Motif
Captive royal woman preserves dignity before death
captive_royal_woman_preserves_dignity_before_death
A motif of the Royal Legitimacy and Sacred Kingship family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
roman
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The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / BOOK THE THIRTEENTH. / EXPLANATION.; lines 9235-9321 confidence: high
At the cruel altar, Polyxena sees the rites prepared and Neoptolemus standing with his sword; she says to use her blood quickly, offers no resistance, and bares her throat and breast.
Polyxena identifies herself as Priam's daughter, refuses servile degradation, offers no resistance, requests a free woman's death, and maintains composure and modesty as she dies.
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