“…This seems to serve two functions: firstly, the polis comes to the fore as acting subject; secondly, the recent past is made more distant, since references to individuals who were still living would have tied the events to the present. 6 For this term, see easterling 1997. on the Persae's position between history and myth, see Péron 1982. 7 on epic language in the Persae, see stanford 1942.26, sideras 1971.98-200, 212-15, saïd 1988.326f., and Garner 1990.22-24.…”