I read The Suppliants by Aeschylus yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it–even though the style of writing required me to reread most of it 2 or 3 times.
I started out by determining that I didn’t know what the title of the play meant and looking up the definition of supplication: an act of humble prayer, entreaty or petition. This made sense once I got past the title.
Basically, this is the first of several plays about 50 maiden sisters, daughters of Danaus, who are asked to become the wives of their cousins the 50 sons of Aegyptus.
“But-since Aegyptus had decreed
His sons should wed his brother’s seed
Ourselves we tore from bonds abhorred”
The maidens take flight to Argos to escape marriage and ask King Pelasgus to protect them. Their prayers and success is the plot.
“Find refuge at the hallowed altar-side,
the sanctuary divine,
Ye gods! such refuge unto me provide-
Such sanctuary be mine!”
I read the play on google books for free. And I also found some interesting analysis of it here.
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