Page:The Plays of Euripides Vol. 2- Edward P. Coleridge (1913).djvu/113

. No, but the Zeus who married Semele in Hellas.

. Was it by night or in the face of day that he constrained thee?

. ’Twas face to face he intrusted his mysteries to me.

. Pray, what special feature stamps thy rites?

. That is a secret to be hidden from the uninitiated.

. What profit bring they to their votaries?

. Thou must not be told, though ’tis well worth knowing.

. A pretty piece of trickery, to excite my curiosity!

. A man of godless life is an abomination to the rites of the god.

. Thou sayest thou didst see the god clearly; what was he like?

. What his fancy chose; I was not there to order this.

. Another clever twist and turn of thine, without a word of answer.

. He were a fool, methinks, who would utter wisdom to a fool.

. Hast thou come hither first with this deity?

. All foreigners already celebrate these mysteries with dances.

. The reason being, they are far behind Hellenes in wisdom.

. In this at least far in advance, though their customs differ.

. Is it by night or day thou performest these devotions?

. By night mostly; darkness lends solemnity.

. Calculated to entrap and corrupt women.

. Day too for that matter may discover shame.