The Supernatural in the Tragedies of Euripides 1 1 



Med. 492-95 : 



opKcov 5e (ppovdr] irlaTi's, ov8 'exc^ iJ.a-&elv 

 el ^eovs vofiL^eLs tovs tot' ovk apx^LV eTL, 

 fj Kaiva KeL(T§aL %}k.CFiXL av§pu)TroLS to. vvv. 

 kirei (TWOLad^a 7' els e^i' ovk evopKOs iov. 



" But faith of oaths hath vanished. I know not 

 Whether thou deem'st the olden Gods yet rule, 

 Or that new laws are now ordained for men. 

 For thine heart speaks thee unto me forsworn." 



Indignant at Jason's perfidy the chorus exclaims : 



Med. 439-40: 



/3e/3aKe 5' opKcov x^-pi-'s-, ov8' er' al8chs 

 'EXXctSt ra p.eyaKa nkveL, aWepLa 5' avk-KTa. 



" Disannulled is the spell of the oath : no shame for the broken 

 troth 

 In Hellas the wide doth remain, but heavenward its flight hath 

 it taken." 



At the conclusion of the play Medea declares Jason as forsaken 

 by the Gods, who will not heed his request because he is for- 

 sworn : 



Med. 1391-92 : 



TLS de Kkvei crov ??e6s r) halp.wv, 

 Tov \pev56pKov /cat ^eLvaTraTov; 



" What God or what spirit will heed thy request, 

 Caitiff forsworn, who betrayest the guest?" 



Medea demands an oath of ^geus in order to attain a safe 

 refuge after having carried her designs into effect : 



Med. 731-32: 



ecrrat rdS'; aXKa Trtcms el yevoiTo jxol 

 Tovrcov, exoi-p. av ivkvTa irpos cred^ev KaXws. 



" So be it. Yet, were oath-pledge given for this 

 To me, then had I all I would of thee." 



Med. 735-36: 



. . . TovTOLs 8 , opKloLffL p,tv ^vyels, 

 ayovcTLv oh p.edei dv en yaias e/xe. 



" Oath-bound, thou couldst never yield me 

 To these, when they drag me from the land." 



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