The Greeks regarded the words of their great playwrights as "theopneutos," i.e., God-breathed. Do you agree? Cite a line or two from Euripides' "Trojan Women" that might show why the Greeks regarded writers like Euripides as almost equivalent to prophets. Explain why you find this line/these lines inspired or inspiring.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Trojan Women
The Greeks regarded the words of their great playwrights as "theopneutos," i.e., God-breathed. Do you agree? Cite a line or two from Euripides' "Trojan Women" that might show why the Greeks regarded writers like Euripides as almost equivalent to prophets. Explain why you find this line/these lines inspired or inspiring.
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The Greeks may have regarded Euripides as "God-breathed" because of his omniscient way of telling a story. I agree with the Greeks in a metaphoric sense, Euripides' play is definating an enticing, close-to-home one. One line in particular that stood out to me came from Talthybius,the Greek herald with the fate of Hecuba after the Trojen men lost the war. "She too was a chosen prize; Achilles' son did take her." This quote foreshadows how condescendingly the Spartans will treat the losers of the battle.
Megan Marvel
I think that Greek's regarded Euripides as "God-breathed" because his writing was so much different than other writers before his time. He also used characters that many people could relate to. The dialogue that stood out to me was when Hecuba said "Then tell me, whose prize is my daughter, hapless Cassandra?" and Talthybius replies saying, "King Agamemnon hath chosen her out for himself." This stood out to me because Hecuba says that his daughter is unlucky and he also assumes that the king is taking his daughter as a slave. This amazed me, because dad's now would hopefully never say anything like that! He then finds out that is "unlucky" daughter is actually going to be the king's love.
Samantha Gacke
The way some of the people talk to the Gods in "Trojan Women" would persuade someone to think that the person writing the story is a prophet. Hecuba says, "O you who are the support of the earth and are by earth supported, whatever you are, you who defy the guess of our knowledge, O Zeus whether you are the Law of Necessity in nature, or the Law of Reason in man, hear my prayers. You are everywhere, pursuing your noiseless path, ordering the affairs of mortals according to justice." Most anyone reading this line would think that the person writing the story had a great deal of knowledge about the gods, possibly a prophet.
The Greeks must have regarded the words of the great playwrights as "God-breathed" because of their great ability to give insight into the human mind and human behavior as well as teaching lessons. Euripedes is a great example of this, in his line spoken by Hecuba where she says, "Every lewd impulse in man passes for Aphrodite." This verse teaches, on the simplistic level, that you cannot always blame others for your bad judgement or choices. It also gives insight into the common human behavior of justifying choices by making them seem understandable or something that is out of their hands. Euripedes was able to live up to the prophet-like status of the Greek playwrights with lessons and insights such as those that are in this verse.
Jessica Phelps
The Greeks may have regarded the as "God Breathed" because it gave the people of sence of actually being involved. One of the lines that stood out to me was a line that came from the leader. "Nurses of old hecuba, don't you see that your mistress has falled, prostrate and speechless? Take hold of her. Will you leave the old oman lying? O cruel! Lift her upright. He sees how horable the conditions are and it seems he don't want them lying in disrespect. Eventhough they are have fallen for a good reason.
Kristin Bjerke
I think that people regarded euripides as "God breathed" because he had a way of helping people understand. His way with words was able to let most people see society or situations in a different light that made them think about the whole picture and not just one aspect of it. He taught lessons on certain human behavior and taught the consequences or rewards of a certain action.
Ashley Tanner
I think that the Greeks regarded Euripides as "God-breathed" because he had great knowledge and always was a of good character. Because he was of good character and he was so knowledgable I think this alotted people to beleive that he was "God-breathed." One line that stuck out to me during the "Trojan Women" was the one when Hecuba was talking about his daughter and he called her hapless. I don't understand how her father could look at her in such a terrible way and call her such terrible names. Even if a daughter now-a-days was unlucky most fathers would still love them for who they are; although, some fathers are like Hecuba and would treat their daughters like that.
Sierra Bruce
The Greeks probably called Euripides God-breathed because of the way he wrote. A line that shows why Greeks regard writers as prophets would be when Hecuba is talking. "Ah, my child! Brutally butchered! Ah and again ah! How shameful a death!" "Death and life are not the same, my child. Death is nothingness; in life there is hope." THis line is inspiring because it talks about hope in life.
The Greeks probably called Euripides God-breathed because of the way he wrote. A line that shows why Greeks regard writers as prophets would be when Hecuba is talking. "Ah, my child! Brutally butchered! Ah and again ah! How shameful a death!" "Death and life are not the same, my child. Death is nothingness; in life there is hope." THis line is inspiring because it talks about hope in life.
Natasha Doxsee
The Greeks may have regarded the as "God Breathed" because it gave the people a sence of actually being involved. One of the lines that stood out to me was, "She too was a chosen prize; Achilles' son did take her." This line to me means that this is the way that they are going to treat the losers of the battle against the spartans.
-Rick Schiley-
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