dramatic decorum

means giving each character the speech that suits him: the audience applauds Atreus for "No matter how they hate me while they fear me," but a just Minos saying it would seem unbecoming.

Recast in definition form from: “Thus were Aeacus or Minos to say, — “No matter how they hate me while they fear me,” or, “The very father is his children’s tomb,” it would seem unbecoming; for the tradition is that they were just men. But when Atreus so speaks, the audience applaud; for the speech befits the character.”

dramatic decorum, n.Definitions

dramatic decorum