14 Ernest Heinrich Klotsche 



This oracle adds nothing particular to our search, except that it 

 is a striking instance of an obscure and ambiguous oracle. Its 

 real meaning being " to preserve continence till his return 

 home " ; but dcr/coD Xucrat TToSa also signified " to untie the foot- 

 skin of a wine-bag." 



3. The Hippolytus 



In the " Hippolytus " we meet with several remarkable features 

 of the supernatural element. The subject of the play is the ven- 

 geance which Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, exacts from the 

 hero after whom the play is named. The prologue is spoken by 

 Aphrodite. She tells us that she is wroth against Hippolytus, 

 because he has slighted her in word and deed ; then she goes on 

 to declare her intention of avenging herself by a plot involving 

 Phaedra's destruction as well as his. 



" Theseus shall know this thing ; all bared shall be : 

 And him that is my foe his sire shall slay 

 By curses, whose fulfilment the Sea-king 

 Poseidon gave to Theseus in this boon — 

 To ask three things of him, nor pray in vain. 

 And she shall die — O yea, her name unstained, 

 Yet Phaedra dies : I will not so regard 

 Her pain, as not to visit on my foes 

 Such penalty as is mine honour's due. 

 But, — forasmuch as Theseus' son I see 

 Yonder draw near, forsaking hunting's toil, 

 Hippolytus, — forth will I from this place. 

 Ha, a great press of henchmen following shout 

 Honouring with songs the Goddess Artemis ! 

 He knows not Hades' gates wide flung for him. 

 And this day's light the last his eyes shall see." 



(42-58.) 



By means of this prediction — as is usually the case in the pro- 

 logues of Euripides — the spectators are made familiar before- 

 hand with the subject of the play. In the opening scene the hero 

 of the play enters with attendant huntsmen whom he exhorts to 

 extol the praise of Artemis. They respond in the lofty strain : 



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