Nero Tulip’s Anti-Platonic Symposium Dramatic Poets Aeschylus SEPT 7, 2024

Location Fat Tony's Discord Server Lounge

The kindly ones and the Areopagus

Plays The Persian, Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides

Questions for The Persians

1. The historic Darius planned the invasion of Greece a second time after a failed attempt and was part of the defeat at Marathon, why do you think that Darius is treated as a great king when he has failed, and why is Xerxes considered a failure and arrogant when he is just pursuing Darius original plan?
2. How do both parents fail Xerxes, how is the living mother and dead father , not able to help Xerxes enter the city with some dignity? He enters the city in rags and taters, how is Darius never facing him and his mother missing his arrival the centerpiece of the play
3. Discuss the conjuring of Darius, how is the reveal unique how would have it played to the Greek audience.
4. This is the only extent Greek Play of the Dionysian that had a modern plot with real historic figures, how does the play mythologize the royal family?

The Oresteia- Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides

1. The Agamemnon has a prologue of the watchmen, what is the purpose of this prologue?
2. Discuss the temptation vs hubris of Agamemnon, how is he brought onto the red silks how is he lead to slaughter.
3. Discuss Clytemnestra relationship with Agamemnon and Aegisthus, her coup de gras and trapping of Agamemnon overthrows a king and supplants a tyranny. Is her sin that she only that her murder is not sanctioned by the gods.
4. There is a lot of prophecy in the trilogy, Cassandra, Orestes Oracle and Apollo defending Orestes in the Areopagus, Cassandra prophecy is of doom Orestes is of redemptions, how is Orestes freed of his crime while his mother is divinely punished for hers hers?
5. Zeus the king of the new goods is called forth but never seen, he is prevalent is he impotent or is there reverence in the references to him.
6. Is Apollo as much on the hook as Orestes in the trial? Is Athene and Athens under threat if the the trial results does not satisfy the furies ?
7. The first two plays have the weak citizens and libation bearers while the Eumenides have the Furies who are tamed and necessary to sanction the Areopagus as a meaningful court. are the Persians similar to Argos citizen? I would like to discuss the description of the powerful furies, there vampiric and devouring nature, and there real menace. Also the repeated chorus's as they sing monstrous curses. How are they transformed by Athena?
8. This is the first trilogy we have, it also has the first stage change with in a play, how does Aeschylus take advantage of change of venue. How is Athens the city of justice.
9. Discuss the old gods the Furies vs the new gods the Olympians ?