Aeschylus, Suppliant Maidens

K. Paul Bednarowski (The University of Maryland)
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Suppliant Women

is an early, and the only surviving, play in a connected tetralogy that treated the myth of the Danaids, the daughters of Danaus who marry their cousins, the sons of Aegyptus, only to kill them on their wedding night. The fourth play, a comedic performance in which satyrs formed the chorus, dramatized how the god Poseidon saved the Danaid Amymone from rape and then seduced her.

Suppliant Women

was once thought to be the oldest extant Greek drama due to its preponderance of sung lyrics, archaic composition, and sparing use of its second speaking actor as compared to the three actors of later tragedy. A fragmentary notice published in 1952 (

Oxyrhynchus Papyrus

2256 fr. 3), however, places the performance in the 460’s.

Suppliant Women

takes place before the murder. The…

2608 words

Citation: Bednarowski, K. Paul. "Suppliant Maidens". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 27 June 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=1777, accessed 19 March 2024.]

1777 Suppliant Maidens 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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