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Talthybius in the Trojan Women Author(s): Kristine Gilmartin Source: The American Journal of Philology, Vol. 91, No. 2 (Apr., 1970), pp. 213-222 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/293044 Accessed: 27-04-2017 22:42 UTC JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

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TALTHYBIUS IN THE TROJAN WOMEN.

In the many discussions of the structure and mean Euripides' Trojan Women, the character and function o herald Talthybius are mentioned only occasionally, usu passing. Yet he is a minor character whose role and pers give us new insight into the whole tragedy. Euripides h him as a structural device, not merely for dramatic conv but because the herald here represents what little orde civilization is left in the midst of disaster, grief, and ru The theatrical effectiveness of the Trojan Women is

niable, but its construction has been the subject of some sch

debate. Wilamowitz and others criticized the play as a l joined series of scenes.1 In reply scholars have admitted

the tragedy does not have Aristotelian unity,2 but insist th

incidents "have complete dramatic relevance and together a single and clear emotional pattern." 3 In addition, We saw the play as symmetrically composed: between the ko parodos and the final kommos two scenes are elaborate of Cassandra, before and after which Polyxene's fate is sidered, and that of Helen, before and after which Asty the subject.4 Friedrich saw a structural pattern in whic announcement of the fate of Astyanax is the axis,5 and t dromache-scene is the pathetic mid-point of the drama center of a triptych of scenes: Cassandra-Andromache-

'E.g. Ghriechische Trag6dien iibersetzt von Ulrich von Wilam Moellendorff (Berlin, 1906), III, p. 263; Alfred and Maurice C Histoire de la litt6rature grecque (2nd ed., Paris, 1899), III, p Max Pohlenz, Die griechische Tragodie (G6ttingen, 1954), p. 366 2H. D. F. Kitto, Greek Tragedy (London, 1939; Anchor ed. 1 p. 221; G. M. A. Grube, The Drama of Euripides (London, 1941) T. B. L. Webster, Greek Art and Literature 530-400 B.C. (Oxford, 1939), p. 155. I wish to thank Prof. Webster for his helpful criticism of this paper. 8 Grube, p. 81; see also pp. 282 f. Cf. Kitto, pp. 219-25. 4Webster, p. 159. The prologue stands outside the pattern. Wolf H. Friedrich, Euripides und Diphilos (Munich, 1953), p. 74. Ibid., p. 62. 213

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214

KRISTINE GILMARTIN.

with links backward to the first arrival of Talthybi and forward to the dirge for Astyanax (1118 ff.).7 The two most recent (1967) considerations of the of the play, Webster's and Conacher's, represent th proaches to this problem: the technical and the ph

Webster essentially reiterates his earlier analysi

specifically mentions Talthybius in the pattern: "(a)

with misunderstood news of Polyxene, (b) Kassa Andromache with news of Polyxene's death, (c) with orders for Astyanax' death, (bl) Helen, (cl)

with Astyanax' body." 8 Conacher finds a "rhythm forms the structure of the play," for "in default of on the part of Hecuba there appears . . . a curious in hope which punctuates the sufferings," but is again stamped out.9 Most often Talthybius' announcements these gleams of hope, as Conacher's analysis reveals

interpretations imply Talthybius' importance,l b

define it.

The thematic symmetry observed by Webster is not

forced by Talthybius, but would be static and artific

his human agency. It is because of his character

hearted euphemism (264-70),12 that Polyxene's deat

twice in the drama, before and after the Cassan

Again, his sympathetic character makes the symmet the Astyanax motif, before and after the Helen-sc tionally convincing. The Greek herald's pity for th prince (709-19, 732-6, 782-9) gives his return with (1123 ff.) a human as well as a structural motivatio 7 Ibid., p. 74. 8 T. B. L. Webster, The Tragedies of Euripides (London, 1967), p. 283. 9 D. J. Conacher, Euripidean Drama (Toronto and London, 1967), p. 139. '0 Conacher, pp. 139-44.

11 See also Friedrich, pp. 73-4; L. Parmentier, introduction to the Bude edition (Paris, 1925), pp. 10-11. Kitto describes the herald as " coming in like a series of telegrams" (p. 220), but this does not figure in his structural analysis. Hans Strohm (Euripides, [Munich, 1957]), following Friedrich, speaks of "die Rolle des Herolds Talthybios, dessen viermaliges Auftreten das Stuck iusserlich gliedert" (p. 117).

:2 The text used is that of Gilbert Murray (Oxford, 1913).

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TALTHYBIUS IN THE " TROJAN WOMEN."

215

bius is not absolutely tied to the thematic symmetry,

does not himself bring up the Polyxene theme the second t

however, and his appearances in the play do not form a pattern, since he does not figure in the Helen-scene. The rhythm of rising and falling hopes analyzed by C clarifies the emotional structure of the tragedy, helps

how "the power of this play increases steadily un

finished; its closing lines leave us with a sense of comp ..."14 But for the audience in the theater, this prog must be seen more concretely. Talthybius' repeated en accomplish this necessary reinforcement. He not only hopes with words, his departures effect an increasing

logical and physical desolation on the stage as he le

Cassandra, Astyanax, and finally Hecuba and all the w

But again, in the Helen-scene Euripides does not us

Hecuba's hope for vengeance is quenched by Menelaus.l6

Talthybius helps us to see that in the composition

Trojan Women the rising and falling pattern of emotio

velopment is complemented by a thematic symmetry. Two

acters, Hecuba and Talthybius, one continually pres other coming and going throughout the play, forge t dents of the drama together. Yet the herald also, beca appearances are slightly irregular in rhythm, contribut feeling of disjointedness we have about this play. The rated scenes remain distinct in our minds. All the sch debate and the differing conclusions 7 should make us that the tragedy has disunity as well as unity. The su the Trojan Women suggests that Euripides has deliberat

18 Though Hecuba mentions Talthybius by name (625). 14 Conacher, p. 138. 16 I am indebted to my student at Vassar College, Elizabeth W

for this observation. Her paper, "Heralds of Gods and Men," h enced and stimulated my thinking about Talthybius.

16 As Strohm (p. 116, n. 3) notes, quoting Dietrich Ebener ("Die

Hel.-Szene der Tro.," Wiss. Ztschr. der Martin Luther Universitdt, Halle-Wittenberg, (III [1954]): ". . Menelaos selbst an die Stelle des 'Abholers' tritt . . ." (715).

17 Is the announcement of the fate of Astyanax the high point (Fried-

rich, p. 74), or his burial (Grube, p. 282; Louise M. Mead, "The Troades of Euripides," G. & R., 1939, p. 107)? Conacher's 'rhythm' ends with the Helen-scene (p. 144).

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KRISTINE GILMARTIN.

216

produced the episodic disorder of the aftermath of noticeable but not inartistic degree. Since Euripides gave to the Greek herald such a con structural function in the play, he also had a chance

his character. Talthybius is not a colorless messe

opinions of his character differ considerably. Most c

him a sympathetic person, and credit him with tact, co

kindness, and humanity.l8 Particularly when he mus to Andromache and Hecuba the sentence of death on (709 ff.), Talthybius reveals his distaste for the cruel must carry out and his pity for the victims. As Gr notes, "it is he who breaks into anapaests, and thus

starts the lamentation which is taken up by Hecuba." 19

lines also (782-9) he analyzes himself: Tra 6 rotole Xp

KEVEtV? 0rTt' avoLKT70 / Kat avaci8Ea 'T? ' jtLerepas / yvw