CLAS 2051 Lecture Notes - Perioeci, Helots, Thesmophoria
Document Summary
Psuedo-xenophon- on the athenian constitution, from a spartan perspective, critical of. Athenian law, the treatment of women, in athens democracy gives too much power to everybody (slave can slap his master, master cannot do anything about it) Weddings, funerals, religious festivals as being only public events women could attend religious festivals involving women: thesmophoria (demeter and persephone) exclusively female participants (only of good standing) Basis of play thesmophoriazousae fear of women by men. Because only women were involved, our only interpretation of these festivals is by male authors whose fears of women are reflected in their writing. Break oppression from being confined to the private domestic sphere, restrictions on how they should act. Blood related to menstruation, human fertility as well as ecological fertility. When hades took persephone, a herd of pigs fell down with her, represented in slaughter of pigs third day of festival- cultural rebirth, celebration.