Literature of antiquity and the Middle Ages - Summary - 2019
Hepta epi Thebas
Aeschylus (525-456 BC e)
In mythical Greece there were two strongest kingdoms: Thebes in Central Greece and Argos in Southern Greece. In Thebes there was once a king named Laay. He received a prophecy: "No son, you shall ruin the kingdom!" Laid did not obey and gave birth to a son named Oedipus. He wanted to ruin the baby; but Oedipus was saved, grew up on someone else's side, and then accidentally killed Laiah, not knowing that it was his father, and married his widow, not knowing what his mother was. How it happened, and how it opened, and how Odiip suffered, another singer, Sophocles, will tell us. But the worst thing - the destruction of the kingdom - was still ahead.
Oedipus had two sons and two daughters born of a blood-thirsty marriage with his own mother: Eteokl, Polinik, Antigone and Yemen. When Oedipus renounced power, the sons turned away from him, blaming him for sin. Oedipus curse them, forcing them to divide their power with a sword. That's what happened. The brothers agreed to rule alternately, each year. But after the first year, Eteokle refused to leave and banished Polinik from Thebes. The policeman fled to the southern kingdom - to Argos. There, he assembled allies, and they went to the seven-course Thebes. In the decisive battle, two brothers came together and killed each other: Eteokle wound Polinik with a spear, he fell to his knee, Etoukle hung over him, and here Polinik hit him from below with a sword. The enemies trembled, Thebes were rescued this time. Only a generation later, the sons of the seven chiefs came to Thebes on the hike and forever purged Thebes from the face of the earth: Aeschylus wrote about this a trilogy, three tragedies: "Lai" - about the king-perpetrator, "Oedipus" - about the king-sinner and "Seven v. Thebes" - about Eteokle, king hero, who gave life for his city. Only the last one has remained. She is old-fashioned static, almost nothing happens on stage; only the king stands majestically, the messenger comes and goes away, and the choir pityfully stinks.
Eteokl declares: the enemy is approaching, but the gods are the protection of Thebes; let each one fulfill his duty. The bulletin confirms: yes, the seven chiefs have already vowed to win the blood or to fall and the lot of lambs, who go to what gate. The Choir of the Favan women rages in horror, hears death and prays the gods for salvation. Eteokle takes them away: war is a man's business, and a woman's business is to sit at home and not confuse the people with their fear.
The messenger is again: lots are thrown, seven chiefs are attacked. The central, most famous scene begins: the distribution of the gate. The bulletin is frighteningly describing each of the seven; Ateokle calmly responds and firmly gives orders.
"At the first gate is the hero of the Treads: a helmet with a mane, a shield with bells, on a shield a starry sky with a month." "The power is not in the mane, and not in the bells: as if the black night had not reached its very end." And against the Argos chief Eteokle sends the Phanus. "The second gate is the giant of Kapan, on the shield of his warrior with a torch; threatens to burn Thebes with fire, neither men nor gods fear him. " "Whoever is not afraid of the gods will punish the gods; who's next? "And Eteokl sends out the second leader.
"At the third gate is your name, Eto'ok Argos, on his shield, his warrior with a ladder climbs to the tower." "We will turn both - and the one with the shield and the one who is on the shield." And Etheokl sends out the third leader.
"In the fourth gate - the strongman Hypomedont: the shield - as the millstones, on the shield of the serpent Typhon flames with fire and smoke", "He has Tithen on the shield, Zeus with zippers, the winner of Typhon". And Eteokl sends out the fourth leader.
"At the fifth gate - the handsome Parfenopi, on the shield of his miracle-Sphinx, the mysterious tortured Thebes." "And to the living Sphinx there was an unbeliever, but the drawings to us are also not terrible." And Eteokl sends the fifth leader.
"At the sixth gate is the wise Amphiarae: he is a prophet; he knew that he was going to die, but he was involved in deception; its shield is clean and there are no signs on it. " "Breath, when the righteous shares his fate with the wicked: but as he foresaw, it will also come to pass." And Etheokle sends the sixth leader.
"At the seventh gate, your own brother Polinik: either he himself will die, or kill you, or expel a dishonor, as you him; and on his shield is the goddess of Pravda. " "Woe to us from Oedipus's curse! but holy truth is not with him, but with thebes. I will go to him, the king to the king, brother to brother. " - "Do not go, tsar," pleads the choir, "brotherly blood to shed sin." "It's better to die than shame," Eteokle responds and leaves.
On the stage - only the choir: women in a gloomy song preoccupy trouble, mentioning Laiah's prophecy: "To the kingdom is the mouth!" - and the curse of Oedipus: "Power - with the sword to divide!"; it's time to pay off. Yes, there is a messenger with a message: six victories at six gates, and before the seventh both brothers fell, killing each other, - the end to the royal family of the Favans!
The funeral cry begins. Bring stretchers to the dead Eteoklom and Polinik, go out to meet their sisters Antigone and Yemen. Sisters start lamentation, the choir eats them. It is remembered that the name of Eteocle means "Veleslavny", they remember that the name of Policin means "Multibrand" - by name and fate. "The dead man was killed!" - "The murderer is killed!" - "THE DEATH OF EARTH!" - "Taking away from evil!" Singing that there were two king's two kingdoms, two sisters and two brothers, but not one: this happens when the sword divides power The tragedy ends with a long crying.