PRECARIOUS CHOREIA IN SATYR PLAY∗

Abstract

Satyr drama is defined by the dominating presence of its eponymous chorus; yet its choreia always appears precarious and problematic. The satyrs sing and dance and are scolded for doing so, or they do not sing and dance and are scolded for not doing so. Even when they are singing and dancing, the satyrs themselves question their own choreia as they lament the impossibility of singing and dancing under current circumstances, share memories of better songs and past dances, or imagine them happening in the future. This paper considers the persistent problematization of choreia in satyr play and the specific uses of satyric choreia as a central element in the poetics of the genre, arguing that these are tied to an unabashedly Dionysiac re-construction of the origins of drama. Finally, a postscript shows how satyr drama’s treatment of choreia translates into the visual sphere on the famous Pronomos Vase.