E-text prepared by Barbara Watson, James Wright, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Canada Team (http://www.pgdpcanada.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries (http://www.archive.org/details/toronto) Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See http://www.archive.org/details/euripideshisage00murruoft Home University Library of Modern Knowledge EURIPIDES AND HIS AGE by GILBERT MURRAY London Williams & Norgate Henry Holt & Co., New York Canada: Wm. Briggs, Toronto India: R. & T. Washbourne, Ltd. * * * * * Home University Library of Modern Knowledge _Editors_: HERBERT FISHER, M.A., F.B.A., LL.D. PROF. GILBERT MURRAY, D.LITT., LL.D., F.B.A. PROF. J. ARTHUR THOMSON, M.A., LL.D. PROF. WILLIAM T. BREWSTER, M.A. (Columbia University, U.S.A.) New York Henry Holt and Company * * * * * EURIPIDES AND HIS AGE BY GILBERT MURRAY LL.D., D.Litt., F.B.A. Regius Professor of Greek in the University of Oxford London Williams and Norgate Printed by The London and Norwich Press Limited London and Norwich CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I Introductory 7 II Sources for a Life of Euripides: Memories remaining in the Fourth Century: Youth: Athens after the Persian War: the great Sophists 20 III What is a Greek Tragedy? Euripides' early Plays up to 438 B.C., "Alcestis" and "Telephus" 60 IV Beginning of the War: the Plays of Maturity from "Medea" to "Heracles" 81 V Full Expression: the Embittering of the War: Alcibiades and the Demagogues: the "Ion": the "Trojan Women" 107 VI After 415: Euripides' last years in Athens: from "Andromeda" and "Iphigenia" to "Electra" and "Orestes" 142 VII After 408: Macedonia: "Iphigenia in Aulis": "Bacchae" 165 VIII The Art of Euripides: Traditional Form and Living Spirit: the Prologue, the Messenger, the "God from the Machine" 198 IX The Art of Euripides, continued: The Chorus: Conclusion 228 Bibliography 247 Note on the Pronunciation of Names 251 Index 253 EURIPIDES AND HIS AGE CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY