Suppliant Maidens

Question 1

Who is the author?

Answer 1

Aeschylus

Question 2

Who are the important characters?

Answer 2

• Danaus
• The daughter’s of Danaus called the Danaids
• The sons of Egyptus
• Pelasgus (King of Argos)

Question 3

What is the plot of the story?

Answer 3

• Danaus has fifty daughters
• Danaus’ brother, Egyptus, has fifty sons
• Egyptus forces Danaus’ fifty daughters to marry his fifty sons
• Danaids flee Egypt to Argos, where Io is from
• Pelasgus asks his people if he can accept the refugees
• Danaids claim they are descendants of Io, though they look different
• Pelasgus cannot completely stop the marriage from taking place
• Danaus says he has to give his daughters over to the cousins
  Danaus’ Plan
• Tells his daughters to get their husbands drunk and kill them on their wedding night
• 49 of the daughters kill their husbands, all but Hypermnestra