ɪn klˈæsɪkəl tɹˈædʒədiz, ðə kˌæɾeɪstˈɑːsiz pˌiːˈɛl. kˈæɾeɪstˌeɪsᵻz ɪz ðə fˈoːɹθ pˈɑːɹt əvən ˈeɪntʃənt dɹˈɑːmə, ɪnwˌɪtʃ ðɪ ɪntɹˈiːɡ ɔːɹ ˈækʃən ðæt wʌz ɪnˈɪʃɪˌeɪɾᵻd ɪnðɪ ˌɛpɪtˈɑːsiz, ɪz səpˈoːɹɾᵻd ænd hˈaɪʔn̩d, ʌntˈɪl ɹˈɛdi təbi ʌnɹˈævəld ɪnðə kɐtˈæstɹəfi.
In classical tragedies, the catastasis (pl. catastases) is the fourth part of an ancient drama, in which the intrigue or action that was initiated in the epitasis, is supported and heightened, until ready to be unravelled in the catastrophe.