Recently, in reviewing my blogposts I noticed many
posts on similar topics. I hope my
research is building on itself rather than circling endlessly around the same
two posts. So I wrote my friend Maya for
help. I believe she is brilliant and
having read everything I have written she might have some insights on my
work. Of course prior to her kindly
response I stumbled across something I had never looked into; Suitors of Helen
versus Suitors of Penelope. Maya
suggested: Meleager, The Lack of Herclidae in the Trojan War and Otus
& Ephialtes.
So, here is Part I; Suitors of Helen versus Suitors
of Penelope
I was looking up something in Maicar.com and ran across
back to back listings for “The Suitors of Helen” and the “The Suitors of
Penelope” it struck me that contrasting the two topics might be
interesting. The thing that struck me
immediately was that all of Helen’s suitors survived the engagement party and
only one of Penelope’s suitors (Odysseus) survived the big announcement. Sort
of like the suitors of; Atalanta, (whom
she skew if the lost a footrace to her. ) Jocasta, (slain by her counter-part Phix the Sphinx if
the failed to explain the riddle. ) Hippodamia daughter of Oenomaus, (Her
father slew the suitors that failed to win the chariot race. Of course he died
in the cliche chariot crash. As an aside
to discuss later; In Greek vases Pelops and Hippodamia look like a couple
eloping with daddy in hot pursuit, rather racers preparing to turn the
post. Likewise, the father in law of
Idas met death (at his own hand) when he failed to catch up with his daughter
and new husband. More on them
later. And finally Penelope’s father
Icarius chased after the departing newlyweds begging his daughter to stay. Her response was famously to pull her
veil. He did not die. More on this too.
So in summary to contrast The Suitors of Helen” and
the “The Suitors of Penelope”, in
Helen’s case, in sharp contrast to other women, there is no slaughter of the
suitors. (Thanks to the Oath of Tyndareus, which was Odysseus’ idea.).
Also unique in the courtship of the maiden Helene was the lack of a
contest. Her father simply let her chose
her new husband.
In the Penelope’s case, as in the case of Atalanta,
Hippodamia and Jocasta, the rejected suitors were slain. Mentor-Athena says that if Odysseus should
appear at the door armed with helmet, shield, and two spears as he does appear
at the beginning of the spear-combat - the fate of the suitors would be swift
and their wedding bitter (a 255 ff.).The contest in Penelope’s case was an
archery contest. First prize for every
Homeric archery contest is a woman.
However, regarding the maiden Penelope’s first round
of suitors “Pausanias, Description of
Greece 3. 12. 4 :"On the opposite side of the office of the Bidiaians [in
Sparta, Lakedaimonia] is a sanctuary of Athena. Odysseus is said to have set up
the image and to have named it Keleuthea (Lady of the Road), when he had beaten
the suitors of Penelope in the foot-race.”
(Others say that exchange for Odysseus' invaluable service, Tyndareus
helped him to win the hand of His niece Penelope.)
So to summarize the similarities of the suitors of the
maiden cousins Helen and Penelope. None
of the suitors died and Tyndareus might have influenced the outcome
Bill,
ReplyDeleteThinking of Danaus and his daughters in addition to your examples, Greek mythology seems full of blood spilled as a result of dads determined to keep their daughters spinsters.
Maya,
ReplyDeleteI have exactly understood the story of the Danaid. Danaus had exactly 50 daughters and his brother exactly 50 sons? Intermarriage is so disagreeable you invade another country and are welcomed with open arms? The cousins show up and force marriage, all(?) the Danaid (now no longer virgins) slay their slumbering husbands ala the Amazons? Of course, no one now wants to marry them now, so you have a foot race to convince them? None of this makes sense. Graves attempt to rationalize it doesn't help any. Plus it is folklore motif. I don't get it.