THE PHOENICIAN WOMEN Essay Example For Students

THE PHOENICIAN WOMEN Essay A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. ii. Trans. Shelley Dean Milman. London: J.M. Dent Sons, 1922. JOCASTA: Believe me, O Eteocles my son,Old age is not by wretchedness aloneAttended: more discreetly than rash youthExperience speaks. Why dost thou woo ambition,That most malignant goddess? O forbear!For shes a foe to justice, and hath enteredFull many a mansion, many a prosperous city,Nor left them till in ruin she involvesAll those who harbour her: yet this is sheOn whom thou doatst. Twere better, O my son,To cultivate equality, who joinsFriends, cities, heroes, in one steadfast leagueFor by the laws of nature, through the worldEquality was stablished: but the wealthyFinds in the poorer man a consant foe;Hence bitter enmity derives its source.Equality, among the human race,Measures, and weights, and numbers hath ordained:Both the dark orb of night and radiant sunTheir annual circuits equally perform;Each, free from envy, to the other yieldsAlternately; thus day and night affordTheir services to man. Yet wilt not thouBe satisfied to keep an equal portionOf these domains, and to thy brother giveHis due. Where then is justice? Such respectAs sober reason disapproves, why payst thouTo empire, to oppression crowned with triumph?To be a public spectacle thou deemstWere honourable. Tis but empty pride.When thou hast much already, why submitTo toils unnumbered? Whats superfluous wealthBut a mere name? Sufficient to the wiseIs competence: for man possesses naughtWhich he can call his own. Though for a timeWhat bounty the indulgent gods bestowWe manage, they resume it at their will:Unstable riches vanish in a day.Should I to thee th alternative proposeEither to reign, or save thy native land,Couldst thou reply that thou hadst rather reign?But if he conquer, and the Argive spearsOerpower the squadrons who from Cadmus spring,Thou wilt behold Thebes taken, wilt beholdOur captive virgins ravished by the foe:That empire which thou seekst will prove the baneOf thy loved country; yet thou still persiststIn mischievous ambitions wild career.Thus far to thee. And now to you I speak,O Polynices; favours most unwiseAre those Adrastus hath on you bestowed,And with misjudging fury are you comeTo spread dire havoc oer your native land.If you (which may the righteous gods avert!)This city take, how will you rear the trophiesOf such a battle? How, when you have laidYour country waste, th initiatory ritesPerform, and slay the victims? On the banksOf Inachus displayed, with what inscriptionAdorn the spoilsFrom blazing Thebes these shieldsHath Polynices won, and to the godsDevoted? Never, O my son, through GreeceMay you obtain such glory. But if youAre vanquished and Eteocles prevail,To Argos, leaving the ensanguined fieldStrewn with unnumbered corses of the slain,How can you flee for succour? Twill be saidBy some malignant tongue: A curst allianceIs this which, O Adrastus, thou hast formed:We to the nuptials of one virgin oweOur ruin. You are hastening, O my son,Into a twofold mischief: losing allThat you attempt, and causing your brave friendsTo perish. O my son s, this wild excessOf rage, with joint occurrence, lay aside.By equal folly when two chiefs inspiredTo battle rush, dire mischief must ensue. We will write a custom essay on THE PHOENICIAN WOMEN specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

vietnam and why essays

vietnam and why essays How and Why the United States Got Involved The conflict in Vietnam which is also called the Ten Thousand-Day War was an ongoing battle from 1945 to 1975. In the 30 years of fighting, the United States would lose over 57,000 men while Vietnamese dead numbered two million (Maclear 2). The Vietnam War is very interesting because many people have wondered how and why the United States got involved in a war that really didnt seem to concern them. American involvement officially began in 1950 when the US government recognized the Bao Dai government and began sending the French aid to fight off the communist backed Viet Minh led by Ho Chi Minh (Scheer 10). The French lost the war because it was not fully committed to a win policy (Scheer 10). The Bao Dai, anti-Communist nationalist alternative, whom the Truman and Eisenhower Administrations had backed, had failed to undercut the appeal of the Viet Minh (Scheer 11). The price of peace involved the surrendering of some portion of the country to the Communists, and the United States could not oppose since it had not become deeply involved (Scheer 12). The United States instead placed its hopes on a new anti-Communist nationalist alternative and his name was Ngo Dinh Diem. Diem accepted the offer and on July 7, 1954 his government was formally organized. This started a new phase of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Senator John F. Kennedy recommended, in order to prevent the further spread of communism in Southeast Asia, that the French grant independence to South Vietnam, support the governments army, and whenever necessary...[make] some commitment of our manpower (Scheer 15). The settlement at Geneva in July, 1954, did three things: 1) it ended the war; 2) divided Vietnam in half temporarily; and 3) called for peace and reunification of the country (Scheer 16). Diems government believed in tight central control to divert the natio...

Why Do Mary Tudors Actions Reflect Self-Preservation in Light of Her Essay

Why Do Mary Tudors Actions Reflect Self-Preservation in Light of Her Political and Religious Decisions - Essay Example Ann Boleyn previously painted as the innocent victim of circumstances is not such. For instance, Anne Whitelock in her book Mary Tudor: England's First Queen describes Anne Boleyn as a conniving woman hiding under the facade of innocence. Boleyn was afraid of Mary’s influence on her father and spied on them during visits. Whitelock further revokes her innocence when she declares her standing on the Spaniards, wishing all the Spaniards drowned (46). This made boldly to a relative of Spaniards was extreme. Mary’s mother died a painful death caused not only by disease but also heartache. The death of Katharine is somewhat a mystery as doctors said she succumbed to slow poisoning. King Henry is aware that his marriage to Anne may lead to war between England and Spain and this further instigated the rebellious actions of Mary; she refused to renounce her title as princess. However, at her tender age, her rage is insurmountable and her rebellious actions, though futile, may r eflect her desire to preserve her dignity in the face of the hurtful changes. It is not clear whether Mary viewed her mother’s death with suspicion, or she was aware of Boleyn’s spying activities. She was, however, a suspicious person herself and highly intuitive in regard to danger (Whitelock 64). She suspects, for instance, that there is a plot against her at the time of Edwards’s death. In reviving the heresy laws, Mary managed to persecute close to 300 protestants by burning them in public (Wagner 743), hence the name Bloody Mary. Most historians see these actions as a way of conforming to religious beliefs and, in turn, imposing them on the people. While the Pope rejected the annulment of her parent’s marriage, Archbishop Thomas Crammer agreed to nullify this marriage. The contradictory state of his decision is apparent. For instance, it is clear that the King Henry VIII was in favor of the protestant religion (Wagner 731). The bishop might have gran ted the annulment to perpetuate this favor.