 Greek tragedy is characterized by Nietzsche as the supreme artistic achievement because it expresses both tendencies. This, at least, is true of Aeschylus’ and Sophocles’ tragedies. Euripides, influenced by Socratic rationalism, expunged the Dionysian element from tragedy. Once tragedy lost its Dionysian element, it was also deprived of its redeeming power. According to Nietzsche, Wagner’s operas are to be credited for having brought back the synthesis of Apollonian and Dionysian elements, and thus to have made again available the redeeming power of the Greek tragedy.