The Supernatural in the Tragedies of Euripides 83 



18. The Cyclops 



The " Cyclops " is the only extant example of a satyric drama. 

 Although the play brings us into contact with customs and modes 

 of religious worship of a period long before Euripides, it fur- 

 nishes very little material for our search of the supernatural. 



Odysseus prays to Athena and Zeus : 



Cycl. 350-55: 



5i IlaXXas, d) bkuTTOLva ^toyeves ■dea, k. t. X. 

 ZeO ^evL opa rdd'- k. t. X. 



" O Pallas, Child of Zeus, O Heavenly Queen, 

 Help, help me now, for never have I been. 

 Mid all Troy's travail, in such strait as this ! 

 Oh, this is peril's bottomless abyss ! 

 O Dweller in the starry Halls of Light, 

 Zeus, thou Guest-champion, look upon my plight ! 

 If thou regard not, vainly we confess 

 Thy godhead, Zeus, who art mere nothingness ! " 



For the same thought see : 



Cycl. 375-76: 



0} Zed, tL Xe^co, Seiv' idcov avrpcov ecrco 



Kov TTLcrTa., [xv^^OLs elKor' ov8' epyois ^poruiv; 



" O God, that cave ! — that mine eyes should behold 

 Horrors incredible, etc." 



Odysseus also appeals to Hephaestus, the presiding God of Etna 

 to help him in getting rid of the Cyclops who is a pest to the 

 island : 



Cycl. 599-607: 



Hc^atcTT' ava^ Alrvale, yeirovos KaKov 

 XafXTrpov irvpicaas Ofifi airaWax^^ aTra^, 

 K. T. X. 



" O Fire-god, king of Etna, burn away 

 . The eye of thy vile neighbour, and for aye 

 Rid thee of him ! O child of black Night, Sleep, 

 On this god-hated brute in full power leap ! 

 Bring not Odysseus and his crew to naught. 

 After these glorious toils in Ilium wrought. 

 Through one who gives to God nor man a thought ! 



