68 Ernest Heinrich Klotsche 



14. The Electra 



The "Electra," produced about 413, treats of the same subject 

 as the "Choephorse" of ^schylus, and the "Electra" of Soph- 

 ocles, namely the return of Orestes from. exile, and his revenge 

 upon Clytemnestra. 



The chorus admonish Electra to worship the Gods and pray to 

 them: 



El. 194-97: 



fxri T^^^a)0•a ??eous, Kpari]- 

 creiv kxd^p(j^v; ovtoi arovaxals, 

 dXX' evxcuci. d^eovs (Jt^l- 

 ^ov<r' efets evafiepiav, w TraZ. 



" If thou give honour not to Gods, shall bring 

 Thy foes low? — reverencing 

 The Gods with prayers, not groans, shalt thou obtain 

 Clear shining after rain." 



but Electra answers : 

 El. 198-200: 



ovSels ■&e<Jbv kvoTras Kkvet. 

 rds SvcrSaiixovos, ov iraXai- 

 03V warpos acpayiacrfjuibv. 



" No God regards a wretch's cries, 

 Nor heeds old flames of sacrifice 

 Once on my father's altar burning." 



and yet in her distress she prays desperately : 



El. 221 : 



w >l>oZ/3' AttoWov, irpocririTvo} ae p,ri d^aveiv. 

 " Phoebus, I pray thee that I be not slain ! " 



Electra is exhorted by the Old Man to pray to the Gods : 



El. 563 and 565: 



w iroTvi, evxov, ■d^byarep 'HXe/crpa, ??eois 

 \aPeiv (fy'CKov d^Tjcravpov, ov 4>alvei '&e6s. 



" Daughter, Electra — princess ! — pray to the Gods — 

 To win the precious treasure God reveals ! " 



and she replies : 



122 



