The Parodos’ juxtaposition of time and place is perfectly analogous to its strophic structure. Particularly, the voyage’s departure, middle stop and arrival are narrated in structurally distinct stages. The first strophe and antistrophe (202-225) are dominated by the description of Phoenicia, the departure point of the Chorus’ journey. In like manner, the epode (226-238) is devoted to their anticipated arrival at Delphi, their final destination, while the second strophe and antistrophe (239-260) provide references to the current location, Thebes itself. Each of the three narra-
202 Hartigan (2000) 31.
203 The external appearance of the Chorus is by definition homogenous. The members of the Chorus also think of themselves as a single person, since the consistent use of first person singular is undoubtedly self-reflexive. See for ex- ample their use of first person singular in the vast majority of verbs, participles or pronouns in the parodos of the Phoenissae (202; 214-216; 219; 220-223; 236-239; 247-249; 256-257). For the self-referential choral use of first person singular in tragic poetry, see Kaimio (1970) 23.
204 Sourvinou-Inwood (2003) 272.
205 Sourvinou-Inwood (2003) 273 especially n. 46, where the identity of the Chorus is also connected with the sacrifice of Menoeceus, signaling the separa- tion between royal family and city.
tive units has a special symbolism,206 which alludes not only to specific
points in time and space, but also to particular emotions.207 Phoenicia
stands for the past happiness of the Chorus’ youth, just as Delphi reflects forthcoming religious enthusiasm. Thebes spatially represents the grim narrative present and despair of the young girls who know that war is imminent.
Phoenicia and the past
The detailed analeptic excursus of the first strophe (202-213) maps out the girls’ sea journey. References to the Ionian sea (208) and Sicily (211) reveal a northwestern route, probably involving sailing on the west of Crete and Peloponnese and crossing the Corinthian gulf. Their sea trip must have stopped at Creusis, the harbor of Thespiae, from where Del- phi would be reached by land. Their stop at Thebes, as well as their se- cure transport to Delphi were probably agreed with the Thebans in ad- vance (283-284).208 An external analepsis dominates the first antistrophe
as well, where the girls use past tenses to narrate the events preceding their departure, namely their selection among the citizen body on the grounds of their outstanding beauty (214-215), as well as their religious dedication to Apollo (221). Through another external analepsis they also refer to the common ancestral blood connecting them to the Labdacids and justifying their middle stop at Thebes (216-219).209 This stop how-
ever jeopardizes the fulfillment of their journey, which might not be securely completed. In line 223, through the only present tense verb in the whole of the first strophe and first antistrophe (περιμένει) the Cho-
206 See Arthur (1977) 165: ‘the juxtaposition of the three locales is significant; as the ode progresses different characteristics are associated with each, so that each place develops a separate symbolic as well as geographical meaning’. 207 Parry (1963) 65.
208 Mastronarde (1994) 209-210. It is true that the description of the journey does not clearly map out the selected sea route [Chapouthier, Grégoire & Méridier (1950) 129-131]. However, a description of a similar journey in the Hymn to
Apollo (388-439), shows that sailing on the west of the Peloponnese was a
common policy when departing from Crete and heading to the harbor of Crisa [Mastronarde (1994) 209-210]. According to Wilamowitz [(1921) 278 n. 1], the Chorus had already reached Delphi, but since they had not yet begun their service to Apollo, they visited Thebes because of their ancestral ties to Cadmus. See also Lesky (1972) 445-446, who agrees with the course proposed by Wilamowitz.
209 The Chorus are related to Cadmus, ancestor of Laius and offspring of Agenor. Although not indicated here, according to tradition Agenor, son of Epaphus, was the father of Phoenix (ancestor of the Phoenicians) and Cadmus (ancestor of the Thebans). See Craik (1988) 271 and above, n. 194.
2.2. Surveying the history of Thebes 45 rus refer to Dephi with doubtful hope. At the same time, the use of deictic ἔτι (222-225, ἔτι δὲ Κασταλίας ὕδωρ / περιμένει με κόμας ἐμᾶς / δεῦσαι παρθένιον χλιδὰν / Φοιβείαισι λατρείαις, ‘The waters of Cas- talia still await me / to moisten the maidenly / luxuriance of my hair / in the service of Phoebus’), transfers the origo210 from Thebes to Delphi.
Dramatic hic et nunc, thus gives way to the anticipated arrival at the Cho- rus’ final destination, and the attention of the audience is turned smoothly to the Delphi-oriented epode that follows.
Delphi and the future
In the epode, the poet uses deixis in order to guide his audience’s imagination to Delphi,211 where the Chorus will assume their religious
duties.212 In this light, detailed descriptions of the anticipated services to
Apollo make the audience recall snapshots of Apollonian and Dionysian cultic performance. Frequent references to the Delphic surroundings (226-228, ‘O cliff, shedding a twin-peaked gleam / of fire upon the lofty / sites of Dionysiac transport’; 232-234, ‘O holy cave of the ser- pent / and mountain lookout of the goddesses, / O sacred mount over- spread with snow’; 237-238, ‘leaving Dirce for Phoebus’ vale / at the earth’s navel’) create an imagination-oriented deixis, a deixis am phan-
210 Deictic origo or else indexical ground is the ‘elementary frame of reference, itself embedded in a broader setting by way of contextual or textual elements. … The result of embedding is to subordinate the deictic field to an emerging frame of relevance, which may be an activity, a narrative unfolding, taken for granted, or in dispute among the parties’ [Hanks (2008) 99]. See also above, n. 184.
211 According to Felson (2004) 255, ‘[d]eixis –the “pointing out” and “pointing at” function of language- operates within the two dimensions that frame hu- man cognition: time and space. If we imagine these dimensions as existing in a continuum representable in the form of a graph or grid, then the deictic op- erators of the language provide the means of locating events, states, or objects within this grid’. In the case of this epode, deixis transfers dramatic action to the future and to Delphi.
212 Euripides refers to the Chorus’s devotion by the word δούλα (‘slave’) (204-
205, Φοινίσσας ἀπὸ νάσου, / Φοίβωι δούλα μελάθρων). As observed by Rawson [(1970) 112], the parallelism of the religious dedication of the Chorus to slavery should be connected to the fact that in the rest of the play allusions to slavery are related to the concept of exile; Since Delphi is so distanced from Phoenicia, it could be considered a sort of exile, and consequently, slavery.
tasma,213 where future and Delphi dominate the conception of time and
space respectively.
Although the described religious service to Apollo is to be offered by the Chorus in the future, the group’s references to Delphic practices could also be perceived under a diachronic time-scope, indicated by the use of the present tense. Despite the fact that the descriptions of the Delphic landscape214 are delivered at the play’s hic et nunc, they have a
diachronic religious significance, similar to that of the Apollonian cult. In terms of narrative rhythm, since the time of narration dedicated to Delphic religious practices corresponds to no developments in the story, the narrative pace is slowed down. However, by holding the time of the story still while the narration is still ongoing, the author accentuates the desired diachronic impression. Temporal stagnation is further high- lighted by a list of well chosen landmarks, whose most important char- acteristic is their resistance to time. The described rock (226, πέτρα), cave (232, ἄντρα), and mountain peaks (232-233, οὔ- / ρειαί τε σκοπιαί) create a framework that surrounds Apollo’s cult with nature’s achronic stateliness.
Shortly before the end of the epode, the Chorus wish they were ‘whirling, the deathless goddess’ / dancers; free from fear, / by the hol- lows of Phoibos in the centre of the earth / having left Dirce’ (234- 238).215 Their long list of Delphic invocations is thus finally turned into
an escape-wish, parallel to Antigone’s escape-wish in the Teichoscopia. The Chorus desire to leave Dirce behind and be miraculously trans- ferred to Delphi, just as Antigone wished to be miraculously placed into her brother’s arms. This parallel structure is reinforced by the Chorus’ persistent addresses to Apollo and Dionysus,216 which resemble Anti-
gone’s invocations of Hecate (110), Artemis (151-153; 190-192) and Selene (175-177). In both cases, the hope of escape is accompanied by a narrative impression of movement, which is in conflict with the immo- bility of the girls’ ‘captivity’. Antigone wished to fly; the Chorus, to dance.
213 The term was first coined by Bühler [(1990) 137-157]. Deixis am phantasma is opposed to deixis or demonstratio ad oculos, where the origo is directly perceived by the audience.
214 The vineyard of Dionysus (229-231), the cave of Python (232), the mountain of Parnassus (226-228; 232-234).
215 I here use the translation of Craik (1988), adapted.
216 The Chorus’ addresses to Apollo and Dionysus are hinting at the syncretism of the two gods within the spatial matrix of Delphi. Interestingly enough, in the fourth century, Philodamus of Scarpheia composed a poem where Apollo has Dionysiac features, and Dionysus Apolline. See Powell (1925) 165.
2.2. Surveying the history of Thebes 47 Thebes and the present
The second strophe starts with a shift of origo; its first word (239, νῦν) places the narrative in space and time, namely Thebes and the dramatic present. Through a vivid description with constant use of the present tense, the terrified Chorus (256-258) report that the god of war217 has
approached (239-240, ‘But now before the walls / grim Ares has come’).218 Dramatic present dominates, while future is alluded to only
through a short wish (242, τᾶιδ’ – ὃ μὴ τύχοι – πόλει, ‘for this city: may heaven avert it!’).
The second antistrophe creates an even stronger impression of the present, stressing the fact that the threatening enemy has encircled the city like a dense cloud of shields (250-252). Statements in the present tense increase the imminence of the approaching danger, while the only allusion to the future is uttered in the form of worries about Polynices’ and Eteocles’ well-being (253-255). Enthusiasm about the Chorus’ an- ticipated religious dedication has given way to terror and agony, since the second strophe and second antistrophe contain frequent expressions of fear and desperation.219
In the Parodos, the Phoenissae ‘flirts’ with the features and tone of ‘es- cape-tragedies’. Its distinctively strong sense of place and exoticism, fea- tures generally observed in escape-plays, are though counterbalanced by the rest of the (Greek) characters.220 The expansion of the audience’s
geographical gaze is analogous to the generous use of mythical informa- tion regarding the city and royal family of Thebes. By introducing a Chorus whose descriptions allude to far-off settings, Euripides accentu- ates his pluralistic reception of the Theban myth. The Phoenissae thus creates the impression of a play where anyone –even a Chorus of for- eign girls- can be accommodated, yet no one can solve the myth’s jig-
217 Ares is closely attached to the mythical prehistory of Thebes through his mon- strous offspring that guarded the Theban land, as well as his daughter Harmo- nia, whom Cadmus married.
218 The Chorus are worried about the city’s future because of the common blood that connects Phoenicians and Thebans (see 243-249). Allusion to common origins here –additionally to the first antistrophe where they were first ex- plained (217-218)- creates a ring composition that holds together the ode’s frequent deictic changes of time and space. By expressing their worries, the Phoenician Chorus resemble that of the Seven; from the moment they admit their partly Theban identity, the Phoenician girls share the same reaction with other Theban women.
219 See ἄχη (243); φεῦ φεῦ (246); πημονὰν Ἐρινύων (255); δειμαίνω (257). 220 Contrastingly, in the escape-tragedies, the exoticism of the setting is reduced
saw puzzle about the misfortunes of the Labdacids and their innate ten- dency towards the ruinous path of utter disaster.