THE WOMEN OF EURIPIDES- A TRAGIC POET ON FEMALE “SOPHROSYNE”

Abstract

“Sophrosyne” is one of the fundamental virtues in Ancient Greece. This concept may simply be translated as “self- control” or “moderation”. One the one hand “sophrosyne” is an important topic for philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle, but on the other hand we find this many- sided term in Greek Literature. In Homer’s “The Iliad”, when Agamemnon steals Briseis from Achilles, he acts arrogantly. In “The Odyssey”, Penelope speaks of “sophrosyne” in the sense of soundness of mind. As for Theognis, Sophrosyne is a daimon. We also find themes connected with “sophrosyne” in plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. In Aeschylus, “sophrosyne” is used in the context of superior- inferior relationship. It is the same for Sophocles. But obedience to authority is not an issue for his headstrong characters. Euripides, on the other hand, uses “sophrosyne” in a wider range of senses than his predecessors. Besides he is a rich source on the ideology of “sophrosyne” in relation to women. In this study, we will examine a few of Euripides’ tragedies named after heroines and reveal what “sophrosyne” consists of according to the poet.