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sologdin's Reviews > Seneca: Tragedies, Volume I: Hercules. Trojan Women. Phoenician Women. Medea. Phaedra
Seneca: Tragedies, Volume I: Hercules. Trojan Women. Phoenician Women. Medea. Phaedra (Loeb Classical Library)
by
by
Much concern here with natalist biopolitical management, evident in the choice of subject matter: person kills his own children while crazed, person kills others' children because of fear, person kills her own children while jealous, person kills own child as judgment, person causes own children's uttermost loss through intentional acts based on faultless ignorance. Good stuff. I've commented on specifics in the notes, and in reviews of the Greek originals, with which Seneca was in close colloquy.
These Loeb editions are of course kickass: small, durable, facing page. Seneca is as expected--the unlikely mix of irredeemable gore & violence with irreproachable stoic sententiae and wit.
These Loeb editions are of course kickass: small, durable, facing page. Seneca is as expected--the unlikely mix of irredeemable gore & violence with irreproachable stoic sententiae and wit.
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Reading Progress
April 19, 2018
–
Started Reading
April 19, 2018
– Shelved
April 19, 2018
–
21.25%
"Hercules Furens - 'known in every land [ubique notus], I have lost [perdidi] place for exile [exilio locum]' (l. 1331).
cosmopolitan warrior, who 'hastes to purge the earth' (purgare terras prospero (l. 1279)), after having pacified the entire earth (l. 441 &c), returns and slaughters entire family in post-war PTSD rage; stoic stepfather cautions calm, shifts blame to jealous Juno. bad drama, good writing."
page
119
cosmopolitan warrior, who 'hastes to purge the earth' (purgare terras prospero (l. 1279)), after having pacified the entire earth (l. 441 &c), returns and slaughters entire family in post-war PTSD rage; stoic stepfather cautions calm, shifts blame to jealous Juno. bad drama, good writing."
April 20, 2018
–
39.82%
"Troades - after the "great overthrow of nations [tanta clades gentium]" (l.229), prisoners of war are divided by lots among the victors, recognizing that "greatness can be in a moment overthrown" (l. 263). Even though Troy is "razed to the ground" (l. 278), the victors still require sacrifices of children, who bear their affliction with Seneca's stoic resolve."
page
223
April 21, 2018
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56.25%
"Medea - one exchange captures this text well enough:
Nurse: The Colchians are no longer on thy side, thy husband's vows have failed, and there is nothing left of all thy wealth [nihilque superest opibus e tantes tibi].
Medea: Medea is left--in her thou beholdest sea and land, and sword and fire and gods and thunder [Medea superest--hic mare et terras vides furrumque et ignes et deos et fulimna]."
page
315
Nurse: The Colchians are no longer on thy side, thy husband's vows have failed, and there is nothing left of all thy wealth [nihilque superest opibus e tantes tibi].
Medea: Medea is left--in her thou beholdest sea and land, and sword and fire and gods and thunder [Medea superest--hic mare et terras vides furrumque et ignes et deos et fulimna]."
April 22, 2018
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75.54%
"Hippolytus - easily reduced to this exchange (ll. 608-612):
Hippolytus: Entrust thy troubles to my ears, mother.
Phaedra: Mother--that name is too proud [superbum] and high; a humbler name better suits my feelings. Call me sister, Hippolytus, or slave--yes, slave is better. I will endure all servitude [omne servitium feram]."
page
423
Hippolytus: Entrust thy troubles to my ears, mother.
Phaedra: Mother--that name is too proud [superbum] and high; a humbler name better suits my feelings. Call me sister, Hippolytus, or slave--yes, slave is better. I will endure all servitude [omne servitium feram]."
April 24, 2018
–
93.39%
"Oedipus - 'shifts the responsibility a bit, such as when Jocasta proclaims that "Fate's is that fault [culpa] of thine: by fate no one is made guilty [nocens]." That's a useful correction to the ethics of the sophoclean variant, which never made much sense from the liberal perspective."
page
523
April 24, 2018
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Finished Reading
