The Danaides

The Danaides, fifty sisters who form the chorus of The Suppliants, play a pivotal role in the drama, unlike the customary function of the Greek chorus as mere exposition vehicles. They are descendants of Zeus and Io, fleeing their Egyptian cousins’ forced marriage demands. Upon reaching Argos, they beseech King Pelasgus for sanctuary, leveraging their ancestral ties to the land. Their appearance, marked by desperation and unfamiliar attire, initially raises doubts, yet their detailed recounting of Argive descent persuades the king of their legitimacy. The sisters, embodying fear and helplessness, threaten self-destruction at the sacred altars of Argos' gods, their plea underscoring the profound existential peril they face and compelling King Pelasgus to act, fearing the divine and moral consequences of their potential demise on Argive soil.

King Pelasgus of Argos

King Pelasgus, the sovereign of Argos, is a man caught in a moral and political quandary. He is confronted with the arduous decision of offering asylum to the Danaides, aware that refusing would invoke Zeus's wrath. Despite his compassion, he fears the repercussions of angering the fifty Egyptian suitors. Not a despot by nature, he exemplifies the nascent democratic ideals by consulting Argos’ citizens for their stance on granting refuge. Upon receiving their backing, his protective instincts triumph, leading him to welcome the Danaides and vigorously rebuff the Herald of Aegyptus, while bracing Argos for the looming war that the Egyptians threaten to unleash.

Danaus

Danaus, the patriarch of the Danaides, is a figure of wisdom and determination. As the father of the fifty daughters, he shares their lineage from Zeus and Io. His abhorrence of his brother Aegyptus' proposal for their children's intermarriage drives him and his daughters from Egypt to Argos. Danaus, cognizant of his own frailty and age, is unable to physically protect his daughters, yet provides crucial guidance. He counsels them to seek the protection of local deities and to remain steadfast against their cousins' advances. His role as a mentor underscores his dedication to safeguarding his daughters' autonomy and dignity, reinforcing their resolve amidst their dire predicament. The ancestral tale of Io and Zeus, culminating in a lineage stretching from Egypt to Argos, enriches Danaus's portrayal as a man bound by divine blood and ancestral duty.

The Herald of Aegyptus

The Herald of Aegyptus is the epitome of arrogance and disrespect towards Argive customs and sacred laws. As the emissary of the fifty Egyptian brothers pursuing the Danaides, he arrives in Argos shortly after the Danaides have secured the promise of protection from King Pelasgus. His blatant disregard for the Greek deities, as evidenced by his own admission—"I do not fear the native gods, be assured. They did not rear me, nor by their nurture did they bring me to old age"—cements his character as impudent and barbaric. He threatens sacrilege by attempting to forcibly remove the Danaides from the sanctified altars. Ultimately, he is thwarted by the Argive ruler’s determination, yet not before ominously hinting at a future conflict over the Danaides' fate, a threat that hangs over the conclusion of the play, suggesting the potential continuation of the narrative in lost works that followed.