Tiresias between texts and sex

This paper investigates the special dramatic role of the combined presence of Tiresias and his daughter, Manto, in Seneca’s Oedipus. An overview of Manto’s relatively rare appearance in both Greek and Latin literature is followed by a detailed examination of Tiresias’ mythological past. Tiresias’ bisexuality, an emblematic trait of his myth, which is intrinsically related to his prophetic power, receives special attention. Learned Seneca proves to be well informed of Tiresias’ bisexuality, possibly through Ovid. The Roman dramatist exploits the father-daughter pair of Tiresias and Manto not only as an on-stage pre-figuration of Oedipus’ future (blind Oedipus guided by his daughter Antigone), but more importantly as a bold dramatic visualization of Tiresias’ own bisexuality. My discussion is rounded off with a section on the multiple connections between Oedipus and Tiresias.