The Cyclops

The Cyclops

The Cyclops is a Greek play that is majorly satirical. It is a unique play as it has survived antiquity. The book contains numerous comedies just like one that is recorded in the Homer’s Odyssey. The setting of the play in Sicily, Italy and particularly around the great Mount Aetna gives the play the touch of expertise that makes it even more memorable than any other play. The play has few characters with a fixed geographical setting. This makes the play to be easily understood unlike the case where the setting was ever changing. Euripides has shown high level of maturity in the unveilings of the play The Cyclops. In this paper, I shall demonstrate that Euripides’ satyr play “The Cyclops” must have been written and performed around the year 431-416 BCE. I have chosen this date because history has it that Euripides lived in the period between 480-406 BC. To support my position, I shall draw primarily upon known historical events as well as other evidence in Euripides’ plays Alcestis, Andromache, The Bacchae among others and in Aristophanes’ plays Acharnians, Knights, Clouds, Wasps among many others.

In a deep study of the history of Italy and the geographical setting of the play has it that people believed so much in gods. This is well brought out in the play where gods are revered. This point to us that Euripides lived during the time when Greece was subjected to numerous wars. The most significant war was the Peloponnesian war, fought between Athens and the Peloponnesian league of the Spartans. This explains why war and conflict is incorporated in the play. We get the Odyssey who is from war and gets lost around Mount Aetna, 40 miles south of Greece (Euripides & Roche, 1998, p. 223).

The original version of the play was written on papyrus. This takes us back to the ancient Greek time when papyruses were commonly used for documentation. By the time the play was written and performed, scrolls were not being used but instead inscriptions and writings were written of papyrus. Scrolls started being used in the region about 30 years after the death of Euripides. This is a clear indication that this play was actually written and played at around 431 -416BC. Apart from The Cyclops, all the other works of Euripides were also played and written on papyrus for demonstration (Homer, 2000, p. 148).

One of the most vocal themes brought out by this play is revenge. Revenge was a characteristic of the Peloponnesian war. In fact, the war was initially not a war of supremacy but that of revenge in attacks. It is until 123 that the war between the Spartans and the Athenians turned out to be a war a supremacy war with both the Athenians and the Spartans wanting to take over leadership of the region. The beginning of the war was just maneuvers and out maneuvers with most being based on revenge. Perhaps this is what Euripides tries to incorporate in the pay when the Odyssey has his men eaten up and works all his way out to revenge. This is brought out by the various schemes hatched by both sides composed of the Odyssey and the Cyclops. The Cyclops gets the Odyssey and his men into the cave and eats some of them. The Odyssey escapes narrowly and plans retaliatory attacks. This results in the Cyclops losing his eyes after he made drunk and poked in the eyes. The setting at mount Aetna was vital in sinking the point home by making the audience to believe that this is actually the home to the Cyclops. It is more reasonable to have caves existing in mountainous areas than on the plains. This terrain makes it easier for operation of the Cyclops. This gave the Cyclops a competitive advantage that saw Odysseys men being trampled upon and eaten.

Euripides has incorporated Cyclops in the play with a given reason. This is to bring out the inhuman nature of the wars and how ruthless the warring groups were. This is a clear depiction of the Peloponnesian war where the Spartans and the Athenians were very ruthless that they with is killed. The features given to the Cyclops warrant the character that displays in the play. His anguish voice that is commanding in nature is meant to bring out his cannibalizing nature. It is no wonder that he ends up eating some of the men that came with the king. The speed with which the Cyclops eats is so terrifying that within a short period, a good number of the Odysseys men were long gone. Even after feeding on these men, the Cyclops is seen to be still strong and goes about everything with ease. This is opposed to the human nature where we expect that feeding too much would require that one rest for sometime before going about their business. For the Cyclops, he looks so normal that he is lured by the Odyssey into drinking wine. This was how ruthless the Spartans were whenever they fought against their opponents. For instance, in year 423, the Spartans captured 32 Athenians where some were burnt and others buried alive.

The play starts on a good note when Odysseus the king loses his way after the Trojan War. After being lost, they found themselves in the land of Cyclops in Sicily and on mount Aetna. Trojan is revered for fighting with other states in the years between 426-412 BC. This is where all the main actions in the play take place. It is satirical that the Odyssey and his crew could tolerate such an unfriendly company and start conversing with them with no much ado. It is scary to have Silenus testify that they, the Cyclops rejoice in eating sheep meat. Milk, cheese and human food yet invite the Odyssey and his crew to get into the cave and see the Cyclops. The play has featured the use of wine and how it is cherished. This is to bring about a resemblance to the biblical happenings where wine was used always after meals by the Jews. All these characterize the Peloponnesian war that had many fighters feeding on cheese and taking of wine. Food was at times in the Peloponnesian war used as a war tactic, which is used in the play, the Cyclops. The Cyclops drinks of wine, gets drunk and has his eyes chopped off. After tasting the wine, the Cyclops comments that the wine is sweeter than the one he is used to. This reminds us Athenian and Spartans culture during the wars.

Being a satyr, the play presents characters with various unique features that combine those of animals and those of human beings. The Cyclops acknowledges to be feeding on cheese, sheep meat and human meat. Having only one, eye is a clear indication of unique feature, that that is possessed by a satyr n the ancient Greek times. History had it that they (Greeks) believed so much in the existence of imaginary features. This is why the incorporation of the Cyclops is very relevant to that time. The Greek by this period lasting between the year 431-406BC would more comfortably believe in the existence of such features. This was very common as it represented a greater component of the plains of that time. This presents a unique situation, one that has to balance between the ordinary worlds that Odyssey lives in and one that the unique features live in. The Odyssey boasts of wining battles and happens to be from a war, which he sees to be a confirmation of his might. However, it is worth noting that in this other world, they are not meaning with their equals but rather Cyclops that have different features. It is funny to note that the Cyclops and his compatriots live in the caves.

The Geographical setting of the play is a clear depiction of what was happening in the land of the Greeks at the time. By the year 406BC, Mount Aetna, which was in Sicily, was uninhabited and was only having animals and other features on it. This makes it very relevant to the audience of the time when it is explained that Cyclops inhabited the Mountain. This is also boosted by the fact that the Peloponnesian war was mainly fought on mountains. This was because it was easy for warring parties to sport opponents and launch surprise attacks. This was used to make the pay more believable to the audience at the time. The geographical location was very relevant to the audience of the time who knew what a mountain means to them when it comes to war (Euripides & Roche, 1998, p. 111-137).

The play has incorporated allot of religious beliefs and Principles. This is demonstrated by the numerous uses of gods such as Dionysus. When the Cyclops comes out of his cave, he enters into conversation with the Odyssey and his men. The first thing he says is that there is no presence of the god Dionysus. This is probably to invoke some religious belief common in both the modern and the ancient times where God’s presence was revered always whenever people met. It invokes the biblical principle of where two or three people are gathered. This cements the fact that there was little belief in God as Jesus was yet to come on earth. History has it that this region, Rome is as religious as they do believe in the trinity, God the son, the father and Holy Spirit. However, in the ancient times, Gods the son, who is Jesus had not come on earth. Many believed in gods such as the Dionysus (Homer, 2000, p. 113).

The play tries to balance between the life or realty and that of fiction. Cyclops is definitely an imaginary figure that might have never existed. However, Euripides tries to make it seem more of a reality by linking it to the geographical setting of mount Aetna in Sicily. The fact that Cyclops is able to talk to normal Humans such as Odyssey, the King of Ithaca is a show of how creative Euripides is in terms of using personification. The use of the Cyclops could have been avoided but it would have been difficult for him to make it believable that human beings are feeding on fellow humans (Aristophanes & Hadas, 1962, p. 159).

The existence of Monarchies in Greece and the regions around was during the 430’s to around 416 BC. This gives a rough estimate as to when this play was developed and performed. After the Peloponnesian war, most of the existing kingdoms were trampled upon and destroyed as the Spartans and Athenians fought. Most small kingdoms had to unite for unity of purpose… Euripides has it in the play that Odyssey is a king who happens to get lost after fighting war with an enemy. This reduces the levels of reality and ability to make the play believable. Though it is unavoidable, it is common that in normal circumstances, a stranger especially with funny characters would be treated with caution. We do not see this in the interaction between the Cyclops and the Odyssey. The Odyssey himself presents a war like atmosphere when he brags of fighting and winning wars. It is of no coincidence that he had just finished fighting another war before reaching the land of the Cyclops (Homer, 2000, p. 123).

The Cyclops represents an artistic work that is well researched and designed. Use of humor and other styles in the plain has given the play a good background through which its themes are given to the audience. The various scenes in the play have captivating actions that would leave the audience to have the urge of watching the play repeatedly. This is probably the reason as to why it is the only play still existing from the ancient antic times. Euripides is until today revered for the good touch he gave to this pl\y. It is definite that The Cyclops would remain to be one of the most significant plays now and in the times to come. Euripides is remembered for his works as it depicted the real happenings of the time. War was well brought out in a show of the situation in the land of the Greek people.

Euripides works are credited for having represented the society in terms of what was really happening in the society. All that was included in plays by Euripides was a reflection of whatever was happening in the society at that time. Through analysis of the play, one would clearly indicate that it was written and performed around 431-406 BC. This is based on historical facts that relate to all the happenings and the setting of the play.

 

 

References

Aristophanes, H. (1962). The complete plays of Aristophanes. New York, NY: Bantam books

Euripides, R. (1998). Ten plays, A Signet Classic. Rome, Italy: Signet Classic

Homer (2000). Iliad and the Odyssey. New York, NY: Wordsworth Editions

 

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