Agamennone βουληφόρος? La sovranità alla prova del processo deliberativo

Abstract

Starting with the Iliad, Agamemnon is mostly depicted at the centre of dramatic deliberative situations. This feature is also present in fifth-century literature, particularly in some plays in which Agamemnon’s decision-making ability in uncertainty comes into tension with other characters in order to determine the ‘right’ decision and adequate leadership features. In this paper, I will focus on the Euripides’ play Iphigenia in Aulis (405 a.C.). In this tragedy the behaviour of the Achaean king draws our attention, as he is not equipped to handle his role and responsibilities. In the same years, also historiography is interested in the nature and risks of the deliberative process, as Thucydides points out in relation to some key moments of the Peloponnesian War, specifically in the Mytilene debate.