AiKaviKo^ A0709 in Euripides. 15 



The herald declares that Argos will make war on Athens 

 (vv. 275-283), and Demophon angrily replies (vv. 284-287) : 



(fydeipov • to aov 'yap 'Apyo<i ou Se'Sot/c' eyo). 

 evOevhe 8' ovk efieWe'i ai(T')(yva<i ifie 

 a^etv ^la rovaS^ • ou yap ^Apyeicov iroket 

 v7n]Koov rrjvh^ aXhJ iXeudepav e^(o. 



This is one of the best court scenes in Euripides. The 

 prjaa of Kopreus contains the four principal divisions of an 

 oration. The Trpooifitov is very closely connected with the 

 following division. The irpoOeai^;, although short, is dis- 

 tinctly marked. Demophon has just arrived on the scene, 

 and this gives the orator an excellent opportunity for making 

 a statement of the case. The irLo-ret^ consist of four divisions, 

 and the poet, as a trained rhetorician would have done, puts 

 the weakest argument in the middle (vv. 147-152). This 

 argument proves to be of so little weight that the defendant 

 treats it with silent contempt. The plaintiff reserves his 

 strongest argument for the last, and dwells upon it to a con- 

 siderable length (vv. 153-174), recounting all the disadvan- 

 tages which will follow if the judge decides the case against 

 him. The iiriXoyof; is of average length, and, as is frequently 

 the case, concludes with a piece of wholesome advice. 



In the prjai'; of the defendant the Trpooi/niov is an eulogy 

 on Athens and her law courts, therefore an excellent intro- 

 duction to his defence. The irpoOeaL'^, as usual in the priaL<i 

 of the defendant, is omitted, because the judge is already 

 acquainted with the circumstances of the case from the prja-i^ 

 of the plaintiff. In the TrLcrrei'^ he answers the arguments of 

 his opponent in the same order in which they were advanced, 

 with the exception of 7. 147-152. After answering the argu- 

 ments of the plaintiff, he wins his case by a skilful introduc- 

 tion of new arguments that could not be answered (vv. 205- 

 219). The €7rlXoyot ends the pf](Ti<; with an appeal to the 

 judge for mercy and protection. It is somewhat longer than 

 usual, but is not out of balance with the whole speech. 



381 



