The Supernatural in the Tragedies of Euripides ly 



vellous fragrance reveals her presence, and the dying youth mo- 

 mentarily revives and addresses the Goddess to whom he is faith- 

 ful unto death : 



Hipp. 1391-93: 



0} ■&elov odfirjs irvtv[xa- koI yap h> kukoIs 

 cbv r)<ji}6firiv aov KaveKov4>ia§7}v betas' 

 ecrr' kv ToiroLaL roicrid' Apreidis ■d^ea; 



" Ah, perfume-breath celestial ! — mid my pains 

 I feel thee, and mine anguish is assuaged. 

 Lo in this place the Goddess Artemis ! " 



But the same pious, innocent Hippolytus being keenly conscious 

 of the injustice of his fate pours out his grief to the Gods: 



Hipp. io6o-*'»i : 



& d^eol, tL 8rJTa rovfxov ov Xvco cTTOfia, 

 ocTTLs y' icj)' vfjov, ovs ae^u dioXXv/jLat,; 



" O Gods, whj can I not unlock my lips, 

 Who am destroyed by you whom I revere ? " ' 



and cries out as he dies : 



Hipp. 1363-69: 



Zeu ZeD, raS^ opas', 

 6d' 6 (xefivos kyu Kal t?eocre7rTwp, 

 65' 6 (T(j>4>pocjvv(i ■KavTa.% virepcrx^v 

 irpoviTTOv « AtSrjj' crrelxci) Kara yr]S, 

 oXecr as ^Iotov ixox^ovs 5' dXXws 

 Tri% eva-e^ias 

 eis avSpairovs kirovrjaa. 



"Ah Zeus hast thou seen? 

 Innocent I, ever fearing the Gods, who was wholly heart-clean 

 Above all men beside, — 



Lo, how I am thrust 

 Unto Hades, to hide 



My life in the dust! 

 All vainly I reverenced God, and in vain unto man was I just." 



The chorus, too, though confessing they derive consolation 

 from a belief in the care of the Gods, declare that on looking at 

 the chances and changes of human life, they fail to get a clear 

 view of the dealings of providence : 



" When faith overfloweth my mind, God's providence all-embracing 

 Banisheth griefs : but when doubt whispereth 'Ah but to know ! ' 



71 



