng~ if) a calm contrast to ~'~oo.·s frenzied prologue and pt'ovides a concrete
------------.-,~--.~--------------------------------------------.~.--.---~~~~----.-, ----
1
imagery of the epithalamiumo The second a.nd third choruses ooth fore-
sn.l.dow i1ooe~' s vengeance with their comments about the rt&stmess of" the
t.tJO choruses a.re cle:u'ly l'elevant to the Uleme of the pla.y, lrJhile the
i'lrst and ust odes ot".ar d,irectly on the act.ion. 1 2 a.rgues that in
EJjal'x
;;}eneca dH't'erent lsric metres have d1:t'fel'ent functions. This is not readlly
apparent in the choruses of !2,t!.,1 though the matres in the magic scene do
the whole iJnpreeslon tlhien a R,rsona m3.ites and hot-) he makes it, depends on
the playu e ~~elleca is XflUch leas interested than modern pla.ywrights or even
imporwnt to him is tneuse of his cba.racter to l'eveal his ideas and \'JOrk
lSee J ..n.. Bil3hop, the Choral Odes oi: Seneca.. Theme a.nd Davalo ment (Dies.
Uru.varsi'liy of Pennsylvania, 1904 I p .. 239 rt .. for a. discussion of the
relat:tons between chorus a.nd theme of the pl~ ..
2.1."urlktion u.r.d li'o:rm dar Chorlieder in den Seneca. - 'l'x·a.trouion (Hiss. Heid€loerg,
1932).. p."-rd tt. ~)aa-aiso Oishop, -p:
32 :ri:-' - . . ~-
.3"'rhe i3ackground to ChiJ,ructel~ Ponra.va.l in ;;}elleca /I ~ 54 (1'159) D :3.
lengthy discuasion1 of' the characters in l.solati.of; S68M quite misgatdeti..
(;of'Xey i5Qea to the other wd:.l";'-lmt~ ilOJ;.1 a::lserts (po 155).t I~the rhat,orica.l
rhet.orieal trick.. No doub't it is, but this and th~ aimfr.:l.r att,itude in
v.. 1.37 rr.. are ~rt of the overall :Utlpressi{)n ;:ooea mill{t~s on us a.nd she
is at l~Ult lIeonsistcnt in hm" inconsiatenoytt. In thj.s lir~gering love
for Jason <.l.ud in tha emphasis 01'1 her witchoraft, ~h.',lneca.'s ~1efje<i. diffars
It would be trJ1"ong to see In ur-Jedea, Ji'iamtl (v.. 171) a.nd "i"E11li&:l nunc
sum" (v. 910) evid.ence that Senoca. int.ended ~4edea. tOl be a developing
char,lcter (see on v. 910). Her rage am desire f.()1' r~venge are stroi/g
from -t.he Qutset of the plq.. It is merely that at v" 910 she is deciding
on a Jiloredreadtul I'evenge tbau aha had yet hit upon - a revefl.ge t.h.at will
Seneca does suggest ..11th sonw subtlety the gradual emergence ot~
the idea of kUling the chi1.drerl" At first the idea. is buried in Ned~'s
SJ.lbc!JnsciQua, and -Dna gives. voleato it, withQut Wlders~ing what. she
means (vv. 26; 39; 40; 22), 289; 421-2; 523)" 'then in a dr'.:~natic aside
(v II 550) she d@cides to seek vengeance throub~h the children, though the
mwras are not yet fixli!d. In w. 009-10 there is another unconscious fore-
cast '-1.00 it is or&l.y in v .. 910 1:t. that tJiedea clearly hits on the child....
murder; note especially, "nescio quid foroxi' decrevit animus intus at
nondurtl sibi <.!uJet r",tcri" (w. 917-8).
'Eha othex' characters in the pla.y are shadowy ['!gures ~ Sttncca
--------------------------------------------------.~-•. -------------
t\iould boe (;r90n'e p;dt-l.ce @,rn~;<,;e<:i~~.5 hOnSffo ~... ~);1 tile Gtctlon ~:mld ttil{e place
.2
in front of 'the~e& ',ilil:ls doe8t'~ds0 th(1! (tiJ:rit'ult;y that"<J!l<'Z!;!h~, Ili<14r.i.e
2For ~reon ~mert:~ei! fl\)!d tile f.:alaca-dool' in v II Id~.~ 9 W.,Ue:(l ~ij~)(!ea cliff,bs
(,n. to the roof o.r he't' nwn ho!.W~: h: th~ Xln':il aC({;'i;~ (ci' .. YV 4 995-7) a-
10
of the auaE~9ioDes and the assumption that the audience know the story,
it does seem unlikely tha.t the plays were intended for the public stage •
.[lilies l;Jieber1 discussing the }tiedea painting in the Gaaa del Cent.urio at
Pompali, where Medea is chow .killing the children, sug~ests tha.t this rray
be a representation of a staged performance of Seneca.'s play rather than
that of U;uripides 1-mere the children are not killed on the eta.ge e 'there
is however a tutol' in the picture a.nd this enaraetex' does not appe:al' in
Seneca. In attr case precise conclusions canllot be dl"<l\i'l1 from such tenout'l
evid(;Jnce.
2
eVIlr it is dif1'icult to soe 'Wil~At one tleela.itaer C01.ll!l have ITlilde (')t vv. 168-
~11;4 tm)1'6 thar/. one sp$i;l.ker nay of course have been used"
'l'hf": tC~lp·t;ing a.lternative is that the pla.ys iflilJ,' have been iotend~>d
thi'.l.t. would sha.re his tastes and appreciate his flit and rhetorica.l skill.
_. t
2~~iss Bieber how€Wt::r does a serviet~ in thu:;l l'(~lnindlng us that iVle:lea '>$l.S
a favourite subjeot in the pe.inting~ 0.1." the Pompeii region. See K"
~chefeld, Di~ ~~nJe fOlllE\:jis (derl:L."l, 195'1), pp. 121; 196; 247; 261; 262,
for further intorn~tion.
In thtl Cq. 01' . ., gX'~' woriee ot art. it. " M.gbl¥ untsa\UfAOt.017
t,o diMllH 1Il uolaUon Uu.i.. .t'M6nlng 01' 1\01'41 luaou. 1A Q~" t.~edJ,
are the It!'Odt of a ,:ro1Ul0 ..11.. . .r 5t'01o ,roe. tret1G1. t t.he pl•• \tl.....
eelv.. M8 atw.ttted wittl ap~~hegU a.nd Nft thl'oUj),b w1tb a»lt.-aR motit••1
H,,..
,I
1. 'rue tha.t. 'the l"ftp~cttu1 .\\It.we toWtU"'da tne b._vent, bNl...2 (ot. w.
30J 402, 1026. aft4 IS. on p • ""if) . . . to retllDCt the $tvlc idea that tn.
$\4..3 eOM11J\. of the . . . pwe tir. biod (or. ;ivll.. 16,)", However thfll
t.~1t.loftlilllflMi~_ ~ ~."nt. _1ft &1.\ t.be ~;repp1n&. of mytbolof:Y" In the
pr... WCN'k., Sen•• _ • .v_a]. Gc_·lcme "J-t.. til• • goal of fabl4lf. of.
'StIlI. lS(h 19, 41 lUI, Ill. 16, ,. I&.\t... ~. 26, 6. In !lee tober u.
fHQ,ll_lJ add. . . . . 1ft prqen or bpma, while 1D IL~. 2. lS. 1 .uab ,raren
are t ••ect Yfa~• .auntle aolac,w tl • Til... , - . bo*"er, l1ke 'ho•• of ttl.
3., 11 'II • • Jb_f .•••, 1M. IITt till 111.4J .M It_tN' I li'.·~ IA t • I Milt 1 tAt t J "af, • lIP) I
1
ct. D. H-lU7 ~ 8. rMlker, -$. . . . and the Ag~. 5. .e'thought. on
1",,10 1JoOa'*, cr, 51 (190') .. 1-3.
a
5-.. of tb1a is <iu. to M_N'. own d",um\.
12
Cl.ear~ 8k4c ~Yf4'I 10 the a'tlt~ \0 to~ ~ "7 Hedea 1n V'f'. 159,
176 (~~. 4'11\ ttl~$G ~$) _1ft v. S~. hftlcu.lu:Qr 1nteJ'e~ i.
v. 176•••~ ~a.,~ thu Stoic ~ tbG.\. fmune ~e.1n th~
~ao,. ~ m"ft.olr WiU fttOftllfta • • ~~ non ~t poteet".
v~ the 1$ ~ b1 .. &ot of td.UJ ct. ~ bpudte(l13 '..cere •
. . tlU1 tol~t."- (~. 7l,S)•
1
Qt. ;E:.V. Amold, ~J.t~ (Cambridge, 1911), pp" 3)...1.
13
1& onQ a,p~t of v1l"\."." III ~,. UJ, )1, 1\ ,. t.~ PM«No 1'_~ ana
ft. 439...40 a(:,ord with tnt. 3t010 vtew. "-.nota 81 catlum 1neoll./luet1t1a~
OJl' lnJ_tl•• (v. 1,6) oan brin& 1\ to' an *. Aia1ft ttl. t.t'UiJ' WfJ.\n, . .
1. "",f'VQ div••tt • Med_ (v. '41) ah~ the rlsb.\ .t.\ltUdo "~tr ~
angel" 1a tn••pHd w1t11 whicn it . .en_ its tull power ("&1.1& paul&t1ra
14
luat tor l'wuge ttl., riU even dest'~ tfte ooo3"t. ot their love (ef.. de 11".
1, 5, 21 3,. 3, 3).
Aftgor ca.n become & dlseas. (ote Sir " 424) and gain a more ,enttamtnt
arip on tho lfWld (J19_ 7', 11). M«Iea bas t.pfit.u.y .,uttered. tita of anger
(v. 394) and ba, abown nf) re"train't. in 1311. or bate (vv. 397-1, S66--1).
Tbe imponaMo ot bab1t. Wile $t~".ed by the St~10. (d. Ira 2, 40, 2J Tt'&ft.
908...10). An.g:er and ithe lU'OBpect ot' rwengfJ bring pl.aur$ (or. v. )89; de
11"& 4, ,21)" ~op..t_ 1ndu.lsenoe in a4ger ean lead to a. Ci.UOld titltliiht in
the cR~~ter1a. (ot. vv. 991-2 .aU not-e, 911-41 1016. 4. Ir.. 2, S_ 1).
1'he ;~t~le. 't)\t11ft'_ tn&t .. clOG. l'elatlortenip u.tat.. 'fiwetm -"h. body a. eoul
(Ep. 6S. 24) &.rIG t.b1. conMfilon 18 cllM1" tl'OJl th. detaU_ descript,loM of
the pnyaloal JMn1tat,a\1tu,. of emotion in Medea (ct. VYIl 1$6-7; 382-90;
44~-6J .S.3....6l.). The "u.J.'1ptlons of Me4e&-'1 physical .,fBP\- are l"flliAriCab17
eaa1er to uelude ang4r than to oontrol it (tie Ira 1, 1, 2). Medea. knoWtl
thi. in tneorl (w. 203-4), but; 1n ,ran1•• taU. to attept 1t. It r.son
do.. not aUCfUNJ8ftAly ...ailt. t.h. flJIIICt.lott at the ou.t••t., it t.~.c_u aub-
15
e.n4~~.~~~_~. ~~.w1th._
~~otAIIU.tbo~f$a~~otU:~
~J_~H~~_ ..t.trre~ot~1a~,~•• l
1*0 ~ ~ 1. _ ~ ~ of ~,f .. \bEl> ~• .mfJ ~. in ~
~ . . ~·fr;t ~.~ •.~ do ~ ~_a .lo~ ~mb~
the anger of some (.sl~ 1ra " 40> 5), but Medea is unresPQn,sive tor she knows
she is more l>0wel"ful than. her enemies !Ie Sueb anger will ceas~ only whet! the
des1r~ tor vengeance is sa.ted; ttnonnumquam., lSi plures aunt qui parire meruerunt,
post duorum tnumve sa.uguinem Gocidere desinit" (9-$ IrA 1, 17i 6) I>
l!9.~l has caused Medea's pre'doue cri.;mes" th~ these pale 1n oomparison
with its present urginp (w .. 49J 907). Its inability tohlde itseU
1s stressed by Medea. (v~ 1,55h Jason $ees it on her face (v .. 446) and the
nti~se vialla.'li.Zf!!S it e:qmnd:btg inside J.ledea t $ mind (y~ 671)!' Medea. addresses
golol"._1n attempts to calm it when under the influenoe of ~ (v. 139) 01"_
Rlatal (v. 944)~ and at other times to encQurage it (W1! 914; 1016). In the
grip of !olo,r Medeald.lls the ehildren(vv .. 951; 1011; 1019), and the use of
the 'W'f#rd 1tJJ.~Jt m v;.
1020- suggests how real and powe~l this lorce-is..
1r8; ad .tu.r:or are e~ p:rondnent .. 2 Medea.' s passion is so strong and at
t1lnee gam. 80 eomplete a grip on her soUl that she herselt seems to be a con-
cret. man1i'est,ation of the emotion; Jhtultu:m. f\:I.roris oerno"; as the nurse puts
.- . . . . ' r ... s. ~
1
.Schmerz und '.rod in den TNOdten Senecas (2nd ed.J Darmstadt, 196,)" p. 31.
2
w. ,1; 203; ,81, 394J 1+63, 494; ,06, 5;6; 591,; 8;31 866J 868;
J,m...l o t ..
902;- 9Zl; 938; 943; 944; 989. f!aEqrt VV'~ ;2; 386; 392; 396; 406; 8;2;
909; 930.
17
it. (v .. "')_
(1. 7. '1)
j,1~_'. "!lit-lone iIIr4
Tb~ 1ntlu.nce o.i~ 3\;;;10 thMitiht t.ben 1n L~QM 1& olu1" and in J.W.n1ou1~ul·
tit-. p~J:'il,1l.4. i~lt.h u. Ira 141". etl"lld.ng. Ja. "t~O further end .~. tnia &M tn.
&tbw pl.y-, ii.$ $tro~ll d1.daGtif;h )11($5 i(anl ~"ent. tbiG ,,1ew in lta most
ut.nae tOl"lA. For hv the tl"li.,edl•• Art' uph'u'oaoprd••l pr~arldlA play.",l
d.illbol'~t.ell tl.1aned \0 ,lve moral lnstNetlQn ttl ~ElIO-St.o!Clsm" But. wt.
~Qrt of proplll~ 18 it. ~Uln t.be c~ om, ••oap__ 1\:;\lt. 1s bo~ 1ft
t.
ftGt
\n.,n t.kttO\\t;b t.tl. h_veU? ~ ••au in 5Y.thT with M....rtl viw &ftd
b7 .... ~thel" .iro\ll.~.. .f'. .()n~ .,l.al.ne (,.. 2'9) th. le.lIJoa or the ~fiAU
liTttu pla,. then, 1s _ obJ~et. 1"80n tn the awful ooueqwm.cJee of anae1" " ..
~~_ U tile !M~~tlon <'Jt a c&plt;al __t.lon.. Afi e-ueb ~ must. l03.the her.
Other_a. til. mara]. oJ!' tn$ dr~ lfiS iU'Jpel•••l l Qt..oW"." U iiowwtlr l:!fJU....
,I"
J
1
Tl\PA, '6 (194'>' 21.7.
18
to ~}(1n~~ca'. prQleworks c, ttl" evidenee tnat ;;.nl~oa believed that the ooe pur-
pose of lit.er,.;tur~ eh;)uld be mural 1natl"U(~tion..l In several paB!$agee Seneca
d<~e. (!\1Jclare t.ha.t poetl'1 should h"ve an eth.icAl. .tu.netir.}r.A.. iifJ'\,jeYel" the wealth
of peat.le quotation in t.he Pt'OSiit \forks and the tact th,~t t.nesfl1 '.:l,ot,f.itions
ott.en aerve a purely' 11ter'&17 purpose show that ;';enec& had a deep and abiding
love of poetq_ 2 To il. certain extent hU atreilUlI 'On ,U.s etbi.c$.l value ••"ea
as a jutfU'ic(1l.tion of hiB own love of pootra'.. A stwt· of Medea. itself $hows
the play reveal. & powerful imag1nat1on and a love ot words and wit for their
answer to provQCAtion and calWllitl eho,w.d be. aut wh... 40 we riM this
expressed in Heel_:? IJnly in th.mouth of tle.1.a harsel! ~ when $11. miSChievously
the fll"oae~rks to pnxtuce iAn interpretation o! tbf! P~. the.} i~ tt)tal17 a.t
var1&ncG v.i'1th the evidence of the plq itself Q
t; .. H U L fI I ; lilt r .R W .L
1
Ib1d. pp. 217-9.
2
S@e l;.S. Maguinn••• , "Seneoa. and the Poets" .. lief'1ftll.th. a8 (19"). 81.... ,8.
19
1
wor1l:8 lind thl't tl'a.g~1.1, tlerJ.n&ton nas termt'td the latter u-'ended. ..... ~".
'fhe .Wl&r'1~7 u real, 'but. .egWit. . . . . an \lntol'tunat. teN to u... atM. it'
tooeuU1 .UBI"ft. da.t HAn! . .M bJ the to... "" that )ie_tor UJitlPle 11
1nt.fJ1lGN to sene as M Uluatr&\lon of the op1rt1olw upre... in. d. Ira. 2
It 1s rathe¥" that. the 1t,1':11dn& aM $tIlIUt.iraea ltOJ'id.ti :lIbagil'l&t.lon rwea1M
Dr1ens in th••• _empla bas round IS'Mt*r tr__ in the t1"a'ecu.•••
In the pro•• works ther. aN -nt eloqum _ _la that s~~:ao.t. tbtl'
"VAen.. It••lf _ mucb ..e he mlsht. What u rep.u.nt in $911• .,. 1s the cold8
I¢, If $, _IfPll t " =.!I' it _ fl1 "JIM", 1 : 11 r J LIn lJ -.'*t± J! j '._10r 110 It 1M; rt I 1 . r f
2
t4PA, 16 (194'>. 229.
J
3M also in 4. Ira alOft., 2, 33 (C&l1gula. and Paet.er)t 2, ;, 4 (Hannibal).
2. 5, 5 (Vol. . . ) J " 1_. 1..2 (camby• • li\nd PR~Upes h " lS, 1 (Aatr&$••
and ti&rpa&ua). ), 16, :3 (Darius and f)eobasUl); " 16, 4 (Xerxes and pyttd.ulh
,. 17, 3. (Al~.r &nc1 Cl~tUlh ), 18.1' 1-2 (SlIlla, (;&tl1ln8 u.d ~-arll3)J ),
lS, 3-19, , (Caligula); J, 40, 2 (Vwd,\iils Pollio).
4
~.&. b,Y Hel'in3ton, pp. 421..... Ii. HetU;",f a.nd B. walker, "Loss ot Identltl •
...4Mtea. Sup=r*=t. t 1 tl , CP, 62 (1907) j 169...11..
5
£.g. ~ vv. 991-1020, 'fb,y. w. 1021-). 1030...1. cr. Oed. v. 952 tt ..
20
palliafJm$ ~_ and um"~on in the " ..lde4 It. U ~ __tlJJi to not.. iMt.
n1p~t\l. (i~fIfl. w. ;40-2) ••,.. __or (al.G". with ~r_ and lU5t) as
mal".id.,,& the e. or tile GolAItftA,••
II.! j
].
E.,. H"Q .. 'J
71, 12...,. t;t. Ben.
27...)0; 6, .f!, 9; COn•• ~'" 24, 6. COM. Fogb.. ]"
6. 22.
2.,,_
:2
Ae H.rln~'ft.'ill reminds \11 (p. ~l), !,hme. \!It\fS at.:rcnglJ lntlueMe4 b1 the
St.el. b.ai\ or viewing Itall phenQllt.tJll& u bel~_ to tbllll . . . ordm:- 0 f "bi. it
4-
cr. MOtl.t. 1*J'Ofi7 (w. 46--8) ot Aneb1l_ (v..,. A.fl. 6, 124-7), tha't.~elta
a olalla to _~d;y '\be foro.. ot WU"-.on ~mi violtmOeJ the nun.... GOlJIlom.
llvultwa fUt'Oria ._no" (y. 196) I Mttldea' 8 IIwwp1Dg c1a1ra tor the pww6" .ii1 en-
ctw.'Uoe of hel" ..._ (v.. 400 it .. ) ..
21
_.d'ore dbe fled with .la.em (ft'. 2U-9).,. low in her mQt.al!l1flt.l'*he. &h.
anlyell' ••ka w ,.rtom .v11. Hv ttw-.t. of dire ",. . .nee OIl her _-.1...
al'. _tclic hI hel." "11'41 ~o a8cul.\llt- the phyadal world. In ttv. wdclinl
1I"Ullb .. are liven another piet.\lH of M iMOGenee that. let to b. d•• t.",•.
SWIWal ~o "p.1\1ou of ,.I'a... am s..a- $tl'• • the unMf1l.lllertt
of tue 8."" oo_ent,l~ 3Nd .hu~ 1 'the ~ .'r1k1n& 4ucIM!Aple of t.he
..ev__l or tloftlal ""4viWl'" . . ., rit.h ttl. ebU~doi". -7 not. the
U_.'.
ft.
dol.. wttil t~utl'1oul stol0 rev.~e'" tot' U. au-vens It.nd t..b.$ ~n __ ami
iu,our1t.l ttl.., a"ootat.w lid.ttl th.. 6ut tile _tv hat lin. ~Ml. \h.
tale.... fit tht. .oeu~l\7 and th. pow.,l..llao.ull of the 1t5ven. b"o".
m-nfl'Ut fI~l'. nt4lo8 fl••• q,ta v-'I'U d._".
H_ al'G Q t.o aco<.NRt tor thie .,ut18 on moral dl.1nt*4t~tl$\ am.
f.»oitation wltb Cl'tiBt,,'1 to aft _-teat. &\ l."ttt.the anewer 11_ 1ft tn.
1
Sd 08 n. 56....11'.
22
1
.~ <JiP-~Got.~
lWJ) ~ that . . . . . t~ ha,'Q - - ~
f!'_.. ...,It ..
~.., !At ~ioMl_ p41UHl~. HflI~
(,. 461)poSrlh _ \bat ,~ ~ of. ~ hh . . .
a k "'t~ .t.Mt.~q a
IGla..N ___~....t·~ ..
~~ ~Ml tit ~ta ~l_" ~·soma
~~ . .W" _
~
i.~'.aft1~,~~,,1}
OIl"
....
. . . ot·~b¥i~ . . -'tm·M•• ' ,t.UrGjiu
~ $I ~'. . (*-h. 19M). !he . . . . MW \he f
~~~ ... m ....t.~wm.~~lato!a
,~ ,,~.
11
It.
,
~ ~:
~# auo.
~ ,~ftlcl.ft,
~~
If2 (19Jel. 170.
veals the invasion or Seneca' 8 phUo8ophlc~ world b1 the real world of the
Early _11'••
In Meet_ we have an oven link with Seneca. t. own day in the Second.
OhOrul. In 118tlng the ciangera raced by the Argonauts, the chorue hwl ended
by asking what had been the reward of that first 1101,1&8. "Gold and Medea"
(w. ,361...3) come_ the repl1,'_ . \'111;11 "nllJne lam aesett pont-Uti et omnu/ patltur
1",8.". (w. 363...4), Seneca. abruptly tume to his own t1m.B,. wit.b tke1J1'
ea•• of travel"atld. £oreoa.ate tut.1U'e discoveri.s. The implication _eem.
clear. Han hae conquered the _-'$ but has Nerots Rome conquered what Medea
Ull;!
There had. alWtlTs cun 8. strong rhetorl~ eleel'lt in DlOst Roman
poatr.y, but at the end or the Aucwstan period. the attempts to amaze and.
amu•• an audience be00llle more dom1nant in literature and there is a .)1'.
intense use of rhetorical davie... Od4 1& the herald of the new _t,rle
and 1\ is 81gnUioant Sene.'. tra.gec11. contain more echoes of OVid than
the l'hetors botb directlT, and indireotly through the intense speeches of
some of OVid's hero1nes.' Seneca's monologuea are replete with rhetor1cal
1.,_.
1
Cf. WeC. SUIUleft, Sele!!t L-xlietft of' ~e,nee (London, 1910), p. xxx1v.
2
See Son .• Contr. 10, 2ra!~. 2, 8, 9, 12•
.:;
Sen. Qoatr. 1, pra.et. 41 10, met. 2.
4
"Nolo aut.. V08 iuvenes met eontristar1 quod a declamatoribua ad hiatorloOB
transect' •
S
E.g. ~ 7, 11 ff~J $, 44 ft., a, 473 ft.J 9, 143 tt •• 9, 473 tt.; 9,
726 tt.; 10, .320 ft. EUripides had of oours. shown the wayJ e.g. Med.
v. 102l ft. --
25
to e.»sp....IJ It_lt with INdd.Em ohImgd of mood. (e.s. w. as. 138-40; 910-21)
93.3-5, 988 tt.) paad,au.te entreaties (e.lI_ w. 1-19, 24)..,:;, )a..6; 28'. .90:;
476-82" ,,1-', 740--') _ ~ and the like (n.401-6). An intenatms
teat~ of f.kmeca'. longer ~{goh(tl& 1$ bi~ skill and eubt,let7 111 dep1ettns
the tndn of thought of the • •01'. For mtereat1ng ~" of this et~
~
A "~ t_ture ct the tieolamat:1M& was ~. Some OJatOft lfOl.l14
e~ th&.t the au<i1enc" h~ theh pm.- by int~ns them wi\h "4ucrJ.batn
D'I:.Ille esoft or Ill. 81I1:t11u· phJl'aao (&en.gm'K' 2, ;.. 6; 2, 1, 26)" Thoro ..1'0
l~ 11l01"e un~tlc delcFlpUone in SeMU's !it.4, ttum ~ Eur1p1u@/&. plq
and th1e 1- p~ly ~ in l.arSe part; to the ~e of the deoJ..amati«ls.
~ven in w. 615-TJ9, whM'e the 11Uol'Ge deHnbtlle l~edea'fJmai1c pt"eparatione.
tim del1criptlen 18 elltiJ&nt1ally ~t1c tor much 01 the $pHch 1a devoted
to list. of the places wheft end the oeetllrd.Oons when Medea pthere her anak~.
10ne 1n too choNa are more dUtul$ and "poet-10ft , though here too the tendency
twarcls 11.d~$ is evident (e.g. vv. 75-89; 311...7; 616-69) ..
26
shall eM, be has a part.lcular fondness for geographic adjectivu, aome qUite
conventional but. others (e.g. "Gangetioumf." v. 86S) add:1Dg romantic oolour.
Seneca. a180 haa a penchant for adJeotives w1th an archaic ring. Thus w find
adJect!v" 1n .. ,tel'" ynlter, v. 34. eceptrUer. v. '91 a.mter v. 468; ,l
,aguaad.ter, v. 68,s ,&emJllUer, v. 723. ,lucifer v, S42J 2.1'1 - sera beUiger v. 64J
thl1"sker v. 110, 1n ... flowu ,let.:1f1cUJ v. 5Th niditicus v. 687. "Sena'
t,ni&!n& v. 410. 14081; :tnterest.ing of the.. U rdtlUlous which is only found
in v. 710, where it. 18 UeO. 80 ettect1:vel1 with.m.t
"niva11 us ,el.u1t {v. 716} are effect.ive in their contmcts.. Ev'en ttuatul
aocenso Pelias aenol anitn (We 666-1) mq be justified by the context. tor
}lelia. 18 a.n island of' ftl's 1n a. e. of,;;wa.ter,"'image17'·. But fluee"a
(
vaaCors mem. •. vauana teroz·n (Ve 123), ulel14jlPisl'1 fl'igorle gla.lea"
(v. '136) and. "caecUll ••• opacwa ... umbro81',' (v. 741) are 8he.~ boaRst.
Another oharact.eri.tlc t.ture of Seneca'. tl"&iedie8 1s their love
of periphratl:i.e. Seep. ctel!&bis in avoid1:ng the stra1&httorward MIl. . of
people and th1n&s. Such aUueiv.... can be the veq "tuff of poet17 (ot.
" . ",...al) .. but too often the periphra... 8._ menl.T intended to ell.pl.
Seneoa's If;nqwled.ge of myth and geography FOr same of the more notable uaBlpl••
10 Medea.. 8n vv. 59, 6a t&oJ 67 tt.; 11 ttl 7S t£J 82 tti lOS; UO, 1311 2l2,
226; 24.34 31), 3.36. 342. 3SO. 3551 45S. 6OB, 6101 62,.
rW
~
H~.· I.: l;&
..'·'·
. (I
> -A
,1'=-- I
!-
i
1
~ .lI. .· I8 I'".~
.'. "'1·. i· . . ~
ll·.··· ':' ,..' .~.". Ii. ,~".,
fit "'1
·,l
-
i I
110
,
& • e 1 ~ ! I r (.• r - I I
~l I. ~1lt51.. It~.
I"
· . .,. . •. b'£
~Ii!!~fi:~i~ lEI.
t:) _.'."
-, .,1I. g-f: i
.- I ~It 1
'if
Is r
is
f
If II I t ~ t: i ; Jj
'lo t
·J(i\rl
13 ~
i
f
!lot:
!i r f ~
«J'IiI '
'1.' ,.
~, .f .
11
i I I '. '. i r 1.' . _.'. t r
'I ~. t ~ i ~ ! Ii: f! i ~ i ~
~.
Oi i
::r i s".= . I.·.·
II~
I~t L 1
G3 ~ :
!,
t ~
........ ~
28
to the groves 01' the Qe.nge$ in the .at. trom nult1ma 'l'hu1.e" (Va J79) and
1'5"0\)&. nobUee n in the north 110 "dint. AMb•• n (v. '113) and l\lnblU"tled
Indtwu (v. 484). fl ce.-vro..;Yj c.o-ye./,z!>Sl1e.ss w~ ck r-j,jueoW (.-1 vv ~2); 7 13;7 20 ),
.rUst -."'V01&&$ in the second enol*1.Ut and of. the fat. of the Argonauts 1n the
third &re ple&aing enOllift an4 are _0 relevant to' the th._ or the pl..,. More
tedioul are such COmlnOnpj.i.>.<1G. 3$ the Furies (V1r. 1)-6) am the Great S~el"
to ae.te (V.,. 771....S4) and tho liet of cont:rlbutoH -ho Medea'e _sie fire
(lTV. 820-12). i: . ., /1 1
y/-!.<}(.cJ r?.y'/""t;j-", S-e.< vv· {s:2-3; C5>" .
Ha,10 and tn. supernatural are also belOVed thttmljS in Silver p0et17.
Quint. (2, 10.. 1) 1rdloat•• that _aie was a. t'l"eqllent topic in the declamat.~u
of his dal. We ha.ve in MNea a long _Sic scene (vv. 670.e42) and the :4.,n.
tl'Oductlon to tha.t. soene should be cotll/ulted tor a dieell.s1on of the 11t9ra17
tradition and of the extent. t.o which Sen• .,a r,ellects -sieal prae1;1... we
alao bave the brier appearance of a gholt in w. ',....71, .eD Medea e•• \b.
mangled 1"emaw of her brother AbeynU6. 3uch pa88ll,e. of course provide an
excellent opportun1t,y tor rhet.od.eal. ,Uapla7, but the d!eproportionate amount
of tSme d.evoted to Medea' .. magic WHkens ita effect and t.hl"OW8 the whole ,1&1
29
Sent.enttae
A enaraot.enatl0 feature of the declamations wr. the a~ntentia... Qu1nt..
(', s. 2) WOf'fl$ \1.8 that. the ancients uaed the word for thQugbts in seneral
whereas in hie own da.y by sententiae were meant "lumina. praeeipue in olaululla
po.itan • 'l'he older tne or .entent1&. -was akin to the proverb in that 1t
briet17 and aptly iiXPr••eed some general obael"Yat:ion on 11te. Thee. are COll:lllOft
enovah :Ln the tragedies, but are generall1' given partioular point by their
eonta:t. They OCQUl' frequently 1ft at1chonwt,hia. ,wtl1cb in tact is otten little
more than a contest in quoting ••ntent-lae (e.,. w. 159-7)1 192-200J 5O~-S).
More 8t1"1k:1ni are those Bent.nt.1a. whloh are coined tOft the part1culaf' tllt_-
tion a.nd gain their effect from antithesis, &ll:lt8l'at:1on and ingenious &11\\11".-
n.... Some of the more impressive exampl.s a" "parta taa" pa.rta ultio est.
I peper1ll (VII. 25...0)1 ftdalJina ream! sed 1""4. oriaen" (v. 245-6). Itnon re-
vlctvl aellisn (v. 416), but the Medea is tull of tn_ and the reader JIlust. be
10) .0
Bubtl. and w1tty een\ent1&. 1s shown by the storr otLat.J"t), (Sen. Contr. 7, I.,
! .l
Rhetorical Devioes
SOllie of Seneca' IS other rhet.orical devices may be b:d.etl7
30
~(W.~J).
ea.q .,.e1' of p••lldo-pathoal an1muea " . 41u49', 9'71 976, 988. dolorl
n. l)'s 9l4J 944; 1016, 1019. furor: v. 930. 1ral w. 916. 9".
JSx:c~tion 1e generally 1ntrod.uoed by interJeot1ona. Note .!.. .
(~r.8.1ng pain) v. 139• .!!!! (surprise etoh ". 44S. ?lBJ 992, ..!! <_oit....
• ent) 'V'V. 966, 99' • .!'!!! (SOlTOW) v. 649.!!. vv. 4'1) '9'1 'SO. 9a, (twioe>"
986. Ot.her .triid.ng u:etamatioM OOC\U" with bene fit w. SSO, 1019. and ~
toUowed by the imperative vv. 191, 6SO, 1007.
Cl.1malt (termed tlineranentwan in Q4I ~3) ie not very ettectlve in the
traae41.. since as c.ntt):r (p. 149) observes the -.otion 11'1 these work. 1&
unU'ormlT hiab... The most !mpHssive exampl_ 1s .uraq 11\ n. 837.'. For
othera, ee. ". 45""'J 207-91 2l7! 249-50. 277-8, 445-6, 462-41 4"_ 592-4;
837...9; 8SS...7.
Ant1thesi,e* (eo) single words not closely Juxtaposeds w. 55. 94;
176. 421J 437) SU" (1;) e1nttLe words of opposite m_nina in immfJdlate juxta-
the beg1un1na of a. new clau•• or vel'ae or the same word. ending the preceedlng)
n. 25""_ (d) 7T AoKl{ (repetition of the 8am. WQr4 a.t. intervale in Gon3unct1on
w.Ltlt other t1gur•• ). n. 932....4, 943, 989....9' (e) f Tlv<-;;oj() 5 (1'ems mentioned
before, repeateci aM d.1ff'erent;U&.ted)>> w. 69,-7. Clo.ol;y related to ana.phora
is the 1:1pM in wIlleh the s_e wori 1. 1uD.ediatelJ rep_t.ed tor the sake of
emphasis (t..mea comi!l}?11oat1o 1n Auet. Her. 4; 28. )3). TM•• 18 muon oonmone:r
in the tracedi•• than in most othw Lat.in 11teratWl'e. In Ked. it occurs with
verbs (w. 2'. 32, 42', 447. S27. 845) 911), adverb. <We 131 90. 139J 692)
949) 980. 982), pronouns (vv. 266J ;00) and adJeotives (w. 614; 990).
P&roil()ll9.8Ja, (woN-play) a figure muon fa.vwred. bJ the deel.a:brte"$
(.ee S'Wt'tfters ~ 'Seleot Letter. of Seneca. p. lxxldl), is Go_on 1n the tragea1es.
Sene. th.'1iJAOl' tell. that it _IS an overufied affeotation (StU_ e.g- 3....
7, U). In It'\lKi. ~r~ the CQllo'w1,f13 examplee~ (a) the same word (i) chang@ 1n
galle of tiOl!n81VV. ~.#~j ,11; '12, ~63J (11) cna.nge in \en~. aeod or voice of
ve:rltss n. 28... 2lS, ~l; 563, 950. (0) 4Utereat words ~~,ol~1ea1:1! r ....
la.t«h w. 28; 11....'. 128, 16.:,. 261J 4", 472J SO:;.
m-i;t.~&tion, a type of p&l"GllfMMlsl,a, is VflJr'¥ -Q emmon -in Heel_. A
few of the more notable instanoes are found in w. u, (fh 283 (ph 362 {m}J
Ihe most notable example of verbal Oh1a.SIIlU5 in Me4ea 18 1It&8 omne oedat, abeat
expuleu pWilor" (v. 900). For other example., ee. vy" 17~ 42; 91. 132. 186,
235, 2lS; 381, 424; 431; S09. '27-8, 532. 578; 673J 69$J 123; 7441 9'9, 943.
947; 9941 997 J 1oo.2J 1007.
33
Wta\1on
fbe 4Vle1f4\t ~~ of orla1Nll1t7 wu quik d1tt"Mlt f'rom 0lW
CMl.wri.t$a ""l;y took phase. and Uau ~ ems anottw. . . .11u plot.",
In the 6Uvol"Ap ~e <Xl ..-liel' writen trfU 1nc~ _ tb......
• 10. ._ tbflt a .,....t ... 01 11t..\\l.ft bad pnoecle4 ...s __ ~. ftftlH OIl
WtaUo 1a tbo. d'1etor.t.oal 8Ohoo18.
III lip. 79# 6 s.eoa. &tyea vlla' ~n (ltlea..le:illlb p. 273)
......bee Al& ~ thQ 1108\ :1n~ ~UoD of t)h.~t,.ap. ot
Jl!i9!t Q~ in all LaU. 11~~·. ~ b.fA$ be_ ~
iibe wotda _
..tt_UWly point. out
ab~ WktioDB of
alv1ns ~
~
t. wa :I!!!...(~..J!.
~N
ot sauuet*.
of 8l4vieh ~
lA It. 114. 11...20 he
atJ'~_. .'d.o:1td.!J••
VlIl'¥
or 11atins AWUfttlus t
*~•• "" the ~.. (Y. 13 ft .. ), a ftd ... Wi'e blUISh (We 99-1(0),
SoyllA (w. "()..4). dAt~t$ of tnt) ~M1ble (ft. 401...0); ~t)U8' ,I)OW6re
of GOI'J4 (v. 62S ft.,. t.h~ o..t ~. ev. 143 tt.). '_"'_
81Doe tl'w plot. of ~•• ~ 18 bue4 on EUI'lp1dMt pltfU. it 1.
not «m.J:prie.t.ns tbat o@rta1n ~H in ~C6 .,~ to eobo ~i t.he
35
.·t ".
~ of ot.Mr . . . ~ aft r-.,. It 1. pl'd»lbl~ that ~
=
;1a
100, ''', t_lsI.\• •• -w. 305, 33eJ t . w- -- n" ,,;...60} '''lOr•• 6473
66aJ M a .•• v. 709J tOf' liI\.••e v. ;alJ tOI" Oy.. !ta.... v. l~
(-.d DOW).
J:~ 18 also pop.tw. ~ are l~
Mboe" of hi. Ode. in w ..
'*'J 62$ 10. 72. 8~9J 8!)J 99-100(?>' 226, 301-6"
<.
,,1-4.
SJiJ S9Sf'~2$J -629.
668.
'or .oboes Qf Vel'g. Ata• •~ w.-46-e. )11...2; "4-', 491, tOf' 2tK.
~ 'n'. '19, 694, m; to.. m. aGO W. ,~(?). Por ea'•••ft w. 6'. 72)
36
vv. 99-100; 673. For Pub" ~" ilea vv .. 153; 4309 Th~r~ tl'.a.y be: echoes of
the ~arly dramat18ta, though none is at all ceJ't,∈ Me w .. 297-9; 451 tor
EM .. J V'I. 20 it .. J 176 tor ACe ..
There aI''' clear Nmin1$cencea of C1th Qat. in w., 26.5; 266; 269-71. It
Imag{el7
This appears M.lOh leas otten in tbe tragedies then 1J16tapbor tor it i8 at
quieter. lees motorical figure. lihen aud.l~ does ocour .. Senoca. otten gives
a Mriee of compariacms in quiok sucoession .. thus pining force, sOim:~t1mes
1
J\gain Cantor (pp. 100-35) i8 very UHtul.. )"01" imagery in the pl'OS0 workS,.
806 D. Steyn8~ ~tUd~._.'1l~._1<il8~~t!llh~U"C8 t't t!t G.9!!:a~4.~U dm,p, ~~.B
g,~!Y£aI.,~n,JD.I!_S!!.. §.m!Q~ ";t.2.b~loso»h!. (G~andl 19(7)..
37
A.~
ttaV1dwJ ... 11,1iU" tv. sash ~ ....~e'" (Wit ~). VOl" other
~lf.\s ~. n. 'J 572-4J 941. )05, 942; :JQ2.
(2) l1li.. Apia ~ all ~$. (.c~pt. 1tttte.1dwl't t. 171) ~lvil PO'"
~1on. Ca) . . .' ..... v. 722J ~••• 2l.a1 _ . v. 384*
(b) ~._~9 ~ the ~ ttal of ~ with 11 place-
38
a~ u "J•• 1e _~le (w. 44. 45, l4B. 2l2). It~..,. *H a tAt.
vldet" (v. 212) itt a dri.k1aI~.t.oL ... oi;he.~G aue w.
r/. 43l.. UO, t.J1J ~J 6'Z1; 424; 116.
(,) ~JfJI!l~. In ft." of tM ~ 01 au.eh !maid jn ~
~ wo*' .. ~t. ~ ~ (. . ~ til 43)..4). "
~bI ~ ~., ~ld m the~. BtIlIl.
1. l
_. (a) I
~, ';t.
w. '91,741.
~fi
---1
aa" .....,
48 too . . .
"I. 16,. ~1 v+ JS6. (b) ~. . . . .)
v. a69, _ , v• .!J4e. !h11 la.ett
,.~ t~ ~ ~h.
~ ~ 01
---1
r
n. IA\m
(1) ~. Cal ~..Ja.""; 'fI,. " . ftd.e ia a ~ ~. 10.-
~ of ..... ( __ - . &-1.".). , . ot;.b,.Ji~,$$ or 1~.17 ~
ll~ Me A(4'.,(7) "'$., (b) tA1&I.I4DJI, •• 6J$J IIM!'!II, v. 136
klJ!U, v. $.19.
Ca) .D!IAb; AlI),v.. a6, AII"tlIr "ft. S6ll ~1' v. 261, 8fI.tI, v. "s.
(J) DIa. !hOft i. A walth 0.1 ~t'f ~ tibie ~.., almoet. au of it
(_.. v. 547) ~ to ~ Ii.Nell. ~ ~ at'e not v~ ~
b\lt b7 ~ tMt!~ft .,,~t tt~ toN1bl1 ~ ~f. ~. ~o
~
~c~ (put. or no. WftrA> . . ,~ .tb~ cU.tt. ao
tt1Il ~
~••t w. 142. V11& al6, 242. Zl6J 4l4.'54, ,56. not S1', 169. S08,
906, 100).
") ~':',JIQ.l."'AAi1 . . (vua.) v. _. A1l\R (p*ll.i$ ~)
v. 6lJJ ..... (Wla) v. n9J ttlR (..u) w. 126. ~J llltJ j1IJJ 2f4.
7~J tlO9J loath lOU. ~ <_1&) v.-'20. . . . (ta). v. J8, w, ~
(..rie) v. Jl6J ~ (t.). v. t62. ot tb~ ~ . . of l a 18 ~ ~\
1
~ pvelV f'~ ..,,18 ~ ~n uat\Gd.
2
Stle ~ (p. ~ It.).
42
149. ~ I
(~O ~1K..~t4mt fIISS£ v. 4l', ~ v. 1", ia v. 463.
~v. an. (,r{
(1) ~~.JtU~""'dMst~.-..··... '...'~~ . ~
(.) . .' IJaII v. lS,. ~\B v. 710, . . . 'i'. )12) ID.! •• lZ/. (b) Yal
.... vv. aa:sj /tel ~J "149. i1aI Y. 7Ot1.
(8) .bIIrA.•jAa'~~~1 fa (~) w. &1# mt lat (~)
w .. a" _. 41fJ,; IIW ~'-lw~) v. 9., ~_ (. . .) v.. 450;
~ (~) w_ litJ, 25a; "982~ .~ (~) v. 581, ~
(~) w. ", ", Il.t. 299.. J,43, 743, lttalJ fdI:II (~) v. 1"
·;\110 to be o~ ~ i. ~ ~ in w .. Yl2.w4, ~. ft~ft 1l\ •.~
fil. is ...~ 1rt ~... f4 ~ the ~.. of \lw .m ..... of ~,
b-"II"
1
Ifi ~ 18 tbe;.U4m of ~ y.,
"l'Jb. ~~ 1. ~ In
~t~~~hua,.JoaU-~. I
.a
~ B.T. P.ftAt., ~.. ~. . of ~'VfJ ~ h ~ ~~ft,
,
~
~
t4 (1963).
P.ra". ~itI
~.
7 ~ ! f , : I •; I i j ~ ~ : I ! ! I ~ : •
I I. IIg ..~ f" ! ~.' i.
y. I~. • is I t~ !....: ~r
'9' t. l fi. '. :.
Ii·!: &, I J ~ I I -
I .....
· .'
> it
>
w P • . . -r I· II f•.". ·,.
. 1. . I.-
.1·..,.., ..
'."
t
1
f·t-
.. i_~ 5 i·· 11 f
·l~r:·· .1.,.9 .
f I ' f • 1 r ... 1
f
80
& ::
i
I'
t.. t.. " r
1
(,t!. f~i
I... 5.; r.·... I i
if,. s'i
e
1;
i J:! , f t ~ f ·
11
....
45
QaM1Utd.oft
au qtd.h·~ __ ~t• •~. . . ~Mw~"'~
a.-. b ~ ~ flo . . . . \bo aw.t&~ b~~. It.
~ to luk w. 6~). \0 ~ 1Mb-
of ~ 1ft p~.....lGft(d.
.~ 01 ......... -1IIt~ _~. mav of . . .t • •~. ~
at d1~ ~~. ~.. MB"
I.a. ~.lltlb u. p~ of I
~t~""U~b __ "t_~1lON __ ~Jleal1_
Jb!.,.,lrP~"J'ftf. .. kj~L.
Medea ~ .. ~ h~J* ~ ~~. W@ ~ ~11
~~ wlt.h a ~ ~, tb1M~ tor ..... ud ~~
r~
not, ~
to ~
ttw ~
-J.t... Likti$ ~ of . . .
.... pl4G$ of \be Mt1«l,
t. t.ftlo.,..,
DOl'
that of ~
to llM ..-
...
doe. 1t. -.k to help tho
ad.~ ~ ~ plot bQ ;p.~ ftl(~vant ~ s.ato~.
~~ no ~ ~ iG st•• to~ ~t. ()!j\~.
1pea mplemt vlol~ IDl ~Mla ~t.* aa4 4um 1ac!pJ.t \ota _".
However p d ~UJIloal obMwat1eh b _ ~11 . . ~o
1
~_ ~ not oak~ to a ~ob1o (MI". SO; 52) or a calv1e1us
8ttblau (ill. Zi, ~)1
::'10.
p. ,.
una ,~llg in ~IU ~«t (&tm und stU'bt.~. 1960).
46
47
~.
f
*1'$ Bl<it _ . aot ~~ .. ~ ~ tmUl v. 917 tt. ~ OIlt1e. l
~_tf1$ tb0 ~t1 .a ~fIU~ of ~.t. _'1~ \0 hi.
~. ~v wae·"" p~. "at; . . e. ~ 1u~. -.m
~ ~ ~t~ ~~"'oIl ~~emf qu.W ~t,v,. .tal
v1ct1t~ (v@ '9)~ ~~. ~.ft (v* k1J)* Sitld,laI' dm.Jbl~~. O(lOu!"
1
li.. g •
~l.k
'ft Loot
a
L. Annas! Seneeae Trs.godiae (Leyden, 1861), note ad. 1;00.
48
Jupiter and J\U1O ~ twarl';. fh~ ~ reprthtl Zeus and H~m a. the tute ...
lary god$ 01 r~ and Plutafch(QuaGIt. b . 2. 264) ..... th_ tuet
1ft b1a l1at of baa ~ soda. !h~ inQ' be Ii del1b@me recolleotion
2. l.adrAIt a rt4nor cie1t1, oormecW with ohUdb1rtb, who was Ml'17 a.siJI);tatA4
A ~J Juno. LatQI' ~1Btll1enCed b7 tM ~ eontlatlon of Il1thyla with ~.,
the ~ idefttU1ed tucina ard Juno ~lna with DJlma (9£. tat. S4. 13-4) ..
In v. 61J ,A&.v. 346 lAlo1aa 1. ol.uo:b' \0 be :f.cient1t1e4 wlt.h Diana.. ~
.Iii.; Pall.aa A~, ~o bQlped buUd ~ (Qt~ w. 365-7) and taugbt f1ph;yi\
the arts ot _~ (A.a. 1, 1(9). ~tr\\IIIllt a ~lJ....wom metapbGI" but
1
Ot. 8Chol .. C!Il A.a. 1, 4. !,fost. B.oman poets who wate on the ArgonaU.t.s 1Jp.
alM v. ,18
t:rod.uoQ th18 motU (e.g.. Cat. 64, 11» 0,. Bt.\.. 6, 721J Manll. 1, 412). Ct.
tt.
50
and a.lIo .in &neo.". tft\nSlat1on of Cleanth.s. (II.. JJ1l" n), the fiftt, thfte
J.:bles or ~h m.rit ClUOtation h$l'U
clue, 0 ~J ~e181que dom1nator poli
quoeumquc plaouitt nulla parendi mora. eat
adswa 1mp1~I", tac nolle.
S~ftl (Jm.Gl...~D. p. ",) CMlttlmta 6 ftIt 1& mtenaUng to ocmpaN the
at.y1e otthese :1amb1es with t.hose of the B~ fJ."agGd1~fU 'W1th. tbe 11m
l1n.0 Ie cf... 1!!Sl.. 4 '" .... ~. 1159 ..... • wlth the SGocnd, !I: U''(l. fl'nl.lll4
pugnandi mea oat.tt , vith \he tblrd .. ~. 200. "Velle tao." Not" lUlO that
tho f11"et l.:ine 0.1 \hl$ tranflllat:f.on 18 ~ 1n t.h$ 3fAffWJ way u~. v. 4"
s. ~fl.c. tM awn, ott$pring of the T1tan fb'penon .... a. cornman use in
Ovid and t.he tragad1eD.
'1.. ~~s iwcat.e was 1dm'.\tlf1ecl with DJ.ana on eal'th~ and J..una
4Uo-q (ct. y. 751J Dafd. v. 412). UON uht1 1e in'V11ked. U llel' capaci,t, lI.S
1Au:l&.. tor tb~ moft'l plqed m h'porhant put .in the magical pl'act1ces
and with Ii vagu~ ~bGD&1ve pbraee (111. 1, 94 ft •• Her. 12, 71-80). Such
~ral phraBM waN cmwntional in pftlj'Gl'8, to avoid td8Ml.dJlg a deity
(at. Cat. 34, 21). .QYS!91\fi...l!!!tJU .!1i! .. : tor Medea 1$ a witch and the pown
now named wre ~ invoked 1n magic (of. v. 140 ft .. ). !totel th~ ob1a&t1c .
51
c.
kp»"
Da1l~J ~.a_V~ (o.totd.
~. ~J!~~:
biG ~ (ct. Ov.
t~f,l ~ l..t\
t"'.
~t. lw~
S" J~24).
w1U.
_I
~ bad ~ calY1~ otllq Phlto but
h1)l1~$. quite ~lS' t.hat,
waa ~
13-a. !h~ ~~W of ~'. put ~1)1* Wis.on l1ta. heldnd w .. 1-12,
~telJ mm ~~ ~... fOlf ~ ancl her ~t1on of th~
1
ct. HiJ.ler, 2; SAO.
52
~ ~~
_ ~ft:tOQ
·to ..,..
ts, i....
Ab~t bUt
fbe~ ~ bas in
tit. tAlq ft~ (v. ,Jti ft.),
tw ~ Medea _ \he
'
1
Ct. ~ at~ (M. v. US). "'l'O/l~(J.J'I~ _.1, 456-1) •
.2
a. v. 12. OR. Vto "4.
,.i•• ,.,
18. 1!9!1!' O~cm. nt.& of Ool'Uitb" In 17-18, bOk the uapnoa w1th
fflet~ Uld the eld.alllllUs.
1,...26. ~a pl'q8 that iuon Wl7 11" on in m1~le «td.l.e . . be pur4ahed.
thJ!Ouab hie eb1ldNll.
19. J&W.. ~t.1o. fa. 1Il1pli_tlon 1. that ~ 1; ~ 'eM-ble thM l
th~ Furies. lRSI.\.ai JalOll...... note omtus.cm of eat. It 1. al_ omttiwd
1ft tmlte ...'81\108 11\ .w. '79, 604.
1
2()..n. ct. ACo. H;j. hg.415 (I), ~ul inter hoitea, ~.t ~""
4~, va&Ua.tt ~~ 1ft ~ of ~t. dl~ent of the e....4r
Ro.ms ~t.18t..,,21t 1e pemap. more l1ke.l;r that he ie ~ heft too of
OIF~.fIs. '1II-1Sth -.~ et toto qt.tatlM 1n orbe- tupm.tti md. 1.62l erret,
4t
1
It. atop ie pnterable to fhomam" OCBlll\ afte", "date" (v. lfj); v.Um the
latter punatat1_, trmths." (v. 19) 11 v• .,. weak. teo ~ to ~tft
- .........l'il7 in v1w ot tho example. ot \h. ~.a1on 01 _ he pnwidel
(1, 1,0).
2
cr. Gell. 12" 2.
55
1
The elder Seeoa ~OH to tbla ~ of ~i4s1& aa MiNt OWiftlM in
:M.s own 447' "hl.d.wJ vitl1 quod . - ~1oiw uniu.u wm! pluta .~ti.
naac1turu (CoatI". 7. " 9).
56
Me4ea scad- beft0lt U) aoUcm.. but action doe. not :1mtood1ate:ty relNlt. in-
stead .. mere extra~ metori.c fOllows. Anl1kes- (p. 43) baa pointed out
tJteoomwot:l.on3 Unk1ng the thouahte which flash tJll'OUP ,~t8 m1nd w1\b
such bewil_naa np1d1ty. ,.tNt the thl'e&t. . to anatch the torches hom
the ~ of tn. ~gue.t.J thie ~a\" the srantiOH idea. of
snatching the "boNh" .trom heaveD - a teat $he • • quite capable oEper...
tol'm1ng (01,. w40 '",..,4).. It ~ et.l'1kea her u deplorable that he..
ano~tJtoJ."" \he Sun) baa not. al~: ~Gd the ~le of her mietftat.ment
h1 RltUl'lllng b~ in hi. ohar1ot. Nell' b1tteme"$ lead. bGI' \0 demand the
Sun '8 obar1ot tOf:' hel'Rlt that • rdght dest:ro:l Corinth :tn a mightl f1ft
llk~ that Phaethon oau~. A IdmUv -aft-1m of conse1ousneaa" te~
'emapa here (u 1ft n. 157) S93) &meoa hael :in m1nd Ov. liu. 12. 155.
:0.
"ire
:in ~
~s media. auade'bat 1ft agrnJ.na tm-bae".
at the
, • •t. of tn.. temble feast, (ct. lbl. w .. ",6-7. 784-5. 189 ft.)
892 tI.) m tt.J 10lS. 1095-6). H~e 'th0Ulb that tb1f1 llOtU alJIo oeoun m
Md'. VQlnion of the ~thoft tAo.,. (am. 2. '29-31)• •e en w. ,1-4,
Not. also~. "IV. 67s...9. jJr.E9""'III.~\,l ~e 1. stven tbtt
pIll'VJlOlM.rd.a b,y the tao\ that the worda ocw" a fdrdlal" l.1r&e....poa1tloA.
599-602. He... ~ed tv tbe chariot torealUL4.ows her eacape at the end or
the ~ 1ft Mr d~$ (&1'9'*1\ htl.. \:.7 the am .. ueoN:1ns to I. !!!t.
n. 1321-2). Phaethon'_.n.re bad d.at~ geat dUe. (Or. . . . 2. 214-6).
Note th••th.a em tU'e iRftt~ti'bu81 igni.tera"'. and tbe clear fOh-
~ en ..
to .~~ mo~ _of the Ietbmws ue popt.ilar w.li;h t.h* tatj,n .,ottu ( __ asp§>
1 .
c_.mon 1ft Ieri~. tftl~.).... ~17 (p" 269) ret..... to U$&lOt. abo",1"•
.att.empt to haVtf a oanal cut. a.~. tlw ItJtbmu (Suet. ti.U. 19).
37. !otedea retUJ.'M to ~he atari,~pl.'d.nt of her doman4 tor the -~t -
the wedd1ltg torehea (ct. v. :11). llIs. D..us. ~, ~ probab17 UH8 tilt)
,.~Y""
pbras& ~1~ (ct. v. 491:l~ but. thtJ audience would &leo understand it
1.
E.g. fhaed, v. lO~; ~. V'V'" 628-9.
58
the ~ wUl tb1nk of CI\lOn. (""CUM and the children (of. th$ uee in
~ pp.:s c --I ; thq are VtJJJq ~ 111 the tra,sed1ea. Brady (p. 78) obseives
\
1
'or ~ m~ ·ch11~1\n~ of. M. v. Zl; ov. M@t~ 6. 6;lJ 8. 4781 10. 465.
59
Phas16• • had ~~e4 he~ tathel' (ot. Ov" !i.U. 6'113') .Qftd helped datiOn
steal th$ goldtm tleec0 (c;t.. Med. v. 912).. Sae alJlo _ ~sp1ta1.e:rntf
(v", U)..
44-4S. ~,.u ~. thi. use et !istG ot place. ia VIa.,.. C~ 1n
&neCA• .2 l'J.d§ba& ~« atNllll' ~$1Hd. btlt" FO_U't1oD..
J.5-46. Note, ...Su tOO UN of a~toa witb a4jectrivlfIs \0 b~l;, con~
1
E.g. "dtml. an1me. dut:wlJ hel"1 tonier efta", (Sen. fl.tA\t. 2,. 3, 1).
2
E.g. on vv. 148, 2l2. 756.
60
4 ' .... f
1
ct. on vv. 131; 133-4.
2
ct. neft'mann,p" 491.
61
orimes (vv. S00-501: "tua Ula" tua sunt 1lla.; cui prodest seelus/ is teclt.").
52-5.. Note the &harp antitheses. "repud1a thalamie" "wtl.1nques !I". &ecuta
,4.. DPQRe. ,,,a8De§'Jl1~m: pel'hap$ an eoho of Verge 98 9£. 3" 42-3. Mo..J.'a,. .1
2
(see on vv 10 Z7 J 116. 117; 157; 593) .. Seneca ha.s however used a wide range
of sources for the details of his chONa. On the whole these bol"1'OWings are
:i ........ Ii .......
1
See)A.t.. WheelerJ. Cr,;;ullusand the Traditions of Ancient Poeta (Bel'kelezr,
19.34 • pp. 183-21"(; tor a good discuesion of the genre.·
2
F. Leo (1, 169) suggests that this theme in the letter was elaborated in Ov e
Mad", and that Seneca is heN following the lost p1q.. He may be right,
~
-~-
an'lIh ......... ,"'.'1 ... +_4 ............ #'_,04+.1..,.
"W!oV." 'WJf'~.-~w- ..... 'W... ..... ... ... ""
~1iiiJ"""VWW"
62
and the (:' k tf,l. tT, \ ot the bride a.re among the standard. themes ot tlelleniet1c
1
ep1deict1c rhetorio.
E .. A.. MtmgelsGorr (supported by C.. lt. Kapnukajas)' po:1nted to vv~ 105,
107, 108, as evidence that Seneoa viewed this wedding song a8 being sung
directly before the ~ei§ct!.2" It is true that at Boman weddings the bride-
groom clasped the bride fa hand just before the pl'Oces8i~n and that at this
time too the Fescellrd.ne verses were uttered.. noweVer in both Greek and Roman
wedd1ngs, the procession to the bridegroom's house took place aft,er the
wedd1ng feast at the house of the bride's fa.ther. But it is clear that 'When
Creon (vv.. 299-300) declares, "sacra me thalami vacantI vocat precari teetus
Hymenaeo dies" I the oeremonies betore the S!siuct10 are 8~ill taldnl plac~,.
Further, vv" 879-886 reveal that the br1de and her lathes> have perished in
the royal palace.. It seems therefore better to reject the idea ot a ~u2t!o
here. This song, while a part. of the wedding celebrations, (ct. Medea' Ii
1
See A.t. Wheeler, ~rdt~~1n.:lh! i.Stbi~l, ~, 5l (1930), 205 tt.
2 .
!?As llr.i..sqhe HgghzeittWd be! !lm GGechm. YnSI R2mem (DislS. Oieaaen, 1913) j
p. 44 tt.
l
Die NanqahlTlungsteohr.1.lc Seneoa: in den Chozolietiaffl des ftHeryples i'lJl"eil,ii
.und del' "Medea" (Diss. la1psig, 1930).t p. 9[.
63
alter Medea's wild ranMngo The contrast 1. :1.nteneUled bT the tact that
the chorus 1nvokes the gods of marriap whom Medea her.elf had invoked to
2
panish the Wl\1ckera of her own man"iage" The illusory :nature of the ohoJ'U.s'
p1c1iure ot happiness i . ell\Phasized b7 the repetition later 1ft the pla.,v s in
a grim conte:&:t" of various motU. and phrases found. he.... See note on
vv. 849-18/1 and cf~ "lat.ex ... saoe'" (vv. 849-78) with --sacrum lat1cem"
('IT. 8l0h "'liripodu moftt" (v" 86) with 'l't1'1podaa ,<H' commotos" (vv. 785-6>.
the moon and its "solidum $.. orbem" (w. 97...s) with th~ picture in vv 4f 787-90.
Tile c:bONS begin" in &sclepiads (vv. 56-74). lUOV8S to glyconics
(w~ 75-92). Ntums to aecleptJIda (WII> 93-1(9) and ends with hexameten
(vv. 11Q...5).
;6. Da* Jason and Oreuaa.. The ma8euUne plural is sometimes wsed with
reterel!c.8 to a. ~.,d ~ou~le l c~ II! ttTonIint1bus" (v" 59) 1 . "lIl9Ceg.". (,,-~ lQ6)~' _
SemU8 ftauctus" ~ts on Verg .. As. 2, 4;7 .. ftmeliori RXU1 ftspondit, 1d
est mascuUno".. .
57. ot. w. 4. S where Neptune and Sol are 1nvok9d by Medea.
58. l1\!"ff!lYmUlSI' "I'e~ 41YW8, (,tUM publ1ce n....., ut. ;ttavena\
linguist impembat~ (Oic. J!!.. 1, 1(2). In practioe this can:~ to mean a
_.__________,t_._._____,_,. ________--__________________ 1__' _____
• _______
. _ . _ ._ _, _ , _ ._ _
1
Of. Oat. 61 and the comments in C.J, Fordyce, Cja~y! (Oxtoni, 1961), p. 236.
2.fI!lA P'b..._ , • ..L,,:(:. tr.!o. •• __ .... M. -".-..
"d1 coniugales" (v. 1) and note the repetition of IDeina (v. 2) 62). The
lines contain veiled references to Medea's revenge. Behind the bull1 to be
sacr1ticed "sceptriferis ..... Tona.ntibu~" (v. 59) we 'IDa::! perhaps detect
Creon, "soeptro :1Jnpotensn (v. 143)9 The "mve! famina corporls/intemptata.
iugo" certainly suggests the virgin (v. 105), Creusa" with her nfemineo
• ". ohoron (v. 93) and 'tniveus color" (v. 99) & "Tenere..... hostia" fore-
shadows the child-m.urder. Note also the use of plaoare in 'VV. 62; 971 and
of victima in ~vv. 39; 970.
59. ~.ceujirl,f~l!is TO!?§4t~bus. Juno is also regarded a.s !!eRtr1t.~ in .Alt.
v .. 3M3; !i2 v. 1509.. strictly, only Jove was l'onans (for the present idiom
see on "regumtt 6 v ~ 56) D but Juno is a.ssociated w.1.th the thunderbolt in
asser'h that heifers not bulls should be sa.orificed to Jupiter. But of.
Ov,,_ Met" 4" 726: _"tltut'U.!3 t~bi ,II Sl11YlIn6 deorumtl "
61. Lyg;}.naqu in view of v.. S9"to be identified with Diana." Kingel'7 is
'2
surely wrong in identifying Lucina here and in v. '2 with Juno (pp. 267, Z70).
---------------------------------------------------------------
1
For a precedent tor the allegorical use ot a bull and white cow; see Ov ..
Aen. 3, 5.
2
As Kapnukajas (p. 9.3) points out, because of her earlier identification
with Juno, Lucina receives a.s her victim a white cow,. even when she is
identified with Diana.
65
Plut .. (.9.Y§.§st! ·igman 264) declares·that Artemis was one of the five marriage
gods of the Romans.
62-5. He%"e we have an interesting example of Senecats imitative teohnique.
In v .. 62 we ha.ve an echo of Hor. Qq. I, 5 with overtones of the lovely
Pyrrha. In v .. 62~ there is a brief but unmistakable suggestion of luoretius'
62. Yltmnptata: ct. Har. 21. 1,1 5, 130 .a a!J}era: ct. Hol'. $lt. 1" 5, 6"
Further, this· line recalls Horace's verse-technique 111 that the end of the
line and the· end of the clause do not coincide. inten!RtAt.",~ ~uso: probably
a 90YBJ.5t:§nt!As%'e. In one sense the phrase echoes A.R.. 4, 1186 where the
Phs.eacian peasants sacrifice ft ~ c e'1;.( tll~ v' ., 7T;f {" I
V n atter the ma.m.a.ge of
Medea and Ja.son.. But the phra.se can also bea.r a sexual meaning that is also
Note again Seneca t e love of periphra.sis; examples in this chorus and in the
1
The description of Pax is probably based on Ov • .H!1. 9" 88, but the
existenoe of two quite silnilar passages in Hora,ce(Qd. 1,11 17, 14.... 6; !L!-
v. 59 if 0) warns against excess!va dogmatism in identifying Sense t s sources;,
66
67. faci'.!us legitimise of. Ca.t. 61 .. 44",SJ 61-4, but IJtac1bus" might recaU
the Furies llfaeemtt (v. 15).
61. Metem d1eout,1ens. but. of. "llOQt18 aeterna.e Qhaos" (v. 9). auaptce
d~.r&s the Romans genera.l.l1 cone1del'eci the ri,',ht hand luclqr. Her. B-
turther point 1a that t.he torch blJ.mtng in t be r:1gbt hand w. a sign ot luok,
but it it Wfil."e ex.t1ngu1sned, of 1U-luek (cf. OVa ~ 10, 4 ft.).
69. hue inceden of" cat. 61, 9...10, libel'e th6t'e is aleo a. participle in'
assooiation with the iJaperat1ve.,radu marcidus ebrio: ~ (lat. 61, l-1S,
thfire i8 no .~gelttion of drunkenness, bu.t Seneca reaal"dlt Hyaenaeus && the
son of BaccmU$ (v. 110) 80m has given the son the a:ttr1butes ot the tather.
the Hora-tun lue as the reason for the tntroduot,lon of the idea or drunken-
nes. 1n v. 69. C1" • ectlo of ·'ro8eo ••• v1aoulo" 1n YV'. 771-2.
71-14. -SeSpeNlJ---1s invoked, also without. ~1ng ~ lnarq.tQnet.rical
arra.ngement, tour lines are devoted to Hy.m.enaeua and four to He.perus and
-en invooa.tlotJ. begins witb net tu" and a. relative ola.ue. HespeNS 1. in-
voked in most marrias- songs but Kapnukajas (PS! 97) goes too tar 1n eaU.in;
points out, "That the evening .tar and the morning star are the sam... 1.e.
that the planet Venus 1s visible sometim.. in the morning and a_atimea in the
67
19, 52.
68
80. !\ SYMV ae in v. "17. Pro'ba.b17 the 'WOnUlln of Theb•• a.,..e lIle&nt$ rather
82.e&. "t. xliit * a hero might p1"e1'er to be 3udged by q;u.alltle. other than
beautT.
84-90. Seneca. . . . to bave
at tt. whet'e they are
j
1
Seneoata description 18 closeat to th.,t of Horace fthoc te merent., Baoohe
patel" tua.e/ vu.ere tigree 1ndoclli 1~ oollo tranentes".
69
9? • lho.b~ I aocorci1n& t.o H... Til. 'VY. 136 J) 404 fl. 8. Tita.n, the g:t"andmotJle1'"
70
of Anemi8, out later she 18 vegw.ar17 Went.Ul64 w1th the moon, (ct. v. 'no).
~~!lJ!.s a freql.l.ently mentioned d.etaUJ a.g. hucr. " '7!h cat. 34, 15.
98. C~:rS!a1 treq,uGntl.y ued of the moon'. horm ( •• ~. l!'t.!e1. v. 74', OV'.
le\. 7, 179). !ilait~4 ot. Mat't. S, ;1, 7 for another example of alJ:l&a".
reterrlDs to the moon t • homs. Thll iI tli.rivet, example or th1& uaage,
antlacoul to that of 1'1"1"8 allrl'OW'ld1ng la•• (tis-at in LUI. 2, 50).
98-9. There 18 no nced to o_.a a 1aol.U'la toet;we. t.b••• lines, 3, Let) did.
Tbe traia ot thought 1. olear e~. Laat r.d.nu.t.e -bUM•• wa. fAXPeotGf1 in a
brl,de (cr. Gat. 61. 79) and thu WOUld. naturalll £1_ .,r8slIioD 1ft a blush
{of" 'f1l.». " 4. :;0 !f.}. Contra.st between wh1te and. red, espeeial11 in
,/
c1eeu:r1b1n& a complu1on, bad. \tee._ SODt(itblng of a ellche in Lath '"txl'"
Peliiaplseneca had in. mind '1'1b. " 4, lOll »color in D1veo co~r. PUlpureu·i •
Soe J. imdl7(, ,111E~ I. loU lU:'r.i(l$ 20.".1£ dall .1I.&!r!Ff WW'l (Pane.
1949), pp. 346-7 tor rurthv ~lu.
100. l!\i!a &llW!t also of tn. dawn'. re8, l;i.ght 18 \lir. I.•• lS, 186 tt.
1010 r08cldue pastor: I}.O:l.8t with dw. The stu.pbfi'd repre.ente ,Jason ,ard.ng
in a.~ i\l.t,-~'s -bfl#fmtr. The---wa.y;1a thus prepare4tor-\he- &A".,. to
102...0. The chon.' hoatS':U.tf to Mt4_ 1s ~. clear. but the pioture 11ven . I
tor the oouple 48 in tro. v. 1002, OV II Hn. 3, 132) Verge AGfl. 2, 457. Sn
aleo on urepm" (v. 'b).
lOS. tab! U1iJtc,: 1ft alternate VerseD.
U.t alao OCOl.U'8 inppa!i. v. 153) WKle.. the influence of OVa AI .. " 1" 113
tlcom1ger increpuit th.yVio ,~vlore lqaeuatJ •
111. ;..,ID.\11iiE,1clel trayed, to make it bum lIOn O'J.IUy (ot. OVa )!D. 7~ 2'9).
U2. marcent;Ums; ct. t~1dU8It~ '11.69.
UJ-4_ . an echo or cat. 61, U9"'20a une diu tauea.to proca:tt/ Feso(tnn1:na ioeat:l.ott •
'e.cerminuiu these fii_1d v..... were a regular .feature of Homan wedd.ings.
F.stue (p. 76 L.) gtves two 4envat1oWJJ one ilug._ted. the word came 11'01'1
the tom of li'eaeemdwn, the other and more probable explanation connected·'
it with £4801nUll anci saw the Vera.a as an attempt to overt the wU q. at. a
moment of happlne•• fJ S" FOrOTce (p. ~48) tor a gQ04 tiiaou••1on. other
Rcmantama.DeClU' .in t.WLtraged1u&t-HF- YV& 48, l'4J-l72~-J139.J ,ilhoene W'f4-
103. ·390.. ~. w. 396-400. lWl<1&tu often used of speech. Note Gspeolally
U5* a hit at Medea's past conduct :In foUowlng .J.r;t(~iflli\l'ad pemapa a SUggestion
that she 1. acOuatOlled to act thue (et. the _. of 801er. 1n v. S41). It eo,
woman, then a speech in which the Nurse attempts to calm her. An exchange
she absolves him from blame, concentrating her wrath on Greon to Medea t s
reaction to the ~en.at?!!! is also depicted :in Ov .. !!!t. 12, 137-42; 153 ft.)
and thAre too Medea lists the erimes she ha.s committed for Jason.
116-24. Anliker (p. ,8) sees 1n these lines an excellent illustration of
Seneca.' s theory of iihe origin and nature of anger as outlined in ~e ,Ira.
2, 1-2. There Seneca distinguishes true anger which arises only with the
mind's approval from the first instinctive reaction to injur,y which not
then her lust :tor revenge ("intellexit aliquid,l! indignatU8 est, damnav1t,
uleiscitur") •
1
- - _.. - a ____ 00ll ~ d . .t - !'II C7l ~....I ~ r.
cr. IS. HanSen, me t:l'liSMung er lY!.LeKJirege J.ll Qen "J:ragouJ.en (les ~enecA.l,
40ft • !II __
127-8. Note the personification ot "urbes~ and "manus" and the paronomasia.
("novere .". ignorent") •
...
1
Cf. also vv • .382-3; 8;1-2; 862.
2
Of. vv .. 174; 382-3; /;;06-7; 851-2.
:;
Thomann's "urbis" is a misprint.
74
~atlh. lh .i."" 4,
t-.. Cokb1a .-4 18 l~ tv
~502* ~.b~\l. 18
~ ato _
i'mG l~
~ ~
of \he,.. Who ~
"MOD kilW ad
J.
41~ ~4f .... ~. . tol.l.ow'a a ~. v~ ~rd1nI to wb:1eh
ato17 10 ¥4ad. 1~.~ O*~ with h,'i" bJO~t. m~. abe htehl t~
it. a w. 41, 1131 4'2-'. 413-4. i#l-9J 9U..2, "~! 951 and fie __ to 3@6
2
AfOllo4. 1, 9, 24. fhe~. (~to CIIOhol. on A.I. 4. 223) 226).
~ri.u~S.~~~·~
75
The asyndeton and the positions of "!ra.ta" and "amort' emphasime the
. opposition between wn.th and love and the irony or the fact that love ca.used
so much bloodshed. For the Stoic,of course, love, like the other emotions,
is viewed-as wrong and potentia.llY destructive beoause ot the distorted sense
ot values it 1mpartis.
1
E.g. lhaeg.. v. 1208;.112 v. 1394; Ov'. !!U- 6, 129; l1et. 7, M2; Luc. 8" 98.
76
1
&0 ~" ~" Wi!l'1b p. ~:iaJ) to. ~ a$3pl.ee"
77
1
b~ ~ ~ n-l'- ob1ld~. f~vq ~ ehUdNl ~ With ~ .1n tilt)
t1na1 _ ...... heN ~ P~17 onl;r ~ ~, the banl~ Ofthr
1 "
':ie~·l=;-:: r.~''',,~~.l.,~~ (~.
:t
8. ~ ~~. p, ;ea, fJUIIIeAe that the cont1dant.G. 3ft
~ ~a of theM· . ~ of the M\ll U 1\ cl&eh$8 ld.th t.he
~0Aal.
78
P~.
1;()""4. Brady (p. as) £eels that the Nurse is here pretending to side with
Medea's aims in omer to oalm her and compares sa ..Ia 3" 39, 3. However
that :may be, Medea (v. 1;5 ft.) firmJ.y rejects the Nvse's advi136 to :'t'~Y
on deceit - she is thus very different from Eur.i.pides' Medea (of. E. lied.
vv, 260.,3) ..
150. Note the emphatic juxtaposition ot "seoreto" # ltabditos".
1.51-4. Note the repetition ot the same idea. :in different words - 8.
1
See Fordyoe, p. 209 (on Oat .. ;6, 1) for examples.
79
(v. 161). ,... null.e.tt (v. 162) b7 "'aU "u ape~ • •,..M n1hU" (v. 16,h
Jt~hatft (v. 165) by ttatlpeftatft (v. 166) in SI.\M u..w~t1onJ ,,~. by
1
Ct. 18.8. ~~ nA. tOI" further ~e.
2
Ct. Ca$~'$ ~ (AI. v. 69a) GJ'Id Jocmatata advice (2d. v. &6).
81
176. he OIl v. 1'91lf flvj ~sent 11M lWte$ 01. . . the S\o1c vi_ that
tol'tune • •to. 1ft the ~ of tho _~Iio.. no~ tn. tAt.nor lU~ (ct. 5.
66, .23)" Seneoa mI7 h&w had m rd.mi .b\tft Ace", ~ VI, 619-20 (lh
that the soW. upamla __ oontl'Oll.e4 by de.uv 01' paee1tm (et. m 1, 209,
82
ot~ ..,.
~ ~ ~ 1n At;. ~. w. Z11!""356 b&I Wl\l~ ~ca
, .
-~"'i~i~~ ___~~~~~-------
1
5a$ on w. l~J 2,5-6; a1.3.
2
n. l~ and B. tif~., 9l 62 (1967). 112.
119-80. !iok tl*t. 1ft f. .. as. w. ZIl-6 9 O~ ~. ~ ~ . , ...
at the ~mdRi ot ~ ~.
l1ll...;l. Hot. ~ t.1W. w • •a-S. tJ~ thtlft C. .t • t~ aft mGft
16'. luan ~tfJ tt4e point (w. 490-1). ~,. ~s.om. 1\ QOlJ 1n
1
For o~. ~_ lo\ltdob ~t4 slw,a • lepl ~t ~ Ul 'W. 17a-4J
1l!a. v. 6tS, lata. 'f'. '59, ~w.. Z'fl.Jl!lJ.
2
JA. a (1%). 49G.
85
~ot~,.
21'. Ddl.' et. BE. v. 24'. fAt~t ~ 11ft4 aeu" the ri.ve~
Tbo~ at the UtNtt~ of the Blaok So (fJI. R v. at.'J 'va. .Ala. 11.
6'9).
as. 1Jl!l?JGi. AU. ~, b1\tes-l¥ eob.oe4ia v. 10rt7. ~t. ,*,S.t.
I.... 1
ii't.ftJ ~~ aN \wo pa..... a OYld ~ ~.~ it....
-It also th£I4el1~ 01 the ~e <14. 1, s" k. la. ao) . . . . . .
~~ wJba1 ~\1tJ. U'$ .:up' eM ~. ,~ ~ th. . at ~\tC'
].
ct. a.l.I'IO Ov. Utz.. 12, 7' ft., l1.5J 1971 lid. tq. 1 •
.2
tit~
.,.-- _
l-... ~ha A\.A,. ....
... _
1_ A~'\f'!L.tn\
- . - ,." •• _1"""<#7, ""I
"- .4_
;11_.'1.1 __
"~~I
"~ii l~~_
. . . . . """.._ I I
88
~t ~ ... W __ "(M~~now).butb.~
4\4. ~: 4,...
ar.6. ~~. ~. fo.r ~ tll\l "'lf3$ web ~~. Thea 1$ nD
~ ~~l to ttd.e bQtd ~ ot mu~.l ~ .~ has ~ tha
~ tv ttoW.o1.... ~ H.I <~ _1N....' (w• .P$'1....e). ~h
~it in~. ~ Wif :w.,...S _~ it. el.... tba\ ~ • • "... in
zdAd~. ~ (,. 496) . . . a ~+~ ~,! t~ t.b&t
~o.~UQ~tolthe~~~.~,
/
_ ,~. ~ l'~lOn t~" ~ _1ft.. fbfIletJil,
. .tiaa Lo.. ~ ~".taU_ batt __ ~~ b7 ...... fta,~ff tot.. w.
19a...aoa). ~ thl.. ~ ~ well wUl \be ~lMU. ot w.
_u __ 241....fJt_ ()~ ~ ~ , . . _~ ty ~ hO$Jl~1trJ WlW ~ 18 .~ ___ _
~ ~ l'101It? "Itatlll' of. Mr -.lMtGl. of tbh pb~ in 'fl. alO•
. 24,....,1# ~ .. ·echo of ~. M. w. :U.,.·-i.. ~ picked up by
~ (Y. 2U).. lIIIllaD~ot# M. v. 998. ~t~ m ftgd.~. ~untM~
.as2-6.
Wl'kfJ •
~ the _Wdd ~tq ot ibGfM ~ wl.tb tb. ~n. ~
89
•
()~j .. ~ U8It of ~ _Md_ ·ot ~ c:taa~. CNUft to
~~ to ~~t. ~ (ft. ""'lJ -..,). l'a ll. ad. w. ~,
~ ~
20~ ft.~ .. .
'itloI ••• w._.,
269-711 d. Cu. !ill. 1. 101
~
~~.
It
tf~. . ~
llbeJa
~ ~t . . .
~,A..U.,~!
~
JM4. 1,
u.. pod,\1tM.
m. .... ~. of. w. &6. 489.
Zl4. B1li* 1.~. w;S.th ~.
___ _ __::tI$-9~ ~..~~ ._'- \b- ~ ~L!'f# _lft1l. Ml- v,. l'lk _ _
~'t -.u" h \ ~ ~__ tho ~. d wll . . ~tiaa tJiam
in-
bIG". ...... ~J .. ~ ~
~""f ~ I.
JIit. w. 'Sf)...l. ~t plGke lIP ~ (v. ~).
lkG7 . . W~l. . . . \he ~ poirlt that -.slid' ott.,. ft.
_________ . ~tm~R~---~• •udllo to _Me. Ja-vJJ.iw-Ot ~eque
in tlld~ p.1Ilft,ft (v.. ,1)11 ~. .u.JII.!JJ" of. w. '99; W, atd note en v.
1011.
:1}6. ,~t \b1a ~r t'-1 AII'1O'Ql~ 0C0tUW el.~ m th~
,~•••.~ at 1ft. v. l123.
:trI-3. ct.. It" Dd. 'IY" 'S2w4. and Qa. as. VII, 224-S (8). "ad. k ~
lw1ne hie ott~"1 ~•• tt
300.. tt!8WL-u.LAi!.It U. ~ ~ echo • v. 98'.
).
~"Il'.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - -
- - - -- - -- - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -
92
- - - - - - ------
93
n~a1od ~. (,2R .. 'I/V .. 2~6-1); 1 and" under th~ nQD~ Empire waa,s a e:Li~h( of ttl"')
rh,~;tor1~al $CnoollS (cf,,~.:n .. 2J~!" 1).. ~trm'f$ natural diatl'!l~t of the
tl'@tlchal"o'Us a~). W"a~ gi lr""....l1 a, ntot"Q.li~tin ba.si~ by tbJ~ vi{;w ¢rth~ Oyn1Jt$ and
e
<;ll/irtain of the ~'t.lo1~s that. l'tdUl is dQWJ;'lf'all hat~ b\}~"1 b~{!tlt. about :maiJlly b'JY
~'" 1,\1 j~ 9 ft,,; Ov. . ." 2~ ll~ 1",,6$ iTop" l~ 17,., 13 ft~g :tuo q ,~ 19')"
Th1:s f~t p&1"t of the ~ho:t"IW 16 ~&tly :1ntluel'tCed by' H"l~ ~ 9j" 1~
S!J 9-241> Tb~N ar~ WJl.e olear t~~al lJ"l1.tationl3 ot th1~ odl'f; afl{l it$ ;1l1'~
~Ql"U$ a.cc.Qa~ W'~ll Y.ltht~ views oo1mitati<m that. h~ ~r0$8ee :in M.!tO
u_ - - - - p;roS('l- work~ 1iQ~pp-; ~~-~-:-z,~ abwe}~~~a$ 4il~\i~~-n1smoaer,li by-alqla!l¢tng
1~~1i (c~g~ :tn Via",. 3So-60iJl bycbanging th~ omGX' Qt WONS (.$'G:~ ~;l w .. 301-2)~
and ba.$ 'bor:rowed d~tail$ t:rom oth{}l' f;«'Il$$.i~iS (e~Qiallw f~ll1 OVid) ~ud·t:,,"O\I.~
1
$saK<}P'. Smithr .~ ·~~Ii {let oo~~ 19JJ~ Nprlntocl~
D~t"liwtootJi 1904}, pp.; 2A I £Ql~
wm;.r ~pl.@a~
2
This point was particularly e.ppeali.ng to the Rom;m3 19 tmO had X"'~nainGd to:r
$0 long a people or tarn~er$ (el" no~" 1$ 13», 4~ "111..$ 1"u.di$, 111e)
p<tstot'ie1u6 populus II vli}r~que tel"l'osteru'1
94
95
Of" 4111$4) Ana;hcal"td.s\Y mmt.Y~;nt en the nea.:tne$$ ttl d(fs,th of. uld.:torfJ (:0'1 1 " },J
lj.~ ifS al$O uhd, ff~tQ,pbcl~l~ally ;in ~,;; v" :311 ~d lel;»~ $trild,ngl;]' in m!
V'll ~l:ll; lhf!~49 v.. 46", Fcf" ano~n~li' 11'k1&1y metapilO~,? f.n:ml art.; cit> v" leI
abO'<I~" ~tapnor~ t~),l p-~in;i}:l.ng roid $~ulptu.l!·;a aJ;"tfj! nrat ¢tiOOr~l!on !U'l thD.)· t;r>8.gfJdlo0
. ---G;r-tnlS -proS'!1r WQl.ir~q~-Cont:a!rtpt-~a.:rt.-md .a~A1Iatn-paaIiruN -iTo:.rfl;}(fU.%'lSO a ------'
~fmu.rd'qg them in· stoie and C~c tb(ll~tt,;d ~ Iu. !U!).l 1$, t\'l.ou ti}UV1!" f'l.ddtll';Ql~
).
Pel',baps S0llt'lca "i1l'afil-l].St) il'ltluek1e~ by ~ont~po~%"J ~pr,.~~l\}ntat.:1.on$ of tbe
$ueh. am tili;il ~1'\"1ng ~i of: the &i.'ti~..~ in tie1."OWl',ll {kYld\~n
IMllt,VIfmSjI
Hot.u;."S (S~~t" ~Jl.. :31)", Note tootMt on !l!m,a oecasiQu tIl!;) if~ri:W.il (aWi1.,'k<>tS)
in a tlleatre bad !}.unted M ::i;t, !1(~ro .Q~ thQ; ~od in a chariot, <%U";Of4'4 st~~
(D"C" 63~ 6$2)"
2
l~ot· ~.j,ple!S in the ·tmg€di~s J! e~ Cant.or (po 1.13) j t~):t.> thf)~~ :in 'i:,hr.~
prese; \'i'Ol"k:s, 1iWi~ St.ejlliS (p". 116)"
96
tllct with hi$ real (jJr~tionfSi 0 His t~~i~s and pro$&-wo~r;s ri)",eal. a pQ"..j(J~
hl pi0toml 1mag!i.nati~ that la8Y Mve been rCHl)te~d by tbe tine pa,inting.s
of the period (~t" h1$ revealing 1).$e t,f i~"llq'WlM1.~ piator'u in ilt* 113 l1 ;26)"
311-5 ~ As bcf:1:ts th~ author of th~ l71 o(i" ~ 4Sel1e~ ha.$ 1n~~...ti Xl~ s;at.!'Ono=
l,tie~. d.$B@,rtpt~nG irl th('.l t~e~tt~s". Sin,~~ hOilfQ:V(::W b() ~iJeat~ w lT~'ly
UO:tN.li nowuvoil' Ov1(i'ils 1nfloort.<!J0 ~be det0ctedj thGN; is a tirut $tudy of' the
l'
lru:- a liliOOk;1ng pietUl"e or th~ $tri~t Stoic a.nt;i,-a,;msthct(i'JI ct 9. Cic .. ~&~l" l~2(>
2
&~~ M v~ 694 ..
S
~e Herlngton p ~ " 1966 g 1!35-Wil for a rine diSCUSiSion"
t!
But.. as ij(.:mna.;n.n (PI' 51.3) Qba\~FV'e$, in the tl'agedieu!J SGneea. :r.epaat®
tradi tiOft& astrcl'lc.-mici\tl ~1"l"Ol:"$ t,hat h~ r~fttt~~ in ~ii
97
Ol1tmuGl in Ae.bA~ And WtUi s~t .to. the i!lky~ ·.cAlia;1$ Motfn01' h~t"ald oj' rain~
plau$tm llocte,,!lD~. (~. 103 447). ~i~~: 1d.0ntiicaJ. "'4th Ji~t()$, 'the
'kea.t ~ (Q,f .. U.. 119 ~8it 4{i'1) " It 9.ppe~$ und@r th.1$ latter l'la!i1e (It.O~
g~the:r WitJl the te8se:r l~e.aX") in v co 405 9'iitd.le in V'J' 1,9 tber Latin ~r1n WJ1t6IM:\:~~
nd.:d,ng the tw@ ~onQepti~s or ~Qr and '~on~ ~f~ n&t~rt<> 874; B.Q 1/" 1523 ..
.,g~.§.: t1:1'& W!l.~on ds1ve;r.. Als€) ,tml.l.ed ~-<t,oph,y~ (~~ Vg BW4.J;l ~3
uinee the eon1,St~llatiGn :1$ $~ neal'" tolls North fol@ ~ it.\iJ ~wlutioo 1$ veJIy
slOW' wd ~$ 1$ its su,gk....ep1th0t (~f.. Cat9 66» 67; Ov" In.,, 2, l'n,
k .. v .. 873) ..·
- u_ ----53ih-a1W!e~-(.lGv~t~Ttw_rJttn___ti~oK orl,;,S*-to'cfie -Windi-(~e-espe~:rally ;---- -----
;;; p 16)., POl' a diaou.$$i~i of Senee~ fa U&l'! or th~ l-rlndl$ in the ly~ie ;passa.ge$
1
Ca'~tin (p.. 16) thinks that this phrasQ re.fera to the Haed1", wbo we:ro
Jultalthf:fa'e children" Ms strained !Jl.terp~tatiQn iguo3Nl$ t.he .relevance of
Ov" k.~" 3;9 594.. rlU"th~r$l #flmlinat ' suggests tile br.:lghtnesa of Arf.althBa.~
l'athe:w than the feeble light of the Jad$ (el .. CiC .. N,Jl9 2.l1 42, 110)0
98
n~ ~,~ Y,f- "':i" ~ "'" tl!!Je~ .l1~ ~ i"'- ..."--<- .t.L_~..t; ..t: :tfslt m .... ~.t.G- ~"r1-~r">Il I.,~, ('~.\ 1 ~~ l.l'~
l,,'i.t" I4i " .'..,,~ Y!';m.J.$'l-11 ''';;'1&J,..$ aUu ~l.\1i.!,,8 :In vnQ f ..i1~n~~J..u·· J ~ti f'i \ Ji.:;tq.{;) J fJ ~i")<"<.)r." ~
ll\.rho sho-W'$ tha\:t V~Sij:'g11 ts ships ~l'l& Augl1tsta1ili~
99
&'ii~taphor@' in l~, . . ~ec p" 31 .abwc~ :in tmtlb oth@~ '~:ragedies~ $oe Oahtel';1 11,. lrl;
in tIle pl'O$e t>rork8 J} ~ StGyns pp" $tj...99 " In e'pit~ of Stme~a f 1$ taste fo$'
j\
gj.v:!ng vamous tsituf\!;tiwlli a llfte,wJ. f:lavO'411.' (e",gQ 'If"' .. 192~2(2)~ legal llmtapho;t'a
aro not. ti6U}y as .i\~~quent in the tllag{jdi¢s a$ :in the p:r{j)-~ l<f¢ri,e. ~~
(w" l2(}..2) ~ooeemed liI1th wind ti1~et,1on, the $~oond pair 'With l'Jiu,li s>l;.~ngth"
3~lo ~~...m* wen. the~ wt!l.S &. t'oll~g ~d$ thtt sW ~i$ a:!fr',
te~d bJ drawtng on th~ M~et,a ("pGsl1tt~eh@d t() the 'bottQJi!. comer-IS ot' thGl
~ildl).. ifj~£t. 1$ tlJO u~ with ~ in lJ,tc" S#, :til5! ~" '\rq 243.. Not@
alsQ09',. !.l..!l~ 10, 30 awi Verg1> ~l\" 3l\ 26$; hut 1n thel$e pe$~~{1JS ii. if; th,,~
'¥lln.d t'h&'t e.dien.d:s the: ~ilf$", l.1na t on~ m.es¥~ wtla'.t#t II i~ u~a:dCJ;)
~~not0 va.r10u$ Qbjll;Gts r:~ ~'l tlalt~ but. . .~tlJ' o:tlly hf$re (thCj $Ol~'
C}o@tlrr~oe of the ward U th~ t.l~(~dies.) i$ it. u'$ed to'¥:' #~.l~ ~ UQWe"'~:t'p
.t.h~ Qo~ta ~1! i.e b~\l!lintlii .~ wa~ (L8 .. a<} ~ 1m)" &e Pl1nQ
j1J!.. 19;1 ,·,.,6 ffJt; (:~nts 00 the \l.$8 of Unu'ilt :Ul ~l~tdng .,.. al1d th.e~rll
321-:a~ 'When t.he%'e ~. a cont~ wind~ ~ of th$ /Sboots \'la;al camt"ied t<rt;..
W'~ and $«c\U"6d to t:!le bow (~t'Ol.ato p~d~ftl 4£"1 Plin" !rJiil 2;\1 128) 'Whil~
'tlhe af'tel"-mlaat waG tri.mtlk,~j thus tb@ sail t1a$ alan~d tor taeld.ng" :this
1
whole ()l»~tiQn Wla~ tmood ~'\.tlllAq~.tt (ct" V0r:~ .&m" 5# 830)fl 11. motMdc
J.
C£;) .Hohler» pp~ 5.3Ji ;5~ wlOre he dis(ll,lsSeS th® pl"'{.1sem. p.a.~eQ
100
'~
].
l::Llullit:r@,~d by £ .. 1,1~~.Jj;sp ~~E_.~ (ltr,t~}).:d;.! 19(JO), l~lfl.tG ::)~h<>
::it
Cf" C" T1';;)rl"iI,~~.$..!!!~Jib1;ruii (18'1";')' ®{L A" J" pool$~:lr.i (ah:t~go),> 19(,ft.J!l ;p .. 9:;)"
;.!~ ;''!l" Plir,.y (yo 19!k- /j.) rt~r$1"$ to t.he to~l withou.t ~g it.. l.t~~Jm~t
Kit,,~~"'t s aSlillia:i:t.im{b'<", tJS'':::) lthat "6.hifi l~~~ l$i) tho\) ~ 8lQtJ of '~e 4JUi:l,"'.
light i~ ll.l!'tlil({-;ly ~ 1'hf;r~; ~" l"afel"t.-nce;$ t() 2.'\-~ topsail$ in :Lu~ian (~i :5 J
<ltrMi Atb~~m.$ U Ii 39). GolQ~ rr.ainaa:ilf:! al$() ~l~ ll.;)t ~(l{r.;;il·a~ (a~f) TOl."4?!i
'tv"ith th~ nJ.tults ot t»lle £il'trli ~.it.,..voyag~.., Tho tllCtU$l:lt is. QouvantionM ~
Stoics, who a!iit r~tu~ on. a perklstal., urul~i"St.a.ndablY took up this idea»
that ·teeb.ru'~logi~a.l prog~se sioo(~ tooaolden Age ~s dtl~ to thIS .;\ { l C'' ; ot
102
103
334 .. ~~~,$ 4$ ~gar.v (p" 282) !'JOints out ~~ favounte jd~~ in s~~~oc!C
~ ltOl'ae~t.,. lit. .linda l'ahlMilr s1.ani~ ~1?4il$~ion 1n !it 'trq" 16o..1~ ffl~;ta GfJi:'I/
pa.rlT~t:} dool.tls~~1l arid nor.. l2~ 2) 1» 339 1 $t~ieojAe prillUJi.l' tort$~ parwOf~;J1
,~q~ hM b~~lle~'OOd tif'OJl! ~ a~':MytbeJM il Ct", "'f '" 606 f~~ ~foOO$ra
mund.t~"' '.rlw ~pfl(};ti.eal U~ ~,f l_fills ~ c~nti I.md ~i3 ~rl~r se l..utr:«>ot.itm.
th4Zi pb:S-.slst;: ift'0~l"a. rmtum1l11 (1, ;86) 1~ tOtmdll O,fJ>l al~o G~l1> 1$ ~s.t~
6$1 ,~to nattt~M f~e:fe p~ x~v1gi.a$f.~ ~ta lf3!go (;\\3 in QV<t
!jer.. l.8;. 1$$), because it _,. f_~hool Q ~'dnG tel~ on !tlt~ P~11on i.n
ThCS1$aly~
"7" D~~~'i£!!$ Qt" Ovl>. !~" l!, ~1I ttdaX'¢ ve.tbe:ra. p()nton"Dlla!?Jt4t
not Whquently u~ii of (l$X'$; ef" LS"s,!> ~ Imlb,9
338 .. ~~.J1~Umy.!..~UeA~tr!~ etQ Otr~ ~" 4» lO,)2A tt ntT.l.:l.. quota
t~:rrol"i~ pa<t"S so.l~;r~ eSeJe llwi?ttp 'Wbe~~ tb~N 1~ a. ~~tt({1~ce to Scylla in th~)
following :tUfl"
1:19-603 th~l t~lrllylng ttang~l"$ th~~h which AJtlIJ) pj;l.$~OO .s.:re doser;ihsd" Th;:~y
a,:re :btrOOuc~ (w,. 3'9-40) as beulg lil"go-$ punishment, y(;:,(;, the fUllBr
104
~~mbm~~!j.~,;
<.......... , .. , ... -~.,.,'"... j'<f'"i.....H,<
105
34!.9..Al."gol$ .f1~-head, ml1d'? trom the telkin,g Qak Of Dodma~ i'lM the ~te~
gativi';!\l$ (ml\, '531 35's) aen@ t.h~ ftqumrl1 h , . q\ds Q U q:Ui~9 of U~r\ .Q!", 1» 3~
'50-4~ 8cyll.ao On~.~ beautUul m.a:iden:,l li!I11lfll t-mtl'i tJ:'!anaf'ol'me4 wtQ a llWil$t~r
~Mt l,tved1n tl~€l Ital1&l side of: the strd.t$ of J&e21s~ and h.~m$t1 ~hipp:h.g9
lin a" 92jt 9p $en~cm quote$ thifl 1ii~~~;d.Jl·t1on or S~yl1fi, :in V~l<;g" Mn<l :3jt 426-$"
A ~$cripti¢Jn of SQI'lla. ilSl a£'aV6"lu'it.e liJet-p:J.eQI1i/ hl lAtin poots p> and sin~e
1
has ~ one s~u:re~ :tn r~~" Owa; !!to )3.., 731..,3J/ sna Ve~Q i!!.. 6$ 71#;; tt~:1 ~
clo$~st. t~ th~ Pft~t pal.ia"t.g~" .il~t1!m11¥!) S~;n~ea had 110 illu~ions ahout
- ---- -- - -
1
E"g" Luer., ,~ 892; Verg .. ~~ 6~ 74 f£; Am.. 3, 426-8; 'lib!} '~4» £\9; (hr"
1~!f... 13, 731 If; ~t.\" 14$ ;9 if q ;,&ni> 3 11 12, 22 tf.d .9.,;1.;,:'1 V'" ;9~
:2
St:lln0filUl did not comG to thie v.i~YW' £l"Gllt pal~$Ol'lll!1..1. q)b$el"".r&ti~ (flee ~Q 79)
i:rm. pr":rhap~ .r~t'a ~ .. M,.. llt., '7'3, or $ome oth~X' such r'ltionmz.:!ltioni>
106
107
Qceur .at %m" w" 209; 358l Q!!Jl,,, VI> lO.5~ . " v~ 601 (uote that i"" ~ theS1]
paalSa~a ~Ei'Pt ~" v~ 3,e, p~~ttiu.n~ 1$ ~ll'i~ a~sou1ated with 1t) '" Fo;r illF-
atanees in the pmse 1'1Q$$;1. $GIa S~yn~ (P., 1(1) and tot' other titwleial
mataphol"sll see p .. Jet ~Vi;)(l- l.'1b~ collo.;:ation Qf ~oo.lw~~ and ~'lue~a!3~ t<.~ul.d
p~bly ~id..nd the audiene~ of' Sfrllala me~ j th;;; CQlloquial Wl"ln of Ifk,b'il$~
:~~79" &lnooa 1.@a,Vl1JJG the perl.Qd.c;i the .~gma:tits an\! lua.$ th0 cllflWflf.i)
Maohl"0fli~1cally Nte~' to the 1!;}8,$ i!}t ~a..,.t:r~~l fmd {It jJ:lt.el:"~ours~ 1:mt;W0Cltl
ditfSlralth sen~1t c.ontinufis th~ ~apwr 1n UC6aS!tf~ {e!' . . W~$l> l.~ X:O~);.l
$quibroeal attltud;tl htl'~ is in accQ.M with hl~ views 01'1 tll(; min.g.Ung ot
p~O}..'\).ti$ 1n Y.t.9.!> 5~ 18$> lh (quoted on p .. cr ,) above)"
'372-3 Q ~J!!.Jf~~~l!e.~~~ r:ltc" ~ this t¥~' of referring to p&tI~)l(i}
1
A~ q~~,:;t,;.d hy fuApnU:lS11.ja3 jl p.. 122 Q
109
379~
by ft~cola~$ fleet
V\,,,·
l)
"1=-Gr,\JR
:2
\:~'C h&.'V8 a r;;ho:r;."'l;,. damin&=Jttf~J;":bt sce>1'J.G f) t,hen t©~lO'trJ8 '~hG (j@0U(i) bd:,i.\i\r,ml If:edoi2.
1
I.:n ~fA no·te on. Sen-aoa .. ~~.~ 37S-382a'1I 1lY:,.!., J:!J (1902) 'vii, Buslm:ell, f).
r:!u;.s:1;tu~qu~j; t:t p~>;:llm Hlt4:)lanatis vecibus senne praeruptus .". tmagnasque irae
i''''}J;"~
t>ltiJ.~. q
'j
Dij,d.aniz('?~ -, ~tlS (l~30l!."'ib;t,d f~'
l;b~i~(i\iilbogBn (lOu ';(,9) -g.,~;.rxtB o~x~, '0h~t -~~hJ b(f~t,1l.".1,'(,);"(~d N0d~",'$. ~;"2:wi th{l 1:;.()t,i;;o&i.,~<·c;.G
J){~};ha~li.x~~ fl,~t ·w:i.:r~iftwl1liiT tl:1~;t Satfifd G~lara\«Jt>,~.J1f f) c'~nntJ~ltjJ1f~ 3~~!.ir~ X~~~~$[@;[~Kli~:t~!}3h'ci
'If (l:!"3<Clhwi1l(j!®.J~ d.~L@ j):,-iE;!'i:~j,";r,<n tlUill~©@l1.f;~ Q
III
prohable that t'1r1O d1fterent gods II 8, Th:raeia:r. 8,nd IE. Ph,1"ygiml de:l.tY,"i'eX'B
c<'Jm.bi\1.~>d in Dionysus Q
386 ¢ JJ~ g th(~ GIJ."eelw belioved that the nYirr[;hs '(;vTle2l1 angl"'Jf could
i /,
l.h'd.V~ llicn mad. ~ 'I"las ©oi1'lcd 1'1"011 JilLll:Qlli& to r<6pr"wen'~ \:' t t t" 1 () ·4 '1 iT T DC
Fwo:m Paeu:dus on (rrg" 122 R~) 11 t~ho '\;foro ig; 'Used i.n comlifH::tion vr1'I;,h
112
(v" .3}jnote also wtlet@ (v" 5)& Medea'&s grl,n Tttay be a purel;y physical
SpaSl'fiJl but ·inay also. reflect the prospective pleasul'e of wevenge (s6e notes
(!n w ~ ,0; 991=2). '!'he maenad~i.Inage with its connotations of eelaltasy has
. helped. prt':.>pare the wa:jf tor the word. 2!l'JP},s" §p~Cf.llJlE!n a;rf'.~c~u~r.£.~.e!l~ ef $
llil vvi. 2;2...3.11 we·t; ;formas dolor/ ena.t pel' OJlUleSWp a sentence t..rhich Regenbogen
(PQ 31) teel~ epit~ni$es the themesot all Seneca~s playSo ~~@tU!g de=
fined by Seneca. (1m.. 75, 12h vOatfeetus aunt motus animi impl"()babi100,'}
used of the passiOlflate emotions (ct. !!2.v. 1339 and Ib. .. :a;ul,.. Se !..~~.2 :U 1)9
. " .,
heat or the tSC(lq Sinee in this scene we have eaa-imagery in vv. 392~
1
Pratt, 9tSenecan Uelodra.ma o" p~ 215" notes the mixing or meta.phors and
comments, "This is Seneca~s ~4edea.g a flaming stann or pasrid. on.n.e
113
:3
r)jz~~~tj.~ !:~~~;~n~t[1~M.! f,{~~~j,~xl~'n?~~~ ~ p~ ~~t, p tk~f,:)~{~~~"€:1~jt~.i~ Nl~tl;;:~~ ~}y~t€'ttJ1~a ~tilc(p ~]J-t1 t~~>~1H~'l
)titt"$tJ abQu.t '1;,0 bJ;"\1i.!t,.k%!llt tlllt, t,l'w, ll1m~lQ;1 j,tll {l.t"'n~id UM&t I"k-'ld(j~9$ mAt1{~2?' '~':'l.l1 i~l\~
~>f~ i~1\~'~Jkf}tlo
114
'29'7'
.,J J ')1::
-~ ... ,J'.
----
.;39'7=8g just as Medea'lls love had knO'Wl.t 310 limit;) so now' she should S<8,t no
in thj,s phraf?s !ilOanS f91tmit~e not tfmeasu!'0 Vf <the :1ntel"Pl''',lhation of ItOO f} 21'
3"19)" and c:lte$ ae p.al"allels lb;r~ "11"0. 463; III v., 206 and seve~<ll P.tl.SS.;9.geo 1'2"0;;:,'),
(rther auth01;',s ~
1
Cf .. -.
Med~
115
'tho lJhl'.ase d:tffi@'u.li.c ht?;re.~ tOi;," i.:f' 'W'e tran~la:(,e ~f.ir\dtare amorem.?li at» ~?;1:m.i.t,at~
your love~., th.<o!'\W is 11CYlihing :1.n the to.-'%:t;; ·to spur the a:ngl~-l!tegone out;;f ~
1
HO~H~'lf'el~~· lie haJr€; all"4ilady noted t.he ~~telAt to tmoo Seneca :relies on. 'tlhe:;
skill of his act;or~ lOr decla.1li"lBrs to eOlTlley IJ und the qttl.ck\d:ttednesB (if his
1
'1'he1"$£o1"0 Friedrich tr~"lsJ..a.tes ffhd.t·;}..I"(J 6;llCll'erJ.?V by ~r€lign lovis v9 and
ascribes ~fsi ql.laecl.s ." al.1l.ore.meQ 'tin tlu,J NUl'1'16 &:~iJ.'lCf,l Medea. nO'tlfhere else
in this scent, shows any fl'llctU3.ti(",n of' recline ..
;~
Sae above p. 3(1 :for nt,her polj.tical ,m~tt~phI'H'L'\ in ~o and Cm:r~';,:t> (p. 11'l)
fOIl" Buell mcl'.aphol'tiJ in tile otth"l" t:cagedloSe
~:;OOF' the relevant. 'USf, of J::'~.?
see Lf.l ~ CD rr..;to IIB2b ..
ft'~~
'.I.~- ___ - - __
116
~:t -.,~ -~
p" ill ~.M~ n~~f.I ;\\.!..$C) 'ttt:1~l ~~l~~ r-j.'II~ l.n £-k.~.tj) ~'t1I:'" 11' ~Il ~~>1 :;;:';~;l\il~,
_-lOl " __ . ' . . "
t~d iU'~~'-l h~ ~i.$ oJ!' WM~ ~~ti th~~ ljJ~r.lJ ~>i'h~;I~;: ~~l1..~.1t~ tJit0 ~~U.l {lillti&;;'
1'.11' lw·~ ~~~ It U~~"~ili ~~llti~mt. &ll thtJ ~~;i511.~~ fJf~ ~~~j~~tu,~;Q'i;,t8.~;tt ;§t'M;; ~,,"J~foj
bif1i~' .... t~'!'~'~i"'4!1 ~~!~Jj;~ !~ wV{'ii~ fiD,lt"(j ~~~.ll~tu:t ~l~:i U~ 11M4~ iJJl u~tl%~~ (j
~
!!!" 'Ii 30.. 1*'S '\l~J"j .. ,e;."
, ct" 9» tJ.6w 9u
1
HI3!1 <)
i'r:ltbh 'if .. iiJ2:> £!J:t-tl 1#1rf> 'rJ1''''~i~~fi 16a;"..9~ w:i.tJl t1-oo:l.lWrn It.") allltn:i;~* (w" .4~"':'~J)'I {\t<l
"<J"f! II> 1,57~f.; w.1-U~ tJj-(tUl)"f$l(j~fS H " ,"~~if:ll (it ",w" ·15~~,,·~1; w1th ~~trlt4tiill'1-ll ., <H'
~~~~t\l1» ~1\ "#l/J 11,2,1'I t~lylhumerusque im~li'Al1~ ~r1tw (Vf> lir.flJ) l.a~l';e fa
~lJJl1l" ft)~ f'ii'~ !~l ~,;~_tai -mtt ':hffi\ltt. r~"ti~l;1 ll-'it.iA-t1l1d 17; t,h411 1e;~'~PfI~lQZl i;JJt,."
th<&.\ l;J;i'l'-t~$ U\ tl~'~f~~!~ (11'". ~'I$ei) ~ tJ'~(;' t~tt.~ri.ni~ F;.~ t-h~) H;:l~t;j$ (v<I "l~/j) f
117
"jJ
;U.t'.$;rg,t~r~t/"----t:~t.- 1l;>ij~~m;,J~oo'i\¥t~~Jt-i3, 't,~:)""'!;--~~(rttm't-t.J~~ -.j(,btMj:FJ[lJ\lH~1~;;;jiafili---
11$
".J.#
t;l11;~(.\l {(',IS;' thil'J €ji'W}m1tl!.h
1
t<)tl~ ~~~ ""'I " j'\Jj.~~ 1~ ~-rlf.;;' {ii1~tflLilil~it:: t i1;wl,$'\',.(;l1b~~
'" "'"~~~""W"->'!i'~~I"1'''~~~~'''''''''''{,;';~o(.~~~-W:1~~ '" Ii-
]f}<$i;,'l, ~~f< ~~];.."'.
.".JI ~ .&~'~ .,;Jf:
J} J,I'
~ ~ m.,r~.wi ~:r~.me1 ':( th$\t t1\~l" ~t~ t~h% ;bU*p~t10\1 f.e)~ 51e-yl-1a it$ifld
(JhlU~~dt1~ :t1~U 'Vo:tl\.'i1m1,G~)f~ irs th~ Lipari isl~$" f~f(1'if'~l\;"' tha;t. mi"V bit' ~
1nln.tot' ~t1qu:lt.i;!·, t~ ~ m~'4d.:i$ W"~:re $1tf~d 1.-n th~ m.~q1t~ t~{t;A1~Clj;1
!t~~v' ~~il S1~j.J4'<l
l~tt3' (~~,,'q Cat/~.irlil ~},' e~) !d~:U'J? Ch&'7~~.~ ¥dtrl~ *i~;!iK'
t,(,1h'a~~ ~u~nt~ «:Itt tb.~ S1c11~ ~~tQ .
2
C1'" ,~tnle,;.~ (.2,!! 5,(,,) r~,)5:' 'iJt<h~,,~~? {1~~'l$l:t{(1$fI
119-
";-.
120
1~1
ln t;\i'JIl} ~r~~t,~ ~~1 St)tw@&.'t; ~~l ~~-1(J;~.. .F~ IP l'Mdthi<J~ t.h~;: ~\4W~j t~~~r'
"1
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:c-"!l;
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~ijludt:~~ tJl:M.1,t 8\$nel~a lMll~ luw t~,l~ 44Q 1nt.,)'pjtt~ J~'al t1\ ~~S;;~ll ~)t() :i;t,~
f,'\!
ail'ld. t~~~fI§ t~miq,t~t t:!ut\1 MljJ~t ~ ~~~~ t~ ~"ii:~i~ !W'i)P!!~t,:u~~ thtii ~~~Upf:~ft;4
~pt~ lllit C~1YJll'$ ~~t~~9
<,
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:t\}W,gCi$ 1nth{[l ;p:'~$;c. ~jQ~'ka ($>,;t4, ~Jt13;)tltlJi} ~}1~{,I !'ri.,,/'lO) ~~ j?;xinQ~~fI(;$ ,[lY'~r;1~f,~1t
;tJ":b'M:~~~14f,l 1~ it£! ~~1I¥:'1!d,~~f!, t{~}~ ;ttl:~;t ~{1 t'~0i f,";t-tt'/t:'!p10~~ Jl~ f;;,r~~~ 't,t'ifk~~ljJiNf;'~
<,
~.
U.2r~ ~u ~~~ ,,;
~~
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i;.~tfJ\\t Bf.!;iJ~~~ (r.)$",. ;.;l'n;;k··..J~) f~~ ~lt> 4J.l.r.l~lJ1$~)j,In.r! t:.Jt: t,h~, 'lJ<1):}'!l~~ {}f tlw) ·.t(,1~R~ :i~}> tr4.U
t,Z".s,\ir.~d;l$1iJ.; .,
123
1
Medea (New York, 1958).
124
~-~,
~~,~, ~~lllRS!}f$t 1'>l~~;jft0~~'1~~ 'tirl:hh ~'t<\'t;~\; ~ ~;f~ ~hi$ 1~#i')l~(tiJjl'~':l~t£i\l;'~t{l\;";i\':, ;{1,,rf~, hw:t' ,1i;t;J;;'t 'lf~ul~J'~)" _C)
"~;,l';'F;it4t"illJ\~ ;w.;;'~1~t;,~i,}fa.~ \~d.i~h l~~l~ lw.p,~nn(\1-d '~:V4.,l:'j: ~t> '~~¥it~;;t 'l~ ~~·(~dl~!F. ;)1 ~l~l.';5;~)Ii'jJ.\r
*"''''''''i<'''&'~"~~
If·~~j'~·~M <il~
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(i.
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l{'l"",",---Ce, ...h" ,~,)l! "S,~
',," '"' ~%- h"_-~ ii -'~l~-
T~¥G {f~~ -"~~_"~~'~~?l~"IJt~V 1~~.t~ T~~, - ~:..{l;~r-;'~ -~#~~~!kll~~l- p~~~~~~\'f
~," v 't' "''''''',/'''
--~. Q ---:X\:ti(,:.~·:'!,}-
3
fiil.ti..'l th1;l ';'l~il~Ml ~~~tl~ r,}lS'i iw~" tl.:ti~ht, :l~"1; vv... £:i://"','};o$ l'~t,l~'!iJ....;di'iJl,~~ q ~ <) .~~~t~'J.m:4~,;;l't;
V;£\~~"l.~'lr&d1l!~ ~ nj:i:t:,fljJL~j\'(~<~1ii f\ t.e!jlt~}~\tif,;r;;;~$'~"
!.~
It§ ~ ~) ~ ;RtlL.'1 t~l~~l.~I:6 X£<t7;} ~./'"' $-
quQt~d h:l t,tf~t<l 9$ ;t» t1# fA) lll;r~~ tbw \.~~ i(~t th10 ~~lj)iliQ!'i!:iJf&l"J> q'.tQ:t~t,i~
. 1
tR1 oo~t, ~u..1ti$'U Qt1 tJJ!r~ P,t}~~ jjli;lc:.bi\}$$-if~~
4S"~!.} ~ul;klV,fH l}~h i:h@l\;1 ~~, M l~~(~ dl$l't<f~wt4i~ i~~$ii~tl~,.~ ~lt'tll'Ju ~?ht!~
'L:!'ll -.;;~
.... *'
"' .... ....-LO."..-".'..
_,11"" ... f1ti?.f.":~,'''.!'
~~4Wl
'-@1CXlfi' ,1t+~~ 'J.r~~'~'ii!i~~.ii""f,J;',.
;P-4,*"WJ~V ~t.&,\, ~ ,. ti-M!'w<'('!'i+' ~.~-ll"il\' a;~~f.,.!Ithi#f>'1~~~
.""""""j
'J((ltfl\,,~
-\,i."" ...
... .;;;,~.*'~ t,. ~..-ll:.l\>.~~ lii'~"-ftWli
mJ~V'i!o' ~11,i'!toj~-~'~~ W?fOo*\~4:.
...-<:,,'i1;il·~<~'''1
...,~~...~ ,... ~
If;;sl~~~f.. _ _;t~~~~ :il1~~l2r ~~~t$ (?tOO ~l:tl '*'t.t.:w lll% t,11\if,t t ..~:tl·',·
~.f., H~t·., m..* j'ib 1~ J~~ (~'" ,m:~,;, {.., ;a~~ ~1~~4l~"" ~'tt ,~ ~~~~~ ;~"'4'Jt;~1~~j tQl.~lj
1~61..;a.. ~dtl~'~Jtd t-h~'i~ l.:1Iil'~~ ~ thle !~'i.~~~ lihilrit. W~ J~'{l if} t'!;; t~~il#{$ 1[~i;
. 1.
'tf", 1~9 ~l 't;fl;> i~6U a glQ'oI\l!i$ ~ V'", 411.;.60 Thl~ 1~} ~ (~I.tbt .t:4 ~.#~:l:t~ttifj; ~1'!'\~-
~f~{f. t.llU:~ pa~~~a ~~~~ ,,'0 * ~;n10~',; W$~ 5:n tJ;'>#:~ i!.l~~ .~m(1~!ht;;i.01iJ
~tMt. i$ It.t .~st ~119lt ~ Q1Wh6' j.lill 6~"1'~1\l~ l1liJ:!.ntl. ~!!Wli :it i~ ~f~l;lsi;:t~ tjwlt O'.il '.
481. aU .~_btllt .. ocho or ft80lum hoc ... mttuli'* (v. 22'). 1br; urge
490. Cl~7 (p. !i4) t(J~la tlIat tn., U~D of JLSQllte ~ ind1oa:teB
that. S~. hu not p~l'~ 1aWSl"Ated thfWM l1nea _til the PJeuf.1Id1ng • •h
of Meckm.. But how was 1.1Oft to l"ep11 to such a t1acte' 1i1a caut10us
at.~ to point out that ke baa "8 b18 beat 1e quite tw. to lUe.
~ - ~ -V-.---U4---a4-E. -IfIl. -Wttc-4SS-...6,,-·JlSdlJM ,,~ __t ..-V«tt.-At!!.- -- -_.
4. 546 and *4. v. 184.
4,21 aft .tt._lvo ~'1on of Ov. 111. 2, 99 t "po. . ., Pba~thon~ pI"O
SOl-l. OlIlOV. s. U, :CJl. ttut. oulpm'tt al11, t1M Uta ~ ftaCtl)" eat/
pI'O quo tIlUtit tot1••••• ~ta Me_a. ft Of &lItO v. 260 above.
of I'ottl that
in !hBA-- "IV" ~5_ ~_ yoce.tt Cl4 tt1rmoe.-- "ft~:!n the 8ame line-
po31t.1oft ..e heh, ~ the ldwl18 cU..tf".,..
'04-5. m.~ MIIR\u.Rll4l!l' tor other (tho. . leu -'en04) ~tr1t.1on8
. of ~ f8m~ .~ at th(L~ _o{ ~f~V6) ~~_ oj! Jl1 "1___ ~6J_ fm... J~ ,~~ ____ _
Can\e~, p. 1'911
S06-1t _. _ w. 42~ ..
srn. A.W&sQ.~.a'tlm'1 of. hA. v. 342 (a). "to. repud10 nee ftOjp1ct
utuftml abd1eo,t...aa~•• 'cu'" Maia 1ft . .1e of titc'Nn, et. LB ••• ~
IIA. For e1~ 1a .... 80lU1e. uee £ae...IIb. 19. 2. Ja. 6. 4. 2J IB.llh
f.imt 112.
m. tb1a point 1e alao made by J'. . . 1ft E. Jfat. w.. S47-6$. !f,9S.1. Senoee. ('
thou&b has a11Ml1 the 14ea ... dletoricaJ. lIbarplea8 with hie neat ll$$ of~.
1.31
no. ~ tor t.bis mpt1ve with the juH1w fUbjl.JllOt1w. GO., W~. M~flUJl
on V$q. At.I. 12.. ?S.
SU. ~t U J~" (P. lU) obaorv~s. ~_ ott.n U_II ~..ID
to ~et .CInfI~ mcnatl.'Clle, e.g- !IE v. 3a$. a. v. 98, A&- vv. 36, 20lt
I!&t.. v. 52. B1f.g. v.. 342. ~ 119~' cf. "nepotes iJ" MpOtJ.b~
POint. to tho idea (of" on v. 5(9). ~. ~rr (p. 290) teele that
1
Vergi1 Aeneid Book XII (London, 1966)
2
Also another hint at the ohild-murder.
132
'l.5.
~j
~
the
",ktl~I."~.t
the ~W ~. ad "wm ,.~. It Juaa tleM
~u.. ~ w.
01. VIUI. . . 8, SD.
~? ... 1_. applJ.
1* .'A1~ II.
,,,,. ~a tJt~ weN 1. \lid 11~ ot ~. . . of , - . of tb~ bod¥
(u ~"17 u z..u••). It ~ ~ h$ '" ~. f'fta -,cal.,. or
pe..,. ~ thcJ _ _~j\\ a U alao 1lI$I et epeoeh iD OM. lirA. lSI
~ ..
At. 2, lJU, Ba. II" 114_ 11.. S$~ 1t.b,bJ., •• Ira1iI IlDJ 1'01' ~..
1
at.. ~ .. p. 144 end MtM, on w. US-6.
2
ct. k .. w. 4$.70; ra. 7'. 18.
133
J6l. sraI&\1a.,.~. ..... ift . . ~t4M\ :1a 1iQ'V. l3)2. CI. alao
18. '1l4. for \be ~Mon of iliAdi. ott ... ~. ~.I \naheaU
1
ct. _U.:r. p. 106, ~ 4S ..
135
mt w. 301...a).
56S. ~~~ . , woNe to" a 'tI1tob ant.l ~.J ct. w. Vl6& ~.
-~~~-to.~-f~tIwO~te~~-WM4..--0QJ7
~.a~_a
tIfJft.
...... 2
1
ft.)J' ~ u.ee of tbto . . . . ~ in ~ ~.'" . . ~r. p. U2.
2
1.u ~. 1, 9, ~ ~ ~ ~ 1iI f!~
d-.. .. 1n ftr,. f. 25. ~ tM
1.36
II" 'I[ t 1 w ••
1
A theme atressed 1n the seoond chorus (vv. 301-64). There 18 a 81mUa.r
connection between the second and third choruses ot 2.
2
See however on VV \l! 6;7-63.
, Vv. ;81-2 show the Wluence of Ovidts w. '77...8 and "" 593-4 echo
Ovid's v. 379.
137
138
and. the tact that 1n "" '" 381....2, Ovid. takes l<!edea as the t1J)1cal example 0
As 80 otten Seneca has Nanange4 the ldeas of the original and ha. varied
the details with borrowings INn other source.. In the pre8ent lines the
elemental power of the 'fIlOmImta wath 1s streB.a by compari.sons to the wild
tONes of nature (of", V01 411 If",).. Note pu"b1cularly' the t1" tmaP1"3t
ttvie ~tt (v. 579>. "traetieff (v. '81), til_e." (v. 601). See Her.rmann
(p" 488 f .. ) tor other passages deaacl"ibing the power of love and jealousy •.
579-82. Note the alliteration of :l!. 1n v. '19. of!Jl.!! ill v. 581 an4 of 1
t.h~~t the .tan..
579'11 ~...m.1 aWlar 11ne-c>pen1ns in~ .. V'. 549. 'or the om188ion
of eet,hon and :!.n'v. 604, "$ on v, 19.
saoo 'or the empl'lat1e pos1tiona of tttanta*' and "flU&Utatt, or !fI vt'..
11 841.
848.
581, l!.i~ \I~I probably mod.ell.ed on ()v II lI!1.. 5> 481, "nee v1duae
taedis eaclelll nee nrgin:18 &pta! ttmponu quae nupelt, non diutuma Mt."
rue passage n1&Y' have attracted .Seneca' Ii attention from the mention of
Vfv1duaett-and ~1I",----aml-tbee1m11ar1tr- of -the -ta'be -foftCaat-- tor those
who married on the temur.la to that of CrauM.Note how Seneca has ohanged
584. Catt;in (p. S7) cltes L.Q. S, 16, to show that Auster is the Greek
Notus" However 1n Ji. w. 400-1, theae are tw different winds. 'oJ- Auater
a8 a rain-bear:tng wind, Gee the paBaages cited b7 cattin (lui !~.) II
5as. &G!El the Danube. Note that the ohorus' point i8 proved in
V'II. 763-4. Agd.n, 8S;m11a~8O'I.U\d1ng words \:)ePa w. 584-5 (see w. S80-1).
;88-9" hobab17 an echo of OV'.. ~Ii. " 12, :tl, Iteft mih1 sentitv nix
verno sole soluta"" Of. also 1m w. 729-30.
;90. ~i~'u tine uee of synecdocbe. For It. edmlar, though less
etrild,ng earuple" sse v. 6'911
'91. SU&lin the &to!.:s tra.d1t:1~ $pOke of passion as blind" Of.,
Oie .. lJa. 1" 44; ~BWd. 1, 2J Md in the tragedies, !bz... v. ZlJ lb.i.ti,,'
v. S2S, AI. v'" ns. is!iIs used fl'equently of love (ece IS.s. ignis n A).
(!!!.E. 4~ 22)~ "ut t~ vix' patitUl" de grege captus equus", though there~
a8 in ~. (v. 574), the reins are those of love .. not self.....ontrol. Fo:r
other metaphors from the bridle, see p .. 31 above.
593-4. For aimilar 14eae end exprelld.ons, ct. fN. W. 2» ''191 a. 1, 6, ".
I!£... i;s (aee Oft 'If'* 'Z1 above).. Note al_ !Ii V,* 593,.
12" "libet 1ft in en"s",
and !II 1lI1, 1, 1. wbeft anaell" 1. desoribed as "in ipsa innerus tela".
'95. !~Dltm w!9.~1 pl"Obab17 an echo of Hw. 9&. 1, 2, 30, "ven1e.e
pre~.
S98~ .£QSW! !!~. for tb!& way of retemng to the sea, ef. !I! v. '99,
lMt4.. v. 904. the 8t0!7 of the lot-casting is given in II.A. lSI lelt. ft..
603-6. Kapl\Ukajas (p. l29) pobts out the tendenq of Seneca to place
philosOphical tMusbta in the rdddle of hie choruses and cOJnP$.ftS w.. 329-
refutes Metteat • olaim to haw saved the heroes tor ~ece. (v. 225 ff.).
Of eepeo1a1.ly
<I 'If" US t.. aDd v.. 62; It" J v w 231 and v lit 634" Seneca has
Bot followed aDJ' extant paaaa,. aa an overall model he~.
607-15. Note the e~t17' of RNotlUles ttqu1oqu:1.f;tt 1n both vv. 6m and 610
1. followed b7 two volb. each 1ft the perfect t_.. "
601" ~s tjf .. v" '01 etc"
608. ~ell!!99lc tor this t~ of meto~. see P.¥J above. '1'he ~
tor tb1. rather bold expreso1on 18 pa.ved b1 "regt.m:l,Que tetanG ... ., nmoa"
613. ~s i.e. the golden neece" Note that -th€t l.1rw conta1ns three
woJlCle with a pe30rative sensei ttn,ptol". ttGttem1", "auri" (8ee on Y.' 361).-
TltJe J~]l~~_'~ _d1sappro!al_~8... ~l11'~a~$e~ by the aW.te~tion or .I.'
614. Note the stress on 1. in this 11M ..
615. ~l a eomm.cm metaphor., 'O'lt other eunplee 1n the tragedies, see
Canter (p. 117). The present ph...els rather 81Jd.lal" to tttoeders. mund1"
DJUt _ ~o~_ ~~_ c~ ~. Siphe.4!J (~e _or1 "!V_" _6~~...~t A~e t~ \i1UiJ _18
both, and BUver Age posts ,are little tor strlet geographioal &ecuracy
(ot. v. 733).
623. ~J1a revenge? Or teu that the Greeks might share 'l'1phya' ta.te?
At arI¥ rate, Seneca eon3\lree up the 1magfJ ot another '1f'01age that brought
ruin to Ill8DY ot its leadeWi - the Trojan expedition (ct. Yetta. _ . 11, 2~4 ft •.).
4uceh quercus.,
Note how Seneca has ingenioue17 eomb1ned HerMs's "ane matOl'lla" an4tttrocalemtt,
in ttvooal1 genitue Cam.eu"tt He hae apin vaded the picture with otnel"
dekUss ttcom1t&nte .11va" ecmoee HQl". 9l1l " U, 14. the mentian of b1lds
1s pemapa an Od.dian toucb (ot", Iti,. 10, 144J U. 44), though this point
is mentioned .s .ar17 $$ S1ulonido (r...g., Zl J Diehl) @
of his wite Etu'7d1ce. Ct. <N. MIl. 10, 1 ft.,) Verg. 9.t9.E. 4, 454 ft., 1!Q
v. 1061 ft.l !Il v.. '7; ft.
6"., 1191 ~t!lD!' on the previous occasion.. he had ",ume4 to the
Upper World. See v .. 476 tor a. e1milar' use of the future past,1oiple.
634-0421 He!'CUlee, after kill.ing three other Argonaut., peri.8hecl himtselt.
ad CalAis (01 .. v .. 231). H~. Jd.l.W \hem Oft 1'&08 ~ theT had
wanted to leave RQ"O~ ~ci vhc bG . . ~ tor U71aa (fie w ..
646-'1).1
6'5-6. ~,~t . . .~nen'U§. s.ne. bora p~ baa 1ft m1n4
OV' .. aa. 12_ '56-8. thou&b he bu ~. . . Melt. Ufa,eat
m1a hr:1o~ -n ••t ou1 po_ ft&Ud
.-.-oJ q,uu vel.lAt. ~. . ~~ ~a.
Hept.u.maa 4• •t.
,,6: a twelv....,llable 11la.e td.th roHlutton 1n the am. of ith• .second
1
A.B. 1, 1302 ft.
145
OVid toe. . the bean ~m Cv. 338) and aG!aE (v_ 376) Md tunher.
644. 1JMw;.n1 Idlled the ~ 00&1" (0'9'. iJi1. S, 414 tt.). but then
kS.J.lflc! h1I _olea. His motborj ,Al.t~, Sa l'e~ tor t.h\9 JWl'der of h0r
brotheft,bum\ the st14k on wM.ch Mel. . . .,_ 11Ie ~ded. (Ov. iii. a,
4S1 It,,) jO Hote all1~.M.c:m 'Of a in vv. 644-6.
646-9. ~t8 puactuatlon ... a. no, after ~i· aml .. queetion ~
1
Se~ .ho].. em A~i. 1. 186 tt)1* the ~le etol'\Y ot hi. death.
146
6460 m!D!~' be$'li taken in t.he .$!lee ottto~'ft, a. rare use but eI • • 111
dftwn Snto a pool by a Na1ad Who hali tall.en in love v1th b!m (A.R. 1, 1m ft.).
The eto17 was a ta'VO\lr1te of pd,ntel."8 a.ncl poets. ttend non diotus Jtylau
puer1' (Vel"l. !I!K. " 6). In '". 641....9. Seneca bas 1ft r.d.ad Orr. &A. 2,. no"
ttlaiad1.1lllqUe tene~ cr:bd.t'le raptU8 Hylaa"D Note how Seneca haa "'ven Odd'.
trori.nd.ne" a new twist", ~R!lB!1 Heroulea aeaahed tOl' h1m tar and ~
sarna l1ne positlon) we have the plq (Il "1nrepen'Uf5/ -.ptQftJ "tutae pq.ertt
OOftta1ns the same soundaas tf~_".
650.. !.\'.. JlIJ!.I seep. 'lS- abcwe. ~t.ll the metaphon4&l UIM of this
WON wi-th )!'efel."enCe to eeara-riDg ia tim- tOl1lld -hew.· -However !lID i# -
found ~l1er' 1n th1" senD (e ..g .. Vera. _ . 2, 700, ov~ Jtm. 2" 10, "J
~. 1, 2, 76).
6,1. '."'3 Miller (1, 2SS), canter (p... l24) and Hades (p. 29) aU uadeS'-
stand the wid 10 the senti. of ttsea-wat.erU. theft 1e DO real parallel tor
this US&ie and their !nterpretaUon spoils the ~,. llngel7 (P. 295)
18 surely right to take 1t U 8. reference to the apS'J,ng where 117188 drowned.
657. Th.tldS.a mar1tUSI Peleus" 'Who died in exile an the ialet of Ikos ott
1
EubGu.
6,8-9. Na'llpl1u8. an Argonaut (A.I. 1, l34-S) inoenaed by the ~J." of his
1
l~ot C08 1 as CqelY (p. 295) assens.
148
11U"ed the fleet ftt~ ll'Om fro; on to the P~to17 Capha.:reue, at the
tfOUtb of Euboea (eee AI. v. 1)67 It.). SIii-aS2llm!iYmt this b the
cleuest accOWlt o£ 111$ death, but of. ApoUod. 2.. 2), iSml "Uml of,
tfpelfl.da .... faa*tt (41. v, S70).
660&. 180 auppae. i5!!l4!to..mt!1 to com,plete the::t.iJ:le. fl'obabl¥ vv. 660&.
b refer to 'alamedea # alMa thq ooo\U' in tho same et.anzl1I. .. the Une. deal-
sag 1d.th Naupl.1us, thou&h the,- would appl;y' e~ to O11eu (Ajax) 1n v. 661.
~ Sd1!tml' 1_e. ot b$1ng an ~ut (et. v. 641). Note the alUtel"--
atlon of .If
66J.. OUeue 'WlI.8 an A%'&onaut (A.B. l~ 14),. but it wa. hia eonA3ax who
died it~$ at pcm.totf" 1.tl a.v", "5 It., &a1\eoa descmbea how A3ax was
tU'at attt."Uek'by '4llas t lJ.&h~, tben ap1n luuJeke4 into the sea and
~ by a rook dtelods- by NGpt~" Note v. '56, tttewaquEi et ipa
viotua et pelaSo i&oet".. _8$& mun the be ~ the lather's name .. w1th
retercoe to th.son. The tact that this 4Jax waa hSUlaJ";q called A1a.x
on.1 or .Ata:lt OUelie to d1$tJ.qu:1eh him tMl AJ-, eon,. ot Tel.atnoft. makes
thcprdeat -liatl- _1"$ -.cWretandable ,C~h<tl1.i_ -ie-1UIO-ass1-.tGd. by -
the itt. 1ft vv. 660&, b that a eon 'a puQiehed tor a fathElrts or.l.me. Here
then the \lD of OUeue tor Aiax empbaa1s.e that it 1. the tome!"'. crime
that 1. be1ngpun1lhed.
662-3. Admetu, I1ns of Phefte,'who alao had. been en Al'iCMUt (AfB. 1. 49),
. . eaved fnm death by his w:Lte Aleutls, who was allowed to die 1ft hill
stead. Aloest.18' devotlon presents a stntdRg ooMzraR to Medea. 'lbese
l1na8 lDq' be 1nfl.\Wftceti by Or. W. " 19-20, "tata fheret1adae eOD1\1ll)(
PapMe& redem1t/ proqu.e ~ uxor tunere lata v1l"1tf• Note t.he financial
149
.tmapq in ~".tt~e•••
At\_l<?H.ju.,Lj1~
hQble palleag•• ~ Veq~ It;L.. 61 _ . 4. 418 It•• Ho1Jt. 1IQSl. 5, 17; Jil.
1. Sf m. 1, 2, 41 ft.) rr.,. Jh " ,....18. ov. It,\.. 7; 179-29.1. BIt. 6, 8.3 ft.
It, 's dU'f1eult; to ~.l"ld.fte the ..._t to vh1Gh . . . . baa ~ use 01 theee
.P~~ ~• ..., of the poibt. ~ ~~ ... ~lu•• of th16
tbflW». ~rl he pi'Obabl1 had Ov. &1. 1,179-29' in mad (,," GIl w ..
71~2a bolow) ~ .. paeup that. de.abfJ. Medea'. I'$jwr~iOl'l of Maon.
»Cscr.tpUon. of ~o welle \0 the Ihetori.oal poet. of the 6Uvtlf'
~W
1
J\I@w1th th$U lltR:l.nins aftftv 'he b1.~ aad ilOmtl0. E~ft 111
hmcata t~~JI we haVG & ~q .G~ U sad. w. ~se and ..
1
Ao E1t,1'efll ~"~8 (pp. 70, 76) \he ftGtori.eal SChool. . .thee used
~ oe~e* ae a th-..
2
Hote that 1ft ~
pro.. wolka we llaft a MhoI' to ~t.UOlUJ Me~e
a. k
9~ 6, "Hooatoft e!t, Bco t,1b1 ~ftibo . .toriwa fd.n.e
maatc Sn
~,1 iWw h$S'ba) ldM t.tl.l1u1 ftM~ eal'1ld.Ml .1 de~,
amat,1
151
) 1 'etron1us (
ErriohthQ and tM 'Witohe$ 01 fhll1U;llaly (6, 4)4 it".. 134)
....' eooms
to' ~ s_e of the !t<Ore ext:r.vasant f.'ltd.m$ of wttchtUB, and. l1te~
pletuJ'e8 ot magic.
The· 0ld'.mt to lJhich l:tt~~ delcnptions of maSic and Seneca's in
partloular "tleot popula~ beliefs and ,_oties3 1. not i\;Iaq to <i~t.~.
and populat" taney. 4 Seneca no 40ubt felt he 1llU.t 40 juat1Q$ to her ~e
pu.tatlon and th:1$ aat would baVit been II"Mt~ to th& taeta of his eontem...
po1'a:r1Eu.~. til$ p~¢ed~ 1$ 1u 1ntel'$eting \lont~e' to that of Jum.pidee
who in hie Kedee. tie.cribes th~ effects of the magic l'&ther than the _ate
ltseU, ther$ ean b$ no dwbt whon vei;*$l~n 1e mol"e d~. .tie and an1s't1c.
WelJSd lor: the modil2tl had$t'.t thiIJ act is pelrhaps tha l(9&R aecept$ble part
of Senecata play. After the ~$ome detalls of l~ed~.s rite., one longs
1
Sea M.P"O. MortoN" The .Pget tuow (QJcford, 1967)~ pp .. 59..,.74, tor u. dl ...
cU8s1on of magic and 41v1,nation in lauoan.
2
Theee paw:ri ant conveniently assembled in 0 .. iTe1endans, f!mJi. {lr.l§B!
~Qci!. (teipalg~ 1928) •
.3
Note tbat Claudius renewed the leg1tla.t.1on of T1ber1us ap1nst sorcerers
(Tae Ann.. 12, 52) and that, undel" NliJro # a &1r1 called Servilia was aCCUhQ
of Hlling p~ <>t her dow'r:l :in the hope otea.v1n1 the Ute of hel" tath~r
by ma.~o (~sl. 16; ,1)10
4
Bee on vv.. 670-739.,
152
'tV. tl/~7)fh
. _...~.,
.~ l«~ d~\MU' ~..
tb~
dfJ..'fr~ll. ~~i.tt
pnpa.'l•• of tM
.,,14, \hat •• viU
i~" ~
.Qtl! SA bo~
1)4* f>.t ~_~ ~. 1. eft. ~tlOM' (<<*.,1_'.1. 'J IO'~. 4, S). ,w.
b~~ ImMl utu a'tO~pd.~", tb~ .-"fllm t~ o\bl!1f\ _ttm~'t tt~l.
1m Wit MM. HoI'. JIlf1. 'J 61, Cv'.~ At!. 2t' 10lf C1Rf1. ~. 1. lS,.
~ &1_0 Oft w. ~SOJ 7J1J. A t~ JO'~-e,. ~d be 41 ~Jltlal .~
tb.~ '411 .I.~tlJJ~. Ii"_ p$.~WlJ tblf .a~~ of £o~a. wllO __
.:u.~ ~. _v@ wtK_ 'h~ dAl.tho of C~U ,.4 M~otl. (!." • •'"
...
to
~ va~W.l
~t ~
w. ~~ 'ib.
• • o~ ~.t._ ~~.'f14i9f.
1, I. 4S• • • ~ ~.td.tn•••
,.#~. WI. of
~ ~ tbia . .~ fit. aud. Wif 410. 191 ~ Qv", . . . 1# lUI. ~ ~
\tl@ po_ lin "~Jf. 1$4, ~ ~~ ~ pta$fi " ~ fit tnt!! .mh. 'oJ'
tbn ,~nt tl~~\it~rp be tI.a. ~ D2U N\4 DQ~ M w. 113; '54.
6,6. ~""_, ~al. ~~\ pidat. h ... ""~ ~ UN 01
~K,.Q v. 117.
. ' . 2
610. lU.l'.I' ~~. l-A h~ ~ eenD.~ ~~ !n ~ &h$.·· ~t
1
:t.ill *n. (~ '-Ub..30,?). a.l. " "". , ••,. ~. $" "h
!lb. 1, 8. " 4 J. 11B l1....sJ ~* 4, S, 141 ov. " 1. WI)
IfaI. ft••''''''' at. ~~ ,et.Jt. Ut.,t w. ~J HQ ft. pt;...71t $e" flO
JW~,,4*ua.
2
Ct. l1uc. 6, "~'I PllQ.. ldl. 24. 103.
154
1
an $fil!"penta; 1t was alleBed that 'Ole" had dl1O~ the" t~om the Cicrgen'.
head. Of" Otr II !l!,\. 4# fi'i7 If ..
6u~3. um'~Wl niy,Lb:9l..Y: but maMS.. w. :;82,...., &meaa wntfi}S,
"qualitea!' faun lUll1e/ tepido ~d$$CWlt imbre pe!?u8h nlvae. ft AlIHlI
i.eo m;nb~m" UkG AJ'~riH;)iil the BeU&, eet. VII 40;), Bo\e that Itfrigi,d.o
Ant" ri~ru,n 11 ued ~t Bootm$ 1n,9.U. v. 2)4.
~104. the amtkee eal1e4 by W4IJa. Sn~$...cha~, 1$ mquront17 mentioned
in l1st$ of ma.sto teat.! U14 $Mke ehaf!ll.'4 (e$peo~ from the Pqll1 and
~1) W6~ ta11w 1n th$$'bl'e~t. of .~ (of" l~, l, 41" 7)" JlU\ ()f
(101.lr8fi Medea,t" fGat.. titre l'nOf'(f parlAil••e than &¥fI' 111Gb mil· ~ (of.
v, 69').
6$4; ~sa!til$lt 1.ef! be1l* incantations" Cill .O~~ff (v. 68.S)~
'~ant\t. mo~sft (v-. 699), ~anttbu,$ •• " mi_" (v. 7(4). ·'Yew,,- (v. 7'7)" Such
incantattons wtllr61 empl(IT$d du~ the l&~tOJ'Jn$lCfJ t>t ¥no.t Mg1e li.ks ant!
often W'ttated thii mn.m.eI of .. 4$l8 (ot. F-et~ .. 6') o:r vmOU$ other Oft&tu~.
(J:Mc" 6 t t&~' '4) .. ..
~,. ~'~J!!".", ~~l¥iJ .. .. phue wltb if. Luet1M118ft 3?inS (ot. ~r. 1, -;621
ft8~e1"'W1l pnua-, ot 111h) ~~, only herem the \raIG~.#
tboUib aleC) uSE14 of ~$' 1a Lu.o" 9> 709, jlJaI a\lIfJO of snakes :mIMe. ',60s.
6e611 41.. "hie din _"Penlit ' at beg1J.m1ng of v. l$U in i i . - /
687. iIU14Sl# ot. 8U.6, 222 Htntidoa motus linpeft • Aot~ a$ Autltin
1
Not-$ part.1eularlT Luc. 9, 607 ft. end p& ". 6" allov." Actually howver
onlw one type of .make (•••UI) 18 ~.... in Libra. ~e B.P.O. Mo:rtoJ'd,
"The ~se of LutJIan'. Ninth Iookf'" tat. 26 (1961), lZl.
2
Ill.".
S, .390, flin.· LB.. 7. 14,; 28" 19. 2S.t 30J J.iu<h 9. a".
"G ~11111- W--.__ w_~
45.
£A
'nl'''''J!;f ~. 0'
h-.oa..
f.4.J
:ft.-.-
Q;
.ft
I J
Ni!!A... ~ A........
1;1\1' VV'" . ,• ..ct • .L,
n ~ ,nft': ....
•
155
6iS. ~~'eat .~t!o&ll¥ placed. Not. how the maliaunertJt the p018on.
1, st.".~d bJ'the ~p_tecl
.
u. . .f the WON ·in the NUi"N t. de.cnptl.on ..
1
6$9 .. ~f "hi. an4 ou~tG word$ are fi>-eqwmt~ "Iect of an&kee ($_1_
Veq_' AS,' 2.. 381j 412JOY. sa,t 'I »)6~' DOtber'trmake"""Worcilf• Qt.
V.; 696. Veri • .iJiU.2, 220; 5, Zl9.
,,0. sa~!-J ~ oS ~, in Vf;JWil• .Mn.. 2, ~.
(el, ~. 6~ ash
'90...1. ftl$,~ is giV$l1 "tnt \)1 th~ p~ _ ttt.~lWAft andwtQl1:u$"
and th~ dOllb~~ 01 ~ft (.4"~f\«t. ltb,.••ft) ..
1
UsfXi heroa ct =take. ,the we~ 1. ~peated in. 'VV.. 717, 731 ot pl..lnt.e.
156
. . . 1. 24; ( 1tb mer_ .tl.~tiD), \110. N.l).. ·2, 106 &no Aftt. 'If. 45«
6,6w.? an ~l. of ~m$&1~ (~!I 9, J,,). of'll iIF w. ,o,s·.6.
696. ~I' m:t.nor4lUe """ te~: the two Dc"'. Ct. ov. tmetr.4. ,.14.
ffMagn& mt'Aorque '.¥'fie., ~ ~ alta. tn."'/ altsl'a S14onta., utD\'Wil
sleca., _t•••it SM· ~h&~ _ v. )16.
691* note th$ ~t"t.tve ~ &1 $$Jll4.tm ~ ~hia&:m,"$.
kUled. b7 the Want Apoll(). :It tthould be not. that M~C)rd1n& to .,001$..'
1
Bee hi. CCl'lfu81n3 reference to "\11. Dfttgonft 1ft h1& note en v. 698 (p. 291)_
2
This southam constellation 1$ Hydm. See on 'V'. 101.
l
S$e Sohol. on Al'at. v" 45.
157
1
Of .. Ul VY.. ~, 1el, M. v. 835; !iR We 2"_ 1'34.
158
colOUl"tul 0Jt\l). but SeMca-. geographf18 Idly aet.~ (but sea on v,. 120)>>
the Suebl were', & Ge:man tri.oo# while t.he l~ lived Oft the south $h()7e
1
Their moet notable $U.eeess was the defeat of Cnaws at, Carma. in ;3 B.C.
159
"decus. and ft'nemofUmtt and 1thonorem" and ".Uvis". ct. also Horll 1Rti. 11"
;-6. "December ~.. dlvi,s honorem "out1t".. Senius (da;)se .. ) decl&r'es
that VergU has bo~ his Une tl'Cm. Yano (01' Atax) ..
115-6. What plants could grow in such weather? Jote the alliteration of
1&•. 1l. J. in 1mme&ta sucemon.
116. ~ UI. 1!lY' 88e Oft v.~. 9Q_r.taSi- this metaphor 18 also
uHd of cold in aa.. v. 517; CUlt. 1. 3. 111 001. 1" 6,. 18. Qalp. 114"
;. lO9.. Note the ett6ctiw WON ONef' w1th "Divali ...... 161utt Ellmbrao1ng
ttouneta conetl'i.lu1tff•
717...22. In compostng these lJ.nea and n. 1:;s....30, Seneca eeem& to have had
two puuaagee f:f!'Om. ov.. iii. 1 in m1ndJ VV III 22;-7 and 264,-5. Both of these
L'fO$ exhftote tX'Ol!l passages describing !Weat Iil berb gatbering. The latter
merits qUotation here. ftUllc ~ .r..d.bu valle rea.ct&s sem1na.que
QR~ et S!lincoqu1t acres". Of,. tt.tJ.Ol'e1t v .. 117; "wellS"" v. 717;
~cibusft v. ?lSI fttlaemonlu8" v. 720" lee alae on vv. 729....30.
?l6. -Again __11M weJ'd...oNer, euggeftUtl the poi... eon'bained -in··the t-oot••
1
And indeed famous tor mag1c in Siinel"al. See on w. 79()"'1 •
.2
E.g. Schol. on Ar. I!.. VI! 749. hlcan however sqs tbe magic plants were
indigenous to Tbessaly (6. 441-2)"
160
. hev
because Med«la d~ 0. ot befba thel'fh . . .* &tttlC't tor oauee. The
/\-
word 1. ~ tJaed of ~ ob,.ote 1&.Qd. v. lS' 'When 1\ reteft to
~8. ot. also v. '" abt'Ne wbe~ 1t. 1e used of the BUena.
721. Mote that. ~ 1.. %Sllt1one4 in Oy" 11&\. 7, 22S.
1a. fHlII th$ t~ ~bod
..
ot cu.".' ~. bd'ba. or. fheoo. 2. JOJ
Ov'.' l.ID 2.. 577. 1'4. 7 t mJ !:It£. 6, 64J Vers • .Ala. 4. '13. See a.lJso ...
. . 1
-
~tll
.
.
llIMlcl 1ll
'
poe'' ' of toU.age hom Cat.
. (4~ 12) on. See turt.her ~l•• 10 Om")' (p. 1(8) and W ••• sa 2.
1~1' u 1Ctnp,.,. obee)Nea (P. 29$), t.b.e8~ riven ¥'eP".-t IWibly the
ptdonta of the~. Of ~. w. 37J. 681. 'Note h_ the Wi. of Qh1. . . . in
w. 723-' lMl.4$ clAr1t7 and emphasia.
·7:l3.~t in it. ou13 C~. tbUI rivo.. ia ad..tt-now:tag. (o.t. rtviolentu.
urtdA" 111 v.. 1324) bG 810ws U it t_vo18 WeI' thfl plaiD. Ili..um, ~1
ct. lUl v. SOl1t~ alt1lnl\ll'l1tem ... te1'4flleft • ..... ct. f't~fte.lt~,
v. 71:4.
72S. In'MRU. a tftbut.e.1.7 of the l'rldue. hOW the Jhelum. The d.'VfU" was
~toJ~e_~ i1! ~J ct.lR v. 6al ftdivfSa .. H7d....
- -- - --- -- - - -
to
-
".~
-".
\.-
--
e.·.
--
plMe,llq 1n tnta ~ ••
?__JO.-
• 4 ~l'el
~
_
lUilt• •~
~ ~ ld.~ ~.
Wl~ bJ Or. M. 7,
_w
~lf ttfom." H ~
on tOO ~.
~7J ~ plaoS.tuJ
1
J.5~ ~,~JaJ"._~JAi!iDbl:l (Cldcml. 1929), p. 31.
162
& h_rt-llhaped 'ace, .. vavel'1n. moth-like tl.t.Pt and the most; bloo4-curdling
voioe..Itld.eeG in ancient ii1mea the. birds we" thoushi of &8 witches that
BUcked the blood. of 10una eh1lcWea' (of" OV' ~ l:.I&.. 6, 131 It 1# J Prop. 4, 5, 17) ')
and uda in poptlJ.ar ~e became the WON 10f: .. 1d.toh(ot, fetr. 134 and
'note the modem Italian, . .II). Aooorclinsto.lll VV'. 687..8, both owls
htwnt the unfiel"WOl"ld..
134. mUDI .e OA v.. 40. W! I!t1tm~t alec uttere4 b1
H1PPOlltus (b•• v" 559) in denouncing wom.et\j2 he cites Ke4ea (w. 563-6)
to prove hie point. Ct. also !a.. "It 750 artti As. v. 9SJ<t Of.. Creon'. 4e.
Ilunciatlm of Ked_ (v. 266 above)"
735-011 "':l. 19niumff 18 leri&inla' a re8'Ult or the potion" but 1t 13 &1Il10
an ~ent (ct" V',. 818 tf.), .albe1t a hidden one" '01' host ae a magic,
~ellt.._se$_ Or:. IIl'L 7, 26a~ a_passage _aoa prc~ bad in mind.-, Canter-
(,. 19) r1ghtl3" cdtic1" the tautololll' 1.n \hie; bombastic l1ne.
737. Da' ber itlcarttation. Ct. 'ferg. ii2E~ 3, 2S3 ttm1souel'Ua'que helb••
at non im.u. verbaU .aad Oy,. !G. 7, 248. /
1
E.g. Ov'.
10, 4"s
!tfi..
~c.
5, ~J '50. 6, 4'2, 10, 4", Am. 1, 12, 19. Vel'S. AID. 4. 462J
S, 396; 6, 689.
2
Though 1ft ltw!s&. v. '59, "haec" 1$ tera1n1ne e1ngul.ar.
163
. 740--848. ~ eatel'. and invoke. the powra of the unal'WOl"lci and above
au Hecate, 1dGDtlf1e4 with t,heMoon" to ate! her maalClJ Satl1fl1e4 that bel"
prqel"ft are annel"Gd ••h~ sends her 80mB to 01'61.1." 'bearing the deadly g1ft,a.
1
P.W. Hush c _ t . on the metr.lcal varlaUooia this pUlMle. "She
eaten with excited t~o. [ "IV.. 746-'iJ. lilt. her magical ~ocompl1lh
menta il'l _taid 1anibic$ (wll. eu1ted. to the ~ of .taa.) fjv. 7S~70].
$bUts to lyri.c iambiea Sn :ma1dng her otte~ [w" 7'11-86] _4 then to
- . . t a for heJt "Pn:tenft[vv". 781....842]." Her _gic 1'1t.8 ewer, she re-
tum. to the uaual iambic. in w. 843-8.
740. ~,~t.: et.Ov'. lui. ?, W. ttmo& euam 1~8 animas
d.Sxere eUentumtt• OhOn-..ra.131ng wal one of the talenta of aD7 selt.;.te-
spectirlg ma.g1cian.Ct. B2 v. 4)8 ttfi' 9!4. Tit S59 fts 0.. !1ti. '1# 206,
14, 411. lAlc .. 6, 728 1 he1Ile~, 4, l4l8-20) 1454-94$ 1949, 20'9-56.
(
the o~ of all th.iq.s (of•. Hee. a. v.n6, ~.?;...J1U.. 1,4) and f$ thu
adclreasefl Sa the p&p7l"1 ("lOa. Pn1~ 1. l2O).1I!!!R ,,'0* ,,-0•.,.,&
11lilDIl'
-
another un...t.le .ttempt to
-
~f$u. & point by piling up ad.-
jectlve.. Note also po~cl.ton in w. 740-1.
742. ~: the ana of the \l!lul'tlOr14!rl *oh eY1~. dwlt~ GDUI
accol'd1ng to Plato (B:ul. 113) the rivera CoC)'tWl ancl lJriphle,e'thon sur.tound
Ta1.'tafta. l1\ lb.afi, v. l2Zl, ..,. have ftPhleptbcm 11Hent.es 1peo e1ngen$
vadof'. Ct. Vera. Am. 6) "1. lU9!1" to~ this 11ee 01.1110 (- sun'Oun4),
auoh u tbi. it 1$ vert dUfloult to ucl. :It Boneca. had alW particular
2
model 11'1 mndll He matV also have been WlueJlced 'tq paint1nae of the theme.
14''/1 BYI!I al~ tiIlg.tcl with the ~ "novel, .'range" of'hougb this
,
idea 18 not as $trong ... in "., 894.
744. Ill.. A& a pt.mi~ for Ulfmlt1ng Heta,; he was bound to a nvolv:l.rJg
74'. lap~v' pm.hed 1l1. Jfe.dea tv s.~ his eon 'elope a8 a feast
to \he soda. Here Seneca meftti.ona oal7 0'l'l9 of the th... puniabmenta
acrlba<l to h1m - the _te.. that he can neVel' drink,.' This 1s t~tly
- - - - -- - - - -- - - -
mentloned.,together with the teut he can see but not ...t. 4 'the thiN.
pm1lbm4mt, more ~ menttoned 1n ~ek pf)t&tJ7, _* t.hat of the ove;p...
1 !
Ct. !IE v. 750 ft., DMsl. v. 1229 tt.;...J&. v. 12 ff., Dl. v. 4 tt.; v. 74 It., f
!!Q "" 150 tg., J 942 It. J 1061 It. Notable pa811a1e8 1n other authore are Verg.
a. 6, 595 ft.; HoI'.... J, 11, 2lJ 09'. M. 10" 41 ft.
2
See tor instanoe the pel f'I"om the ~s~rfrieze, Uluetmted 1n J.M.C. fC'f/Dbee •
,
.Ill.. m; 2' tb! ~ .1tDndon. 196,)" plate 66.
Qf. As. vo.r. 19, 769. 2U.. v. 621, fib. 1, " 78J H()r. Iii. 1, 1, 6Sj etc.
165
e.l.m.oat id.ent1t1ed with the lather. This 1" a rather I1mUar a1t.uat1on to
that 111 v.. 661, though the:re ttl. fatheS" 18 named tor the son. The use of
"SOC8ro" make. clear the reason tor lWeats elUdt1 to S181PhUI. It &lao
enables the line to be understood in anothor wq a8 toreahadowlng the tate
or Creon.
, . 1
741. Sisnmue pun1~t tor d180bed1~ to tho gods 1s n.nt men\ione4
in Han. Od. .. U .. '9,-600. He 'tf,t.a tONe4 to roll up a hUl 1ft Hades a JIQOk
748-9= the Ii.tt.y l:Jenaidea were toned to maft7' their f1fty couiJ1n8J all ave
I~st.ramurde~ their husbanda CD the ~ n1pt. 2 !he!;'" pUld;'hment
:1ft the underworld vas to t11l a bottomleUl c1at.m wlth water carried in
&deves. This purd.8hment 18 not however ucr.lbed. to the Danaide. untU the
thbd oentur.y B.C. The Ilmaidee, sugge8Ung temWne violenoe within the
1
S1zqphue waG sentenced to d1e by Zeus tor bet~ hi. 1ntr1suo with
Aig:1u.. :,lie escaped death by a trick. but when later he diod a natural
death autism this etomal puniahto.ent.
2
De:1an1ra (Ill v. 948) otten to make up their number.
166
"tritouda" v .. 7., QlISItR,pI .imi!!tia yYl\y.!: tor a 81mUar use of the metaphor,
see Ai. v.. 7CfI, "in4u1t vul:wa taros"" See also note on v., 43 above.
l
752-701 Medea list. her magic teata .. Ie tb18 a 11"t of past achievements
01" has she just performed them 418 a part. ot the present magic rite..? '!'he
latter 1nterpretatlon is cel't.a1nIy tho more dra.tnat1c.. Note too that "adesse
saon. tempus est, Pboebe, tul." (v. 770) 81.lgea\ that the teats were a
necessary pnrequiaite tor turt.her rites to ftlOSbe/ Hecate. .Aga1n nt.lhitt
(v.. 752) would have gl'eaiier mea.n:1ng tor the goddess i t f.1edea had just pel'-
t01'!lwd these feat.a. FuJt.ber we have Uedea'. earlier threats, ttst.emam at
evertatll omnia" (v .. 414) and "1nvadam deeD/ et cuncta quat1am", (n .. 424-5).
See on v. 401 it.. tor a discussion of the tact that Medea here reverses the
conditione listed there.
7,2-3. 100100, tlow.i.ng hair and ban teet were ouatomar.r at maglc rites.
Both points are mentioned :1.n 0\1. ~. 7, 182} Hor~. 1, 8 .. a ft; stat.
:r.Jlik.. 9, 572. The tlow1n.g hall' i8 also mentioned. 1n Ov. lI!E. 6. 89.
753-4. l\!ltav&: ~f1lle"'8 tttrod" (p. 293) oonveys the Wrong- ~re8.1on.
'1'heV'elb contUn& the idea of quick and ropeate4 lnovemento In lllOst countries
popular BUperat,ltions have ex1eted that the wather can be CCIltl'Olled by
/
witobea. The Roman poste trequentlf introduce thie into thelr lists of ,
Daglc feate~ For the particular point in this llne, ct. Ov. m. 1, 8, 9~
1
SUch catalogue. involving teats of this t1J)e U'e e«nmon in latin poetry:
e.g. OVa JQ. 1, S, 5 ft., 2, 1, 23 tt.; !1!.E.. 6, BlJ IG,. 7. 199; Ser. !l2
v. 452 tf., Tib. 1~ 2, 43 tt .. ; 1, S, 17 tf.; Vera. !SOl ·4, 487 tt.; Plop.
4~ 5. 9 tt.J blc. 6 ~ 431 If.. J Petro l34.. See furliher note on vv.. 670-848.
167
iii.. 7, 201; 424; 14, 368 ft.; fib. 1, 49; Luc .. 6, 461 ft. Val. n. 8» 351;
eto. See also on We 159-61 below.
155-6: as lC1ngeX7 (p. 300) observe.: tfJ.'wo opposite movements of the lea are
!,icU!.= the retreating t1des a.re forced back and over the land.. aPtedusl
1nland.. ct. !B.s. 3.nk~ B. For other instances of magic power over the
sea, see on VII. 766-7 below.
751-89. For witches' influence over the heavenly' bodies, ot .. Luc. 6, 462-5.
A.. B. 3, 5"; Verg. Am.. 4, 489J w" 673-4 abovej We 760-9 below. §.9lem 61
IstUlI tor this point, of", JiQ v" 462; 471. Ieti!twll3 see note on "siceae"
v. 404. tet14tl!eil, Yrl!~n sae lR. VII .. S61-8 for a propheoythat this will
happen SOl'l'le dq.
161. rus power to make rivers flow backwards 1s another stock Ulustration
ot the power of magic.. ct. A..R. :;, 532; Verg. Atm. 4, 4S9; fib. 1, 2, 44;
Prop. 1,11 1, 23) 0'1 .. M. 1, 8, 6; 2, 1, 26. Her_ 6, S7; Met .. 7, 154J Petro
- ---- - -
seven IOOUills. The Danube has three main mc'uths and several lesser outlets.
Tacitus' ueseript10n CShum. 1.1) 18 fairly sound;' DanUyiU8 .... plures populos
ad1t, donee in Ponticum more sex h1satibus el"Umpat, sept1Jnum os paludibu8
hauritur. "
168
765-6: tor a raging sea tfhCDugb the winds are calm, ct. !!Q. vv. 455-6; Luc ..
6, 469-70~ For power to raise or calm the sea at wUl, aee also Ov'@ M ..
7, 200-1, Petr. 134 (w. 4-6) 1wtJU1t :1nNYaJl!ll!t ct.!!Q Ve 552, "'lumuit
et mbidum mare" (though there "deus" is subject).. ilpsanunu aleo used of
the sea in Baed .. We 351; 700, J&e vv .. 540; 599. ct. Verg. 19l. 9, 43; Ov.
HOE. 1, 6.. Seneca. also used the word ot w.1nds '(see Canter p. 107) ..
766-11 Thomann rightly has a stop after "meaett .. l.I.!! Kingel"3' (p .. 301) there
would be shadows m the heart ot the woods whether cllql1gbt retumed or not.
The reterence 18 surely to the phenomenon at the waJJd.ng rarest.. a. common
enough teatU1"e ot magic lists, ct. Verg .. AmCi 4, 491; Oi' .. l:f!!... 7, 205; 14,
406; Her. 6, as; Petr. 134 (Ve 1S);' stat .. ~ .. 7, llS; Claud .. in BYAD 1, 1S8"
This was one ot orpheus' powers'too (8ee above vv. 229; 629). mmor.L§.. !mtigu1
~ msit .~'S a bold expreasion, yet one that has echoes elsewhere
in the tragedies" 4omus: according to 11M !u~e (so 4w!!I1 IA2b)· this
strildng uee ot dQl!i3li with ftiel'ence to woods 1$ confined to Seneca.. at.. m:
v.. 239 6 "nemoris opulent! domostt , and RS.. v.. 22S (though here Leo emends
to ''comamtr ).. Note too the collocation "u.nU>l"08i domum" in v. 741. For the
idea of loss of shade, see vv. 608-9 ..
768. Thomann :retains tsM,1g,tg,the difficult l'es.ding ot the ~S. teots Cducto
is much more plausible; aee LS.s. ndugo IUb tor Eatalllples ot its use in this
context. 'rhe word here, with "imperio" in the previous line, mi~t have 8"
military touch to it (see IS." .. l'eduCO IA3». S;\.e £!!lueto: ct. 0\1'. lml.
2. 1 .. 24 and less specifically .. Ov. Het. 7 .. 20; Petr. l34 (n. 9-10).
bl1nd seer Pb1neua Cot. k,. v.. 153) but Z~e8 ,~ Cala1s (8f!Je on vv 41 2,31,
634) l~ cha.eed them awa;y a8 tar as the st,ropk~ •. Se~ A.R. 2.- 176-300.
183-4: the st~ bUds lived 1n a swamp near ~O$ in .b'ca.di.a.
Hercules killed these m.onaters as his s1xth labour. IaftJltia his al'I'OWS
ages have been centres of magical activity. The epithet ~jj.y!'~ is found ~.n
Latin "as early as Ennius (tr. 25, R:ibbeck 1, 68) and occurs elsewhere in the
tragedies at Jj&. v. 382 and 9.9t.. v.. 978. Hecate appears as both moon-goddess
and goddess ot the cross-roads as early as Sophocles (Rhisotomo:t" f'rg. 492
moon charm. 2 Menander wrote a play, Ihetta,le (Plin. N,l!. 30" 7) with this .
theme. See also Hor. ~ .. 5.45. "quae siders. excantate voce Thessa,la/
lunamque caelo
. .
dedpitn, i:lli!:ed. vv. 420; 791..
.
t~en2: continues idea ot
Britomartis was identitied with Artemis and hence here with Hecate . .
796. sonent atxl; during an eclipse it was customar.v to bea.t drums, clash
1
See on v. 720 abov8o
2
See Ar. HY.. w. 749-50.
171
cymbals ~te. to a1d the moon. ct. Or. !St. 4, ",. 1.1v. 26, 5,. 9; Tao. a.
1.23. Rcaan wrlteN ( t _ not appa~tly ~ earlior tban t-h. ~
~) &lao ~ th1.e practice 'm connuo\1on with the ~ dow of the
~ b¥ witches, e.g. Ba. v. mJ 017. !&t. '1, ;J:/l'j ~ .lM. 41J 'llb. 1, S,
22J J.Iaft.. 12, 57, 16; stat. D1*.. 6, 6a'J Juv. 6. 442. iSm' ~~
mua.t1cIlod in ibis ~co. BNlS0 wae b~l1oved to ba~ maglo poweN'
s~J«~ abovG on "fOft'W'lift (v. 731).
'196, ~k!.U,...HD..9.~. the moat tmnoua t1J)O of bronze :in P..oman
&V., ~17 (I'. 3(3) Gef/imS to haY'e ~ FJJ.nJfa &tot7 (H,III. 34" l; 6)
that Cor.t.ntbSan b~ wae d1aoovCJ1"ed aoo1d~ vhtJn ~ was nd.nglf3d
with gold &'ltd eUvtlr wesela dur'JIlg the tire at the _It of Colinth tv
~ !n 146 ».0.1 Hoven... COl"Jnth was an Upztet ctmtre tor tile
pl'Oduct1on of b~8 u ear17 u the seventh oon\UI7. 2 Tbe use of Co~
bl'OtV&. he.. 18 ~ur.1eUo ot ~'. ~ of -,o1l\t".
79'l-f!Qlt note ap.1n'tAw anapbora of tttibift •
1
Tr.S.t\Qlchio (Potr. SO) knew betteI"
2
Ct. HoI'. ~. 17, lill 5, 100 ft •• §al. 1, 6, 17 tt•• Ov. lW.E. 6, 89J fib.
1, 2.. 46, tuc. 6, S»-".
172
"tunereo de more" (v" 802) and ''Styg1a/ ramus ab unda" {v. 804-5),apart
from its appropriateness to the rites of Hecate, also foreshadows the death
of Creon and. CreuSQ.$ lst in this scene, there is a play on the word of
much the same type as that in the idea of Furies as bridesmaids implies in
vv. 15-7 and v. 38. 1 Instead ,of the wedding torches (cr. Vo 67) we have a
torch from a funeral pyre and the 'ttnstem lucemft of the moon t 8 "tace"
(v.. 792) <I At the end of the scene' the contrast becomes brutally explicit;
ttvmcatque SUJ1s/ flagrante coma. nova nupta faceslt (vv.. 838-9).. poctun19s
lsn6s: foreshadows the palace tire ..
802-3. the nt~aJ a woollen hair-band, was wom by priests, priestesses and
others making sacrifice (see vv .. 797-8), tunereo de 1Il9.!'!' i.e. with flowing
locks (ct\ Plu.Quaest .. !\9m. 11) bound only with a simple v1tta. Leo
(1.22l) points out that with de more, it is highly unusual for an adjective
to be used, except. one that itself contains the idea of ·'customar.v" G The
only other exception being "intando de more" (Stat" Thebe 4, 243) ..
Moen!: "17:lng flat"; i .. e .. without an elaborate hairdo ..
804-5.. st~g!a/:ramU! §b undas Kinge17 (Po> 303) suggests tha.t this is the
- - - - -
"fax" of v.. 799.. but mDl'e probably it is a new offering. It was eustw.ary
i
to deok saorifioial altars with boughs and foliage, these were termed IerbW!. ,
(ct. Serv .. 111 VerB ••A~~. 12, 120). Probllloly Medea's "ramus" would be, of
2
cypress, yew or pitch-pine, trees traditionally associated with death.
I. . . . . . . . . . 1M'" _ _ ... _ _ _~
1 .f -,:
Note that the Furies too COIllllOn1y,it~~ torches from pyres2 e.g • .Hl v. 103,;
Ov. Hat. 6, 430.. .
2
Branches ot these trees were attached to the door ot & house where a
death had occurred ..
173
806. lPIenas: see on Yo ,a,., For their practice of selt""'lllll1ming, of" il:2..
vv .. 674-6.
809-10$ ca.re.,!, t,",o cruores: a hint at the child murder, though Medea has not
yet clearly acknowledged this. (see on w. 917-22).
810. laticem: Medea's blood. Usually the wol'drefel"s to water (see Canter)
Artemis ..
816. AAson: i.e .. she had. inVOked Hecate when she had helped Jason :in Colohi.
and in the rejuvenation of Aason e (of.. Ov )1et.. 1, 241). It
817.. tu: probably Medea is addressing a phial; tor this would be somewhat
poison in v. 832.
word is frequently used ot tire (e.g. ct. Q,W. v. 284; and ts.s. earp> 113),
820. um: two ot 14edea t s gifts to the bride were made of gold (n. 572-4) ..
Since Medea has alread.v melltioned the "vestee", "aurott is surely a reference
to these other gifts, not to a. casket as Macias (p • .3,) and !.filler (p. ;!J7)
have it ..
820-.31. Medea lists the magic fires that she has obtained from experts in
Zeus t command to a crag in the Caucusus whe:re an eagle kept eating his ever-
growing vitals. For other references to his fate, see H[ v. 1206; HQ v. 1378.
825. Mulciber: a sur.name of Vuloan that refers to the power of tire to
melt metals.
827 $ S2gnato: both Medea and Phaethon were descendants of the Sun. See on
v. 32 ft.; 599 tf.
828 & Ohimaera: a monster whioh consisted of a lion in tront, a goat in the
middle and a dragon a.t the rear. The goat pa.rt vomited fire. Iucz:e (5.
901 £t) points out the practica.l diffioulties enta.iled in this picture.!
829. ~~uri: a reference to the bulle of ColoMs. See vv. 121; 241; 466.
831. lelle Medusae. perhaps Seneca is thinking of the story (see Apollod.
:3, 120) that after the Gorgon was killed by PerseusJ blood sprang trom two
veins; Asclepius used the blood from one vein to revive the dea.d and from
the other to ham men.. tacitum: for this use ("secret") see LS.s·.
:!tacitus A2b.
833. st1mu1os2 used metaphorica1.ly a.lsoat Ag. vv. 133; 720; Phoen. v. 207.
837-8.
175
and ideas used earlier in the play: "audaxft has ironic echoes ofvv" 301,
318, '46, 607; "11.101£era". so frequently used of the mom1ng etarj emphaaiz'3S
the vanity of the chorus' invocation of "gemini praevia temporis", v. 71;
"latratus" links Hecate with the danger that Argo had earlier faced (see
840. HE: three is a magic number is most folklores.. ere e.g • .Q!5l.. v .. 569;
0.., .. 1!e"' .. 7, 261; 'lib. 1, 2, 54" latm.t;q!U Hecate is accompanied by a paok
ot hounds; ct. A.. B. 3, 1216; Theoc .. 2, '5; Verg. Am. 6, 257; HoI' .. kt ..
1, 8, 35; fib. 1, 2, 52; Sen .. Oed .. Vo 569; ~.. Vo 67'; tuc. 6, 733; stat.
842. iugi'ema tor the reasons given in the note on w. 84<>-2, th1s,the
reading of ifs perhaps preferable to "luctitera" of A, which Thomann
adopts 0 Miller (1, 299) reads "luc1tera", but translates "luc.titera."
843 .. Ji§fllQYt yis !It: cmmi,u in view oltha chorus' description ~vv .. 849-'18)
and I'ladea's subsequent actions, it is better to take this phrase' as meaning
"all my power is marshalled" (Miller 1, 299), rather than accept Kingery's
idea (p. 3(4) that her violence is spent. huc nlto. VOCAl addressed to
the Nurse.
845-8. ct., E. }'fed. w .. 969....75, though there the gifts are supposed to :-.:....: ~
1
Cf. "qu.or~pis ... pedem" v'" ,eo,
and "quonam rap1tur, vv. 849-51; "gres8Us
tull.t.tt v. 362 and "sttent " .. vv.. 870-2J "hue et huett· v.. 3SS. and
(0 g:l"eS8um."
tt
"hue .. It.. 111uc v. 862, "motu eltere" v.. 385, and ttferoci ...... motu" vv. 854-;;
t.tlammata faciestt v. 387; and tttlqrant ganaeft v. S;8; tt01ta1;tt v. 387 and
"citatue" v. 85'. "m1naturtt in v. 390 and v. 856; and more gene~ v. 389
and vv.. 860-1J v" 393 and vv 8'1-2. IJ
2
See n. Henr.r anti 8. Walker, il, 62 (1967), 175 •
.176
177
its noun at the end of the 1lQlt$. Of. VY.. SS4-S. 870-1.
tl,S4. ~J or1g.inally"to be stitt with coldtJ • this word is frequently
used m0l"e wme~" See Canter pp. 121-2 and U.s" GUS Ii>
858-61.. a tine d.escription of Medea's features" For such altemations of
red and paleness 2.8 manifestations of emotions. d. Ov M~ 1 j 76 ()1edea'"
II \I
love to'¥! Jaean); 1!1. 8, 465 (Altha_fs eontlioti1'lg mnot1one)!f there are
several such changes in faoe colour in the tragedies. closem:. to the prehnt
passage being ~ ....~!l. vv .. 2'1-3.
nunc iMrdcscunt genae #
pallor ruborem psillt at fomas dolor
errat per ~S.
Ct. also IUleSlt. v. 376; 9.!!l" v. 849; Me v. 237, ll2 v. 1722, si! k! 3; 4. 1.
858. .V&G'I.ll:l: onl3' here of pil7s1cal appee.rance :in the tragedies; tor its
uae of the emotions, fie Canter p. -l2O. For metaphors £:rom lire .. see on
v. 390.
8;~.. .f1l&,'5' tor a eWlar use of the metaphor with abstraots, cf. VII 943.
See also p.. 3 c/ above tor this and other metaphors from warfare.
859-61. note the homoeoteleuton, "ruborem • u eoloremtf •
860. mlDi!.l tor this metaphor ct. ffmors ... vagaturff (211. v. 322h
178
the elcte,. Seneca (19iI- ".1). "t.J'O!' hue 11lutl, vae, pJ.ena cleolt• See on
e6)-,. '!'hi) soUJ'Oe of tbie $1le may be (N" 111. 6, 636"'7, "voluti
Ganget"oa e'/j'l!'(ae/lactentfm\ tetum pel" aU._ tigris opacaa"" where hocne
1. about to kill her son Itl.. Of. Wo k. vv .. 1C1l-8, wheN the vengeful
AtftUI ia l1k.med to Ii hoogl7 t~r -silvi•••• in Ganpt:1cbft ,l 4\l1d
.H!a.., QJ!. w. 243-5, whe~ the jealous De1.anUa 1. oempam to III titP"C88.
Note that 111 E. Mfid. v.. JJ42, U'" ie tfi)l\Ud a l1onelllJ.. U!A .MMls not
careless ~ or tb$ Cndle (Olea.$bf. p .. 61) but d:ran'l&tic irony, tha obortle
feels p;ledea 1. di.1ItntllM .t the pl'Oapeeii 01 eepantion from her ~
(cf. ¥v .. ;41....9).
1
•• ~.. v .. 4S8, tor anotbel" Ganges ti..r.
179
fY17 l' Ea-· for other e:ta.l!tples of tb1e metaphol'1oal use ot the word :in
the traaedies see Canter (p. 12l).. For the use of the word in this context.
see Bardon. Mit, 241 (1946);, 10&.1.
ffl6. et.. v .. 71.
/At J;i,:mJ:n.•..~
Scene ~e (vv" 879"'91) ,
A messen&er enters and annotm.eea that Oreon and his daughter have
perl.shed in flamea.. He elaborates a little 1n a1ltJWel'to the chorus'. questions,.
but then apparentl;r leaves the .tage) at least he plqa no turt.her paR in
the plq.
a.tt.r reproaobina her tor her unconcealed 30)" launches into a tun acoount
(IS. 1Ifl. w. 1136-l2.30). This pathetic desoription is one of the tinest
P413s,ages in Eudp1os ..
1
Butler severely or1t1cues Seneca'. Dl$SHn&el"'-8Cene tor awkwafdneee
and obscurity. But Medea (vv. 817-39) made quite clev the ccnneot1on between
_... _ . _ ,_._._"___ -_0_.____._, .___"_._._."'_.". .
cw_·_, _,~l\._ a'" ~ _._..,,- ,
1
l..U14Wm1iag,l9.!t a (Qd'ont, 19(9), pp. 46-7.
180
1
the gUts and the fire, which Butler t1nds so difficult. As BJtowne observe_AI
Seneca t. br1eter treatment 1s caused by the desiN tor dl'amatio econ01rt1.
After the long desoription of Medea fa 11l8.810 pJ"OpU'at1one, an equall;.r elaborate
desoript1on of the effeet. of the magic would 'be quite out of place. SUch a
duori.ption WOiIld also rob the scenes in which Medea kills ~ children
ttcoram populott of much of thetr inJpact.. The tlat tone of the oonvereat1on
_til ott by contrast the hort'Ol" of what bas happened.
881. Its three bri-et questions in this scene are the only occae1ons .in
Medea where the ehorua eqs anythin!b apart. fl'Om the ohoral odea. St.! 'I"!
.u»ll agajn. oonversation p:roceeda b7 one speaker Up1cldng up" WOKS uttered
by the other. Ct .. Ifpotuit u. potui8le" (w. 882-4); ttUnda fla:lntllas" Un
vv .. 887 and S89) and see on vv. 15'...73 a'bov0!i1
883-4.. Medea '$ vengeance 1e stressed by the l-iesPIlger t $ \laing ve'l!¥ similar
wol'ds to those w.1.th which Medea expressecl her disbelief at hearing the
wed.ding song (vv. 117....s).
884.. sm1J!~§.~t ct" w. 397...a~ For the omUsion oL!D.J see_on
ass. AlWmlt tor other examples 01 the use of the word of t1n, see l'lltL.lu
8. avidlAe IV.. It is frequent.ly used. metaphorieal.l3r in the tragedies. see
Canter (P. 107). ~. tor other examples of the metaphorical u. of this
word and others from 81oknes8. see Canter (p. no). OI;h&r instances of tire
t .• III
• '" 'Ii ... ...,.""alauca
181
others from wal"taft in the tragect1ea. Here with ttpr&ea1diaft , the m1l1ta17
vv. 904-5.
902. ~YTa: the ~ example 1n the tragediea of the metaphorical use of
904. lMmdt see Canter (p. 111) tor examples ot the metaphorical uee of
this word. Note that Seneca uses mw.r.u metaphor1oall1 ot the emotiona,
. . T'. ", •• PilU _"'8 ." H L 12' . . . """ . • ,. ¢ ew
1
See M vv. S'O, '50! 9C17~· Ct. fro .. vv. 100'1; 112S. 1128 t. See Regenbogen
(p. 53) tor a discussion of the i:Dtluence of the amphitheatre on the prose work,,.
183
906. I.YJ:Bil.D8. D!'IlI~' see on. v. 394. For this metaphor tt'tlm the wine-
oeJ.lar (ot It !lor. !Ii. 1, 10. 24, "nota Pa.'l.emi) # see Canter p. lll. Of.
aleo Sell. Is.. :;.. " 11 ftquaedAm non sunt $X hac Wlgari. nota sed mel1ore".
907, 2BiiAMV!s "lentff III a~lml emphat1cal~ place4 aft. rather uneapected
aft".. ftcommodavi". ~a the word also occurs in the trapd1es at 1f[
'V. 222, lm. v. 182; bs. v. 1061. It 1$ lntereniq that Seneca UHa
the word ... a technical tes:m in hi. tbeo11' or emotionl "pri.nclp1a prolu4entia
att.ctibue" (it1u 2, 2, S) a:re the tir.t involuntary hrpulS6S that occur
in response to .timuU ,(see on w. ll,6...2lJ,). See Ganter (p. 112) tor other
metaphoi:$ .t~om. amusemtmtsJ p6~" again the alnpu1tbeatre ie 1n Seneca's mind.
909. 8)!ellt.rU J'irB: a nioe touch, suge8t1tag a gi..liab tantrum. Ct.
910. ~,mm.~ _t
"haec virgo te.c1" (v," 49). alJ!1Jam§.s occunonl3' here in the tragedies.
... ot.
Med.eaa- d.eveloping cbaft.oter on the strength of w. 171
VY. 166; 171 . . It would be ~ to declare
ana 9l0,,1 Medea hal·
been presented fran the be&tnninl of the plq (ot .. especial4r n. 41-5') _
luet1ng tOJ! a savage nv.n.ge, &he hall now dQc14ed on the ingenious mean. of
aeh1eving it ~ that will make her the Me4ea ot tJ'ad1t.loot! Tbe audience woul.d
appreoiate the _ial&l and expect the chUd-murder ahort~. orent inp"nium
WIll" _' \ It . . . .~ 1 Ii' "'......... I '_4it~
184
!lI1&." t.here is a plaT on. two meam.ngs of "malia" ("misfortune.ft and ttev:U-
1
deodstt ).. !he latter meaning 1& probabl3" uppe1'l-mo8t~ but it 1, 11kelY that
lWe& also intends .. mocldng echo of the Stoia 1.dea. that misfortune is the
provina-gtOlmQ. for virtue <H.
on v. 159),,
2
9ll-'" Note haw Medea,t Ii excited rel1.h in her past crimea 18 a14ed tv the
anaphon (and ~:u&I}ie in v", 911) oliuvat" and. the l,lngles t11uvat
rapu1$se """ iUV'a,t "M.P- and. "lpbU.lUI,9 ...... amasae tt 1n tn. atn$ line-
,o8:11:.1on8. lor other pa8$age, exprese1ng ~t 1n eri.mel; of .. "IV. 991...2;
aequenoe 18 not unl.ike that in vv. 24-6 and ttpepel'ittt (v. 922) seems 1;.
·_
••_F._'_k._'______' ___' __
~. S~4_M_m"_._. ___ __• __
~_;~ ._I~_1t_ff_._._._,_. ______.__ ________!r__
~r_u._._tP '~·~.~~
1
Ot. vv.. 563-4, tor the ide.. that crime leads to worse cr.:l.me.
2
Hen17 and Walker, 9.L 62 (1967), 181, ue too 4o~t1c on this p&8Bale.
185
deliberate echo of ttpeper.1ft (v. 26). Here however she is clea.rly contemplating
murder (ef. vv.. 929-30) and attempts to suppress her mother love by claim-
ing the children are Creusats.
1
Brady however (p. 258) errs in suggesting tha.t the mother-love now ex-
pressed by Medea would surprise the audience. The motif is present in
vv. 144-5; 282, 541-3. Note also Jasonts view in w. 541-3.
2
See M. Pohlenz, ~e, .~t?fJ. (Qott:1ngen~ 1948), 2, 325.
186
:b\ particular aeeme to bave ha4 Althaea :bl m1nclj ae on w .. 92&, 9l1> It.'
eo~. and 415. in 1m. v" 960 we ~ have _ . \lMfl tor motlw....love.
th!.a ~ of _~ (1$$ Canter pp. 131-2 tor other ~.) 18 often
1
&leo all ~l. of ~MI. ..~" CP. 252, .. a. 76. 4) and the
DOte 01\ ~ft (T. 167 abov.).
he also p • .3 J abovth
9'1. ~ AIlH- ~ 1» ~ ~tA.on irl B2 v. 13S0.
9'2-4. NO'te the ~t.1\ion ot MUU- Th1. ~JPG or ~ft . whicb is miXed
1
Det1necl by Quint. (8, 3, 83) as "altio~ praeb.e iJltfllleotum quam quae
vol'ba po.. .. 11'. declal'ant;" It
187
943. ~l &lao u.4 01 emotlona 1ft AI. v. 109. See Cantor (p. 121)
tor other _tapbori.eal u.s.
943-S. ~:t example of 7rA O/ ( ' ; <_6 ora VY. 932*4), here eomb~ with
e~ and &pOei~.· '01' a fd.td.Jal' \lM of utupt,ft, flee W. a,g...9.
944. ~. see on v. 139.
945-7. Cleub1 (p. 63) ~s E. liS. vv .. 894-6, but the CIll¥ r . l
f, "I / / /l {f
Jason offered tfe!. quod ex $OC)en domo/ poteet tugam lev$l'e aolamen, pete .. "
In l'Etpl¥ (v.. 540 ff to) Medea asked for the chUJlren.
941-8. Note ~'lItAJi;;/Wcr(S (aee on v_ 922) and chiasmus.
1
9S()"'1. Note the j1nlle "tlentel, gementee", the Plal" on ttpatr1 u. matrift,
the pal'Onomaaia. '*pereant ...... pel'ie):e" ad the alliteration of a. Q;,§ge1u8:
$elfj ballueination· fol.l.owfJ (w. 948 ttl. fw the ~8, see on vv. 13 ft.
m QM . i s"H1!9H9%'2 a el..ew echo otOV' Bt!:. I> 12, 209 t "quo teft'b irA,
tatlJna'. small tw~ and wu tumed mto a rook on .!«t. 81W1u8, (of .. it:
v .. 390. AI. v. 394j • VV. 18,h lS49). In 9:d.. v. 613, abe emerges from the
Undel'WOrld, Artiill pl"O~ oountir1g her children'. ghosts ..
1
Ot. "IV. 24--,-
189
aon~ otBJ"J.e~1 polnts out. that aRel" V• ..,;u the P\1l7 becomes a haclme1d
2
convent1OA to 1mpl¥ madmJI. imprG8.1vel¥ '" ret Ieft.oa'_ uae of the con....
VIlftt1c.m Mre $.a ekiltul and. ~. pqohologleally tNe. ~t. couc1enoe
oarm.ot aUow lwr to come to a . . . 4eeia1on to k!.11 he.. thiJ.cbten and undeS" .
theatre•• ot he):' _er ~Q', .he U ~ed b7 II vUiOll of the Ft1ri.••
and by the &hoa\ of hel" 4ead bnth$1' with ~G ~ . . hu ~ _ ••sed
(Ge_ on v. 331). The bl'Other'. ~t ~ tOf! v~e pN'ri.6uJ h$l'
with a ~n:ten' ~C&t1tm tot' tb& 4bil~. Brag,tnton' lli'. t)th~..
vle10M in the ':npd1ee, fteeult1q .,,- ~ __ ~1on,. !he eloaeat
paftJ.l.el U tho ~ 01 De1an1w..) tOil w. too .1eW toaet1OJl.
9". a........~; of thei... tol'Chea. Cf. vv. 15. 960; 962.
940.~t tor ~ NwSa Wft bl~J ef. v. U.
961-2.. The ~$f ~ ~ ~t~ a. ~ U Ae Che v, 290/+ oocad.~,
U heft, it is ad.d tlUlt tbrq have .u.s OOUed ~ theee whlpa (ot. !fl
v •.Q9J k. w. 96Jl) but 1lO,,* otten the "'&8 U the hair al'G Mrlticmecl
(s_ • v. 14).
963-4. -. . . .&1 !1i.... ~1 ot. ~. v. 1246 .e~ til& -w0d8 an· t.taEl4
of ~U8t botty.
96,. lYIilDille.. ""7.8·.. but w1tb ~ta,••" theN 1& a pl..a7 on the orS.glUl
~.
1
.lMM1I~aWD...... Jl'rinceta\ (Welmu, 19.). pp. J.8O...1.
2
ot. Juv. 6, ;za....9.
,It, 1. even ~cqGd. 1n sat.UeJ
4 .
Of. Bl v. 982, 914. v. 64SJ IQ v. 1003.
190
97Q..ol. Heel. kW.e the t1m eon. In Ittri.pi4e8 (vv. 1271 tt It) the ch1~
am 1dlled ottatag., thOUlll tb&1t' erie. cali be h~. Ho:raoe(.Aal. \t" 185)
4eelaftd *'Ae pWtl'V8 eOftlm pop&J.o Med<i& tJl'Wl1d.et"J wh10b ~*'. 'bbat IJf'Jf.II.e .
autbol', pemaps the 70uthM &114, (ot" Cl4!taeb7, po. 64) mtq have done this.
»~_, p$J'hap8 .. deUbeftt,e echo of v. ".
914-5. St the l1vtrag ch1l4. iY.u~t addrellSe4 to the dead bodT of
the tint chUdt
~d.ea JdJ.l.fs the eeooru1 son before loon's e7e8 and escapes in a
ohari.ot draw by dragont,*, fbi. SOde 1JOft'espm.u to E.Ht!l, v" l293 It., but
i . much shorter. In ~ • .J
. both ehilc.trfm ..... dead when Ja,8M appearii,
and ~ll h\ thouatd; and ~e tU'e tfIW.
ohorus (v. ,6 it" h note ttnumine prosperott (v. 56).. ~'IEJ! t P . 4Irmnl echoes
Oreon's words (v. 300).
986-92. Medea is hrietly tom again by all inner' contl1ot - this time between
revulsion and joy at her deed.
986. D.W::eotn.,n. sit ~o..,el\1,!; of. ftf'aotum. est s6elus" at the end ot v. 842 in
987 _ at. "Perage ~um te:t"V'et manuatf in seme Jine...position at !l2 v. 4';,.
9S8-90s ct. 112 w. 307-12 tor a s1m1lar temporary ws.ning of emotion. ~I
.: .989. uc~t. s~e Canter (p. 1;7) tor examples attha word used metaphori-
992-4. Anllker (p. 120" n. 246) points out that in several plays the victim
1s, as here, made to see his own ruin; of. nz.
vv. 6; ft.; 753; 895; th.9!!l.
vv" 531 ft. J ,51 tf. 1 The word "spectator" (v. 993) supports the idea that
1
Cf. v .. 2S £.J !!!: v. 600; !'hied. v. 677 ff. tor a related idea.
192
hneo.. baa been WlueMed b7 the gladiatofial combats (see on v.. 894 above)"
992. d!m &q* presumabl¥ here ahe see. Jason.·
997-1000. A8 nnp".,. (P. 309) "pwea, ".e. 1. tauntina JaB. to CU'l7 out,
the tb~.t made in 'VV. 996-7 .ad. th1l8 blU? his sonG .s ehe baa e.l.ready 'buried
1007. . 1 Jllm! ,!Y1@t9A'~ Ktndel! (P. 167) wronal7 Rea the Wluence of
eatire here (cf1l w. 197; 6S0).!he idiom take. a. Ye17 .1m1.lu to. in
!tl-w. 89....90, "1 nUM iJUP*~, oael1twn. ••$8 pete/ . humana tome." mlrYmm
~81lti!t echoed 1>7 EO VI!" 419. "ri.rg1num thalmros . petit. tt
1011. ...tWit for th1. UN. of.. v.292,
'( . ~ 1012-'. teo (1, 208) eoJfI!lentan "quai~ Jtedea matNll dio:it? an il8met ipsa
\
'"ti~H &O"ep\o u~
(v. 218). It
1018. a..a. &iil.- a ft8pOll8O to .1....'. plea that $he ehould !lot PIO-
l.ctn& the agolV' (v. 1015» i..... He4ea k1Ua the eon.
194
1019. bene es'!;: see on v. 550. In O!d. v. 998 we have ''bene habet, pemotum
1020.· lita.rel1l;: of.,4&.. v. 577 ... - For ot.her metaphors from religion, see
p.3g
,
above ,and, Canter (p. 112).
1022. !.i.e ,f.'ggere 801eo: i.e. in a chariot drawn by winged dragons.. In E.
M!?d. v. 3321" we learn that this wa.s given her by Helios. The dragons are
not mentioned by Euripides, but appea.r on South Ital1an vases of the fourth
. . 1
century and may well have been represented in front ot the chariot in Euripides.
The cha.riotts used on earlier occasions ("sic tugere soleon ) in Medea's
career is mentioned by Ovid. (~2t. 711 220J 350; 391) ..
2
In Euripides 9 play"
the crane-like m~c.b~ was used to enable Medea to escape in her ohariot".3
and no doubt Seneca. could ha.ve made use of this device ~ i t his play was
acted on the stage.
1024. rec;i,R~. ,1am ni1t~.!s Medea. hurls the bodies to Ja.son. In E•. !!S.. v. 1378
if. she determines to take them with her to bury them.
1026-7. T. S. Eliot (§plected E,!sa;tt, p. 73) rie,btly comments: "It seems
to be more -effective it we take the meaning to be that there &reno gOds
1
See Page, ~~i~e.!LMedea, p. XltVii,
2
Ot. HoI'. ~. 3, 14; Apollod. 1, 9, 28.
3
See T.B.L. Webster, (freek ipeatre aoduct1pn, (London, 1956), p. 12.
195
Jlbbl.'eV'iat.ions
__ ... t ~~
Seneca.
..... .HedE!l&.o New York, 1956.
Kir~er9 1'1 Hughi""aCJ)i(a.st.er. l'hrs8 'rz·a,gedies of Seneca Hercules l~tJl"enep Tl'oa<les,
!{OO!!. ',dtb a.n introduction arid notes" -New- York, 1900*7'
196
W'ox;kl,on Se~e~~
, , , /' / \ ,
Grimal. Pierr,_ fiLes !r;a~ed:les de Sen,quen , in Raymond Lebegue, tid.,
L..!S Iraaooie,s C'.\8 serusue et 11 Ibea\re de la R!~i~.s.a!'.\~H'.. par18,1964 ..
,'.
Hansen, E.
Ber11~"
.
nil1
~4"
S~!llg dlr Atf~ktr,e(h' win. den Tra.i~i~ll-
,
eles §ell~q!. Dies ..
Farnell, L.R. Ih~ Cl.\l.ts ~~ Ml- 0r....k ~t!:t~,. S vols. OXf'ord, 1897...1909.
Fordyoe, C.J.2!\U+l.,Yo, +. ,Q9.B!fA!lltaU. Oxford, 1961.
Har.h,P .w. A HarulbooJ5 .0f.~\""a...l D.~. Pa.lo Alto, 1944.
Lamb, Winifred. ~.r.e!5.'!.nqR0p!n.J.tto,n"ea. Londcm, 1929_
Lowe, v.E. ~,;q ,1q. Sil\:e,*, .~nt4ftPme.B Llt,ra:ture. OxtoN, 1929.
~..aGuinneaCl# ?l.s. X!£&Q, ..A!M!4 I~~. London, 1960.
~.,.;.dOl"t., Erwi.n. ~! li£1"fhe Uqehz~lt,"~lGht bel ,9..11 yriech!.!! une
!2~!£9. Die •• Oies88n, 19 3.
Mff1gls, R. u&tI!!rl.,Olt1a.. OXford, 1960.
Hohler, S.t. usails and oar. 1n the Aeneid", IAPI} 79 (1948), 46...62.
M.ooner, -w.w. D,. "IiqU8.-~q£ ~ the Anciyt S;!tY!. D1ell. Princeton, 1914.
MOI'tord, M.P .. O. "Ttle Purpose ot Lucan's Ninth Book", 1!i., 26 (1967),
123-9 •
. .----.... Tn- fiat L'qcan. Oxford, 1967.
0' Brien-Hoore, A. l<ia.dn!8~ in Ancri!ni Literature. Diss. Princeton, 1924.
Pa,e, DWV'8 L. WYt¥~8 Heel!!!_ OXford" 1938.
Pease, A.S. P .. Veri'+.*~ ..Maronla Ae!1.i~oa W=ber Q~rt'W,. Harward, 193;.
200