The Phoenician Women Monologue Essay Example For Students

The Phoenician Women Monologue Essay A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. ii. Trans. Shelley Dean Milman. London: J.M. Dent Sons, 1922. JOCASTA: Believe me, O Eteocles my son, Old age is not by wretchedness alone Attended: more discreetly than rash youth Experience speaks. Why dost thou woo ambition, That most malignant goddess? O forbear! For she\s a foe to justice, and hath entered Full many a mansion, many a prosperous city, Nor left them till in ruin she involves All those who harbour her: yet this is she On whom thou doat\st. \Twere better, O my son, To cultivate equality, who joins Friends, cities, heroes, in one steadfast league For by the laws of nature, through the world Equality was \stablished: but the wealthy Finds in the poorer man a consant foe; Hence bitter enmity derives its source. Equality, among the human race, Measures, and weights, and numbers hath ordained: Both the dark orb of night and radiant sun Their annual circuits equally perform; Each, free from envy, to the other yields Alternately; thus day and night afford Their services to man. Yet wilt not thou Be satisfied to keep an equal portion Of these domains, and to thy brother give His due. Where then is justice? Such respect As sober reason disapproves, why pay\st thou To empire, to oppression crowned with triumph? To be a public spectacle thou deem\st Were honourable. \Tis but empty pride. When thou hast much already, why submit To toils unnumbered? What\s superfluous wealth But a mere name? Sufficient to the wise Is competence: for man possesses naught Which he can call his own. Though for a time What bounty the indulgent gods bestow We manage, they resume it at their will: Unstable riches vanish in a day. Should I to thee th\ alternative propose Either to reign, or save thy native land, Couldst thou reply that thou hadst rather reign? But if he conquer, and the Argive spears O\erpower the squadrons who from Cadmus spring, Thou wilt behold Thebes taken, wilt behold Our captive virgins ravished by the foe: That empire which thou seek\st will prove the bane Of thy loved country; yet thou still persist\st In mischievous ambition\s wild career. Thus far to thee. And now to you I speak, O Polynices; favours most unwise Are those Adrastus hath on you bestowed, And with misjudging fury are you come To spread dire havoc o\er your native land. If you (which may the righteous gods avert!) This city take, how will you rear the trophies Of such a battle? How, when you have laid Your country waste, th\ initiatory rites Perform, and slay the victims? On the banks Of Inachus displayed, with what inscription Adorn the spoilsFrom blazing Thebes these shields Hath Polynices won, and to the gods Devoted? Never, O my son, through Greece May you obtain such glory. But if you Are vanquished and Eteocles prevail, To Argos, leaving the ensanguined field Strewn with unnumbered corses of the slain, How can you flee for succour? \Twill be said By some malignant tongue: A curst alliance Is this which, O Adrastus, thou hast formed: We to the nuptials of one virgin owe Our ruin. You are hastening, O my son, Into a twofold mischief: losing all That you attempt, and causing your brave friends To perish. O my sons, this wild excess Of rage, with joint occurrence, lay aside. By equal folly when two chiefs inspired To battle rush, dire mischief must ensue.