Again, in every Greek tragedy, one member of the chorus speaks as a character in dialogue, and the name Koryphaios translates as “speaker of the chorus”. Another Troizenian maiden, she regularly expresses surprise and grief over the tragedy she witnesses. She might have the power to prevent Theseus from unleashing his fatal anger on his son, except that she swore and oath of silence to Phaidra.
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Koryphaios Character Timeline in Hippolytus
The timeline below shows where the character Koryphaios appears in Hippolytus. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Lines 1-425
...As a result, she asks the nurse to cover her face. While Phaidra hides, the Koryphaios – the name given to the spokesperson of the chorus, in this case a young...
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Lines 817-1119
Phaidra, leaning against the palace doors, groans about what she hears inside. The Koryphaios gets her at last to describe what she’s hearing: it’s Hippolytus “in a huge fury”,...
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...like the one that binds Hippolytus, not to reveal what they have seen unfold. The Koryphaios, speaking for the rest of the Troizenian women, swears by Artemis. That done, Phaidra hints...
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Lines 1120-1368
Then, Theseus notices a wax tablet that Phaidra’s body holds in its dead hand. The Koryphaios makes a dire prediction when Theseus goes to read it, and it turns out to...
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Lines 1369-1727
The Koryphaios moans that everything is lost. Then, Hippolytus embarks on a long defense. He begins by...
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...even though it would help clear the charge, referencing his oath to the nurse. The Koryphaios comments that Hippolytus’ swearing to Zeus feels convincing. Nonetheless, it does not move Theseus.
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Lines 1728-2208
The Koryphaios recognizes Hippolytus’s end as a cruel fate, but Theseus feels satisfied with the punishment, even...
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