Greek tragedies were created to remind people about life's ups and downs. They show that these things happen naturally. People who enjoy watching disasters on stage shouldn't be surprised when the same things happen in real life on a bigger scale. You can see how all these stories end. Even the characters who cry out most desperately to the mountains must accept their fate, just like everyone else. These poets actually say many wise things. For example: 'If the gods neglect me and my children, they have their reasons.' And: 'It does no good to rage against what happens.' And: 'Harvest your life like ripe grain.' There are many other lines like these.
Tragedies were at first brought in and instituted, to put men in mind of worldly chances and casualties: that these things in the ordinary course of nature did so happen: that men that were much pleased and delighted by such accidents upon this stage, would not by the same things in a greater stage be grieved and afflicted: for here you see what is the end of all such things; and that even they that cry out so mournfully to Cithaeron, must bear them for all their cries and exclamations, as well as others. And in very truth many good things are spoken by these poets; as that (for example) is an excellent passage: 'But if so be that I and my two children be neglected by the Gods, they have some reason even for that,' &c. And again, 'It will but little avail thee to storm and rage against the things themselves,' &c. Again, 'To reap one's life, as a ripe ear of corn;' and whatsoever else is to be found in them, that is of the same kind.