extra Pauline instances of APOQNHSKEIN hUPER/(EPI)DIDONAI hEAUTON hUPER

Alex / Ali alexali at surf.net.au
Thu Feb 10 07:52:14 EST 2000


Jeffrey Gibson asked about "the pre-pauline use of the topos 'X died /gave
him(her)self for Y',"  and Clayton's response had the effect of waking me
up, somewhat;  I've been too busy lately to do much more than skim postings.
Alcestis 284:  QNHiSKW, PARON MOI MH QANEIN, hUPER SEQEN - and the whole
play concerns Alcestis' giving up her life for her husband.  The case of
Macaria in the Heraclidae may be relevant (eg 500-502, but not explicit with
the X for Y terms): MH NUN TRESHiS ET' ECQRON ARGEION DORU.  EGW GAR AUTH
PRIN KELEUSQHNAI, GERON, QNHSKEIN hHTOIMH KAI PARISTASQAI SFAGHi.  Also
Iphigenia (in Aulis) 1397b:  DIDWMI SWMA TOUMON hHLLADI.  (Chasing up Clay's
suggestion, I looked through the Allen/Italie concordance to Euripides but
hUPERQNHiSKW doesn't appear in the IA.  Iph's lines from 1375-1401 address
the X dies for Y theme).  Clay mentioned hUPERQNHiSKW in the Phoinissai,
where Menoiceus says at 997B-998, SWiSW POLIN YUCHN TE DWSW THSD'
hUPERQANEIN CQONOS.  Lines 1013-1014 are also worth looking at, and
1055-1056 (hOS EPI QANATON OICETAI GAS hUPER PATRWiAS);  Creon had said
(968-969) AUTOS D' - EN hWRAIWi GAR hESTAMEN BIOU - QNHiSKEIN hETOIMOS
PATRIDOS EKLUTHRION.  The lines at Hecuba 547-552 may be of some interest,
and Euadne's episode in the Supplices is another example of Euripides' use
of the theme of self-sacrifice, though not with quite the same X for Y idea.
I have in front of me an unpublished doctoral thesis, 'Self-Sacrifice in
Euripidean Drama' which I'll continue to scan.  Clay's reference to the IA
took me back to a theme which held considerable interest for me some years
back.

Dr Alex Hopkins (Melbourne, Australia)




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