38 Javtes T. Lees, 



In v\'. 625-635 Polyneikes calls upon the gods to witness the 

 injustice he receives, and as he departs Eteokles exclaims : 



eft^' e'/c vtopa? • aX7)0co<i 8' ovofia UoXvveiKrjv irarrip 

 edero aot deia irpovoia veiKewv eTrcovu/Jiov. 



There are several points in the above pi](Tet<i that are worthy 

 of special attention. The most striking peculiarity is the 

 length and arrangement of the three speeches. The /S^o-t? 

 of Polyneikes is exactly the same length as that of his brother. 

 The two pt'i(7ei<; taken together contain about the same num- 

 ber of verses as one pri(Tt<i in other discussions. In the prjai^ 

 of Polyneikes also the 7riaT€i<i are wanting. The irpodeaL^ is 

 the part that is generally omitted, but here we find the whole 

 pya-i-i is practically limited to the 7rp66ecrL<i or Scrjyrjai'i. The 

 pT]ai<i of Eteokles, on the other hand, is nearly all occupied 

 with the 7ricrreL<i. The poet has skilfully placed the best 

 arguments last, in order to leave as good an impression as 

 possible of this unjust side of the case. The Trpoolpaov and 

 eTrlXoyo'i are clearly defined in each prjai<i. Another peculiar 

 feature is that lokaste is not a judge to decide the contest, 

 but acts as mediator, and the pYjaL<; which she delivers is 

 almost exactly the length of both the preceding combined. 

 She addresses the last speaker first, refutes every argument 

 he has advanced, then turns to the first speaker and urges 

 him not to make war on his own city. Her arguments, how- 

 ever, are of no avail. 



The scholiast has the following interesting observation on 

 the priaL<i of lokaste : 



ev TOVTOt<; ovSev 'loKcicrTr] (TVfx,^€/3ovXevKe rot? iraLcrl kolvw- 

 <^eA.€<?. aWa tm fxev Xeyet, ei? rt ^iXorifiJj rvpavvelv ; tm Se, 

 ei9 Ti TToXefjLel^ t7]v TrarpiSa ; ixP^l^ ^^ tovtoi<; crv/n^ouXevcrat, 

 SieXofxevovi ra Trarpwa, koI tijv ^aaiXelav Travaacrdac r?}? 

 Bi^oaracria's, OTTft)? VTrearrjaav e^ dp'^rj'i ava fiepo^ ap')(eiv. 

 Kal yap eVl rw Troirjrf} yv TTOLrjcraL avTOV<; pLrj 7rei6o/jLevov<;, 

 oirco^i ra r?}*? laTopla^ t^^vr) /3i/3aia. e't'fxapro yap avTOV<i dXXrj- 

 XoKTovov; y6VOfX€vov<i, Kara Ta<; dpd<; rov 7rarpo<; aTrodavelv. 

 vvv 8e ovBev tovtcov TreTTOtrjKev. 



404 



