STATIUS, THEB. 1 .72: IS JOCASTA DEAD OR ALIVE? 223
Thebes, which is also the subject of Aeschylus’ Septem (staged in
467), she tries to reconcile her sons, in vain, and then kills herself on
the battlefield with a sword taken from one of her two sons after they
have killed each other. If we assume that Jocasta in Euripides’ Oidi-
pous killed herself (but see above), Euripides would offer an interest-
ing case of the same tragic poet producing two very different and mu-
tually exclusive traditions about Jocasta. In this case, however, the
poet would deal with these different traditions in two separate plays,
whereas Statius is supposed to have Jocasta dead in book 1 (line 72)
and allow her to be alive in books 7 and 11 of the same epic.
Reconciliation-scene: setting and timingWe have established that two very different versions were developed
of Jocasta’s suicide. In one the suicide takes place immediately after
the anagnorisis, as in OT (as well as Sen. Oed., which will be dis-
cussed below); in another it takes place at a much later moment,
around the outbreak of war between her sons (Phoin.; also Sen.
Phoen. and Stat. Theb. 11, as will be seen below). Now we are in a
position to take a closer look at the differing dramatic setting and tim-
ing of the reconciliation-scene in Euripides, Seneca and Statius, and to
make precise observations about the self-conscious emulative efforts
of the two Roman poets. Both Seneca and Statius take the same point
of departure as Euripides in Phoin.: Jocasta is alive and wants to pre-
vent war. But by many slight changes in the setting and timing, each
poet brings about a different dramatic situation and achieves his own
dramatic impact. I am convinced that Seneca had Euripides in mind,
and Statius both Seneca and Euripides.^17
In Euripides Phoin. 452–587 the brothers meet with Jocasta on her
initiative within the walls of Thebes; the battle has not yet begun and
there is still time for discussion and reconciliation. But Eteocles re-
jects his mother’s suggestions (587–93) and drives Polynices from the
city (587–637). After Jocasta’s unsuccesful attempt at reconciliation,
bloodshed is inevitable.
17 Contra Frank 1995, 16–29. Euripides’ play was widely popular, also in Roman
times. Petronius Sat. 80.3–4 offers a fine example: Giton casts himself between En-
colpius and Ascyltos, an obvious parody of Jocasta’s attempt, and perhaps of Sen.
Phoen. 443–8. See also the testimonia in Mastronarde-Bremer 1982, ad 445–587.