Lessons from Pentheus and Euripides’ Bacchae
Two thousand years ago, tragedian Euripides composed what many consider to be his greatest work: the Bacchae, a tragedy detailing the arrival of Dionysus to Greece. Likely composed while Euripides was a guest at the court of Archelaus in Macedon, it did not premiere until after his death, when a close relative found the play among his papers.[1] The Bacchae was an instant success, winning first place at the Dionysia in 405.[2] The plot surrounds the hubris of Pentheus, the Theban prince, and Dionysus, seeking to punish the house of Cadmus for the unjust murder of his mother, Semele. Differing from Euripides’ other plays in a number of ways, it has long captured the scrutiny of linguists and psychologists alike.[3] Like many other tragedies, it ends with the ironic death of Pentheus, torn apart by his own mother, and the ruin of the house of Cadmus, expelled from Thebes.
Another important aspect to consider is the climate in which the Bacchae was written. Living from the 480s to 406, Euripides saw more than his fair share of political issues.[4] There were the Persian Wars, the disastrous plague of Athens, and the Peloponnesian War, all of which contributed to an unstable and crazed scene in Athens.[5] It is under the circumstance of war, disease, death, and destruction that Euripides composed the Bacchae. Though its completion was likely in Macedon, there is no doubt that Euripides intended the play for an Athenian audience.[6] Several editors have taken the tragedy and its meaning to be a cautionary one against mass hysteria, especially in the context of mid-late 20th century events.[7] This paper will instead seek new and more relatable lessons, intended for 21st century students. To achieve this, several passages and their meanings will be analyzed, with parallels drawn to modern-day happenings.
The first passage of importance is near the beginning. It is in response to Pentheus mocking his grandfather Cadmus and Tiresias the seer for dressing up in Bacchanal attire, readying themselves for Bacchic revelry:
English Translation
Chorus: ‘What profanity! Sir, do you not revere the gods, or Cadmus, who sowed the seed of the earth-born men? Echion your father was one of them - will you shame your own blood?’
Tiresias: ‘When a clever man has a plausible theme to argue, to be eloquent is no great feat. But though you seem, by your glib tongue, to be intelligent, yet your words are foolish. Power and eloquence in a headstrong man can only lead to folly; and such a man is a danger to the state’ (tr. Vellacott)[8]
Original Greek
Χορός: ‘τῆς δυσσεβείας. ὦ ξέν᾽, οὐκ αἰδῇ θεοὺς
Κάδμον τε τὸν σπείραντα γηγενῆ στάχυν,
Ἐχίονος δ᾽ ὢν παῖς καταισχύνεις γένος;’
Τειρεσίας: ‘ὅταν λάβῃ τις τῶν λόγων ἀνὴρ σοφὸς
καλὰς ἀφορμάς, οὐ μέγ᾽ ἔργον εὖ λέγειν:
σὺ δ᾽ εὔτροχον μὲν γλῶσσαν ὡς φρονῶν ἔχεις,
ἐν τοῖς λόγοισι δ᾽ οὐκ ἔνεισί σοι φρένες.
θράσει δὲ δυνατὸς καὶ λέγειν οἷός τ᾽ ἀνὴρ
κακὸς πολίτης γίγνεται νοῦν οὐκ ἔχων.’ (Bacchae, 263-71)
The Chorus is shocked at Pentheus’ arrogance and admonishes him, implying that he should show respect to his elders. Tiresias then joins in, making a mocking remark of his own. He warns Pentheus of his hubris and essentially tells him to self-evaluate. In typical fashion, Pentheus ignores the advice and further criticizes Tiresias and Cadmus. As far as modern interpretations go, this passage is fairly simple: listen to your parents (or more broadly, elders) and make sure to occasionally judge yourself and your actions. As it turns out, even though you might think that your parents and elders are crazy, their words usually hold some meaning to them.
The next passage is from one of the choral odes. It is an extension of the Chorus’ reaction to Pentheus’ folly:
English Translation
Chorus: ‘The brash, unbridled tongue,
The lawless folly of fools, will end in pain.
But the life of wise content
Is blest with quietness, escapes the storm
And keeps his house secure.
Though blessed gods dwell in the distant skies,
They watch the ways of men.
To know much is not to be wise.
Pride more than mortal hastens life to its end;
And they who in pride pretend
Beyond man’s limit, will lose what lay
Close to their hand and sure.
I count it madness, and know no cure can mend
The evil man and his evil way.’
(tr. Vellacott)
Original Greek
Χορός: ‘ἀχαλίνων στομάτων
ἀνόμου τ᾽ ἀφροσύνας
τὸ τέλος δυστυχία:
ὁ δὲ τᾶς ἡσυχίας
βίοτος καὶ τὸ φρονεῖν
ἀσάλευτόν τε μένει καὶ
συνέχει δώματα: πόρσω
γὰρ ὅμως αἰθέρα ναίον-
τες ὁρῶσιν τὰ βροτῶν οὐρανίδαι.
τὸ σοφὸν δ᾽ οὐ σοφία
τό τε μὴ θνητὰ φρονεῖν.
βραχὺς αἰών: ἐπὶ τούτῳ
δέ τις ἂν μεγάλα διώκων
τὰ παρόντ᾽ οὐχὶ φέροι. μαι-
νομένων οἵδε τρόποι καὶ
κακοβούλων παρ᾽ ἔμοι-
γε φωτῶν.’ (Bacchae, 386-401)
Primarily, the passage argues for a simpler life. In order to accomplish this, the Chorus encourages against a thoughtless tongue and extensive arrogance. They say that it is unwise to know too much – the matters concerning gods and immortals, and essentially to stay in your own mortal lane. For Pentheus, this means to forget about challenging Dionysus and accept his arrival. Pentheus’ eventual demise is caused in part due to the supposed glory he will receive by ridding Thebes of Dionysus, proving the Chorus’ point. My two modern interpretations were to be aware of what is in and out of your control and to recognize ‘madness’. In particular, this can be applied to school. A student may work as hard as they can on an assignment, and yet the final grade is still in the teacher’s hands. The point is, you should be content with how much effort you put into your work and you should not talk back and argue with your teachers. It is just as necessary to be able to identify people who are consumed by arrogance and unwise things, and subsequently deal with them as you see fit.
The last passage is from the turning point of the play, so to speak. Dionysus gives Pentheus one last chance to repent:[9]
English Translation
Dionysus: ‘You refuse, Pentheus, to listen to what I say or to alter your behaviour. Yet, in spite of all I have suffered at your hands, I warn you to stay where you are and not to take arms against a god. Dionysus will not stand quietly by and see you drive his Bacchae from their mountain rites.’
…
Dionysus: ‘You are a mortal, he is a god. If I were you I would control my rage and sacrifice to him, rather than kick against the pricks.’
…
Dionysus: ‘My friend! A happy settlement may still be found.’ (tr. Vellacott)
Original Greek
Διόνυσος: ‘πείθῃ μὲν οὐδέν, τῶν ἐμῶν λόγων κλύων,
Πενθεῦ: κακῶς δὲ πρὸς σέθεν πάσχων ὅμως
οὔ φημι χρῆναί σ᾽ ὅπλ᾽ ἐπαίρεσθαι θεῷ,
ἀλλ᾽ ἡσυχάζειν: Βρόμιος οὐκ ἀνέξεται
κινοῦντα βάκχας σ᾽ εὐίων ὀρῶν ἄπο.’
…
Διόνυσος: ‘θύοιμ᾽ ἂν αὐτῷ μᾶλλον ἢ θυμούμενος
πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζοιμι θνητὸς ὢν θεῷ.’
…
Διόνυσος: ‘ὦ τᾶν, ἔτ᾽ ἔστιν εὖ καταστῆσαι τάδε.’
(Bacchae, 787-802)
Dionysus asks Pentheus again and again to turn back and change his ways. He also tells Pentheus to control his anger, as fighting back against Dionysus would cause him even more harm. The last line has two meanings. It serves both as the last chance for Pentheus to avoid death, as well as a trap to lure him to his death. He obviously doesn’t repent and Dionysus leads him to spy on the Bacchantes, where he is caught and killed. The applications of this scene are also relevant for any young person in today's age. Learn to be aware of breaking points for relationships and be able to control your emotions. Just as the relationship between Pentheus and the disguised Dionysus reaches a point of no return in this scene, many of our relationships have a similar point. Don’t be like Pentheus, and come to regret your actions. Similarly, Pentheus’ inability to control his rage also leads to his death. By controlling your emotions, you will be able to avoid the same fate that Pentheus meets.
The final task is to now identify what it is that we’re trying to avoid. Pentheus meets his end as he’s torn apart by his mother, Agaue, and the other Bacchantes, driven mad by Dionysus. Throughout the play, he is given all these chances to change his attitude and repent, yet he never does, which leads to his gruesome death. Keeping in mind all the past passages, I propose that for us, his death is symbolic of a regretful high school experience. It is applicable to almost every aspect of our lives and addresses the family, academic, and social aspects of high school which we are all too familiar with. From the Bacchae, we can find advice on how to live out our high school lives to the fullest.
At first glance, one might think of the content of the Bacchae as foreign and so far removed from our lived experiences. After all, who could relate to an arrogant prince who gets torn apart by his mother? Yet with a more critical eye, we can find many meaningful interpretations throughout the tragedy. The proof is in how long it has been studied. Even after two thousand years, it remains intensely relevant for scholars, students, and general readers alike. I have no doubt that the Bacchae will remain a topic of great interest for as long as scholars read literature. Perhaps you too, reader, will one day be able to find your own unique lesson from it.
Notes
[1] Euripides, Bacchae, ed. E. R. Dodds (Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 1986), xxxix.
[2] “Bacchae,” in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature, ed. M. C. Howatson (Oxford University Press, 2011).
[3] Dodds highlights the fact that the Bacchae was based on a historical event and the morbid sense of emotion throughout the play.
[4] John Gould, “Euripides,” in The Oxford Classical Dictionary (Oxford University Press, 2012).
[5] Dodds, Bacchae, xxxix.
[6] Dodds, Bacchae, xl.
[7] Philip Vellacott, The Bacchae and Other Plays (Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1954), 27.
[8] All translations used are from Vellacott’s edition, unless noted otherwise.
[9] I have kept only the most essential lines for brevity
Bibliography
"Bacchae." In The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature, edited by Howatson, M. C.. : Oxford University Press, 2011. https://www-oxfordreference-com.exeter.idm.oclc.org/view/10.1093/acref/9780199548545.001.0001/acref-9780199548545-e-0455.
Euripides. 1986. Bacchae. Edited by E. R. Dodds. 2nd ed. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press.
Gould, John P. A. "Euripides." In The Oxford Classical Dictionary. : Oxford University Press, 2012. https://www-oxfordreference-com.exeter.idm.oclc.org/view/10.1093/acref/9780199545568.001.0001/acref-9780199545568-e-2565.
Vellacott, Philip, trans. The Bacchae and Other Plays. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1954.