It will be observed that such an introduction for the following soliloquy is a reversion to the second Homeric type, which now makes its first appearance in tragedy. At vs. 861 Admetus re-enters with the chorus and apostrophizes his bereaved palace. His speech at vs. 934 begins with the words “my friends,” referring to the chorus, and closes in the same way at vs. 961. Except for these artificial sutures his words constitute in effect a soliloquy. This play is especially valuable for our present purpose as indicating what a hindrance the chorus was to the unhampered use of monologues outside of the prologue, and how quickly and freely they were called into requisition during its withdrawal. The same deduction may be drawn also from comedy. In the Old Comedy of Aristophanes, the chorus still being active and vigorous, soliloquies were employed hardly more freely than in Aeschylus or Sophocles. But by the time of New Comedy, when the chorus had so far lost its functions as to appear only for _entr’actes_ and when Euripides’ innovations had had time to work their full effect, monologues occur with great frequency and are usually unmotived. In fact, Professor Leo endeavored to use them in the plays of Plautus and Terence, which are taken from originals of the Greek New Comedy, as a criterion to determine the position of act divisions. From the _Medea_ I wish to cite only the opening monologue, which is spoken by the Colchian’s nurse: Would God that Argo’s hull had never flown Through those blue Clashing Rocks to Colchis-land, ... My mistress then, Medea, ne’er had sailed to Iolcos’ towers With love for Jason thrilled through all her soul. [Way’s translation] An admirable quality here is the passionate emotion which does not always dominate Greek soliloquies. A little later (vs. 49) a man slave enters and inquires: O ancient chattel of my mistress’ home, Why at the gates thus lonely standest thou, Thyself unto thyself discoursing ills? How wills Medea to be left of thee? [Way’s translation] She replies: ... For I have sunk to such a depth of grief, That yearning took me hitherward to come And tell to earth and heaven my lady’s plight. [Way’s translation]