Precis: Hecuba, Agon 1

Shannon Zheng

RHET 103A

8 October 2016

GSI: Kuan / DIS 101

Precis: Hecuba, Agon 1

            In Hecuba’s exchange with Odysseus in the first agon of Hecuba by Euripedes, Hecuba engages in compelling rhetoric to retain her dignity despite accumulating tragedies; most recently, the loss of her status as queen, as a result of Troy’s loss of the Trojan War. Although ultimately unsuccessful in persuading Odysseus against taking Polyxena, Hecuba is able to powerfully renegotiate her disadvantaged position, class and gender, by leveraging her command of rhetoric to effectively challenge Odysseus. As a whole, Hecuba comes to terms with themes of power, sacrifice, and sympathy.

            With the death of Achilles, Odysseus is employed with the task of escorting Polyxena, Hecuba’s daughter and last surviving child, to be sacrificed at Achilles’ grave, invoking the theme of power. Upon entering Hecuba’s residence, Odysseus remarks, “Be not forcibly torn from [Polyxena], nor match they might ‘gainst mine; recognize the limits of they strength, and the presence of thy trouble. Even in adversity ‘tis wise to yield to reason’s dictates”. With the task and social location Odysseus commands, Odysseus arrives at Hecuba’s residence asserting his agenda and expectation of Hecuba to surrender to his agenda. Through ethos, Odysseus threatens Hecuba with the power he possesses as a man, his physical power, as well as power through the class privilege he retains, as a warrior and king. In contrast to the downward mobility of Hecuba’s career, as a queen to now slave, in addition to her being a woman, inhabiting perceived limited physical capabilities, Odysseus confidently and forcefully stresses his individual power. In responding to Odysseus’ claims to power, Hecuba asks Odysseus to contend with questions she has, to which in Odysseus agreeing to participate in her questioning, Hecuba is able to employ her power in rhetoric. Despite the vast grievances and disadvantages she carries, in the tragedies she has endured and is presently enduring, Hecuba presents a logical, convincing case against sacrificing Polyxena; Hecuba wages four points in her argument against Odysseus. Hecuba’s first and second points are exemplary of the theme of reciprocity while her last third and fourth points emphasizes the theme of sympathy.

            Hecuba cites the time she saved Odysseus from death, as reason as to why he should reciprocate the favor and save Polyxena from death. “I in my turn now do the same to thee, and claim the favor then bestowed”. Hecuba saves Odysseus’ life, when she chooses not to expose Odysseus’ covert identity when she witnesses Odysseus spying; Hecuba makes the point that Odysseus now has the opportunity to save Polyxena’s life in the service of Hecuba having saved his life in the past. Being entrusted with the responsibility of escorting Polyxena, Odysseus has the power to decide to refuse to escort Polyxena and subsequently help Polyxena escape death. Further, Hecuba cites the fact Polyxena is wholly innocent in the proposed transaction. “No! [Polyxena] at least ne’er injured him. [Achilles] should have demanded Helen as a victim at his tomb, for [Helen] it was proved his ruin, bringing him to Troy”. Hecuba’s second charge against Odysseus taking Polyxena, is that it is Helen, not Polyxena, that inspired the waging of the Trojan War; should there be any justified sacrifice for Achilles’ life, it should be the sacrifice of Helen because it is from Helen being kidnapped, that the Trojan War ensued, and it is in Achilles’ participation in the Trojan War, that Achilles is killed.

            Through the theme of sympathy, Hecuba makes her third and fourth points as sympathetic, pathos appeals to Odysseus because of their shared culture and experience as parents. Hecuba explains, “[f]or amongst you the self-same law holds good for bond and free alike respecting bloodshed; such influences as thine will persuade them even though thy words are weak”. Hecuba references the difference in freedom, Oydsseus’ status as a citizen while she is a slave, evoking emotive appeals towards their shared values. Regardless of their differences, their shared experiences from their culture should inspire Odysseus to be sympathetic because as Hecuba illuminates, their commitment towards law, justice, and respect for life, should outweigh the present, rash decision to sacrifice an innocent life. What’s more than their reverence for innocent life however, is what should be the reverence for the innocent life of their own kin. Hecuba thus makes the plea, “tear not my child from my arms, nor slay her” and further, “he to hath children, so that he can feel for thy sad fate”. Their shared cultural values powerfully shape Hecuba’s plea, but even more compelling, is their shared, intimate experience as parents who love their children. Having lost nearly all of her children, Hecuba urges Odysseus to have sympathy amidst her suffering, by empathizing with her because he is also a parent.

            Despite Hecuba’s cohesive and forceful arguments, Odysseus rejects Hecuba’s points, from her employing of the themes of reciprocity and sympathy, committing himself to his agenda, escorting Polyxena to Achilles’ grave for sacrifice. To Hecuba’s pleas for reciprocity, Odysseus responds, “Thy life I am prepared to save for the service I received”, and in concluding, says that Hecuba should “[e]ndure these sorrows; for us [all of Hellas], if we are wrong in resolving to honor the brave, we shall bring upon ourselves a charge of ignorance” or “Hellas may prosper and ye may reap the fruits of such policy”. Odysseus dismisses Hecuba’s points, her claims to reciprocity, instead reducing the favor and gratitude towards Hecuba only, a gratitude that is invalid as a reason for saving the life of Hecuba’s daughter. Odysseus concludes his argument in opposition to Hecuba, as a harsh reality Hecuba must endure for the sake of a type of justice for their shared culture, collective respect for and responsibility to Hellas, dismissing the smaller injustice of the sacrifice of innocent Polyxena.