its profound theology, its analysis of human perplexity, its utter pathos in describing the sacrifice of Iphigenia.
In defence of this view, I would urge that ἀλκὰ is not a usual word—at least, I have been unable to find an instance of its use—for any mental power like genius or inspiration. It almost always means physical prowess; and if it becomes metaphorical at all, it becomes so in the sense of help or aid (as in The Furies, l. 257, ἀλκὰν ἔχων = clasping or holding help, by embracing the image of the goddess: taking sanctuary, in short). If this view of the word be correct, the word itself applies very ill to the chorus, whose physical feebleness and powerlessness to help has just been alluded to: but very well to the gods, whose ageless strength and power to aid is contrasted with human weakness. The thought in ἀλκᾷ σύμφυτος αἰὼν will thus be parallel to that in ἀγήρῳ χρόνῳ δυνάστας of Sophocles Ant. l. 608.
Undoubtedly there is a difficulty in applying such a phrase as σύμφυτος αἰὼν to the divine life at all. But it seems allowable to use words, properly only applicable to human life, with reference to the divine, in a passage like this, where in thought the contrast is drawn between the former as an αἰὼν σύμφυτος indeed, but not ἀλκᾷ σύμφυτος, and the latter, verily an αἰὼν in the wider sense, and ἀλκᾷ σύμφυτος, coeval with its eternal power to prompt and aid.
And certainly the word καταπνείει in its most literal sense, seems to suit this idea of a sacred impulse, an aid like a wafting wind, breathed down from heaven.
I put forward this conjecture without confidence, and merely as one more endeavour to elucidate a passage of more than usual interest, which is allowed to be dubious hitherto. To make it refer to the life or condition of the speaker seems to me difficult; to translate it "the time co-extensive with the war" almost impossible: whether my own conjecture is any better, iudicent alii. For the feeling
