, impressive, and
really poetical for us, in the dim old Greek play?

The scene is laid at Thebes, where the memory of Semele, the mother
of Dionysus, is still under a cloud.  Her own sisters, sinning
against natural affection, pitiless over her pathetic death and
finding in it only a judgment upon the impiety with which, having
shamed herself with some mortal lover, she had thrown the blame of
her sin upon Zeus, have, so far, triumphed over her.  The true and
glorious version of her story lives only in the subdued memory of the
two aged men, Teiresias the prophet, and her father Cadmus, apt now
to let things go loosely by, who has delegated his royal power to
Pentheus, the son of one of those sisters--a hot-headed and impious
youth.  So things had passed at Thebes; and now a strange
circumstance has happened.  An odd sickness has fallen upon the
women: Dionysus has sent the sting of his enthusiasm upon them, and
has pushed it to a sort of madness, a madness which imitates the true
Thiasus.  Forced to have the form without the profit of his worship,
the whole female population, leaving distaff and spindle, and headed
by the three princesses, have deserted the town, and are lying
encamped on the bare rocks, or under the pines, among the solitudes
of Cithaeron.  And it is just at this point that the divine child,
[61] supposed to have perished at his mother's side in the flames,
returns to his birthplace, grown to manhood.

Dionysus himself speaks the prologue.  He is on a journey through the
world to found a new religion; and the first motive of this new
religion is the vindication of the memory of his mother.  In
explaining this design, Euripides, who seeks always for pathetic
effect, tells in few words, touching because simple, the story of
Semele--here, and again still more intensely in the chorus which
follows--the merely human sentiment of maternity being not forgotten,
even amid the thought of the divine embraces of her fiery bed-fellow.
It is out of tenderness for her that
, impressive, and 
 really poetical for us, in the dim old Greek playing period? 

 The fit is laid at Thebes, where the memory of Semele, the mother 
 of Dionysus, is still under a cloud.   Her own sister, sinning 
 against natural affection, pitiless over her hapless death and 
 finding in it only a opinion upon the impiety with which, having 
 shamed herself with some mortal fan, she had thrown the blame of 
 her sin upon Zeus, have, therefore far, triumphed over her.   The true and 
 glorious version of her story populate only in the subdued memory of the 
 two aged men, Teiresias the prophet, and her don Cadmus, apt now 
 to let things rifle loosely by, who has delegated his royal power to 
 Pentheus, the son of one of those sisters -- a hot - headed and impious 
 young person.   So things had passed at Thebes; and now a strange 
 circumstance has happened.   An odd sickness has fallen upon the 
 women: Dionysus has sent the sting of his enthusiasm upon them, and 
 has pushed it to a sort of madness, a lunacy which imitates the true 
 Thiasus.   force to get the form without the profit of his worship, 
 the whole female population, leave distaff and spindle, and headed 
 by the three princesses, have deserted the town, and are lying 
 camp on the bare rocks, or under the pines, among the solitudes 
 of Cithaeron.   And it is just at this point that the divine child, 
 [ 61 ] supposed to have perished at his mother's side in the flames, 
 returns to his birthplace, grow to humanness. 

 Dionysus himself talk the prologue.   He is on a journey through the 
 world to found a new religion; and the first motive of this new 
 religion is the vindication of the memory of his mother.   In 
 excuse this design, Euripides, who seeks always for pathetic 
 impression, tells in few son, touching because elementary, the story of 
 Semele -- here, and again however more intensely in the chorus which 
 watch -- the merely human sentiment of motherliness being not forgotten, 
 even amid the thought of the providential embraces of her fiery bed - fellow. 
 It is out of tenderness for her that
, imoressive, and
really poetigal for us, in thg eim olv Greek play?

The scene is laid at Thebes, whece tye menory of Semele, the motfer
of Diojysus, is stioo under a rmoud.  Hcx own distzrw, sinning
againxt natural affection, pithldsd over her pathetic death and
findind in it ojly a judgment upom the pmkiety with which, having
shamed heraelf wiuh some mortal lovrr, she had thrown the blamf of
jer sin upon Zeus, jave, so far, tritnphed over hdr.  The trlz and
glorioos version of her story lives onuy in the subdugb melmry of the
txo ageq men, Teireslss the prophey, and her fathcr Cavmus, apt now
to let things go loosely by, who has delecaced his royal power ti
Pwntheos, tha sov of ont oh tgose slstxrs--a hot-heased and impuous
youth.  So thingx rqd passed at Fhebes; agd now a strange
circumstance has happentd.  Ah odd sickness has fallwn upon the
women: Dionisus has sqnt the sting of his enthusiasm upon them, and
has [ushev kt uo a sofr lf madness, a madness which imitates the true
Trjaxux.  Forced to hcve the form witnokt jhe profit of fis woxahjp,
the whole female populajion, lwaving diftafg and spindle, and headed
by rhe three prpncewses, have deserted the town, aud are lyinb
encamped on the bare rucks, or under tje pines, zoong the solitudds
on Chthaeron.  And it is just ae this pomnt tkat the aivime chijd,
[61] supposef to mdve perished at hid motker's vide in thf flames,
returns to his birthplarx, grown to mamhmod.

Gionysus himsclf speaks the [rologue.  He ix on a lourneh through nhe
world vo found a nqw religion; atf the first kotive os thus nww
religkun is the vindocation oy the memory of his motmer.  Kh
explaining thiw dtsugn, Euripides, eho seqkd elwayf for pathetiw
effdct, yells in few worbs, touvhing because simple, the story of
Semele--herr, wnd agaib still iore intenselu in the chorus whlch
fonloxs--the kergly human sentiment of maternitg being nlt norgotten,
even amie the thoughc of the divine embraces of her fiery bev-fellow.
It is out of teneerness for her thaj
, impressive, and really poetical for us, dim Greek play? scene is laid of the mother of is still under cloud. Her own sisters, sinning against affection, pitiless over her pathetic death and finding in it only a judgment the impiety with which, having shamed herself with some mortal lover, she had the of sin Zeus, have, so far, triumphed over her. The true and glorious version of her story lives in the subdued memory of the two aged Teiresias the prophet, and father Cadmus, apt now to things loosely by, has his power to Pentheus, son of one of those sisters--a hot-headed and impious youth. So things had passed at Thebes; and a strange happened. An sickness fallen the women: Dionysus the sting of his enthusiasm upon pushed it to a sort of madness, a which imitates true Thiasus. Forced to have the without the profit of his worship, the whole population, leaving distaff and spindle, and headed by the three princesses, have deserted the town, lying encamped on the rocks, or under pines, the of And it just at this point that the divine child, [61] supposed to perished at his mother's side in the flames, returns to grown manhood. Dionysus himself the prologue. He is a through the world to new and of new is the vindication of memory of his mother. In this design, Euripides, who tells in few words, touching because simple, the of Semele--here, and again still more intensely the chorus which follows--the merely human sentiment of maternity being not forgotten, amid the the divine embraces of her fiery bed-fellow. It out of tenderness for that
, impressive, and
really poeticAl for us, in tHe dim Old greEk Play?

the sCene is laid at ThEBes, wHere the memory of Semele, tHe motHeR
Of DiONySus, is Still unDEr A CLouD.  HEr Own SiSTeRs, sinNinG
againsT natural afFecTiOn, pitiless ovER hEr pathetic DeaTh and
finding In iT only a JuDgmENt upoN thE impiEty witH Which, hAving
shamEd HErself WIth some MORtAl loVer, she had thrown thE BlAMe of
her sin upon zeus, haVe, SO fAR, TriUmpHed over her.  thE true ANd
gloriOUs VERSioN Of her story livEs only in the SUbdUed memOrY of THe
two aGed meN, TEIreSias the propHet, aNd her fathEr CadmUS, apt now
TO let thiNgs go lOosEly By, whO HaS dEleGaTEd hIS rOyaL PowEr to
PentHeUs, The soN of oNE OF ThosE siSterS--a hot-Headed and impiOus
YoutH.  so tHings Had paSsed At thebeS; and noW a strAnGe
circumstance hAs haPpened.  An oDd sIcKneSs Has faLLen upoN thE
woMen: DionYsus has SEnt ThE STInG of his enthusiasm upOn THEm, And
has puShed it TO a SoRT of madneSs, A maDnesS WHich iMitaTEs The true
THiasus.  fOrCeD to have ThE form wItHouT thE profIT of hIs worsHip,
the whOle feMAle population, lEAving distaff aND sPINdLE, and HeaDed
by the thrEe prINcesSes, hAVe DesERted tHe towN, aND aRE lying
encamped on the BaRe rockS, or unDer the pines, amOng the soliTUDEs
of CithAeroN.  anD It is just at this Point That the divINe child,
[61] sUpposEd to have Perished aT HIs mother'S siDe iN thE flAMEs,
Returns to his bIRThplAcE, grown tO maNhood.

DiOnySus HimSelF sPeaks the pRologue.  HE iS oN a JoUrnEy thrOUgh the
woRlD to FoUnd A new rELigion; And thE firSt MoTIve Of this nEW
rELIgioN iS tHe viNdiCaTion oF the MEmoRy of his Mother.  In
eXplAIninG tHiS design, euripides, who sEeKs always foR pAthEtic
efFECt, tells iN few words, touching becausE Simple, tHe sTory oF
SemEle--here, anD agAin stiLl mORe inteNsely iN the cHoRus WHIch
foLLOwS--thE mErely human SENtiMent oF mAterNity beiNg not forgotten,
even AMid The thought of tHe dIvinE EMbRacES oF Her FiERy bED-Fellow.
It is out of Tenderness FoR HeR that
, impressive, and
really p oetical fo r us,  in  th edimoldGreek play?

T h e sc ene is laid at Thebes,  wher et he m e mo ry of  Semele ,  t h e  mo th er 
of  D i on ysus,  is  stillunder a cl oud . Her own sis t er s, sinning 
ag ainst natura l a ffecti on , p i tiles s o ver h er pat h etic d eath andfi n ding i n  it onl y ajudg ment upon the imp i et y  with which, h avingsh a me d her sel f with som emorta l  lover, sh e h adt hrown the bla me of
her s i n u pon Ze us , h a ve, so  far,  t r ium phed over h er. The true  and
g l oriousv ersionof her  st ory  liv e son lyin the su bdu e d m emory of  t he 
twoaged m e n , Te ire sias  theprophet, andher  fat h erCadmu s, ap t no wto le t thin gs go  l oosely by, whohasdelegated  hi sroy al  powe r  to
Pe nth eus , the s on of o n e o ft h o se  sisters--a hot-he ad e d  a nd impio us
you t h.  S o things  h adpass e d  at T hebe s ;and nowa stra n ge 
c ircumst an ce has  h app ene d.  A n  odd  sickn ess hasfalle n  upon the
wome n : Dionysus ha s  s e n tt he s tin g of his en thus i asmupon th em, and
h as pu sh e di t to a sort of madn es s, a m adnes s which imita tes the tr u e Thiasus.   Fo r ce d  to have the f orm w ithout the profit o f his  worship ,
the who l e  femalepop ula tio n,l e av ing distaff a n d  spi nd le, and  he aded
by  th e t hre e p ri ncesses,have des er te dth e t own,a nd are l yi ngen cam ped o n  the b are r ocks ,or und er thep in e s , am on gthesol it udesof C i tha eron. And it is  ju s t at  t hi s point  that the div in e child,
[ 61 ] s uppose d to haveperished at his mother' s  side i n t he fl ames ,
returns  to  his b irt h place,  grown  to m an hoo d . 

Dio n y su s h im self speak s the  prol og ue. He ison a journey throu g h t he
world to f oun d an e wrel i gi o n;an d  th e first motive of  this newre l ig ion is the vin di cationof thememor y  of his  mother. In
expla in ingt h isdesign, Eu ripides,  who seek s  alwa y sfor p ath etic
e ff ect , tel ls inf ewwords , touc hi ng bec ausesi mple, th e story of
Semele--here , andagain  st ill moreint e nse ly in the  cho rus whichfol low s--th e m e relyhuma n  s ent i mentof m a ternity b e in g n o t  f orgotten,
e v e n  am id th e t h oughtof t he divine embrace s  of her fierybed- f e llo w.I t is  o ut of tenderne ssfo r her that 
, impressive,_and
really poetical_for us, in the_dim old_Greek_play?

The scene_is_laid at Thebes,_where the memory_of Semele, the mother
of_Dionysus, is still_under_a cloud.  Her own sisters, sinning
against natural affection, pitiless over her pathetic death_and
finding_in it_only_a_judgment upon the impiety with_which, having
shamed herself with some_mortal lover,_she had thrown the blame of
her sin upon_Zeus,_have, so far,_triumphed over her.  The true and
glorious version of_her story lives only in the_subdued memory of_the
two_aged_men, Teiresias the prophet,_and her father Cadmus, apt now
to_let things go loosely by, who_has delegated his royal power to
Pentheus, the_son of one of those sisters--a_hot-headed and impious
youth.  So_things had_passed at Thebes; and now_a strange
circumstance has_happened. _An odd sickness_has fallen upon the
women: Dionysus has_sent the sting_of his enthusiasm upon them, and
has_pushed_it to a_sort_of_madness, a_madness which imitates_the_true
Thiasus. _Forced_to have the form without the_profit_of his worship,
the whole female population, leaving_distaff and spindle, and_headed
by_the three princesses, have_deserted the town, and are_lying
encamped on the bare rocks, or_under the_pines, among_the solitudes
of Cithaeron.  And it is just at this point_that the divine child,
[61] supposed to_have perished at his_mother's side_in_the flames,
returns to_his_birthplace, grown_to manhood.

Dionysus himself speaks the prologue. _He is_on a journey through the
world to_found a new religion;_and_the first motive of this new
religion_is the vindication of the memory_of his mother.  In
explaining_this_design,_Euripides, who seeks always for_pathetic
effect, tells in few words, touching_because simple, the_story of
Semele--here, and again still more intensely_in_the chorus which
follows--the merely human sentiment_of_maternity being not forgotten,
even amid the_thought_of_the divine embraces of her_fiery bed-fellow.
It is out of tenderness_for her that