Ethos and Ate in Agamemnon

Abstract

本文主要探討希臘劇本Agamemnon中對希臘字ate及dike在整劇中意義的轉變及該二字對Agamemnon的ethos影響。Agamemnon的ethos在劇本中兩處顯示出來，在這兩處是他經歷proairesis的過程。第一是在40-254行的登場歌，合唱隊在回應來自Clytemnestra非傳統（女性）政權方挑戰時，試圖去保存傳統（男性）政權。在此，Agamemnon起初被描述成dike（作正義解）的擁護者，但在他下予決心後，卻被認為是具dike（作報復解）傾向，因為此項決定顯示出他的ate受到dike的影響。因此，他的ethos和政權都不再受到合唱隊的辯護。合唱隊甚至明白第接受Clytemnestra的政權。在〝繡帷場〞中，修辭經由Clytemnestra如何支配Agamemnon來呈現特色：Agamemnon的ethos經由他難本場一開場所下的決定及在整場中無法堅持此項決定表現出來。此場是刻劃Agamemnon的ate（作痴迷解）導致其ate（作毀滅解）。

Though present in the drama only briefly, Agamemnon is the fons et origo of much of the dramatic action and commentary, for both result specifically from decisions he made prior to his departure from Argos, while at Aulis and, finally, upon his return to Argos. These decisions disclose Agamemnon`s ethos, and are further related in that the force of ate seems to be an influence in each. Agamemnon, then, is defined in terms of a morality based upon the intellect, for ate is essentially a failure of the intellect. Knowledge of events prior to the Greek arrival at Troy is somewhat obscured by the rhetorical intention of the Chorus, who seek to justify Agamemnon`s traditional (male) regime in response to the challenge by Clytemnestra`s non- traditional (female) regime. In the attempt to detach plot from rhetoric, the discussion of lines 40-263 is divided according to content, resulting in several internal parallel-sections. The section considering Agamemnon at Troy and Argos is divided into the Herald`s return (503-680), the second stasimon (681-782), speeches by both Agamemnon and Clytemnestra (783-913), and the stichomythia between the two (914-57).