clops, besides dwelling upon
the impiety of attacking innocent strangers: Polyphemus replies that he
does not care for shrines, and as for impiety he is independent of
Zeus; which gives occasion for a glorification of the life of nature.
They are driven into the cave to be fed on at leisure.

_Choral Ode_: General disgust at the monster.

_Episode II_. Ulysses [_apparently standing at the mouth of the cave_]
describes Polyphemus gorging--then details his plan of deliverance by
aid of the wine.

_Choral Ode_: Lyric delight of Chorus at prospect of deliverance.

_Episode III_. The Cyclops appears sated with his banquet, and
settling down to this new treat of drinking--the effects of on-coming
intoxication are painted again in Polyphemus, with the usual
coarseness--a farcical climax being reached when the monster begins to
be affectionate to his cup-bearer, old Silenus, in memory of Zeus and
his famous cup-bearer, Ganymede.

_Choral Ode_: Anticipation of Revenge.

_Exodus_. The plan of Revenge, the boring out of the Cyclops's one eye
while overpowered with drink, is carried out--various farcical effects
by the way, e.g., the Chorus drawing back with excuses and leaving
Ulysses to do the deed at the critical moment. The Drama ends with the
Monster's rage and vain attempts to catch the culprit, Ulysses putting
him off with his feigned name 'No man': thus all are delivered.

THE BACCHANALS OF EURIPIDES[1]

PROLOGUE

_The permanent scene covered by movable scenery representing a wide
landscape--the valley of the Dirce. A pile of buildings occupies the
middle, to which the central entrance is an approach: these are the
Cadmeia and royal palaces. That on the left is the palace of Pentheus,
and further to the left is the mystic scene of Bacchus's birth--a heap
of ruins, still miraculously smouldering, and covered by trailing
vines. On the right is the palace of Cadmus, and the scene extends to
take in the Electron gate of Thebes, and (on the right turn-scene) the
slopes of Cithaeron._

DIONYSUS enters, in mortal guise, through the distance archway, and (in
formal prologue) opens the situation. He brings out the points of the
landscape before him, dear as the site of his miraculous birth and the
sad end of his mortal mother. Then he details the Asiatic realms
through which he has made triumphant progress, Lydia, Phrygia,
sun-seared Persia, Bactria; the wild, wintry Median land; Araby the
Blest, and the