Clement of Alexandria cites also a passage concerning God as imparting mysterious prophecies to the wise, and evil to the wicked, and as a teacher of compressive instruction *.

Besides these general coincidences, there are some modes of expression and sentiment in Sophocles, which harmonize with the instructions of Scripture. The poet in particular reflects upon the vain custom of worshipping deities of stone and wood, and he inculcates piety as acceptable to God, and as unperishable +

It is singular, that in describing an expiatory service to be performed to the Gods, he speaks of a libation of water from a cup, to be bound with wool fresh from a lamb newly shorn §.

The Scholiast on the Ajax Mastygophorus says, that it was an ancient custom when the slaying of a man (or mactatio) was projected, to wash the hands; an observa

* Strom. lib. v. c. 238. p. 659.

+ Comp. Ayor. 1. 26-30. with Jerem. xxii. 18, 19. Ayor. 1. 641-44. with Psalm cxxvii. 5. Alıyor. 1. 129-134, with Psalm xxxi. 23.

QIAOKTHTHE, 1. 1487-90. Edit. Johnson, 641-44. § ΟΙΔΙΠ. Επι Κολων. 1. 4828. See also Clem. Alex.

Strom. 1. 4. c. 204. p. 565.

tion which is confirmed by other writers and which illustrates the conduct of Pilate before he condemned our Saviour.

86

Plutarch, who has justly exposed the erroneous and pernicious tendency of some scattered passages in the poets, particularly remarks on some blemishes in Sophocles, as where he represents" gain as sweet," though purchased by falsehood" but this is counterbalanced by others in a different spirit; it would be unfair to judge of his morality by detached sentences, and without a strict examination of the character and circumstances under which they are expressed.

• Virgil Æneis, lib. ii. 1. 717-19.
+ Plutarch. de audiend. Poet,

CHAP. XI.

Euripides.

THE parents of Euripides are said to have taken up their abode at Salamis, after flying from Greece to escape the invasion of Xerxes, and the poet is related to have been born in that island, on the very day that the Athenians obtained a naval victory over the Persians, at the mouth of the Euripus, about 480 years before Christ.

Euripides, as well as Pericles and Socrates, is related to have been a disciple of Anaxagoras*, who taught the principles of Thales at Athens, and maintained that the universe

The opinions of Anaxagoras were in other respects elevated and spiritual, and he appears to have looked forward with great confidence to a future state; being enquired of whether he had any regard for his country, "I care," says he," for my country, and greatly care for it," pointing at the same time to the heavens, and intimating that he looked to them as to his country and destination.

did not result from chance or necessity, but was the work of an eternal and incorporeal Mind or Intelligence, which created all things, and preserves all things by its wisdom and power.

Euripides passed much of his time at Athens, but he lived occasionally in Macedonia, under the patronage of Archelaus, the king of that country. His reputation spread extensively during his life, and those Athenians who were taken prisoners in Sicily, after the defeat of Nicias, who could repeat the verses of Euripides, were saved from the fate which overwhelmed their countrymen.

He was honoured by Archelaus with a sepulture among the Macedonian kings, and when the Athenians, who had deplored his loss by a general mourning, wished to remove his bones to Athens, the Macedonians with one voice refused to grant their request; his works however appear to have attracted less observation among the Romans than those of Eschylus and Sophocles; though Cicero indeed ascribes nearly an equal praise to each of these great writers, supposing each to have excelled in his pecuHar line. Quintillian considers Euripides as

best adapted to the use of orators, and Cicero is related to have been reading the Medea when he was murdered.

Barnes says that Euripides aimed at the instruction of his hearers, and at the promotion of piety, constancy, and prudence, and that he confirmed the doctrines of the providence of God, and of the immortality of the soul*, maintaining that it did not vanish like smoke, but became subject to future punishment.

He excelled in exciting the passions; he is represented by Aristophanes who cannot be considered as lenient towards the sex, to have been particularly severe in his treatment of females. Sophocles observed, that he himself painted women as they should be, but Euripides as they were ‡.

The tragedies of Euripides are said to have exceeded ninety, of which only nineteen now remain. He is reported to have consulted Socrates on the choice of his subjects, and to have been greatly esteemed by that philosopher for the dignity and gravity of his sentiments, and for that love of virtue and

ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔ, 1. 529, &c.

+ EAEN, 1. 1020. et Barnes in loc. et vit. p. 13.

TPЛAA. 1. 660, &c. Aristoph. Thesmoph. 1. 554.