From Empire to Defeat: Xerxes’ Tragedy in The Persians

Abstract

The tragedy The Persians, by Aeschylus, represents a landmark in Greek theater for addressing historical events instead of myths, offering ethical and political reflection on power. The play narrates the Persian invasion of Greece, focusing on the figure of Xerxes and the consequences of his hybris – the transgression of human and divine limits. The text examines the dramatic construction of the work, highlighting the function of the chorus, which introduces context and audience expectations, and the messenger, who recounts the military disaster, creating progressive tension. The poetic analysis highlights the use of epithets, metaphors, and imagery that symbolize the grandeur of the empire and, simultaneously, foreshadow its fragility. Xerxes’ hybris is presented as a decisive factor not only for his individual downfall but also for the collective destabilization of the Persian Empire, demonstrating the tension between personal ambition and social responsibility. The study reinforces the distinction between historical narrative and poetic dramatization, following Aristotle, emphasizing the tragedy’s ability to explore the universal through the particular. It is concluded that The Persians transcends the account of a military defeat, offering lessons on the limits of power, leadership, and ethical consequences, revealing how a ruler’s mistake can reverberate throughout society and remain an enduring reflection on human vulnerability in the face of ambition and excess.