nians, by the advice of Themistocles, retired with their effects to Salamis, Træzene, and Ægjna. Among those who took refuge at Salamis, were Mnesarchus and Clilo, the parents of Euripides, who was born at that island on the very day in which the Grecians there gained that memorable victory over the Persian fleet. His parents educated their son with great attention, and at a considerable expense. Besides the athletic exercises, in which he excelled, he was taught grammar, music, and painting. He applied himself to the study of oratory under the refined and learned Prodicus, who admitted none to his school but the sons of great and noble families; the celebrated Pericles was also formed under this excellent master.

Euripides studied philosophy with Anaxagoras, and contracted an early friendship with Socrates, who was twelve years younger than himself, and survived him almost six years; this friendship, formed on the firmest principles of virtue and wisdom, and cemented by a similarity of manners and studies, continued indissoluble. These studies form the history of his life from the eighteenth to the seventy-second year of his age, during which time he composed seventy-five tragedies, frequently retiring to his native Salamis, and there indulging his, melancholy muse in a rude and gloomy cavern.

and

His reputation was now so illustrious, that Archelaus, king of Macedonia, invited him to his court: this monarch, to his many royal virtues, added a fondness for literature and the muses, had drawn to him from Greece many who excelled in the polite arts, particularly those who were eminent for their learning and genius. Euripides, after much and earnest invitation, at length complied with the king's request, and went to Pella, where he was received with every mark of esteem and honour.

Archelaus knew how to value a man of modesty and wisdom, a lover of truth and virtue; but he particularly admired the disinterestedness, the amiable candour, and gentleness of manners, which distinguished Euripides; and made him worthy of the liberality, the esteem, and the affection of such a king. In this court at this time, among many other eminent men, were Agatho, an excellent tragic poet, an honest and agreeable man, a friend and admirer of Euripides; Timotheus, the famous musician; and Teuxus the celebrated painter. In this society Euripides lived happy, beloved, and honoured, and died lamented, in the third year after his coming to Macedonia, and the seventy-fifth year of his age. Archelaus mourned for him as for a near relation, buried him among the kings of Macedonia, and erected a magnifi. cent monument to his memory.

The news of his death was brought to Athens as Sophocles was about to exhibit one of his tragedies; he appeared in mourning, and made his actors come on the stage without crowns: this great poet had long been the intimate friend of Euripides, he was then in the ninetieth year of his age, and died about the end of this year. The Athenians immediately sent ambassadors to Archelaus, requesting his permission to remove the bones of Euripides into his own country; this the king and the Macedonians firmly refused; as they could not obtain his ashes, they raised a cenotaph to their poet, in the way that led from the city to the Piræus.

IPHIGENIA.

This interesting female was the daughter of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, and leader of the expedition to Troy. When the whole Greek armament had assembled at Aulis, and were ready to depart, they were detained by contrary winds. To procure a safe departure, a horrible alternative is proposed to Agamemnon. He thus states it himself.

"Collected and embodied, here we sit
Inactive, and from Aulis wish to sail

In vain. The prophet Calchas, 'midst the gloom
That darkened on our minds, at length pronounced
That Iphigenia, my virgin daughter,

I to Diana, goddess of this land,

Must sacrifice this victim given the winds
Shall swell our sails, and Troy beneath our arms
Be humbled in the dust; but if denied,

These things are not to be."

Agamemnon feels himself compelled to make this cruel sacrifice. He acquaints his gentle child with what he deems this fatal necessity, and her love of life for a while contends against it, but at length she yields.

AGAMEMNON, IPHIGENIA, AND CLYTEMNESTRA.

Iph. Had I, my father, the persuasive voice
Of Orpheus, and his skill to charm the rocks
To follow me, and soothe whome'er I please
With winning words, I would make trial of it:
But I have nothing to present thee now
Save tears, my only eloquence; and those
I can present thee. On thy knees I hang,
A suppliant.-

Ah! kill me not in youth's fresh prime.
Sweet is the light of heaven: compel me not
What is beneath to view. I was the first
To call thee father, me thou first didst call
Thy child I was the first that on thy knees
Fondly caressed thee, and from thee received
The fond caress. This was thy speech to me—
Shall I, my child, ever see thee in some house
Of splendour, happy in thy husband, live
And flourish, as becomes my dignity?

My speech to thee was, leaning 'gainst thy cheek
Which with my hand I now caress.

And what
Shall I then do for thee? Shall I receive
My father when grown old, and in my house
Cheer him with each fond office, to repay
The careful nurture which he gave my youth?
These words are on my memory deep impressed,
Thou hast forgot them, and wilt kill thy child.
By Pelops I entreat thee, by thy sire
Atreus, by this my mother, do not kill me.
If Paris be enamoured of his bride,

His Helen, what concerns it me, and how
Comes he to my destruction?

Look upon me,

Give me a smile, give me a kiss, my father,
That, if my words persuade thee not, in death
1 may have this memorial of thy love.

My brother, small assistance canst thou give
Thy friends, yet for thy sister with thy tears
Implore thy father that she may not die :
E'en infants have a sense of ills: and see,
My father, silent though he be, he sues
To thee: be gentle to me, on my life
Have pity. Thy two children by this beard
Entreat thee, thy dear children; one is yet
An infant,* one to riper years arrived.

I will sum all in this, which shall contain
More than long speech; to view the light of life
To mortals is most sweet, but all beneath

Is nothing of his senses is he reft

:

Who hath a wish to die; for life, though ill,
Excels whate'er there is of good in death.

* Orestes.

Aga. What calls for pity, and what not, I know; I love my children, else I should be void Of reason; to dare this is dreadful to me, And not to dare is dreadful. I perforce Must do it. What a naval camp is here how many kings for Greece arrayed In glittering arms to Ilium's towers are these Denied to advance, unless I offer thee

You see,

A victim, thus the prophet Calchas speaks,
Denied from her foundations to o'erturn

Illustrious Troy and through the Grecian host
Maddens the fierce desire to sail with speed
'Gainst the barbarian's land, and check their rage
For Grecian dames :

To this

Not 'Menelaus, my child, hath wrought my soul,
Nor to his will am I a slave; but Greece,
For which, will I, or will I not, perforce
Thee I must sacrifice: my weakness here
I feel, and must submit. In thee, my child,
What lies, and what in me, Greece should be free,
Nor should her sons beneath barbarians bend,
Their household joys to ruffian force a prey.
Clyt. Alas, my child!

How wretched in thy death! thy father flies thee,
He flies, but dooms thee to the realms beneath.

Iph. My mother, hear ye now my words: for thee Offended with thy husband I behold:

Vain anger! for where force will take its way,
To struggle is not easy.

Hear then what to my mind
Deliberate thought presents: it is decreed
For me to die: this then I wish, to die
With glory, all reluctance banished far.
My mother, weigh this well, that what I speak
Is honour's dictate: all the powers of Greece
Have now their eyes on me; on me depends
The sailing of the fleet, the fall of Troy,
And not to suffer, should a new attempt
Be dared, the rude barbarians from blest Greece
To bear in future times her dames by force,
This ruin bursting on them for the loss
Of Helena, whom Paris bore away.

By dying all these things shall I achieve,

And blest, for that I have delivered Greece,
Shall be my fame.

To be too fond of life

Becomes not me; nor for thyself alone,

But to all Greece a blessing didst thou bear me.
Shall thousands, when their country's injured, lift
Their shields, shall thousands grasp the oar, and dare,
Advancing bravely 'gainst the foes, to die

For Greece and shall my life, my single life
Obstruct all this? would this be just? what word
Can we reply?

If me

The chaste Diana wills t' accept, shall I,
A mortal, dare oppose her heavenly will?
Vain the attempt: for Greece I give my life.
Slay me, demolish Troy; for these shall be
Long time my monuments, my children these,
My nuptials, and my glory.

It is meet

That Greece should o'er barbarians bear the sway,
Not that barbarians lord it over Greece:

Nature hath formed them slaves, the Grecians free.

Not Menelaus, but Greece, hath wrought my mind to this.Not the persuasions of Menelaus, but the dreaded vengeance of the Greeks upon us, if by forbearing to sacrifice thee, I should frustrate their present designs, determines me to this unnatural The Hebrew scriptures record a sacrifice similar to this in that of Jeptha's daughter.

act.

Compel me not what is beneath to view. The pagan notion of death, as has been before observed, was that of descent, of darkness, and of doubt. It is the most welcome truth of Christianity, that it brings life and immortality to light; and since the establishment of Christianity, the idea of the state after death includes that of purer elements than those of earth, and of powers to expatiate more extensively amidst the wonders of the universe.