The Supernatural in the Tragedies of Euripides J 



finally to hallucination. Dying persons often imagine that they 

 see flitting forms, and appeal to others whether they are not 

 equally conscious of their presence, as Alcestis asks: ovx opas; 

 (259). That the poet, however, uses such visions as superna- 

 tural manifestations may be demanded by the traditional belief 

 and dramatic propriety. Such supernatural manifestations, which 

 often recur in connection with tragedy, always appeal to an in- 

 terest in the unseen deeply rooted in human nature. Even in the 

 most sceptical lingers a certain respect for such matters. 

 In the prologue Apollo proclaims an oracle of the Parcse : 



Ale. 12-14: 



KhiXTjTov a.hr\v rbv irapavTiK eKipvyelv, 

 aWov diaWa^avra rots kcltco veKpov. 



" Admetus shall escape the imminent death 

 If he for ransom gives another life." 



and making use of his prescience he predicts that Heracles shall 

 rescue the heroic Alcestis from the grave and the arm of death, 

 thus revealing the denouement of the drama : 



Ale. 65-69: 



rj ix7]v (TV ireiffei Kalivep (hp,6s chv ayav 

 Tolos ^kpriTOS elcTL irpos 86p.ovs avrjp, 

 Evpvad^ews irkp-xl/avTos 'Ltv-tt^iov fxera 



OXVI^^ QpV'l^V^ ^'^ TOTTUV bvo'x^'-I^^P^^i 



OS 8r] ^evco^els Tolab^ ev 'Adp-rirov 66/xots 

 /8ta ywalKa rrivde tr' e^aLprjcreraL. 



" Surely thou shalt forbear, though ruthless thou, 

 So mighty a man to Pheres' hall shall come, 

 Sent of Eurystheus forth, the courser-car 

 From wintry-dreary lands of Thrace to bring. 

 Guest-welcomed in Admetus' palace- here 

 By force yon woman shall he wrest from thee." 



The fulfillment of this prophecy, namely the return of Alcestis 

 from death to life is the central theme of the play. But the pre- 

 diction itself is of religious importance ; it appeals to the re- 

 ligious instinct and offers an assurance that the just are in the 

 hands of God. 



61 



