Rhesus

Euripides (c.480–c.406 BC), translated by Theodoridis, G., (contributor-contact-email)

Rhesus is a Greek tragedy generally attributed to Euripides. The play, set during the Trojan War and paralleling events in Homer’s Iliad, is set on a night when Trojan guards spot fires in the Greek camp - leading Hector and Aeneas to debate their response. Dolon volunteers to spy on the Greeks, hoping to claim Achilles’s horses as a reward. Concurrently, Rhesus, the Thracian king, arrives to aid the Trojans, facing criticism from Hector for his delayed appearance.

Odysseus and Diomedes, aiming to assassinate Hector, instead encounter and kill Dolon. Guided by Athena, they kill Rhesus instead of Hector, seizing his prized horses. Rhesus’ death leads to accusations of treachery within the Trojan camp, primarily against Hector. The play concludes with the appearance of Rhesus’ mother, a Muse, who blames Odysseus, Diomedes, and Athena for the treachery and foretells Rhesus’ resurrection and immortalization.

This play shifts focus from Dolon’s role in the Iliad to Rhesus and the Trojan reactions to his murder, offering a unique perspective on the Trojan War narrative.

Author Details

Euripides, a preeminent Greek tragedian born around 480 BC on the island of Salamis, was a transformative figure in the evolution of ancient Greek drama. He was the son of Mnesarchus, a merchant, and Cleito. Initially destined to be an athlete, as per an oracle’s prophecy, Euripides’ career was redirected towards the arts, encompassing studies in philosophy under Anaxagoras and Prodicus, and painting.

Among the trio of great tragedians, including also Aeschylus and Sophocles, Euripides is noted for his innovative approach to drama. He is credited with infusing classical Greek theatre with a modern sensibility, portraying mythical heroes as ordinary individuals in extraordinary situations. This novel perspective heralded significant developments in drama, influencing later forms including comedy and romance.

Ancient sources attribute as many as 92 plays to him, but only around 18 or 19 have survived in a complete form, with the authorship of “Rhesus” being subject to debate. His works are distinguished by their deep exploration of characters’ inner lives - in stark contrast to the style of his contemporaries.

Euripides’ own life intersected significantly with contemporary intellectual movements, granting Socrates’ and himself prominent positions in Athenian culture - which led to both being criticized by comic poets including Aristophanes.

In his later years, there are conflicting accounts about his voluntary exile and death in Macedonia around 406 BC, with both the assumption his death there, and the nature of his relationship with King Archelaus, being questioned by modern scholars.

His dramatic contributions are multifaceted, marked by a shift from traditional heroic narratives to more nuanced, often controversial, explorations of societal issues and human psychology, in plays characterized by their rhetorical prowess and innovative use of language, reflecting contemporary Athenian society and its complexities.

Despite winning only a few dramatic competitions in his lifetime, Euripides’ impact on the genre of tragedy, and his influence on subsequent generations of playwrights and dramatists, is undeniable. He remains a pivotal figure in the evolution of Western drama.

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Theodoridis, G.,

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