Each passage concerns being sent away, or living away, from one’s own country. The Psalm, Euripides and Dante dwell on the loss: harps hung on the willows, children with no home, the salt taste of other men’s bread. Thucydides records his own exile as the historian’s opportunity. Epictetus counts exile among things outside our power, and so no harm. Hermas and Boethius make it a figure: Christians are strangers in this world, and Boethius has strayed from a country from which no one is banished.
Chosen by hand, not counted: a passage is here when it is plainly about the topic, and the list is not every mention. Each is shown in the order the books were written, and each links to the section it is in.
The captives weep by the rivers of Babylon and ask how they can sing in a strange land.
Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept: when we remembered Sion: Psalm 136 →Creon orders Medea and her two sons out of Corinth into banishment without delay.
Thou woman sullen-eyed and hot with hate Against thy lord, Medea, I here command That thou and thy two children from this land Go forth to banishment. Make no delay: Seeing ourselves, the King, are come this day To see our charge fulfilled; nor shall again Look homeward ere we have led thy children twain And thee beyond our realm's last boundary. Play 1 →Thucydides notes his own twenty years’ exile after Amphipolis, which let him observe both sides.
… It was also my fate to be an exile from my country for twenty years after my command at Amphipolis; and being present with both parties, and more especially with the Peloponnesians by reason of my exile, I had leisure to observe affairs somewhat particularly. I will accordingly now relate the differences that arose after the ten years’ war, the breach of the treaty, and the hostilities that followed. … Book 5 →The Shepherd tells Christians they live in a strange land, their own city being far away.
He says to me, “You know that you who are the servants of God dwell in a strange land; for your city is far away from this one. If, then,” he continues, “you know your city in which you are to dwell, why do ye here provide lands, and make expensive preparations, and accumulate dwellings and useless buildings? He who makes such preparations for this city cannot return again to his own. … Part 3 →Epictetus asks who can stop him going into exile cheerfully; Agrippinus, banished, goes to dinner.
… I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment? Tell me the secret which you possess. I will not, for this is in my power. But I will put you in chains. Man, what are you talking about? Me, in chains? … Part 1 →Philosophy tells the exiled Boethius he has strayed from his true country rather than been banished.
… When I saw thee sorrowful, in tears, I straightway knew thee wretched and an exile. But how far distant that exile I should not know, had not thine own speech revealed it. Yet how far indeed from thy country hast thou, not been banished, but rather hast strayed; or, if thou wilt have it banishment, hast banished thyself! For no one else could ever lawfully have had this power over thee. … Book 1 →Cacciaguida foretells Dante’s exile from Florence and the salt taste of other men’s bread.
… As forth from Athens went Hippolytus, By reason of his step-dame false and cruel, So thou from Florence must perforce depart. Already this is willed, and this is sought for; And soon it shall be done by him who thinks it, Where every day the Christ is bought and sold. The blame shall follow the offended party In outcry as is usual; but the vengeance Shall witness to the truth that doth dispense it. … Paradiso 17 →