Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Bibliography of short titles
- 1 Introductory
- 2 The mind of Ajax
- 3 The burial of Ajax
- 4 Trachiniae
- 5 Sophocles and the irrational: three odes in Antigone
- 6 Creon and Antigone
- 7 Fate in Sophocles
- 8 The fall of Oedipus
- 9 Furies in Sophocles
- 10 Electra
- 11 Oedipus at Colonus
- 12 Philoctetes
- 13 Heroes and gods
- Appendices
- A The Parodos of Trachiniae
- B Trachiniae 248ff.
- C Prometheus Vinctus 511–20
- D The Parodos of Electra
- E Locality in Oedipus Coloneus
- F Philoctetes 419ff.
- G The chronology of the plays
- Select index
C - Prometheus Vinctus 511–20
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Bibliography of short titles
- 1 Introductory
- 2 The mind of Ajax
- 3 The burial of Ajax
- 4 Trachiniae
- 5 Sophocles and the irrational: three odes in Antigone
- 6 Creon and Antigone
- 7 Fate in Sophocles
- 8 The fall of Oedipus
- 9 Furies in Sophocles
- 10 Electra
- 11 Oedipus at Colonus
- 12 Philoctetes
- 13 Heroes and gods
- Appendices
- A The Parodos of Trachiniae
- B Trachiniae 248ff.
- C Prometheus Vinctus 511–20
- D The Parodos of Electra
- E Locality in Oedipus Coloneus
- F Philoctetes 419ff.
- G The chronology of the plays
- Select index
Summary
The authenticity of P.V. has long been under suspicion. A careful and unprejudiced examination of this problem by Mark Griffith (The authenticity of ‘Prometheus Bound’, Cambridge 1977)–and particularly the metrical evidence which he adduces – has made it hard to believe any longer in its Aeschylean authorship. Whoever wrote it, it remains, however, an important document closely related to Aeschylean thought; and it contains a passage closely relevant to the themes discussed in chapter 7.
Prometheus, rebellious against Zeus, has said (103ff.) that he must bear his fated destiny (τὴν π∈πρωνην αἶσαν) as easily as he can, recognizing that the force of ananke is irresistible. At 511ff., in reply to the facile optimism of the friendly Chorus, he states that his release from bondage is not predestined until he has suffered a myriad torments.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Sophocles: An Interpretation , pp. 334 - 335Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1980