Erofili

Erofili,also spelled asErophile(Greek:Ερωφίλη), is the most famous and often performedtragedyof theCretantheater. It was written around 1600 inRethymnoinCrete(then aVenetian colony) byGeorgios Chortatzisand first published in 1637 inVenice,probably after Chortatzis' death.

Cover ofErofili

Composition

Although the exact date is unknown, Chortatzis must have started to work onErofiliduring the last few years of the 16th century.As was customary at the time,Erofiliwas written inverse.The composition consists of 3205 verses inCretan Greek,rhymed infifteen-syllableexcept from thechoralparts which are inhendecasyllableterza rimaform.Erofiliis organized in five acts, between which there are four lyrical interludes (intermezzi).Erofiliis modeled afterOrbecchebyGiovanni Battista Giraldi(published in 1547), however it includes several changes in the plot and is dramatically more concise. The interludes are inspired by theRinaldoand Armida episode fromTorquato Tasso'sJerusalem Delivered.

Plot summary

Filogonos, king ofMemphisinEgypt,murders his brother to gain his throne and marries his widow. Filogonos has a daughter, Erofili, which he raises together with Panaretos, an orphan boy of royal descent. Due to his competence at war, Panaretos is proclaimed general of the King's army. A love affair develops between Panaretos and Erofili and leads to their secret marriage. Filogonos, who planned to wed Erofili to the heir of a rival kingdom, asks Panaretos to act as an intermediary. This results in the secret marriage's disclosure and the King's rage. Filogonos orders the death of Panaretos and sends his head, heart and hands as a wedding gift to his daughter. Upon receiving the appalling gift, Erofili stabs herself to death. The chorus of maids overthrows Filogonos and kills him.

Reception

Along withErotokritos,a long romanticpoem,Erofilistands at the apogee of the Cretan Renaissance literature. It became a popular read in several Greek-speaking regions and parts of it were even orally passed from generation to generation.

Sources

• Puchner, Walter(1991),"Tragedy",in Holton, David (ed.),Literature and Society in Renaissance Crete,New York: Cambridge University Press, pp. 129–158,ISBN0-521-32579-X

External links

• "Erofiliin digital form by C. Sathas ".