AtKavifcof; A0709 tu EiLvipides. 19 



4. 'E7rt'Xo709, 1 029- 1 03 2 : 



Mei/fc'Xa', iV elStj^; ol TeXeuri'jau) \6yov, 

 (TTecfidvcoaov EXAaS' d^L(o>i ri/vSe KTavoov 

 aavTov, vofjLov Se rovSe Tal<; dX\.ai(Ti Oe<i 

 'yvvai^i, dvijcrKeiv rjTi<i dv TrpoSo) iroaiv. 



Ilto-Tets OF Helen. nto-Tet? of Hekabe. 



j3. 923-931 answered /3. 983-997. 

 7-931-937 " a. 971-982. 



5. 938-950 " 7. 998-1009. 



6. 951-960 " S, 1010-1028. 



Menelaos did not enter the court-room as an impartial 

 judge, for his decision had been already made (v. 905). He 

 did not hear the arguments for the purpose of giving Helen 

 an opportunity of escaping sentence of death, but simply 

 because he had leisure to hear both sides of the case (v. 91 1). 

 This is, then, a court scene, with arguments advanced and 

 answered as in a regular trial, but is really no trial at all. 

 In other words, Euripides saw a fine opportunity for pleasing 

 his audience with a mere farce of a trial, and so made the 

 speakers present the arguments. The verdict of the judge 

 after the p/^'cret? of the defendant and plaintiff is but a repe- 

 tition of his former determination. He agrees with Hekabe 

 in thinking that Helen left Sparta of her own accord, that her 

 argument in regard to Kypris is but KOfiwov %aptz/ (v. 1038), 

 and therefore she shall die (vv. 1036-1041). Helen makes a 

 last appeal for mercy, but it is of no avail (vv. 1042, 1043). 

 He orders the servants to conduct her to the ship, and after 

 a few words with Hekabe the scene closes. 



The pr}ai,<i of Helen contains three of the four usual divis- 

 ions, the irpodeai'i being omitted. In the irpooi/jiiov she fears 

 that her opponent may not answer her arguments, but de- 

 clares she will make her defence whether she is answered or 

 not. The Tr/o-ret^, as we should expect in a case where the 



iv Tots ' AXe^dvBpov yap v^pigeiv ddfxoLS 

 Kai TTpoaKwe^crdai jBapjSdpcov inr-qpirais 

 fjL^y dyadbv rjv <tol (or Tjyov). 



385 



