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The Phoenician Women is a tragedy by Euripides, based on the same story as Aeschylus' play Seven Against Thebes. The title refers to the Greek chorus, which is composed of Phoenician women on their way to Delphiwho are trapped in Thebes by the war. Unlike some of Euripides' other plays, the chorus does not play a significant role in the plot, but represents the innocent and neutral people that very often are found in the middle of war situations. Patriotism is a significant theme in the story, as Polynices talks a great deal about his love for the city of Thebes but has brought an army to destroy it; Creon is also forced to make a choice between saving the city and saving the life of his son.Euripides wrote the play around 408 BC, under the influence of a big defeat of his homeland, Athens, which then faced a military disaster.
This rich and challenging play ranges over the supreme myth of Oidipous and his doomed family. With its brooding imagery, extravagant language, ebullient rhetoric and scenic display it is quintessential Euripides. With its broad, yet unified, thematic sweep it offers important points of comparison with other Theban plays and valuable insights into late fifth century religion, politics and society.For this volume Elizabeth Craik has prepared a new edition of the play, with a selective apparatus. Suspect lines are clearly marked; but the fundamental integrity of the tradition is defended. Text with facing translation, commentary and notes.