Tragedy, Hubris and Tyranny in Greek Literature

In both Greek tragedy and in Herodotus are men who make mistakes through hubris and arrogance. In Herodotus, tyrants such as Xerxes, Cambyses, and Cyrus are driven by a sense of self-obsession and hubris. They have no qualms sacrificing their own people for power. Their only sense of duty is to themselves, and they show this through their despicable actions to others. The life of others is hardly of importance in the game of existence. Tragic heroes also suffer from hubris, but instead of being disposed to violence and bettering their own position, they are often good and just men. Tragic heroes such as Creon and Oedipus both have their fatal flaws, but not to the extent of the tyrants in Herodotus. They each make a terrible mistake that leads

Creon, after he learns of his mistake, intends to correct them. “I and my better judgement / have come round to this-I shackled her, / I’ll set her free myself.” (Sophocles, Antigone, 1234-1235). In comparison to Xerxes, Creon intends to “lay my pride bare to the blows of ruin” (1221). Creon’s reaction when he learns of the death of his niece, son and, and wife was one of intense grief: “herald of pain, more words, more grief? / I died once, you killed me again and again” (1414-1415). In these passages, Creon shows a willingness to have a perpeteia, or a reversal in action. Creon thought he had the authority to govern something only the gods could, and he attempted a perpeteia in this course, but ultimately was too late and was in a state of perpetual grief afterward. The people around Creon also sympathize with him: “for mortal men / there is no escape from the doom we must endure” (1457-1458) In this the leader of the chorus is identifying with Creon, in the acknowledgement of hubris and hamartei, a mistake in judgment, in life. However, a tragic heroes’ perpeteia sets them apart from a tyrant, in that the tyrant will continue to be hubris driven, whereas a tragic hero will have a moment of perpeteia and attempt to repent. The tragic hero will repent to prevent grief in his downfall, whereas a tyrant won’t even have a moment of