The same _Chorus_ recommends Piety, and Relyance upon the Gods, and threatens Pride and Irreligion with Destruction. In _Antigone_,[184] _Tiresias_ advises _Creon_ to wave the Rigour of his _Edict_, And not let the Body of _Polynices_ lie unburied, and expos'd. He tells him the Altars were already polluted with Humane Flesh. This had made the Language of the Birds unintelligible, and confounded the marks of _Augury_.[185] _Creon_ replies in a rage, and says he would not consent to the Burial of _Polynices_: No, tho' 'twere to prevent the Eagle's throwing part of the Carkass in _Jove_'s _Chair_ of _State_. This was a bold Flight; but 'tis not long before he pays for't. Soon after, his Son, and Queen, kill themselves. And in the close the Poet who speaks in the _Chorus_, explains the Misfortune, and points upon the Cause, and affirms that _Creon_ was punish'd for his Haughtiness and Impiety. To go on to his _Trachiniæ_. _Hercules_ in all the extremity of his Torture does not fall foul upon Religion. 'Tis true, He shows as much Impatience as 'tis possible. His Person, his pain, and the Occasion of it, were very extraordinary. These circumstances make it somewhat natural for him to complain above the common rate. The Greatness of his Spirit, the Feavour of his Blood, and the Rage of his Passion, could hardly fail of putting Force, and Vehemence into his Expressions. Tho' to deal clearly he seems better furnish'd with Rhetorick, than true Fortitude.[186] But after all, his Disorders are not altogether ungovern'd. He is uneasy, but not impious, and profane. I grant _Hercules Oeteus_ in _Seneca_, swaggers at a strange Rhodomontading rate. But the Conduct of this Author is very indifferent. He makes a meer _Salamander_ of his _Hero_, and lets him declaim with too much of Length, Curiosity and Affectation, for one in his Condition: He harangues it with great plenty of Points, and Sentences in the Fire, and lies frying, and Philosophizing for near a hundred Lines together. In fine, this Play is so injudiciously manag'd, that _Heinsius_ is confident 'twas written by neither of the _Seneca's_, but by some later Author of a lower _Class_. To return to _Sophocle_'s _Trachiniæ_. _Hyllus_ reproaches the Gods with Neglect, because they gave _Hercules_ no Assistance, and glances upon _Jupiter_ himself.[187] This sally is not so thoroughly corrected as formerly. 'Tis true the _Chorus_ make some little satisfaction immediately after. They resolve all surprizes of Misfortune, all Revolutions of States or Families, into the will and Permission of _Jupitur_. This by implication, They make an argument for acquiescence. Besides, the Poet had laid in a sort of caution against Misconstruction before. For the _Messenger_ tells _Dejaneira_ that we ought not to Murmur at the Conduct of _Jupiter_.[188] ----[Greek: Tou logou d' ou chrê Phthonon] [Greek: Gonai proseinai Zeus hotou praktôr phanê.]