19/3/07 - Classical Literature - Seneca: Thyestes (3)

See Seneca's De ira, 1.20.2 and 5.3ff, about Atreus' transcendence of the gods.

On page 348 of the text is the moment of revelation, the crescendo of the anagnôrisis.

There are three aspects of Thyestes: rhetoric, Stoicism and politics (as of every work of Seneca's). Thyestes could be seen as a rhetorical declamation: there is no character development, no action, no logical consistency between the acts. The unity of acts and scenes is through different topics using the same characters. The play is a series of rhetorical acts.

Scholars say that Atreus represents Nero. So is Thyestes about Seneca's experience of Neronian regime and tyranny. This probably did influence his writing, but that doesn't necessarily make Thyestes an allegory of Nero's tyranny.

The play is grounded on Stoicism, not just rhetorical exposition and tyrannical politics.

The play is about evil, yet there is no resolution and no way to overcome the evil at the end. The ending is bleak and hopeless.

So Seneca's tragedies are rhetorical plays, and at the same time studies on the pervasiveness of evil with no answers.

Stoic philosophy gave us the concept that life itself is a play, with everyday people as actors performing a role. See Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 12.36 and Palladas, Anth. Pal. 10.72.