s; for now I rise
To better life, and grateful own the blessing.

THE CHORUS, RETIRING:

Our fates the Gods in various shapes dispose: {1236}
Heaven sets the crown on many a hopeless cause:
That which is looked for
Fails in the issue.
To goals unexpected
Heav'n points out a passage.
And this is the end of the matter.

[1] The quotations are from Potter's Translation, in Routledge's
Universal Library, freely altered in parts for the purpose of bringing
out changes of metre, etc., in the original. The References are to the
numbering of the lines in Potter.

[2] That is, a scene carried on upon the Stage without the presence of
the Chorus in the Orchestra,--a very rare effect in Greek Drama.

[3] The fact was that the _Alcestis_ was represented in place of a
'Satyric Drama,' which only allowed two (speaking) personages on the
Stage at the same time.

THE CYCLOPS OF EURIPIDES

A SPECIMEN OF THE SATYRIC DRAMA

_Scene_: Sicily, in front of cave of the Cyclops, Polyphemus.

_Prologue_ by Silenus, the rural demi-god, who recounts his faithful
service to Bacchus, and yet the ungrateful god has let himself and his
children fall into this slavery to the horrid Cyclops Polyphemus,
where, worst of their many woes, they are debarred from the wine they
worship.

_Parode_: The Chorus of Satyrs driving their goats and lamenting how
different this from the merry service of Bacchus.

_Episode I_. Silenus hurries back with the news that a ship is
approaching to water in the island: fresh victims for the monster.
_Enter Ulysses and crew_: mutual explanations, all couched in
'burlesque' tone. The mariners have had no food except flesh, and
gladly partake milk and fruits of the Satyrs, affording in return to
Silenus the long-lost luxury of wine: the scene then going on to paint
[with the utmost coarseness] the oncoming of drunkenness.

Suddenly _enter Polyphemus_: Ulysses and the crew hide. After some
rough bandying between the Monster and the Chorus, the strangers are
discovered: and Silenus, to save himself, turns traitor, and tells
Polyphemus how they have beaten him because he would not let them
steal, also what dire woes they were going to work upon Polyphemus. In
spite of their protests Silenus is believed: Ulysses promises, if set
free, to erect shrines in Greece for the Cy