1 6 James T. Lees, 



The clear and distinct manner in which the judge sums up 

 the arguments and renders his decision should be especially- 

 noticed. His first reason for deciding in favor of the defend- 

 ant is one which was barely touched upon by lolaos (v. 196), 

 but is the strongest argument in his own mind (vv. 238, 239). 

 The two arguments advanced separately by lolaos (vv. 205- 

 213, 214-219) are combined by the judge and considered as 

 one. The third reason for deciding as he does is a very 

 common one, and is given in many similar situations both in 

 actual trials and in other plays of the poet. 



TrOADES, 895-1059. 'P?;cret9, 914-965, 969-IO32. 



Troy has fallen, and the Trojan women have been assigned 

 to the various leaders of the Greeks. Menelaos appears (v. 

 860) for the purpose of taking Helen to Greece, where she is 

 to be put to death on account of the evils she has caused 

 (vv. 876-879). At V. 895 Helen appears, and when informed 

 she must die (vv. 901, 902), asks : 



e^ea-Ttv ovv 7rpo<i ravT d/jLei'\}ra(r6at Xoyo), 

 a><i ov SiKaicoi;, rjv 6dv(o, davovfjieda ; 



To this Menelaos replies : 



ouK eh \6yov<i e\r]Xvd\ aXXd ere Krevwv. 



But it is unjust for a person to be executed without a trial ; 

 and since Hekabe (who happens to be present) believes she 

 can persuade Menelaos that Helen ought to die, she asks 

 that the defendant be granted a hearing, after which she 

 herself will make the pria-i^ of the prosecution, and Menelaos 

 can then sum up the arguments and render his decision (vv. 

 906-910). We have then a criminal case involving capital 

 punishment. Helen, as defendant, pleads her own case ; 

 Hekabe answers her arguments ; and Menelaos, as judge, 

 renders his decision. 



382 



