The Greek Tragedians are more staunch, and write nearer the Scheme of Natural Religion. 'Tis true, they have some bold expressions: But then they generally reprove the Liberty, and punish the Men. Prometheus in Æschylus blusters with a great deal of Noise, and Stubborness.Prom. vinct. 57.[177] He is not for changing Conditions with Mercury: And chuses rather to be miserable, than to submit even to Jupiter himself. The Chorus rebuke him for his Pride, and threaten him with greater Punishment. And the Poet to make all sure brings him to Execution before the end of the Play. He discharges Thunder and Lightning at his Head; shakes his Rock with an Earthquake, turns the Air into Whirl-wind, and draws up all the Terrors of Nature to make him an example. In his Expedition against Thebes, Eteocles expects Capaneus would be destroy'd for his Blasphemies.p. 92.[178] Which happen'd accordingly. On the other hand; Amphiaraus being a person of Virtue, and Piety, they are afraid least he should succeed. For a Religious Enemy is almost invincible.p. 101.[179] Darius's Ghost lays Xerxes's ruin upon the excess of his Ambition, 'Twas, because he made a Bridge over the Hellespont, used Neptune contumeliously, and, thought himself Superiour to Heaven.Περσ. 161.[180] This Ghost tells the Chorus that the Persian Army miscarried for the out-rages they did to Religion, for breaking down the Altars, and plundering the Gods.164.[181]

Ajax's Distraction is represented as judicial in Sophocles. 'Twas inflicted for his Pride and Atheism.Ajax. Flagell.[182] 'When his Father bid him be brave but Religious withall, he haughtily replyed that 'twas, for Cowards to beg the Assistance of the Gods; as for his part, he hoped to Conquer without them. And when Minerva encouraged him to charge the Enemy,

Το τ' ἀντιφωνεὶ δεινὸν ἀρρητον τ' ἔπος,

'He made her this Lewd and insufferable Answer. Pray withdraw, and give your Countenance elswhere, I want no Goddesses to help me do my Business. This Insolence made Minerva hate him; and was the cause of his Madness and self Murther.' To proceed. The Chorus condemns the Liberty of Jocasta, who obliquely charged a Practise upon the Oracle:Oedip. Tyran. p. 187.[183] Tho' after all, she did not tax Apollo, but his Ministers.

The same Chorus recommends Piety, and Relyance upon the Gods, and threatens Pride and Irreligion with Destruction. In Antigone,p. 188.[184] Tiresias advises Creon to wave the Rigour of his Edict, And not let the Body of Polynices lie unburied, and expos'd. He tells him the Altars were already polluted with Humane Flesh. This had made the Language of the Birds unintelligible, and confounded the marks of Augury.Antig. p. 256.[185] Creon replies in a rage, and says he would not consent to the Burial of Polynices: No, tho' 'twere to prevent the Eagle's throwing part of the Carkass in Jove's Chair of State. This was a bold Flight; but 'tis not long before he pays for't. Soon after, his Son, and Queen, kill themselves. And in the close the Poet who speaks in the Chorus, explains the Misfortune, and points upon the Cause, and affirms that Creon was punish'd for his Haughtiness and Impiety. To go on to his Trachiniæ. Hercules in all the extremity of his Torture does not fall foul upon Religion. 'Tis true, He shows as much Impatience as 'tis possible. His Person, his pain, and the Occasion of it, were very extraordinary. These circumstances make it somewhat natural for him to complain above the common rate. The Greatness of his Spirit, the Feavour of his Blood, and the Rage of his Passion, could hardly fail of putting Force, and Vehemence into his Expressions. Tho' to deal clearly he seems better furnish'd with Rhetorick, than true Fortitude.Trach. p. [......].[186] But after all, his Disorders are not altogether ungovern'd. He is uneasy, but not impious, and profane.

I grant Hercules Oeteus in Seneca, swaggers at a strange Rhodomontading rate. But the Conduct of this Author is very indifferent. He makes a meer Salamander of his Hero, and lets him declaim with too much of Length, Curiosity and Affectation, for one in his Condition: He harangues it with great plenty of Points, and Sentences in the Fire, and lies frying, and Philosophizing for near a hundred Lines together. In fine, this Play is so injudiciously manag'd, that Heinsius is confident 'twas written by neither of the Seneca's, but by some later Author of a lower Class. To return to Sophocle's Trachiniæ. Hyllus reproaches the Gods with Neglect, because they gave Hercules no Assistance, and glances upon Jupiter himself.Trach. p. 375.[187] This sally is not so thoroughly corrected as formerly. 'Tis true the Chorus make some little satisfaction immediately after. They resolve all surprizes of Misfortune, all Revolutions of States or Families, into the will and Permission of Jupitur. This by implication, They make an argument for acquiescence. Besides, the Poet had laid in a sort of caution against Misconstruction before. For the Messenger tells Dejaneira that we ought not to Murmur at the Conduct of Jupiter.Trach. p. 340.[188]

——Τοῦ λόγου δ' ὀυ χρὴ Φθόνον

Γόναι προσεῖναι Ζεὺς ὅτου πράκτωρ φανῆ.

This for a Heathen is something tho' not enough, Cleomenes's Rant seems an imitation of Hyllus, Only 'tis bolder, and has nothing of the rashness of Youth to excuse it.Cleom. p. 54.[189] Besides Sophocles throws in somewhat by way of Preservative. Whereas in Cleomenes the Boy Cleonidas has the better on the wrong side, and seems to carry the cause of Atheism against his Father.Id. p. 55.[190] This Scene of a Famine Mr. Dryden calls a Beauty; and yet Methinks Cleora is not very Charming! Her part is to tell you the Child suck'd to no purpose.

It pull'd and pull'd but now but nothing came,