Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1898) v3.djvu/13



Aristotle's Treatise on (Dramatic) Poetry, the following passage occurs: "The dramatist's conception of the chorus should be as of one of the actors in the drama, as contributing to the complete effect; accordingly the chorus must take part in the action, not in the manner of Euripides, but in the manner of Sophocles." The genuineness of the reading has been disputed ; but, assuming it to be correct, the meaning of the writer is somewhat ambiguous. Did he mean, "It does this indeed in Euripides, but not so artistically as in Sophocles," or, "It does not do this in Euripides, but it does in Sophocles?" We are not much helped by a comparison of the extant plays of these two poets; for, while, out of the seven plays of Sophocles, in three the chorus are in such close sympathy with the "hero," that their fortunes are in a manner bound up with his, in two they are warmly sympathetic; and in two they are, though interested as spectators, yet but coldly sympathetic with the chief actor. In the eighteen plays of Euripides we find that in eleven the chorus similarly share the fortunes of the chief actors, and render them all possible aid; in four they are warmly