Euripides

1
Euripides Bacchæ
2
Bacchæ

• Important Names
• Dionysus (a.k.a. Bacchus, Bromius)
• Pentheus
• Agave
• Teiresias
• Cadmus
• Recent commentary by Richard Seaford
• Older commentary (keyed to the Greek) by E. R.
  Dodds

• Not part of a trilogy. Produced at the city
  Dionysia along with Iphigeneia at Aulis and
  Alcmeon.
• Date posthumous, produced soon after 406 B.C.
• Plot Pentheus denies Dionysus is a god. D.
  proves him wrong. Cf. Hypotheses.

3
Plot Summary

• I. Prologue by the god Dionysus (1-63).
• A. Identity (1-3)
• B. Birth (4-13)
• C. Travels (14-19)
• D. The situation at Thebes (20-38)
• E. The future (39-55)
• F. D summons the bacchæ (56-63)
• II. Parodos n.b. the ætiology (64-166)

4
Plot Summary (cont.)

• III. Dialogue between Cadmus, Teiresias, and
  Pentheus (167-369)
• A. Teiresias summons Cadmus from the palace
  (167-177)
• B. Cadmus and Teiresias discuss Dionysus and his
  cult (178-214)
• C. Pentheus enters angry (215-262)
• 1. On the bacchæ (215-232)
• 2. On the new priest of bacchæ (233-247)
• 3. To Cadmus (248-253)
• 4. To Teiresias (254-262)

5
Plot Summary (cont.)

• D. Teiresias reply (266-328)
• 1. On Pentheus (266-271)
• 2. On the gift of Dionysus (271-286)
• 3. On the birth of Dionysus µ???? vs. µ????
  (287-298)
• 4. Other powers (298-309)
• 5. Warning to Pentheus (309-328)
• E. Cadmus reply (329-343)
• 1. Go along with it, mboy (329-337)
• 2. Remember Actæon (338-341)

6
Plot Summary (cont.)

• F. Pentheus refuses (343-358)
• 1. Orders the seat of the prophets activity
  destroyed (343-351)
• 2. Orders the priest arrested for execution,
  exits (352-358)
• G. Teiresias final speech he and Cadmus exit
  (358-369)
• IV. 1st Stasimon (370-432)

7
Plot Summary (cont.)

• V. Pentheus vs. Dionysus I (433-519)
• A. Dionysus led in by a servant (433-452)
• 1. The arrest (433-444)
• 2. The escape of the bacchæ (444-452)
• B. Pentheus interrogates Dionysus (452-519)
• VI. 2nd Stasimon (520-575)
• VII. Epiphany of Dionysus (576-642)
• A. Destruction of the Palace (576-603)
• B. Dionysus as a mortal again (604-642)

8
Plot Summary (cont.)

• VIII. Pentheus vs. Dionysus II (643-659)
• IX. First Messenger Speech a cowherd (660-786)
• A. The revel (660-714)
• B. The ambush (714-750)
• C. Attack of the women (751-768)
• D. Advice for Pentheus (768-786)
• X. Pentheus vs. Dionysus III (787-861)
• A. Pentheus prepares war (787-810)
• B. Pentheus falls under Dionysus spell (811-861)

9
Plot Summary (cont.)

• XI. 3rd Stasimon (862-911)
• XII. Pentheus and Dionysus (912-976)
• XIII. 4th Stasimon (977-1023)
• XIV. 2nd Messenger Speech Pentheus servant
  (1024-1152)
• A. Dialogue between messenger and the chorus
  (1024-1042)
• B. The slaying of Pentheus (1043-1152)
• XV. 5th Stasimon (1153-1164)

10
Plot Summary (cont.)

• XVI. Exodus (1165-1392)
• A. Dialogue between Agave and the chorus
  (1165-1215)
• B. Dialogue between Cadmus and Agave (1216-1300)
• C. Funeral of Pentheus (1301-1329)
• D. Appearance of Dionysus (1330-1368)
• E. Departure of Agave (1369-1388)
• F. Choral Coda (1389-1394)