The Atlantic in the far West and the inhospitable Thracian harbors in the East define the sea’s limits, but even these extremes of East and West are not distant enough for Ares’ place of voluntary exile, for the realms of sunrise and sunset are not absolutely distinct but meet in a great circuit. What disappears from the one realm necessarily reappears in the other; what is not finished at night still has to be dealt with the next day. Thus, the Chorus confutes its own urging Ares to retreat to the farthest East or West. It would seem that Ares must be remove himself altogether. Associating Ares with war, the audience may embrace this thought process without the filter of a Theban perspective; Athens cannot manage war through any partial measures or accommodations but must drive it off entirely. But how is that to be effected? Can Athens really control the seas from one end to the other? If it cannot, must not another approach be tried? [Gt-a] [Mp] [Mw]