[488] vv. 415 _sqq._ Compare her whole attitude. Indeed the poet suggests, as at any rate a collateral reason for her destruction of Hippolytus, a fear that he will reveal her secret (vv. 689-92). [489] vv. 373-430. [490] _Agamemnon_, vv. 160-83. [491] In the first edition of the play, to which it seems that most of the ancient strictures apply. [492] vv. 135-40. [493] v. 384: τερπνὸν κακόν. [494] v. 281: ἔκδημος ὦν γὰρ τῆσδε τυγχάνει χθονός. [495] v. 384: μακραί τε λέσχαι καὶ σχολή, τερπνὸν κακόν. [496] vv. 337, _sqq._ [497] v. 328, etc. [498] vv. 503-6. [499] v. 512. [500] See Professor Murray’s admirable remarks (p. 81 of his translation). [501] In the trivial question, v. 516: πότερα δὲ χριστὸν ἢ ποτὸν τὸ φάρμακον; she is dangerously toying with the proposal. The nurse’s reply is a half-quaint, half-heartbreaking quotation from childish days when the little Phædra was querulous with her “medicine” as now: ὄνασθαι, μὴ μαθεῖν, βούλει, τέκνον. [502] We notice incidentally the amazing dexterity shown by the line (565) in which she announces her discovery: σιγήσατ’, ὦ γυναῖκες, ἐξειργάσμεθα. It is a perfectly clear piece of Greek; it is also a series of gasps. [503] v. 1035. [504] See the Greek _Argument_. [505] In our play the poet leaves his heroine silent on this topic, but hints it himself for us. See vv. 151-54, 967-70. [506] _Frogs_, 1041; _Thesm._ 497, 547. [507] _Frogs_, 101, 1467; _Thesm._ 275-6. [508] _Hipp._ 612. [509] vv. 960 _sq._, 1076 _sq._ [510] vv. 1060-3. [511] Aristophanes in the _Clouds_ (v. 1165 _sq._) parodies vv. 174 _sq._ The _Clouds_ was produced in 423 B.C. In _Hecuba_, v. 462, reference seems to be made to the re-establishment of the Delian festival in 426 B.C. [512] Its popularity in Byzantine times is no bar to this statement. Probably all the three plays, _Hecuba_, _Phœnissæ_, and _Orestes_, were chosen because the Greek was comparatively easy. Euripides was already sufficiently ancient to make this an important consideration. Miss L. E. Matthaei’s essay should, however, be read (_Studies in Greek Tragedy_, pp. 118-57). With admirable insight and skill this scholar seeks to show that the _Hecuba_ is a study, first, of “conventional” justice, the claim of the community, shown in the sacrifice of Polyxena; and, secondly, of “natural” justice, seen in Hecuba’s revenge. Miss Matthaei’s treatment, however subjective, is trenchant and illuminating, especially as regards the psychology of Hecuba and Odysseus, the value of Polyxena’s surrender, and the _finale_. But concerning the vital point, lack of dramatic unity, she has little to say, apparently only the suggestion (p. 140) that “the cumulative effect of finding the body of Polydorus after having seen Polyxena taken away is the deciding factor; otherwise the end of the play would have been simply unbelievable”. The strength of this argument is very doubtful. [513] See Mr. Hadley’s admirable _Introduction_ to the play (pp. ix-xii).