Class Wednesday Sept. 23, Euripides, Herakles

Here is one translation of HF for when I ask you to read a section in
translation:
http://www.theoi.com/Text/SenecaHerculesFurens.html

That is the old Loeb. The new Loeb by Fitch is in the department
library in Goethean.

For next class, we will be doing something different by reading
English, a translation of Euripides. You need not read the same one,
but it may help to do so. I am attaching Vellacott's translation of
Euripides Heracles and I also uploaded it to edisk.

If you get a chance to read Vellacott's intro, it may help you
understand Euripides' artistry (i.e. what he is trying to show).

I know that you will not have read the HF completely yet, but you have
read Fitch's Intro which described the plot. I think it will be good
for all of you to familiarize yourselves with Euripides' version,
which is Seneca's primary model though he may have consulted a later
Greek or Roman version of the story too. Some of you may want to do a
comparative paper for this class--looking at specific differences
between the two.

Things to consider while reading Euripides:

1. How does the Introduction compare with what we have read so far in
Seneca? How does this change our view of Heracles or any other
characters?

2. In Seneca Lycus attempts to marry Megara. This is not in
Euripides. Why do you think Seneca did this?

3. In Seneca (not in Euripides), we have Theseus giving a vivid
description of Hercules exploits in Hades. How does that affect our
view of Hercules?

4. In Euripides (as commonly for such scenes in Greek tragedy), the
murder actually occurs off-stage and is reported by a messenger.
Fitch suggests (possibly correctly) that Seneca has followed a later
model in staging the murder. On the other hand, he may have decided to
do this on his own. How does this choice whether original or derived
from a second model affect the drama and our reception? Does this
affect our view of the performance question?

5. I think you will find a major difference between the character of
Euripides' Heracles and Seneca's Hercules. Try to come up with some
specific points of dissimilarity and consider how this might reveal
what the poets were trying to do. Also do you like one author's
Heracles more than the other? If so, why, and does this mean that you
prefer that author's play?