Page:Euripides the Rationalist.djvu/278

262 of this, shown by Aristophanes, 102–105. General view of the play as it might be expounded by the 'Euripides' of the Frogs, 105–112. Interest not centred on Alcestis, but on the resurrection, 113–114. Disorganization in all the scenes produced by misplacing it, shown in commentaries, 115. The death-scene, 115–118. The intoxication of Heracles, 119. Dramatic advantage, to imitation of nature, of obscurity permissible to a certain degree, 120–122. Manner of Alcestis' burial; supposed oversight of author, really part of design, 122–128.

ION.

Parallel in construction between Ion and Alcestis, 130–131. Prologue of the Ion compared with the finale; the failure of Apollo's design, 131–137. The prologue and finale, as in the Alcestis, ironical, 137–139. The action of the Ion; abstract, 140–144. The finale no dênouement, 144–146. The action of the play really proceeds on the assumption that there is no Apollo, the oracle being a fraud, 146–149. The fraud of the cradle and tokens, 148–151. Summary of the story, disengaged from the miraculous prologue and finale, 152–153. Result of the attempt to carry out logically the current hypothesis, 155–158. Ion and Lourdes, 158. The fraud of the cradle resumed, 160–163. The tragedy of faith, 163. Difficulty of performing Euripides at the present day, 163–164.

IPHIGENIA IN TAURICA.

Finale of the Iphigenia; proof of the true character of a Euripidean god from stage-jest put in the mouth of Athena, 168–171. Parallel case of the Orestes, 171–173. , 171. Ridicule of anthropomorphic religion in reference to the Dioscuri; inference from it to general intention of the play, 174–175. The story does not assume the existence of Apollo, 176–183. 'Lacuna' in the oracle, as to the meeting of Iphigenia and Orestes, 180. Trial before the Areopagus, contrast with the Eumenides, 176. Iphigenia's dream; contrast with the Choephori, 177, The miraculous wind, 182. The motive of the oracle, 182–183. The Furies; hallucination of Orestes; inference from this as to his account of the scene at the Areopagus, 183–189. The Furies in Aeschylus and in Euripides; their costume, etc., 184. The Semnai 185–186. Legendary origin of the Choës; Euripides explodes it,
 * point of this designation in reference to the Eumenides,