The Supernatural in the Tragedies of Euripides 37 



foretells the future destiny of those who are now triumphant 

 over him : 



Heracl. 1026-29: 



KTeiv , 01) TrapaiTOV/jLai ere- k. t. X. 



XP7](rfJ-i^ iraXatw Ao^iov dcoprjcro/xai,, k. t. X. 



" Slay : I ask not thy grace. But I bestow 

 On Athens, who hath spared, who shamed to slay me 

 An ancient oracle of Loxias, 

 Which in far days shall bless her more than seems." 



His prophecy is accepted by all as a revelation vv. 1053 ff. : 



" I also consent. On, henchman-train 

 March on with the doomed. No blood-guilt stain, 

 Proceeding of us, on our kings shall remain." 



The words of Alcmena uttered against her divine lover, Zeus, 

 are in mitigated form a cruel reproach for the past : 



Heracl. 869-72: 



X^ptf 5' onus cot Tciv TreiTpa'yiJ.evwv exw- 

 KoX TralSa rov kp.6v irpoa^ev oh boKovcr' e7w 

 «9eots ofXLkelv vvv kTrLcrTafj.aL cracfjciis. 



" Zeus, late on mine affliction hast thou looked ; 

 Yet thank I thee for all that thou hast wrought. 

 Now know I of a surety that my son 

 Dwelleth with Gods : — ere this I thought not so." 



See also her discreet complaints in vv. 718-19: 



" Never of me shall ill be said of Zeus ; 

 But is he just to me-ward? Himself knows!" 



9. The Hercules Furens 



The " Hercules Furens " is, as regards the supernatural ele- 

 ment in the play, a condemnation through Hera and Zeus of the 

 whole system of Gods. To the poet's favorite subject — accusa- 

 tion of the Gods for their alleged injustice and immorality — is 

 made allusion in the invocation of the chorus : 



H. F. 798 ff. : 



3} \kKTpwv 5vo avyyevels 

 evvai, k. t. X. 



91 



