“Dizem que nesta vida os exageros de uma virtude integra, imutável, causam mais decepções do que prazeres e impedem uma existência sadia.
Por isso sempre achei mais sábia a máxima “nada em excesso” que “nunca é demais”.
E me dará razão quem for sensato.”

Hipólito filho de Teseu se distinguia por sua beleza e virtude. Ele irritou a deusa Afrodite por seu excesso de pureza e por desdenhar do amor e da deusa (ele era devoto de Artemis a deusa da caça e da castidade)
Afrodite decidida a destruir Hipólito, fez a esposa de seu pai Fedra se apaixonar perdidamente pelo enteado, a ama de Fedra conta sobre os sentimentos dela a Hipólito que a rejeita. Fedra se enforca mas deixa um bilhete acusando Hipólito de atentar contra sua honra, Teseu amaldiçoa o filho que também morre. Artemis revela a trama de Afrodite.

"Mój umysł, wraz wam powiem: więc mi się wydaje,
Że człek nie z przyrodzenia grzeszne ma zwyczaje,
Boć przecie ludziom wcale nie braknie rozsądku —
Nie! Cała ona sprawa takiego jest wątku:
My wiemy, co jest dobre, znamy wartość złego,
A tylko postępujem inaczej. Dlaczego?"

Nie wkurzaj Afrodyty*.

Bogini miłości postanowiła uprzykrzyć życie Hipolitowi - zesłała na jego macochę, Fedrę, zakazane uczucie do pasierba. To się nie mogło skończyć dobrze. No i się nie skończyło, dwójka głównych bohaterów umiera, a Artemida przysięga zemstę Afrodycie. W skrócie: tajemnicę zdradza piastunka, upokorzona Fedra popełnia samobójstwo, przy okazji oskarżając Hipolita o cudzołóstwo, za co ojciec skazuje go na wygnanie z ojczyzny. Na uciekającego Hipolita napada byk nasłany przez Posejdona (na prośbę Tezeusza), w tym spotkaniu młodzieniec zostaje mocno poturbowany, ale przed śmiercią zdąży się pogodzić z ojcem.

Nikt nic nie mógł zrobić, fatum, los, przeznaczenie. Nie lubię takich rozwiązań, mnie bardziej zadowoliłaby opcja zrobienia z tyłka Afrodyty jesieni średniowiecza, za nękanie porządnych ludzi.

*Właściwie nie wkurzaj nikogo z panteonu, bo oberwiesz.

I've read the Anne Carson translation before this, tried to get through the David Grene, and now have found my favorite of the lot in Robert Bagg. I think the introductory essay is a great way to pre-judge a particular translation, because one can glean whether or not the translator even gives a shit about the work they've translated. In Carson's and Bagg's case their essays are powerful, almost as much so as the amazing work of Euripides itself. This is by far one of Euripides' best and deserves a translator who gives a shit. Grene on the other hand, reduces the god-given compulsions of our protagonists to "a flimsy ambiguity of motive." Piss off, mate.

Stick with Bagg, and for a different take not quite as good but worth considering, go with Carson.

Ég held með Artemis.

Hippolytus was assigned reading for freshman Humanities at Grinnell College. Having already read Aeschylus, Sophocles and Aritotle's essay on the character of tragedy, I was not much impressed. Euripides read like the script of soap opera. Too much hinged on divine interference and over-scrupulous moralism. By the latter I mean people keeping their oaths when breaking them might have prevented disaster--a moral dilemma to be sure, but one in which the disproportion is obvious. Our class spent much time discussing the ethics of the actions of Theseus, Hippolytus and Phaedra--a spirited discussion.

Esta interessante peça do teatro grego, inicialmente parece apenas ser construída em torno da acusação falsa de estupro, acentuada porque o acusado é um sacerdote de Artemis virgem. É o famoso "motivo Putifar".
Entretanto, a interpretação vai além. Nesta edição há um posfácio do tradutor Trajano Vieira e um ensaio de Bernard Knox que elucidam muito mais o enredo.
Primeiramente, Fedra acusa Hipólito de a ter estuprado, o que literalmente é mentira, mas digamos psicologicamente é verdade, pois do momento em que Afrodite inculcou nela a paixão, ela foi completamente possuída sem chance de defender-se.
Outra observação muito interessante é sobre a inevitabilidade da vontade dos deuses no destino dos humanos, que mesmo tentando dominar suas próprias vidas acabam por seguir exatamente o que foi predito pelos Deuses.
Um último comentário que tirei do ensaio e que vale para toda a mitologia é que os deuses são incapazes de perdoar. Vemos os humanos e os heróis perdoando, mas nunca os deuses.

Greek gods and their pettiness.

Laughing because during Trachean Women I made an off-hand comment about Greek literature being a twisty maze of tales and before I came to an end that I'd run into a minotaur. Ha. Phaedra is the half-sister of the Minotaur. Phaedra, wife of of Thesus is beset upon by the bored and distempered Aphrodite when Theseus' bastard son Hippolytus rejects and ignores her statue in favor of Artemis.

While I personally agree with Hippolytus' choice, it's never a good a idea to slight a Greek god. They have fragile egos and tend to overact at the simplest infractions let alone outright mutiny of their due. Divine retribution. Greek tragedy ensues. Again, it's a bit of overreach, miscommunication, pride, and rashness that leads to the innocents' demise.

Frankly, Hippolytus was too good of a son for Theseus, whom didn't deserve him.

Words of wisdom: n  Don't try too hard to square life's paradoxes.n

4 stars
Dang, Hippolytus really hated women lol

11/8/2019
I'm not too sure if I will add a complete review to this one, but I didn't like the depiction of most characters.

4 stars

The conflict between silence and voice was so compelling in this play, especially when tied to guilt. Does sin originate in the thought or only when verbalised into existence? The power of words is demonstrated through the oaths and confessions, which become uncontrollable once spoken into reality. I love texts that investigate language so this one was really enjoyable for me.

This is one that benefits from multiple readings. On first brush, it appears to be so linear. Aphrodite spells out the plot at the outset and it doesn't meaningfully diverge from that.

Where it gets more interesting on reflection is seeing how characters describe themselves. Do we take it at face value that Hippolytus is virtuous when he and Artemis say he is? His speech to the nurse doesn't seem noble, and Aphrodite certainly doesn't think he is. Is Phaedra in love because we were told she was or is something else happening to her since it sure doesn't look like love. Is there any order to the moral universe or is capricious vengeance the rule of the day? If you're devoted to the gods, will they be devoted to you?

Much less is answered than first appears. It's worth reading once, but to have any fun with it, it should also be discussed.

Les grecs meurent plus lentement que les romains, ça leur laisse le temps de pousser une dernière tirade avec une étonnante lucidité. ^^ En ça ils sont moins humains que les autres et pourtant, ils me procurent plus d'émotions. Ou une émotion différente. Qui passe par la tête plus que par les tripes. Le langage y est plus poétique, la psychologie plus subtile. Là où l'omniprésence des dieux me saoulait dans l'Iliade, elle m'éclaire dans cette pièce. Je comprends mieux la valeur symbolique et morale des actions de chaque dieu.

(Pour les non spécialistes dont je fais parti, il est bon de savoir que ce livre raconte la même histoire que Racine et Sénèque ont choisi de titrer "Phèdre". )