The Supernatural in the Tragedies of Euripides 59 



As the tragedy of " Helen " was played in 412 shortly after the 

 Sicilian expedition which had ended so disastrously, it is probable 

 that Euripides directed these invectives against the soothsayers 

 whom he regarded as mischievous tools in the hands of the war 

 party, and who as such had especially urged the people to under- 

 take the expedition. Euripides was not the only one who at- 

 tacked this " worthless class of idlers " ; cf . the scene in Arist. 

 Birds, 959-991- 



Beside this well-known passage where the poet so violently 

 attacks the art of divination, we have in the same play other pas- 

 sages regarding the same object, where Euripides follows the 

 traditional belief and represents Theonoe, the prophetess and 

 sister of Theoclymenus, as a true oracle possessing supernatural 

 knowledge. Referring to her Helen says : 



Hel. 819: ■ 



" An ally wise as Gods he hath within." 

 and Helen again asserts : 

 Hel. 861-62: 



awovaa yap ere Koi Trapova' a.4)fy ixkvov 

 devp olbev. 



" Present or absent still she knows of thee, 

 How thou art cofne." 



From the sequel of the play we know that the prophetess con- 

 trols Destiny ; Theonoe herself declares : 



Hel. 887 ff. : 



reXos 8 ecj) 'flP'lv, el'??' a /SouXerat Kuxpts 

 K. T. X. 



" The issue rests with me — to tell my brother, 

 As Cypris wills, thy presence, ruining thee, 

 Or, standing Hera's ally, save thy life, etc." 



Theonoe chooses to save Menelaus and Helen, and the decision of 

 the Gods follows that of the prophetess. 



Allusion to vision is made when Helen, aware of the unreality 

 of the Trojan Helen, exclaims: 



113 



