[499] v. 512.
[500] See Professor Murray’s admirable remarks (p. 81 of his translation).
[501] In the trivial question, v. 516: πότερα δὲ χριστὸν ἢ ποτὸν τὸ φάρμακον; she is dangerously toying with the proposal. The nurse’s reply is a half-quaint, half-heartbreaking quotation from childish days when the little Phædra was querulous with her “medicine” as now: ὄνασθαι, μὴ μαθεῖν, βούλει, τέκνον.
[502] We notice incidentally the amazing dexterity shown by the line (565) in which she announces her discovery: σιγήσατ’, ὦ γυναῖκες, ἐξειργάσμεθα. It is a perfectly clear piece of Greek; it is also a series of gasps.
[503] v. 1035.
[504] See the Greek Argument.
[505] In our play the poet leaves his heroine silent on this topic, but hints it himself for us. See vv. 151-54, 967-70.
[506] Frogs, 1041; Thesm. 497, 547.
[507] Frogs, 101, 1467; Thesm. 275-6.
[508] Hipp. 612.