EUMENIDES.
Pythoness.
FIRST, with this prayer, I honour of the gods[1]
Earth, prophetess primeval; Themis next,
On this her mother's seat oracular
Second who sat—for so tradition tells;
Third by decree of Fate, with her good will,
Doing despite to none, took here her seat,
Another power Titanian, child of Earth,
Phœbe; she gave it as a birth-day gift
To Phœbos, who from Phœbe takes his name.
- ↑ In a passage of deep significance Æschylus traces the successive steps in the history of Revelation, as it passed from the Chthonian (earthly) to the Olympian powers. Earth herself was the first prophet. In the simplest phenomena of nature she first spoke to men of the divine character and will. As time went on she gave place to "Right" (Themis), a daughter who was born to her; for the teaching of society and life carries us forward in the knowledge of God. "Right" in turn gave place to a younger sister, Phœbe, the embodiment of light, the symbol of spiritual intelligence. With her ministry the office of the earthly powers was fulfilled, and she transferred her charge, not by claim of succession, but as a voluntary offering, to the bright God of heaven, Phœbus, who himself adopted her name for his own.—Brook F. Westcott.
