Themis, a study of the social origins of Greek ... - Warburg Institute

354 Ritual Forms in Greek Tragedy
Let us now consider the other forms, especially the group
Agon, Pathos, Messenger, Threnos.
Pathos and Messenger almost always go together; the Agon
is doubtless less characteristically ritual than the other parts, as
arguments and spirited dialogue scenes naturally tend to occur in
any drama. With respect to the Agon and Threnos we will
chiefly notice how they stand in relation to the Messenger, and
how far the supposed original order of sequence is preserved in
each play.
Euripides being the clearest and most definite in his ritual
forms, we will take him first.
Alcestis : being a Satyr-play it need not conform to the tragic type. It
has, however, in the proper place the Agon (Heracles and Death), Threnos
and Resurrection.
Milieu : typical, with the necessary modifications. Agon, Medea against
herself 1020— 1080. (The scene before has also been an Agon, Medea outwitting
Jason.) Pathos and Messenger 1121— 1230; quasi-Threnos in the
frightful scene (1251—1292) where the children are murdered behind the
barred door : quasi-Theophany, as explained above. (There cannot be a
real Threnos because that is definitely forbidden by Medea 1378 ff. We
may conjecture that there was no dpfjvos in the Corinthian rite: cf. Paus.
II. 3. 6 and Sehol. Med. 273. If it was intended to mitigate infant mortality,
this would be natural.)
Heracleidae : see above on Eurystheus. The Pathos-Messenger (799—866)
announces the battle and the capture of Eurystheus; there then follows an
Agon-scene, apparently out of its order ; the end is incomplete, but it
contained the establishment of
Hero.
the funeral rite by Eurystheus himself, as
Hippolytus : typical. Agon, Messenger with Pathos, Threnos, Anagnorisis,
Theophany. See above.
Andromache : typical : same
order. See above.
Hecuba: the Messenger comes early in the play, hence we cannot have a
Theophany immediately following it. In compensation a Ghost appears at
the beginning. We have Agon between Odysseus and Hecuba-Polyxena
(218—440) : Messenger with Pathos 484—582 : then Threnos in Hecuba's
speech. Then the course of the play interrupts. On the end see above,
p. 353.
Supplices : clear sequence. Agon between Herald and Theseus-Adrastus
(399—597); Messenger announcing the Battle 634— 777; then Threnos. This
Threnos is enormously developed and practically includes the rest of the
play up to the Theophany, except that it is interrupted by the Euadne scene.
(That scene is evidently put in, and very skilfully, to fill up the interval
while the slain men are cremated and their bones made ready for burial.
But it must, no doubt, have some ritual explanation also.)
Heracles: the sequence is peculiar. The Messenger bursts out from the
ruined house at 909. The scene before has been the divine apparition of
Lyssa, which, however, is quite different in character from the regular
Theophanies. I am inclined to think that technically the attack of Lyssa
upon Heracles is an Agon; see below on the Iph. Aul., Persae and Septem.