The Iphigenia in Tauris of Euripides Part 18

P. 82, 1. 1325, Aye tell thy tale.--It is perhaps a little awkward that Thoas should ask for the whole story before taking any steps to pursue Iphigenia. But partly he is so amazed that he wants to hear all he can before moving; partly, he is represented as being really sure of his prey, as king of all the Taurian seas.

P. 83, 1. 1350, The prow was held by stay-poles.--The ship was afloat, having been just dragged off the sh.o.r.e, bow forwards. The men were raising the anchor, and holding the prow steady by long punt-poles. The ladder seems to have been a rope-ladder; but the Greek is difficult, and I do not know of any mention of a rope- ladder elsewhere in Greek literature.

P. 84, 1. 1384, The Maid of Argos and the carven wood of Heaven-- Observe how closely Iphigenia and the image are united. She appears with it in her arms; she must fly together with it, or die; she and the image enter the ship together. There is religion behind this. Perhaps there was some old statue of the G.o.ddess carrying her own image, as Athena sometimes carries a Palladion; when Iphigenia became the priestess and Artemis the G.o.ddess, this was interpreted as the priestess carrying the G.o.ddess' image.

P. 85, 1. 1415, There is One who rules the sea.--Poseidon, the sea G.o.d, was traditionally a friend of Troy. See the first scene of The Trojan Women.

P. 86, 1. 1435, ATHENA.--Modern readers complain a good deal of this appearance of the G.o.d from the Machine. Some day I hope to discuss the Deus ex Machina at length, but in the meantime I would point out the following facts: 1. A theophany or appearance of a G.o.d seems to have been in the essence of the original conception of Greek Drama; a study of the fragments of Aeschylus will ill.u.s.trate this. What Euripides did, apparently, was to invent, or use when invented, an improved kind of stage machinery for introducing the G.o.d in the air. 2. The theophany seems to have been effective with the Greek audience, and I believe it would usually be so with any audience that was not highly sophisticated and accustomed to a.s.sociate such appearances with pantomime fairies. 3. In nearly all cases the G.o.d who appears not only speaks lines of great beauty and serenity, but also comes with counsel and comfort which have something of heaven about them. The Dioscori of the Electra are most typical, healing the agony of revenge by sheer forgiveness; the beautiful Artemis of the Hippolytus is different, but divine also. But every case needs its special treatment.

P. 87, 1. 1457, Artemis the Tauropole.--On the rite of Artemis Tauropolos at Halae, see Preface, p. vi. There is a play on words in "Tauropole"; it is interesting to see that Euripides has prepared for it as early as Orestes' first speech, 11. 84 f., though I did not think it worth representing in English there.