4 Olivia Pound 
Gods,’’** the theme of another ode, is not unfamiliar to the classic 
poets. But the words that are put in the mouths of the maidens 
of the chorus are altogether too sophisticated. This is one of 
the few places where the thought of the play is out of harmony 
with Greek ideas. The theme of this chorus will be discussed 
farther on in connection with dramatic motives. 
The chorus on “nature ’’* is almost as beautiful as that on 
“The Youth of the Year” and might be compared with the 
chorus on nature in Iphigenia among the Tauri 1. 1089. This 
chorus is like one of the joyous dance songs*® frequently used by 
Greek dramatists to emphasize a situation by way of contrast, 
when an unusually tragic scene is to follow. The hopes of the 
reader are raised by the exultant note of the chorus, only to be 
changed to despair when the messenger enters and announces 
that Meleager has slain Toxeus and Plexippus in a quarrel over 
the spoil. Much the same effect is produced by the contrast be- 
tween the chorus, “The Youth of the Year,” and the ominous 
words of the queen that follow.t® The last chorus “ Fate ”* has 
somewhat the same theme as that on the “Injustice of the Gods”; 
but it contains no ideas that would have been unfamiliar to a 
Greek audience."* 
The choral odes, though not so closely connected with the plot 
of the play, as are most of the choruses of Aeschylus and Soph- 
ocles, are not so irrelevant to the action as are some of the choral 
odes of Euripides. In some respects, however, the choruses bear 
a greater resemblance to those of Euripides than to those of the 
other Greek dramatists. Swinburne, like Euripides, is apt to sub- 
ordinate thought to emotion. Each poet had the power of pro- 
ducing a wealth of radiant imagery. In the plays of both a cer- 
tain feeling of excitement is stimulated, which in the case of 
Swinburne often seems abnormal. Both poets were likely to be 
carried away from their main theme by the opportunity for 
13 Atalanta in Calydon, p. 284. 
14 [bid., p. 206. 
15 Cf. Sophocles, Antigone, ll. 100-162; Oedipus the King, ll. 151-215. 
16 Atalanta in Calydon, pp. 249-251. 
17 Tbhid., p. 312. 
18 Cf, Sophocles, Antigone, ll. 901-908. 
344 
———— eee 
