IX

THE FROGS
CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

THE GOD DIO~YSUS

XANTHIAS, his slave
AESCIlYLUS
EURIPIDES
HERACLES
PLUTO
CHARON
AEAClJS
A SERVANT OF PLUTO
A CORPSE
A l\IAIDSERVANT OF PERSEPHONE
A LANDLADY in Hadl's
PLATHANf:, lilT Sl'rVllllt
CnORUS OF FROGS
('HORUS OF JNITlAT],D l'],RSONS
 INTRODUCTION

AT the Lenaean festival of 405, six years after the performance of The
Thesmophoriazusae, Aristophanes produced The Frogs, which was
awarded the highest prize. The subject of the play is almost wholly liter-
ary and its treatment contains astonishingly few passages that can arouse
the antipathy of the puritan. It has consequently enjoyed a modern
popularity entirely out of proportion to its rather slender merits. Poorly
constructed and dcflcient in wit, it exhibits a solemnity of manner and a
thinness of spirit hardly to bc expected from the author of The Birds
and The Thesmophoriazusar.
Dionysus, the patron god of tragcdy, has dceply mourned the recent
death of Euripides, and his nostalgic yearning for the "clever rogue" has
finally grown so intense that he has resolved to go down to Hades and
bring him back to earth again; the play opens at the commencement of
this arduous journey. Since no one but Heracles has ever accomplished
such a feat before, Dionysus has acquired a club and slipped a lion's skin
over his saffron robe, and in this ludicrous costume he knocks at the
house of the very hero he plans to emulate, and obtains advice and di-
rections. With his slave Xanthias accompanying him he sonn reaches the
Acherusian lake and is ferried across by Charon whilc the Chorus of
Frogs sings lyrics of the rain and the marshes. Xanthias has had to walk
around the lake, but he meets his master on thc other side, and shortly the
real Chorus of the play, composed of initiates into the Mysteries, appears.
From them Dionysus learns that he has already reached the house of
Pluto, and he knocks at the door. A series of foolish and not overly amus-
ing incidents ensues, in which the costume of Heracles alternately arouses
the wrath and elicits the blandishments of the enemies and the friends
acquired by that hero on his previous visit to the underworld. The former
sort of reception induces Dionysus to place the lion's skin on the shoulders
of Xanthias, while the latter causes him quickly to abrogate this arrange-
ment. Eventually they enter the house and the stage is left to the
Chorus, which delivers the parabasis.
The ode praises the Athenians and makes a gibe at the demagogue
Cleophon. The epirrheme givcs the spectators the sound and bold advice
9I 7
 Introduction
that they should restore the oligarchical revolutionaries of 411 to the
rights of citizenship. The antode attacks a little known person by the
name of Cligenes, and the antepirrheme compliments the advice of the
epirrheme. There are no anapests. The tone of the parabasis is fervently
patriotic, and this will doubtless have been the reason for the unique
repetition of the play, a few days after its regular performance, in
response to popular demand.
At the conclusion of the parabasis Aeacus, the slave of Pluto, and
Xanthias emerge from the house and are engaging in friendly conversa-
tion, when a great commotion is heard offstage. In this way the poet
introduces the famous and lengthy contest between Aeschylus and Eurip-
ides which occupies the whole of the latter portion of the comedy. The
connection of this with what precedes is so loose that some scholars have
been led into the assumption that it was originally composed for an en-
tirely different play and was hurriedly tacked on to the unfinished Frogs
at the news of the death of Euripides. Dionysus now abandons or forgets
the original purpose for which he has come to Hades and announces that
the winner of the contest will be the poet whom he will take back to
Athens. With their patron god sitting as judge, the two tragedians com-
pare their talents in every department of dramatic art. The fundamental
notion of the scene is a happy one, but it is longer than its essential humour
allows, and the parodies of Aeschylus are inept and misdirected. The
contest is extremely close, and Dionysus experiences great difficulty in
arriving at a decision; "My choice shall fall on him my soul desires," he
finally says, and we remember that it was his ardent and insatiable crav-
ing for Euripides that brought him to the underworld. Thus we are
greatly surprised when it turns out to be Aeschylus that he wishes to
restore to the light of day. Is this the poet's intent, or is it merely another
example of the carelessness with which the play is constructed?
The person and the poetry of Euripides bulk large in the plays of
Aristophanes, and the comic poet's attitude toward him has been the
subject of much discussion and the cause of many misstatements. It is
wholly wide of the mark to speak of him as having attacked Euripides;
the experiments and the innovations of the restless tragedian provided
good material for harmless satire, and his excessive pathos and ingenious
intellectualism were obvious targets for gibes, but he is never accused of
pederasty or of cowardice, of venality or of sycophancy, nor is it ever
suggested that any of the other tragic poets of the time is even remotely
to be compared with him. If we will assume Aristophanes to be speaking
through the mask of Dionysus in the final scene of The Fror;s> we must
also remember that the god has no easy time choosing Aeschylus, and
that it is his deepest and most nostalgic emotions that are ultimately
decisive.
 THE FROGS

(SCENE:-In the background are two houses, that of HERACLES and

that of PLUTO. Enter DIONYSUS, disguised as HERAC"LES, with lion-skin
and club, but with the high boots of tragedy and a tunic of saffron silk.
He is followed by XANTHIAS, seated on a donkey and carryi11g an immense
bale of luggage on a porter's pole. They advance for a while in silence.)

XANTHIAS (lookmg round at his burden with a groan)

SIR, shall I say one of the regular things
That people in a theatre always laugh at?
DIONYSUS
Say what you like, except "I'm overloaded."
But mind, not that. That's simply wormwood to \Ill'.

XANTHIAS (disappointed)
Not anything funny?
DIONYSUS
Not "Oh, my poor blisters!"
XANTHIAS
Suppose I made the great joke?
DIONYSUS
Why) by all means.
Don't be afraid. Only, for mercy's sake,
Don't . . .
XANTlIIAS
DOIl'i do what?
DIONYSUS
Don't shift your luggage pole
Across, and say, "I want to blow my nose." 1
920 Aristophancs
XANTJ-JIAS (greatly disappointed)
N or that I've got such a weight upon my back
That unless some one helps me quickly I shall sneeze?
DIONYSUS
Oh, please, no. Keep it till I need emetics.
XANTHIAS
Then what's the good of carrying all this lumber
If I mayn't make one single good old wheeze
Like Phrynichus, Amipsias, and Lycis?
DIONYSUS
Ah no; don't make them.-When I sit down there
(PointinK to the auditorium)
And hear some of those choice products, I go home
A twelvemonth older.
XANTHIAS (to himself)
Oh, my poor old neck:
Blistered all round, and mustn't say it's blistered,
Because that's funny!
DIONYSUS
Airs and insolence!
When I, Dionysus, child of the Great Jug,
Must work and walk myself, and have him riding
Lest he should tire himself or carry things!
XANTHIAS
Am I not carrying things?
DIONYSUS
They're carrying you.
XANTHIAS (showinf{ the baggagr)
I'm carrying this.
DIONYSUS
How?
XANTHIAS
With my back half broken.
DIONYSUS
That bag is clearly carried by a donkey.
 The Frogs 9 21
XANTHIAS
No donkey carries bags that I am carrying.
DIONYSUS
I suppose you know the donkey's carrying you.
Xt.NTHIAS (turning cross)
I don't. I only know my shoulder's sore!
DIONYSUS
Well, if it does no good to ride the donkey,
Go turns, and let the poor beast ride on you.
XANTHIAS (aside)
Just like my luck.-Why wasll't 1 on board
At Arginusae? ~ Then I'd let you have it.
DIONYSUS
Dismount, you rascal.-Here's the door close by
Where I must turn in first-and I on foot! (Kl1ocl?ing.)
Porter] Hi, porter] Hi]
HlcRACLES (rntrring from the hous(,)
Who's knocking there?
More like a mad bull butting at the door,
Whoever he is . . . (seeing DIONYSU~). God bless us, what's all this?
(lIe examines DIONYSUS minutely, then [hoRes l1,itlz silent emotiol1.)
DIONYSUS (aside to XANTHIAS)
Boy]

XANTHIAS
What, sir?
DIONYSUS
Did you notice?
XANTHIAS
Notice what?
DIONYSUS
The man's afraid.
XANTHIAS
Yes, sir; (aside) afraid you're cracked]
92 2 Aristophancs
HERACLES (struggling with laughter)
I wouldn't if I possibly could help it:
I'm trying to bite my lips, but all the same . . . (Roars with laughter.)
DIONYSUS
Don't be absurd! Come here. I want something.
HERAcLEs
I would, but I can't yet shake this laughter off:
The lion-skin on a robe of saffron silk!
How comes my club to sort with high-heeled boots?
What's the idea? Where have you come from now?
DIONYSUS
I 've been at sea, serving with Clisthenes. I
HERACLES
You fought a battle?
DIONYSUS
Yes: sank several ships,
Some twelve or thirteen.
HERACLES
Just you two?
DIONYSUS
Of course.
XANTHIAS (aside)
And then I woke, and it was all a dream!
DIONYSUS
Well, one day I was sitting there on deck
Reading the Andromcda, when all at once
A great desire came knocking at my heart,
You'd hardly think . . .
HERACLES
A great desire? How bjD"?
DIONYSUS
Oh, not so big. Perhaps as large as Molon.
HERACLES
Who was the lady;>
 The Frogs
DIONYSUS
Lady?

HERACLES
Well, the girl?
DIONYSUS
Great Heaven, there wasn't one!

HERACLES
Well, J have alwav~
Considered Clisthenes a perfect lady! .

DIONYSUS
Don't mock me, brother! It's a serious thing,
A passion that has worn me to a shadow.
HERACLES
Well, tell us all about it.
DIONYSUS (wlfh the desplllr of 011 al'flst explaining him,elf to (] coml1lon
athl('te)
J\'o: J can't.
You never . . . But I'll think of an analogy.
You never felt a sudden inward craving
For . . . pease-broth?
HEHACLES
Pease-broth? Bless me, crowds of (i meso
DIONYSUS
See'st then the sudden truth? Or shall I put it
Another way?
HERACLES
Oh, not about pease-broth.
I see it quite.
DIONYSUS
Wrll, I am now consumed
By just that sort of restless craving for
Euripides.
HERACLFS
Lord save us. the man's dead!
 Aristophanes [68-85]
DIONYSUS
He is; and no one in this world shall stop me
From going to see him!
HERACLES
Down to the place of shades?
DIONYSUS
The place of shades or any shadier still.
HERACLES
What do you want to get?
DIONYSUS
I want a poet,
For most be dead; only the false live on.
HERACLES
Iaphon's still alive.
DIONYSUS
Well, there you have it;
The one good thing still left us, if it is one.
For even as to that I have my doubts.
HERACLES
But say, why don't you bring up Sophocles
By preference, if you must have some one back?
DIONYSUS
No, not till I've had Iophan quite alone
And seen what note he ~ives without his father.
Besides, Euripides, being full of tricks,
Would give the slip to his master, if need were,
And try to escape with me; while Sophocles,
Content with us, will be content in Hell.
HlcRACLES
And Agathon, where is he?
DIONYSUS
Gone far away,
A poet true, whom many friends regret.
HERACLES
Beshrew him! \Vhere?
[85- 104] The Frogs
DIONYSUS
To feast with peaceful kings!
HERACLES
And Xenocles?
DIONYSUS
Oh, plague take Xenocles!
HERACLES
Pythangelus, then?
(DIONYSUS shrugs his shoulders in expressive silenrc.)

XANTHIAS (to himself)

And no one thinks of me,
When all my shoulder's skinning, simply skinning.
HERACLES
But aren't there other pretty fellows there
All writing tragedies by tens of thousands,
And miles verboser than Euripides?
DIONYSUS
Leaves without fruit; trills in the empty air,
And st arling chatter, mutilating art!
Give them one chance and that's the end of them,
One weak assault on an unprotected Muse.
Search as you will, you 'II find no poet now
With grit in him, to wake a word of power.'
HERACLES
How "grit"?
DIONYSUS
The grit that gives them heart to risk
Bold things-vast Ether, residence of God,
Or Time's long foot, or souls that won't take oaths
While tongues go swearing falsely by themselves.
HERACLES
You like that stuff?
DIONYSUS
Like it? I rave about it.
HERArLES (re fl crtinK)
Why, yes; it's devilish tricky, as you say.
 Aristophancs
DIONYSUS
"R ide not upon my soul! ' , Use your own donkey"
HERACLES (apologisillg)
I only meant it was obviously humbug!
DIONYSUS
I fever 1 need advice about a dinner,
I'll come to you!

XANTHIAS (to himself)

And no one thinks of me.

DIONYSUS
But why I came 111 these especial trappings--
Disguised as you, in fact-was this. I want you
To tell me all the hosts with whom you stayed
That time you went to fetch up Cerberus:
Tell me your hosts, your harbours, baker~) shops,
Tnns, taverns-reputable and olherwise-
Srrings, roads, towns, posts, and landladies that keep
The fewest fleas.
XANTHIAS (as hefore)
And no olle thinks of me!
HERACLlcS (im/Jrcssli'cly)
Bold man, and will you dare

DIONYSUS
Now, don"t begin
That sort of thing; but tell the two of us
'Vhat road will take us quicke"t down to IIad('~ -
And, please, no great extremes of heat or cold

HERACUS
Well, which one had J beUer tell you lirst?--
"'hich now?-Ah, yes; suppose you got a boatman
To tug you, with a hawser-round your neck

DIONYSUS
A chokey sort of journey, that.
HERAC'LES
Well, then,
There is a short road, quick and smooth, the surface
Well pounded-in a mortar.
 The Fror,s
DIONYSUS
The hemlock way?
HERACLES
Exactly.
DIONYSUS
Cold and bitterl Why, it freezes
All your shins numb.
HE]{ACLES
Do you mind one short [lnd ~t('er?

DIONY:"U;,
Not in the least . . . You know I'm no great walker.
HERACLES
Then just stroll down to Ceramicus . . .
IhoN'lSUS
Well?
IIERACLES
Climb up the big tower . . .
DIONYSUS
Good; and t hm ?
HERACLES
Then watch
And see them start the torch-race down below;
Lean over till you hear the men say "Go,"
And then, go.
DIONYSUS
Where?
HERACLES
Why, over.
DIONYSUS
Not for me.
It'd cost me two whole sausage bags of brains.
I won't go that way.
HERACLES
Well, how will you go?
 Aristophanes
DIONYSUS
The way you went that time.
HERACLES (impressively)
The voyage is long.
You first come to a great mere, fathomless
And very wide.
DIONYSUS (unimpressed)
How do I get across?
HEUACU:S (with a gesture)
In a little boat, like that; an aged man
'ViII row you across the ferry . . . for two obols."'
DIONYSUS
Those two old obols, everywhere at work!
I wonder how they found their way down there?
HERACLES
Oh, Theseus took them!-After that you')) see
Snakes and queer monsters, crowds and crowds.
DIONYSUS
:Kow don't:
Don't play at bogies~ You can never move me!
HERACLES
Then deep, deep mire and everlasting fIlth,
And, wallowing there, such as have wronged a guest,
Or picked a wench's pocket while they kissed her,"
Beaten their mothers, smacked their father's jaws,
Or sworn perjurious oaths before high heaven.
DIONYSUS
And with them, I should hope, such as have learned
Cinesias's latest Battle Dance,
Or copied out a speech of l'vIorsimus!
HERACLES
Then you will find a breath about your ears
Of music, and a light before your eyes
Most beautiful-like this-and myrtle groves,
And joyous throngs of women and of men,
And clapping of glad hands,
 The Frogs
DIONYSUS
And who will they be?

HERACLES
The Initiated. 7

XANTHIAS (aside)
Yes; aad I'm the donkey
Holiday-making at the Mysteries!
But I won't stand this weight one moment longer.
(H c begins to put down his bundle.)

HERACLES
And they will forthwith tell you all you seek.
They have their dwelling just beside the road,
At rluto's very door.-So now good-bye;
And a pleasant journey, brother.

DIONYSUS
Thanks; good-bye
Take care of yourself. (To XANTIIIAS, while HERACLLcS returns
into the house) Take up the bags again.

XANTIlIAS
Before I've put them down?

DIONYSUS
Yes, and be quick.

XANTHIAS
No, really, sir; we ought to hire a porter.
DIONYSUS
Anel what if I can't find one?

XANTHIAS
Then I'll go.

DIONYSUS
All right.-Why, here's a funeral, just in time.
(Enter a FUNERAL on the right.)
Here, sir-it's you I'm addressing-the defunct;
Do you care to carry a few traps to Hades?

THE CORPSE (sitting uP)

How heavy?
93 0 Aristophancs
DIONYSUS
What you sec.
CORPSE
You'l! pay two dntlhmas?
DIONYSUS
Oh, come, that's rather much.
CORPSE
Bearers, move on!
DIONYSUS
.!'.Ty good man, wait I See if we can't arrange.

CORPSE
Two drachmas duwn, or else don't talk to me.
DIONYSUS
Nine obols?
CORPSE (("ing down again)
Strike me living if I will!
(Exit thl' FUNEI{AL.)

XANTHIAS
That dog's too proud I He'll come to a bad end.-
Well, I'll be porter.
DIONYSUS
That's a good brave fellow,
(They wall.: arro;,s thc stage. DIONYSUS peers into tlte dis/ailc/'.)

DIONYSUS
What is that?
XANTHIAS
That? A lake.
DIONYSUS
By Zeus, it is!
The mere he spoke of.
XANTlIlAS
Yes; I see a boat.
DIONYSUS
Yes, by the powers!
 The Frogs 93 1
XANTHIAS
And yonder must ue Charon,

DIONYSUS
Charon, ah:\)'!

DOTU
Ahoy 1 Charon, ahoy!
(CHARON c1Iters, He is all old, grim, alld squalid FrrrYlllon,
wcarlllg a slave's jelt ((!p IIlid 0 slcl'v('lcss tUllie,)
( 'I1AHON
Who is for rest from sufferings and cares?
Who's for the Carrion Crows, and the Dead Donkeys;
Lethe and Sparta and the rest of Hell?

DIONYSUS
] I

CHARON
Cd in,

DIONYSUS
\\There do you touch? The Carrion Crows,
You said?

CHARON (grufJIy)
The D()gs will ue the place for you,
Get in,

DIONYSUS

CnARON
don't take slaves:
Fnless he has won his freedom? Did he fight
The battle of the Cold l\feat Unprcserved?

XANTIIIAS
\\T ell, no: my eyes were very sore just then R

CUARON
Then trot round on your legs!
XANTllIAS
"'h('l'(, shall I meet ~r()lI;>
93 2 Aristophanes
CHARON
At the Cold Seat beside the Blasting Stone.

DIONYSUS (to XANTHIAS, who hesitates)

You understand?

XANTHIAS
Oh, quite. (Asidc) Just like my luck.
What can have crossed me when I started out?
(Exit XANTIIIAS.)

CHARON
Sit to your oar. (DIONYSUS docs his best to obcy) Any more passengers?
If so, make haste. (To DIONYSUS) What are you doing there?
DIONYSUS
Why, what you told me; sitting on my oar.

CHARON
Oh, are you? Well, get up again and sit
(Pushilll{ him down)
Down there-fatty!

DIONYSUS (doing cll crything wrong)

Like that?

CHARON
Put out your arms
And stretch . . .

DIONYSUS
Like that?

CHARON
None of your nonsense here!
Put both your feet against the stretcher.-Now,
In good time, row!
DIONYSUS (fluently, putting down his oars)
And how do you expect
A man like me, with no experience,
No seamanship, no Salamis,-to row?

CHARON
You'll row all right; as soon as you fall to,
You'll hear a first-rate tune that makes you row.
 The Frogs 933
DIONYSUS
Who sings it?
CHARON
Certain cycnoranidae.
That's music!
DIONYSUS
Give the word then, and we'll see.
(CHARON gives the word for rowing and marks the time. A CHORUS OF
FROGS is heard off stage.)

FROGS
o brood of the mere and the spring,
Gather together and sing
From the depths of your throat
By the side of the boat,
Co-ax, as we move in a ring;

As in Limnae we sang the divine

Nyseian Giver of Wine,
When the people in lots
With their sanctified Pots
Came reeling around my shrine.

Co-ax, co-ax, co-ax,

Brekekekex co-ax.
DIONYSUS
Don't sing any more;
I begin to be sore!
FROGS
Brekekekex co-ax.

Co-ax, co-ax, co-ax,

Brekekekex co-ax!
DIONYSUS
Is it nothing to you
If I'm black and I'm blue?
FROCS
Brekekekex co-ax!
934 Aristophancs
DIONYSUS
A plague on all of your swarming packs.
There's nothing in you except co-ax!
FROGS
Well, and what more do you need?
Though it's none of your busines::, indeed,
\Yhen the 1\1 use thereanent
Is entirely content,
And horny-hoof Pan with his reed'

When Apollo is fain to admire

1\Iy voice, on account of his lyre
\\,11ich he frames with the rushes
And watery bushes-
Co-in:!-which I grow in the mire.

Co-ax, co-ax, co-iix,

Brekekekex co-ax!
DIONYSUS
Peace, musical sister<;'
I'm covered with blisters"
FROGS
Brekekekex co-ax.

Co-iix, co-iix, co-itx,

Brekpkekex co-i[,,'
Our song we can cloublp
Without the least trouble'
Brekekekex co-ax.

Sing we now, if pvpr hopping

Through the sedge and flowering ru:-.~1es;
Tn and out the sunshinp flopping,
\Ve have sported, rising, dropping.
With our song that nothing hushes.

Sing, if e'er in days of storm

Safe our native oozes bore us,
Staved the rain off, kept us warm,
Till we set our dance in form,
Raised our hubble-bubbling chorus:

Brekekekex co-ax, co-iix!

 The Frogs 935
I)TONYSUS
13rekekekex co-ax, cu-ax~
I can sing it as louel at, you.
FROGS
Sisters, that he never must do!
J)j()NYf,U~,
\\'ould you have me row till my shoulder cracks?
FROGS
Brekekekex co-ax, co-ax!
DIONYSUS
Brekekekex co-ax, co-ax:
Groan away till you lJllrsl your backs.
I t's nothing to nll'.

FrwGs
Just wait till you sec.
DTONY"US
I Jon't carl' how you scold.
FROGS
Then all day long
V,'e will croak you a song
A" loud as our throat can IltJld.

l)roKYSUS
Brekekekex co-:ix, co-a,,!!
I'll see yuu don t ou tdo me ill that.
FROGS
\Yell, you ~!lall ncwr bcat 1,:,-that's nat!
I)TOKYSUS
1'11 make you cea5e your song
] f I shout for it all day long,
l\fy lungs I'll ta ....
\I'ith co-ax, co·ax
·--1 assure you they're thoroughly strong-
Until your efforts at last relax:
Drekekekex co<ix, Cfhix!!
 Aristophancs
(No answer from the FROGS.)
llrekekekex co-ax, co-ax! ! !
I knew in the end I should stop your quacks!
CUARON
Easy there! Stop her! Lay her alongside.-
Now pay your fare and go.
DIONYSUS (perring about him)
There are the obols .
Ho, Xanthias! . Where's Xanthias?-Is that you?

XANTHIAS (from off stage)

Hullo!

DIONYSUS
Come this way.

XANTHIAS (entering)
Oh, I'm glad to see you!
DIONYSUS (looking round)
Well, and what have we here?

XANTHIAS
Darkness-and mud.

DIONYSUS
Did you see any of the perjurers here,
And father-beaters, as he said we 8hould?

XANTHIAS
Why, didn't you?

DIONYSUS
I? Lots.
(Looking full at the audience.)
I see them now.
Well, what are we to do?

XANTHIAS
Move further on.
This is the place he said was all aswarm
With horrid beasts.
 The Frogs 937
DIONYSUS
A plague on what he said!
Exaggerating just to frighten me,
Because he knew my courage and was jealous.
Naught lives so flown with pride as Heracles!
'''hy, my best wish would be to meet with something,
Some real adventure, worthy of our travels!
XANTHIAS (listening)
Stayl-Yes, upon my word. I hear a noise.
DIONYSUS (nervously)
God bless me, where?
XANTHIAS
Behind.
DIONYSUS
Go to the rear.
XANTIIIAS
No; it's in front somewhere.
DIONYSUS
Then get in front.
XANTHIAS
Why, there 1 see it.-Save usl-A great beast.
DIONYSUS (ro1Ocril1g behilld XANTHIAS)
What like?
XANTHIAS
Horrid! . . . At least it keeps on changing!
1t was a bull; now it's a mule: and now
A fair young girl.
DIONYSUS
Where is it? Let me at it!
XANTHIAS
Stay, sir; it's not a girl now, it's a dog.
DIONYSUS
1t must be Empusa!
 Aristophancs
XANTHIAS
Yes, At least ito. head
Is all on fi re,

DIONYSUS
Has it a leg of brass?

XANTHIAS
Yes, that it has, And the other leg of cow-dung,
It's she 1

DIONYSUS
Where shall I go?

XANTlIIAS
Well, where shall I?

J)IONYSUS (runl1ing forward (/Ild addrcssilzg till' Friest of DIONYcl T" /II
!tis scat of slate ill the (clllr(' of Ihe j1'lJnl row of tlte lll/dicHc<,)
My Priest, protect me and we 'II sup together 1

XANTlIIAS
We're done for, 0 Lord Heracles,

DIONYSUS (cowerillg again)

Oh, don 't ~
Don't shout like that, man, and dOll't breathe that name,

XAN111IAS
Dionysus, then!

DIONYSUS
No, no. That's worse than the other.
Keep on the way you're r,oing,

XANTHIA!-> (after searching abo1lt)

Come along, sir.

DIONYSUS
What is it?

XANTHIAS
Don't be afraid, sir. All goe" well.
And we can say as said Hegelochus,
"Beyond these storms I catch a piece of tail!"]O
Empusa's gone,
 The Frogs 939
DWKYSUS
Swear it.
XANTHIA~,
Dy Zeus, she's gone!

DIONYSUS

XANTIUAS
By Zeus, shr's gone!
DIONYSUS
Your sulemn oath.

XANTJIL\S
By Zeus!!
DIONYSUS (l'aislllg himsrff)
Dear me, that made me feel quitc p~llc.

XANTHIAS (pointing to the 1'1'I(,.1t)

And this kind gentleman turned feel for sympathy.
DIONYSUS
How can I have sinner! to bfin~ all this upon me?
\\'h,lt power auove is bent on my destruction?
XANTITIAS
The fe~idencc of God, or Time's long foot?
DIONYSUS (/lstrning a~ j7l1t('-jJ/ayill[!, is /teaI'd olltsllie)
I sayl
XANTHIAS
\Vhat is il?
DIONYSUS
Don't you hear it?
XANTHIA~
\\'hat?
DIONYSUS
Flutrs blowing.
94 0 Aristophancs
XANTHIAS
Yes. And such a smell of torches
Floating towards us, all most Mystery-like!
DIONYSUS
Crouch quietly down and let us hear the music.
(They crouch down at the left. Music is heard far oj]. XANTlUAS puts
down the bundle.)
CnOlnJS (unseen)
Iacchus, 0 Tacchus!
Tacchus, 0 Iacchus!
AANTHIAS
That's it, sir. These are the Tnitiated
Rejoicing somewhere here, just as he told us.
Why, it's the old Tacchus hymn that used
To warm the cockles of Diagoras!
DIONYSUS
Yes, it must be. However, we'd best sit
Quite still and listen, till we're sure of it.
(There enters gradually the CIlOlnJS, C07ISis/i11[!, of l\!e11 ITlitia/cd ill tlie
Eleusinian Mysteries. They arc lcd by a hic1"oj)/tallt or initia/in,;
Priest, and accompanied by a throng of Worshipping Women. They
have white robes, wreaths upon their bruws, alld t01"(hcs in their
hands.)
CnoRUS (singing, off .Ita,;!')
Thou that dwellest in the shadow
Of great glory here beside us,
Spirit, Spirit, we have hieclus
To thy dancing in the meadow!
Come, Iacchus; let thy brow
Toss its fruitee! myrtle hough,
We are thine, 0 happy dancer; 0 our comrade, come and guide us!
Let the mystic measure heat:
Come in riot fIery fleet;
Free and holy all before thee,
While the Charites adore thee,
And thy l\lystae wait the music of thy feet!
XANTIIIAS
o Virgin of Demeter, highly blest,
What an entrancing smell of roasted pig! 11
 The Frogs 941
DIONYSUS
Hush! hold your tongue! Perhaps they'll give you some.
CHORUS (singing, as they enter)
Spirit, Spirit, lift the shaken
Splendour of thy tossing torches!
All the meadow flashes, scorches:
Up, Iacchus, and awaken!
Come, thou star that bringest light
To the darkness of our rite,
Till thine old men leap as young men, leap with every thought forsaken
Of the dulness and the fear
Left by many a circling year:
Let thy red light guide the dances
Where thy banded youth advances
To be merry by the blossoms of the mere!
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Hush, oh hush! for our song begins. Let everyone stand aside
Who owns an intellect muddled with sins, or in arts like these untried:
If the mystic rites of the 1\1 uses 1rue he has never seen nor sung:
If he never the magical music knew of Cratinus the Bull-eater's tongue:
1f he likes in a comedy nothing but riot and meaningless harlequinade:
Or in matters of politics cannot keep quiet and see that cabals be allayed,
But blows up spite and keeps it alight to serve his personal ends:
Or being in power at a critical hour, accepts little gifts from his friends:
Or goes "eIling a ship, or betraying a fort, or takes to the trade of a
smuggler,
Attempting again, in Thorycion's sort ,-that pestilent revrnue-juggIer,-
From Aegina before us to stock Epidaurus with tar and canvas amI hide,
Or tries to persuade some friend in the trade for the enemy's ships to
provide:
Or a teacher of choirs who forgets his position and damages Hecate's
shrines: 12
Or the robber of poets, the mere politician, who spites us with pitiful
fmes 1:l
Because we have suitably made him absurd in the God's traditional
rhyme:
Behold, I give word: and again give word: and give word for the third,
last time:
Make room, all such, for our dance and song,-Up, you, and give us a
lay
That is meet for our mirth-making all night long and for this great festival
day.
94 2 A rislo phancs
CHORUS (singing)
Forth fare all;
This mC'ad's bowers
Hear fresh flowers:
Forth, TraIl.
Leap, mOlk, dance, play;
Enough and to spare we ha'.'C' feasted to-day!

::'I1arch: raise high

Her wlw:.C' hands
Save the"e lands;
Raise due cry:
l\laid, l\lnid, :-ave these,
Tho' it may not exactly Thoryci,)n please!

LEADER OF THE CHOIWS

One hymn to the .i\Iaideil; !lUW raise ye another
Tn the Queen of the Fruits of the Earth
To Demeter the Corn-giver, Goddess and l\'f ut her,
Make worship in musical mirth.

CllOlHJS (sillgill,";)
Approach, 0 Queen of orgies pure,
AmI us, thy faithful band, ensure
From morn to eve to ply secure
Our mocking and our clowning:
To grace thy fenst with many a hit
Of merry jest or serious wit,
And laugh, am] ('<1m the prit:C', ar.d n:t
Triumphant to the crowning.

LEADER OF THE CllOI(lJS (spcal<illg)

1'\ ow call the Gud of bl()UllIillg mien; l '
Raise the mystic chorm:
Our comrade he and guide Ullseen,
With us and before us.

CllOlWS (singing)
Iarrhus high in glory, thou whose day
Of all is merriest, hither, help uur play;
Show, as we throne thee at thy Maiden's side,
How light to thee arc our long leagues of way.
Iacchu5, happy dancer, be our guide.
 The Frogs 943
Thyself, that poorest men thy joy should share,
Didst rend thy rohe, thy royal sandal tear,
That feet unshod might dance, and robes rent wide
\Vave in thy revel with no after care.
lacchus, happy dancer, be our guide.

Lo there! but now acrn~~ the chncp <lflace

A maiden tripped, a maiden fair of face,
\\'hu~e ta!\ercd ,,111()( k and b.Tchid sc;ace could hide
The merry bo"om ]leer in;:; from itc. place.
Iacchus, happy dancer, he our guide.

XA~ llIlAS (.lil/g:II/:)

T always lil:cd (0 folluw S,):l1e one ebe:
Suppuse we join and dance?
DIONYSUS (sill{;ing)
'Why, ~o say I.
(TIt!'y join t!u' da/2(' )

LEADER OF THE CHORUS (sil1giTl~:)

l'erh:lps 'twill best beseem us
To (k:ll with Archedelllus,
\Vlm is toot hless st ill and rootless, at ~'('\'ell yC~lI s fr.JIll Lirth:

Yet he leads the public preaclwrs

Of (hose poor dead upper creatures,
And is prince of all (he shadiness 011 ('arth!

And C!i,.;thcnes, says rUl11our,

In ;1 wild desp:liring humour
~ltS huddled up and tearing out his hair aI1l0n!; the gl:lvt'S.

To believe he would inc1:nr lIS

That a IJC'rSOll named Sdlillus
Is toS:,illg yet unburied on the wave!,!

\,,'hile ('ailias, say;:. fait!!",

Has attended a ~ea-b~t!t1e,
And liol1e~s('s' scalps were the uniform h(' wore! ,-,
ThONY~US (,Iillgil/g)
You'd ohlige us mllch by telling
l\le the wav (0 Plutu's dWt"Jlinso
"oe arc strange;s newly lighted on your o,hure,
944 Aristophanes
LEADER O:F THE CHORUS (singing)
No need of distant travel
That problem to unravel;
For know that while you ask me, you are standing at the door.
DIONYSUS (si/lging)
Then up, my lad, be packing!
XANTHIAS (sil1f,ing)
There's the Devil in the sacking:
I t can't stay still a second on the floor!
LEADER OF THE CHORUS (spraking)
Now onward through Demeter's ring
Through the leaves and J1owers,
All who love her junketing,
All who know her powns!
Fare forward you, while] go here
With matron and with maiden,
To make their night-long roaming clear
With tossing torches laden.

CHORUS (sillging)
Then on 'mid the meadows deep,
\\There thickest the rosebuds creep
And the dewdrops arc pearliest:
A jubilant step advance
In our own, our eternal <lance,
Till its joy the Glad Fates ent ranee
Who threaded it earliest.

For ours is the sunshine bright,

Yea, ours is the joy of light
All pure, without danger:
For we thine Elect have been,
Thy secrets our eyes have seen,
And our hearts we haY(' guarded cle~m
Toward kinsman and stranger!
(The CHORUS lines up 011 one sid!' oj tIll' Orchestra.)
DIONYSUS (approaching the door oj Pluto's house)
I ought by rights to knock; but how, I wonder.
I don't know how they do knock in this country.
 The Frogs 945
XANTlIIAS
Oh, don't waste time. Go in and do your best,
Like Heracles in heart as well as garb.
DIONYSUS (knor/.>ing)
Ho there!
(The door opens and a Porter appears, whose dress s/zows him to be
AEACUS, tlte Judge oj Ilze Dead.)

AEAcus
Who summons?
DIONYSUS
Heracles the Brave.
AEACUS
Thou rash, impure, and most abandOlwd man,
Foul, in1y foul, yea fou1e;,t upon earth,
\\'ho harrif'd our dog, Cerberus, choked him dumb,
Fled, vanished, and left me to bear the blame,
Who kept him !-Now J have thee on the hip!
So close the black encaverned rocks of Styx
And Acheronian crags a-drip with blood
Surround thee, and Cocytu;,' circling hounds,
And the hundred-headed serpent, that shall rend
Thy bowels asunder; to thy lungs shall cleave
The lamprey of Tartessus, and thy reins
And inmo;,t entrails in one paste of gore
Tithrasian Gorgons gurge for evermore!
--To whom, even now,] speed my indignant course'
(The Porter refires.)
DIONYSUS (w/zo has ja/lm prostrate)
Please! 10

XANTHIAS
"Vhat's the matter? Quick, get up again
Before they come and see you.
DIONYSUS
But I feel
Faint.-Put a cold wet sponge against my heart.
XANTIIIAS (producing a sponge)
There; you apply it.
 Aristo phancs
DlON\SUS
Thanks. Where is it?
XANTlIIAS
There.
(DIONYSUS takes and applies If.)
Ye golden gods, is it there you keep your heart?
1)lONYSUS
The nervous shock made i I go down a nd down!
X"'NTHTAS
You arc the greatest coward 1 ever "aw,
Of gods or humans!
DIONYSUS
T a coward?---T had
The presence of mind to ask you for a sponge.
Few had done more!
XANTHIAS
Could anyone do Ie,s?
DlONV:-'US
A coward would still be flat there, sniffing salts;
I rose, called for a sponge, and u~cd the Sp.,:1gC.

XANTlIIAS
That was brave, by J'o"idon'
DIONYSUS
I should think so.-
And weren't you frightened at his awful threals
And language?
XANTIIIAS
I? I never cared a rap.
DIONYSUS
Oh, you're a hero, aren't you?-and want ghry.
Well, you be 1II1'! rut on this lion's hide
And take the club-if you're so claulllk's-hmrtcd.
I'll take my turn, and he Y0ur luggage-hoy.
X.\NIHL\S
Over with both of them I Of CI,\ll''ie Twill.
(IIe proceeds to liIIi Oil the lioll-skill.)
 1499-5 21 ] The Frogs 947
Now watch if Xanthias-Heracles turns faint,
Or shows the same "presence of mind," as you.
DIONYSUS
The true Melitean jail-bird, on my life! . . .
Well, I suppose I'd better take the luggage.
(The exchange is just effected when tltc door agaill opens
and there enters a MAID OF PERSEPHONE.)

~IAID
Dear Heracles, and is it you ollce more?
Come in! No sooner did my mistress learn
Your coming, than ~he set her bread to ba],e,
Set pots of split-pea porridge, two or three,
A-boiling, a whole ox upon the coals,
Cakes in the oven, and big buns.-Oh, COI11(, in.
XANTHIAS (as H FRACLES)
She is very kind; perhaps some other time .
.:\LuJ)
Oh, really; but T mustn't let you go!
She's doing everything herself! Braised game,
Spices and fruits and stoups of the sweetest wine-
Come in with me.
XANIHIAS
Most kind, but . . .
l\IAID
No exclisrs.
I won't Irt go -A l1ute-player, vrry pretty,
Is waiting for you, and two or three such sweet
Young dancing girls
XANIHIAS (wavering)
Did YOll say dancing girls?
MAID
Yes. Do come in.-They just were going to serve
The fish, and have the table lifted in.
XANTI-IIAS
1 will! I'll chance it!-Go straight in and tell
Thuse dancing girls that Heraclrs is coming!
( The 1\1 AID rl'i ires a ga 111.)
Here, boy, take up tlw bags and follow me.
 Aristophancs [5 22 -54 2 J
DIONYSUS
Stop, please!-You didn't take it seriously
When I just dressed you as Heracles for fun?
You can't be so ridiculous, Xanthias.
Take up the bags at once and bring them in.
XANTlIIAS
What? Surely you don't mean to take away
Your own gift?
DIONYSUS
Mean it? No; I'm doing it!
Off with that lion-skin, quick.
(Begins to strip off the lion-skin by force.)
XANTlIIAS
Help! I'm assaulted . . .
(GivinK 'Way.)
1 leave it with the Gods!
DIONYSUS (procccding to dress himself again)
The Gods, indeed 1
What senseless vanity to expect to be
Alcmena's son, a mortal and a slave!
XANTHIAS
Well, tak<:> it. I don't care.-The time may he,
God willing, when you'll feel the need of me!
CIIORUS (.Iinging)
That's the way such points to settle,
Like a chief of tested mettle,
Weather-worn on many seas,
Not in one fIxed pattern stopping,
Like a painted thing, but dropping
Always towards the side of ease.
'Tis this instinct for soft places,
To keep warm while others freeze,
Marks a man of gifts and graces,
Like our own Theramenes!
DIONYSUS (singing)
Surely 'twould the matter worsen,
I f I saw this low-bred person
On his cushions sprawling, so,
 The Frogs 949
Served him drinking, watched him winking: 17_

If he knew what I was thinking-

And he would, for certain, know,
Being a mighty shrewd deviser
Of such fancies-with a blow
P'raps he'd loosen an incisor
From the forefront of my row!
(During this song there has entered almlg the streft (] LANDLADY, who is
soon followed by her servant, PLATHANE.)

LANDLADY
Ro, Plathane, here, I want you, l'lathane! ..
Here is that scamp who came to the inn before,
Ate sixteen loaves of bread ..
PLATliANE
Why, so it is:
The very man!
XANTHlAS (aside)
Here's fun for somebody.
LANDLADY
And twenty plates of boiled meat, half an obol
At every gulp!
XANTlllAS (aside)
Some one'll catch it now!
LANDLADY
And all that garlic.
DIONYSUS
Nonsense, my good woman,
You don't know what you're saying.
rLATIIAK{~
Did you think
I wouldn't know you in those high-heeled boots?
LANDLADY
And all the salt-fIsh I've not mentioned yet. . . .
T'LATHANE (to LANDLADY)
No, you poor thing; and all the good fresh cheese
The man kept swallowing, and the baskets with it!
95 0 Aristo phanes
LANDLADY (to XANTIUAS)
And when he saw me coming for the money
Glared like a wild bull! Yes, and roared at me!
XANTHIAS
Just what he does! His manners everywhere.
LANDLADY
Tugged at his sword! Pretended to be marl !
PLATHANE
Yes, you poor thing; I don't know how you bore it!
LANDLADY
And we got all of a tremble, both of us,
And ran up the ladder to the loft! And he,
He tore the matting up-and off he went!
XANTlIIAS
Like him, again.
PLATIIANE
But something must be done!
LANDLADY (to PLATlJANE)
Run, you, and fetch me my protector, ('leon.
PLATTIANi: (to the as they run excitedly to go ojJ in dijJercnt
LANDLADY,
directions)
And you fetch me Hyperbolus, if you meet him ..
Then we shall crush him!
LANDLADY (returning)
Oh, that ugly jaw'
If I could throw a stone, I'd like to break
Those wicked teeth that ground my larder dry ~
PLATHANE (rctuminr; on the otliel' side)
And I should like to fling you in the pit!
LANDLADY (turning again as she r;oes off)
And I should like to get a scythe, and cut
That throat that swallowed all my sausages.
PLATJIANE (the same)
Well, I'll go straight to Cleon, and this same day
We'll worm them out in a law-court, come what may!
(The LANDLADY and PLATHANE go 0 jJ il1 dilferclIf directions.)
 The Frogs 95 1
DIONYSUS
l'lague take me! ~o friend left me in the world.
Except old Xanthias!
XAN1HIAS
I know, I know!
We all see what you want. But that's enough!
I won't be Heracles.
DIONYSUS
Now don't say that,
Xanthias--{Jld lJoy!
XANTH1AS
And how am J to be
Alcmena's SOIl-a mortal and a slave?
DIONYSUS
I know you're angry, and quite justly so.
Hit me if you like; I won't say one word back.
But, mark, if ever again in this wide world
I rob you of these clothes, drstruction fall
On me myself, my wife, my little ones,-
And, if you like, on the old bat Archedemus!
XANTHIAS
That oath will do. 1 take it on those terms.
CHORUS (singing)
Now 'tis yours to make repayment
For the h()nour of this raiment,
Wear it well, as erst you wore,
If it needs some renovating,
Think of wholll you're personating,
Glare like Heracles alld roar.
Else, if any fear you show, sir,
Any weakness at the core,
Any jesting, back you go, sir,
To the baggage as before!
XANTIlIAS (singil1{!,)
Thank you for your kind intentioll,
But I had some comprehension
Of the task I undertook.
Should the lion-skin make for profIt,
95 2 Aristophancs [599-618 ]
He'll attempt to make me doff it-
That I know-by hook or crook.
Still I'll make my acting real,
Peppery gait and fiery look.
Ha! Here comes the great ordeal:
See the door. I'm sure it shook!
(The (entral door opens and the Porter, AEACUS, comes
out with two other slaves.)
AEACUS
Here, seize this dog-stealer and lead him forth
To justice, quick.
DIONYSUS (imitating XANTHIAS)
Here's fun for somebody.
XANTIIIAS (in a Hcraclran attitude)
Stop, zounds ! Not one step more!
AEACUS
You want to fIght?
Ho, Ditylas, Sceblyas, and Pardocas,
Forward! Oblige this person with some fighting!
DIONYSUS (while the Sc.vthians gradually over power XANTHIAS)
How shocking to assault the constables-
And stealing other people's things!
AEACUS
Unnatural,
That's what I call it.
DIONYSUS
Quite a pain to see.
XANTHIAS (now overpowered and disarmed)
Now, by Lord Zeus, if ever I've been here
Or stol'n from you the value of one hair,
You may take and hang me on the nearest tree!
Now, listen: and I'll act quite fairly by you;
(Suddfnly indicating DIONYSUS)
Take this poor boy, and put him to the question! 18
And if you find me guilty, hang me straight.
AEACUS
What tortures do you allow?
 The Frogs 953
XANTHIAS
Use all you like.
Tie him in the ladder, hang him by the feet,
Whip off his skin with bristle-whips and rack him;
You might well try some vinegar up his nose,
And bricks upon his chest, and so on. Only
:r-.;o scourges made of . . . leek or young shalotLj'l

AEAcus
A most frank offer, most frank.-If my treatment
Disables him, the value shall be paId.

XANTHIAS
Don't mention it. Remove him and begin.
AEACUS
Thank you, we'll do it here, that you may witness
Exactly what he says. (To DIONYSUS) Put down your bundle,
And mind you tell the truth.

DIONYSUS (who has hitherto henz sp(,echless with horror, 110W ll1lrstlll,£!.
lIut)
J warn all present,
To torture me is an illegal act,
Being immortal! And whoevrr docs so
1\1 ust take the consequences.

AEACUS
Why, who arc you?
DIONYSUS
The immortal Dionysus, son of Zeus;
And this my slave.
AEACUS (to XANTHIAS)
You hear his protest?
XANTITlAS
Yes;
All the more reason, that, for whipping him;
If he's a real immortal he won't feel it.
DIONYSUS
Well, but you claim to be immortal too;
They ought to give you jlJst the same as me.
954 Aristophanrs
XANTHIAS
That's fair enough. All right; whichever of us
You first [md crying, or the least bit minding
Your whip, you're free to say he's no true god.

AEACUS
Sir, you behave like a true gentleman;
You come to justice uf yourself!-Now then,
Strip, both.

XANTI-IIAS
How will you test us?
AEACUS
Easily:
You'll each take whack and whack about.
XANTIIIAS
All right.
AEACUS (strikinJ.: XANTHli\S)
There.
Xi\NTIIIi\S (controlling himself wilh all rftot/)
"'atch now, if you see n1(' even wince.
AEi\CUS
But I've already hit you'
XANTHIAS
T think not.
AJ<.i\CUS
Fpon my word, it looks as if I hacln '(.
""'1I, now I'll go and whack the other.
(Strikrs DIONYSl'S )

DIONYSUS (also (ol1troUiJlg himself)

When?

AEACUS
I've done it.
DIONYSUS (with an air I'f illdiftl'rrncl')
Odd, it didn't make me sneeze!
 The Frogs 955
AEACUS
It is odd!-WeIl, I'll try the first again.
(II c crossl'S to XANTlIIAS.)

XANTlIlAS
All right. Be quick. (Thl' blow falls) Whe-ew
AEACm,
:\h, \~hy "whe-ew"?
It didn't hurt you?
XANTHIAS (recovering himself)
No; T just was thinking
When my Diomean Feast would next lw due.
AEACUS
A holy thought !-1 '11 step across again.
(Strikes IhoNY~US, who howls)
DIONYSUS
Ow-ow!
AEACUS
What's that?
DIONYSUS (recovering himself)
J saw some cavalry.
AEACUS
What makes your eyes run?
DIONYSUS
There's a smdl of onions!
AEACUS
You're sure it didn't hurt you?
DIONYSUS
Hurt? Not it.
AEACUS
I'll step across again then to the first onc.
(Strikes XANTJIIAS, who also howls.)
XANTHIAS
Hi-i!
 Aristophancs
AEACUS
What is it now?
XANTHIAS
Take out that thorn.
(I'ointhlR to his foot.)
AEACUS
What does it mean ?-Ovcr we go again.
(Stri/,('s DIONYSUS.)

DIONYSUS
() Lord! (hurriedly tl/mill!!, his wail into a lim' oj jN)!'t)'y) "of Delos or of
Pytho's rork."
XANTHIAS (t rium phant I)')
It hurts. You heard?

DIONYSUS
It dorsn'il I was saying
A ver~e of old IIipponax to myself.
XANTlIIAS
You're making nothing of it. Hit him hard
Across the soft parts underne,lt h tIl{' ribs.
AEACUS (til XANTIIlAS)
A good idea! Turn over un your back!
(Strikes him.)
XANTIIIAS (as bejorr)
() Lord!
DIONYSUS
It hurts!
(as thou!!," (olltirll/ill!!,)
XANTlliAS
"Posidon ruler free
Of cliffs Aegean and the grey salt sea."
AEACUS
!\ow, by Demeter, it's beyond my powers
To tell which one of you's a gulli-Come in;
We'll ask my master. He and Persephassa
Will easily know you, being gods themselves.
[67 2 -7 0 3] The Frogs 957
DIONYSUS
Most wisely said. Indeed I could have wished
You'd thought of that before you had me' swi,lw(l.
(They all go into the housr. The CnoRus, left alone on Ihe slag!', turllS
towards the audience.)
CHORUS (singing)
Draw ncar, 0 1\lu5e, to the spell of Illy t>llng,
Set foot in the sanctifIed place',
And see thy fait hflll Athenians thron~,
To whom t he myriad arts belong,
The myriad marks of grace,

Greater than Cleophon's own,

On whose lips, with bilingual moan,
A swallow from Thrace
Has taken his place
And chirps in blood-curdling tone
On the gibberish-tree's thick branches high
As he ut ters a nightingale note,
A tUlllUltUOUS cry
That he's certain to die
Even with an equal vote!

LLMmR OF TIlE CllORUS

It lJehoves this sacred Chorus, in its wisdom and its hliss,
To assist t he state with counsel. I\()W our fIrst advice i~ this:
Let Athenians all stand equal; pfl1allaws be swept away.
Some of us have been misguided, following Phrynichus ast ray;
Now for all of these, we urge you, let full freedom 11(' decreed
To confess the cause that tripped them and blot out that old misdeed.
N ext, no man should live in Athens outcast, robbed of every right.
Shame it is that low-born aliens, just for sharing olle sea-fight,
Should forthwith become 'Plataeans' and instead of slaves be masters-
(Not that in the least I blame you for thus meeting our disasters;
No; I pay respectful homage to the one wise thing you've done):
But remember these men also, your own kinsmen, sire and son,
Who have ofttimes fought bpside you, spilt their blood on many seas:
Grant for that one fault the pardon which thpy crave you on their kneps.
Y Ol! whom Nat me made for wisdom, Jet your vengeance fall to sleep;
Grpet as kinsmen and Athpnians, burghcrs true to win and k('('p,
Whosop'pr willlJrave the storms and tight for Ath('n~ at your side!
But be sure, if still we ~purn them, if we wrap us in ollr pride,
 Aristophanes
Stand alone, with Athens tossing in the long arm of the waves,
Men in days to come shall wonder, and not praise you in your graves.
CIIORUS (singing)
An' I the make of a man may trow,
And the ways that lead to a fall,
~ ot long will the ape that troubles us now,
Not long little Cligencs--champion, I vow,
Of rascally washermen all,

Who hold over soap their sway

And lye and Cimolian clay
(Which they thriftily mix
With the scrapings of bricks)-
Not long will our little one stay!
Oh, 'tis well he is warlike and ready to kick
For if once home from supper he trotted,
Talking genially thick
And without his big stick,
We should probably fmd him garotted.

LEADER OF THE CHORUS

1t has often struck our notice that the course our city runs
Is the same towards men and money.-She has true and worthy !>ons:
She has good and ancient silver, she has good and recent gold.
These are coins untouched with alloys; everywhere their fame is told,
1'\ot all HelIas holds their equal, not all Barbary far and near,
Gold or silver, each well minted, tested each and ringing clear.
Yet, we never use them! Others always pass from hand to hand,
Sorry brass just struck last weck and branded with a wretched brand.
So with men we know for upright, blameless lives and nohle names,
Trained in music and palaestra, frcemen's choirs and freemen's gallle~,
These we spurn for men of brass, for red-haired things of unknown breed,
Rascal cubs of mongrel fathers-them we use at every need!
Creatures just arrived in Athens, whom our city, years ago,
Scarcely would have used as scapegoats ~o to be slaughtered for a SilOW!
Even now, 0 race demented, there is time to change your ways;
lIse once more what's worth the using. If we 'scape, the more the praise
That we fought our fight with wisdom; or, if all is lost for good,
Let the tree on which they hang us be, at least, of decent wood!
(The door opens, and the two slaves, AEACUS and XANTHIAS, return.)
 The Frogs 959
AEACUS
By Zeus, that's what I cal! a gentleman!
That master of yours!

XANTIIIAS
Gentleman? That he is!
There's nothing in his head but wine and wenche,,'
AEACUS
But not to whip you when you were clean convirtc,cl,
A slave caught masquerading as his master!
XANTIII \;, (.llgllijiCllllt/y)
I'd like tu see him try it!

AEACUS
There you go!
The old slave trick, that I'm su fond uf too.
XANTlIlAS
You likeit,eh?
AEACUS
Like it? Why, wl1en 1 get
Behind my master's back and quietly curse him,
I feel just like the Blessed in the }Iysteries'
XANTlIlAS
What about muttering as you go outside
After a whacking?
AEM'US
YC~, I like that tuo,
XAN THIAS (Wit h increasing ('\'ritl'll1cnt)
And prying into people's ;.ecrcts, eh?
AEAcus (/hc salllc)
By Zeus, there's nothing like it in the world'
XANTHli\S
Oh! Zeus makes brethren meet!-And what of li~t'ning
To what the masters say?
AEAClJS
It makes me mad!
 Aristophanes
XANTI-lIAS
And telling ewry word of it to strangers?
AEA(,us
Madder than mad, stark staring crimson madded
XANTHIAS
o Lord Apollo, clap your right hand there,
Give me your cheek to kiss, and you kiss me!
(They embrac/'; IJ loud 1[oise is hcurd inside the house.)
But Zeus!--our own Zeus of the Friendly Jailbirds-
What is that noise . . . those shouts and quarrelling ..
Inside?
AEi\CUS
That? Aeschylus and Euripides!
XANTlIIAS
Eh?
Aj':ACUS
Yes; there's a big busines<; just astir,
And hot diss('I1sion among all the dead.
XANTUIAS
About what?
AEACUS
Thl're's a law establi~hed here
Concerning all the 18.rgr and liberal arts,
Which grants the foremost mastl'r in each art
Free entertainl1lrnt at the Central Hearth,
And also a special throne in Pluto's row ..
XANTHJi\S
Oh, now I understand!
AEi\CUS
To hold until
There comes one greater; then he must make way.
XANTHIAS
But how has this affected Aeschylus?
AEACUS
Aeschylus held the throne of tragedy,
As greatest . . .
 The Frogs
XANTHIAS
Held it? Why, who holds it now?
AEAcus
Well, when Euripides came down, he gave
Free exhibitions to our choicest thievt's,
Footpads, cut-purses, burglars, father-beaters,
-Of whom we have numbers here; and whm t hey heard
The neat retorts, the fencing, and the twists,
They all went mad and thought him SOnl<:lhing splcndid.
And hl', growing proud, laid hands upon the throne
Where Ae!>chylus !>at.
XANTHIAS
And wasn't pelted off?
AEACUS
Not he. The whole folk clamoured for 11 trial
To see which most was master of his craft.
XANTIIIAS
The whole jail-folk?
AEAl'US
Exactly ,-loud as trumpets.
XANTllIAS
And were there non<: to fight for Aeschylus?
AEACllS
Goodness is !>carce, you know. (Illdicating tile illli/!I'I1( 1') The sallle as
here!
XAN1HL\S
And what docs Pluto mean to do about it?
AEACUS
Why, hold a trial and contest on the spot
To test. their skill for certain.
XANTlIIAS(reflecting)
But, I say,
Sophocles surely must have claimed the throne?
 A rislo phanes
AEACUS
Not he; as soon as ever he came down,
He kissed old Aeschylus, and wrung his hand,
And Aeschylu~ made room on half his scat.
And now he means to wait-{)r so, at least,
Clidemides informs us-in reserve.
If Aeschylus wins the day, he'll rest content:
If not, why then, he says, for poor Art's sake,
He must show fight against Euripides!
XANTHIAS
It is to be, then?
AEACUS
Certainly, quite soon.
Just where you stand we'll haW' the shock of war.
They'll weigh the poetry line by line . . .
XANTHI,\S
Poor thing,
j\ lamb set in the meat-scale and found wanting!

AEACUS
They'll bring straight-edges out, and cubit-rules,
And folded cube-frames ..
XANTHIAS
Is it bricks they want?
AEACUS
And mitre-squares and wedges! Line by line
Euripides will trst all tragedies!
XANTIIlAS
That must make :\eschylu~ angry, I shoulct think)
AEACUS
Well, he did stoop amI glower like a mad bull.
XANTHIAS
Who'll be the judge?
AEACUS
That was a difficulty.
Both found an utter dearth of proper critics;
For Aeschylus objected to the Athenians . . . .
 [808-834] The Frogs
XANTHIAS
Perhaps he thought the jail-folk rather many?

AEACUS
And all the world beside, he thought mere dirt
At seeing what kind of thing a poet was.
So, in the end, they fixed upon your master
As having Illuch experience in the business.
But come in; when the master's face looks grave
There's mostly trouble coming for the slave.

CUORUS (slIlgmg)
E ftsoons shall dire ang,'r interne be the Thunderer's portion
\rhen his foe's glib tusk fresh whetted for blood he descries;
Then fell shall his heart be, and mad; and a pallid distortion
Descend as a cloud on his eyes.

Yea, words with plumes wild on the wind and with helmets a·glancing,
With axles a-splinter and marble a-shiver, eftsooI1s
Shall bleed, as a man meets the shock of a Thought-builder's prancing
Stanzas of dusky dragoons.

The deep crest of his mane shall uprise as he slowly unlimbers

The long-drawn wrath of his brow, and lets loose with a roar
Epithets welded and screwed, like new torrent-swept timbers
Blown loose by a giant at war.

Thm ri~es the man of the l\Iouth; then battleward fiashrs

A tester of verses, a smooth and serpentine tongue,
To dissect each phrase into mincemeat, and argue to ashes
That high-towered labour of lung!
(Tlzr door ope liS again. Entrr EmHPIlJES, DTO"'YSU~, 011(1 ALSCIIYLUS,)

EURIPIDES
Pray, no advice to me! I won't give way,
] claim that I'm more master of my art.
DIONYSUS
YrlU hear him, Aeschylus. \rhy don't you speak?
EURIPIDES
He wants to open with an awful silence-
The blood-curdling reserve of his first scel1rs.
 Aristophanr s
DIONYSUS
My dear sir, I must beg! Control your language!

EURIPIDES
I know him; I've seen through him years ago;
Bard of the "noble savage," wooden-mouthed,
No door, no bolt, no bridle to his tongue,
A torrent of pure bombast-tied in bundles'

AFSCll YLUS (br(({/.:il1g alit)

How say'st thou, Son 0' the Goddess of the Greens? "1_
You dare speak thus of me, you phrase-collector,
B1ind-beggar-bard and scum of rifled rag-bags!
Oh, you shall rue it!
DIONYSUS
Slop! Stop, Aeschylus;
Strike nDt thine heart to fire on rClnwur old.

AESCHYLUS
No; I'll expose this crutch-and-cripple playwright,
And what he's worth for all his insolence.

DIONYSlTS (fa attcndants)

A lamb, a black lamb, quick, })()yo.! Bring it out
To sacrifice; a hurricane's let ]()():,t'! ""

AL:WIIYLlIS (to EllRIPlm.s)

You and your Creian c].lIlcing-sol(),,' You
And the ugly amours that you st't to ver~e'

DIONYSUS (illtCl'jJosing)
One moment, please, most nohle Ae~chyll1~!
And you, poor wretch, if you haw any prudence,
Get out of the hailstones quick, or else, by Zeus,
Some word as big as :"OlJr head will catch you crash
I;('hind the ('aI', and knock out all the . . . Telephus!
Nay, Aeschylus, pray, pray control your anger;
Examine and sulJmit to he e'(amined
With a cool hearL Two poets "houle! not meet
Tn fishwife style; hut here are you, straight off,
Ablaze and roaring like an oak on fIre.

EURIl'lllES
For my part T'm quite ready, with no shrinking,
To bite first or be bitten, as he pleases.
[862-888] The Frogs
Here are my dialogue, music, and construction;
Here's PcIeus at your service, Meleager,
And Aeolus, and . . . yes, Telephus, by all means!
DIONYSUS
Do you consent to the trial, Aeschylus? Speak.
AESCHYLUS
1 well might take oL'jection to the place;
It's no fair [wId for him and me.

DIONYSUS
Why not?
AESCHYLUS
Because my writings haven't died with me,
As his have; so he']] have them all to ham\.
However, I waive the point, if you think fit.
DIONYSUS
Go, some one, bring me frankincense and lire
That I may pray for guidance, to decide'
This contest in the Muses' st rictest ways;
To whom, meantime, uplift your hymn of praise!
CHORllS (sillging)
All hail, ye nine heaven-born virginal Mllses,
\\'hiche'cr of ye watch o'er the manne'rs and use's
Of the founts of quotation, when, meeting in fray-
All hearts drawn tense for who wins and who loses-
With wrestling lithe each the other confuses,
Look on the pair that do battle to-day!
These be the men to take poems apart
By chopping, riving, sawing;
Here is the ultimate trial of Art
To due completion drawing!
DIONYSUS
Won't you two pray before you show your lines'
AEsrIJ\'Lus (going up to tlte altar)
Demeter, thou who feedest all my thought,
Grant me but worthincss to worship thee!
DIONYSUS (to EURIPIDES)
Won't you put on some frankincense?
 Aristophancs
EURIPIDES (staying where hr is)
Oh, thank you;
The gods I pray to are of other metal!
DIONYSUS
Your own stamp, eh? New struck?
EURIPIDES
Exactly so.
DIONYSUS
\Vell, pray away then to your own peculiar.
EURIPIDES (rootcrirally)
Ether, whereon T batten! Vocal cords!
Reason, and nostrils swift to scent and sneer,
Grant that I duly probe each word I hear.
CHORUS (sil1f!.inf!J
All of us to hear are yearnin~
Further from these twins of learning,
What dread road they walk, what burning
Heights they climb of speech and song.
Tongues alert for battIe savage,
Tempers keen for war and ravai~e,
Angered hearts to both belong.
He will fIght with passes witty
Smooth and smacking of thl' city,
Gleaming blades lIni1eckpd wit h rust;
He will seize-to end the mattcr-
Tree-trunks torn and clubbed, to batter
Brains to bits, and plunge and scali er
Whole arena-fulls of dust!
LEADER OF TIm CnoRus
Now, quick to work. Be sure you both do justin' to your ras('~,
Clear sense, no loose analogic<;, and no long commonplaces.
EURIPIDES
A little later I will treat my own artistic mettle,
This person's claims I should prefer immediately to setth·.
T'n show you how he posed and prosed; with what audacious foolin,!:?;
He tricked an audience fresh and green from Phrynichus's schooling
Those sole veiled fIgures on the stage were fIrst among his grace~.
Achilles, say, or Niobr, who never showed their faces,
But stood like so much scene-painting, and never a grunt they uttered!
 The Frogs
DIONYSUS
Why, no, by Zeus, no mort' they did!

EURIPIDES
And on the Chorus spluttered
Through long song-systems, four Oil end, the actors mute as ft"hes'

DiONYSUS
I somehow loved that silence, though; and felt it met my wishes
As no one's talk does nowaday~ ~

EURIPIlJES
You hadn't yet seen through it!
That's alL

DIONYSUS
I really think you're right! But still, what made him do it?

EURIPIDES
The instinct of a charlatan, to keep the audience guessing
If Niob? ever meant to speak-the play meantime progressing!
DIONYSUS
Of course it was! The sly old dog, to think of how be trickrd us!-
Don't (to AESCHYLUS) ramp and fume!

EUHIPIDES
\Ve're apt to do so when the fact~ convict U~ 1
-Then after this tomfoolery, the heroine, feeling calmer,
Would utter some twelve wild-bull words, on min-way in the drama,
Long ones, with crests and beetling brows, and gorgons round tIll' lmrdrr,
That no man ever heard on earth,

AESC1IYLUS
The rcd plagur

DIONYSUS
Order, order!

EURIPIDES
I ntelligible-not one line'
DIONYSUS (to A;',:,CIIYLUS)
PleasE'! \Von't your teeth stnp gnashing?
 Aristophanes
EURIPIDES
All fosses ancl Scamanclt'r-bt'ds, and bloody targes flashing,
\Vith gryphon-eagles bronze-elllbos~ecl, ancl crags, and riders rt'eling,
Which :,umehuw nt'ver quite joined on.
DIONYSUS
By Zeus, sir, quite my feeling!
A question corr:es in Kight's long hours, that haunts me like a spectre,
What kind of fish or fowl you'd call a "russet hippalector."
AhSCllYLUS (breaking in)
It was a ship's sign, idiot, such as t'vt'ry joiner fixes!
DIONYSUS
Indeed! I thou~ht perhaps it meant that music-man Eryxis!
[EURIPIDES
You like then, in a tragic play, a cock? You think it lllixes?-1
AESCHYLUS (to EURIPIDES)
And what did you yourself produce, 0 fool with pride deluded?
EURIPIDES
1\ot "hippalectors," thank the Lord, nor "tragclaphs," as you did-
The sort of ornament they tlse to fill a I'er:-.ian curtain!
--1 had the Drama straight from yoa, ;dl bloalr'd and uncertain,
\\Teiglwd down with rich amI heavy words, ]luffed out pa~,t comprchcno,ion.
I took the case in hand; applied trt'at mcnt for such cli~tensi()n ----
Beetroot, light phrases, little walks, Int book-juice, and cold reasoning;
Then fed her up on solos.
1 h00J YSUS (aside)
With Cephisophnn for st'asoning!
EURIPIDES
I didn't rave at random, or plunge in and make cOllfuc,;ons,
My first appearing character t'xplained, with due aJJu~ions,
The whole play's pedigree.
DIONYSUS (a~idc)
Your own you left in wise obscurity!
EURIPIDES
Then no one from the start with me could idle with security.
They had to work. The men, the slaves, the women, all made speeches,
The kings, the little girls, the hags . . .
 The Frogs
AESCHYLUS
Just ser the things hc teaches!
And shouldn't you be hanged for that?

EURIPIDES
No, by t 11<' lord Apollo!
It's democratic!

DIONYSUS (to EURIPIDES)

That's no road for you, my frienrl, to folJow;
You'll find the "little walt" too steep; 1 rrcommend you quit it.~:t

EUIUPIDES
Next, I taught all thc town tu talk with freedom,

AESCHYLUS
1 admit it.
'Twere IJt'ttrr, ere you taught thrill, you had died amid their cur~e,,!

EURIPIDES
J gave them canons to apply and squares for marking versrs;
Taught them tu "ee, think, understand, to schen~e for wh::!t they wanted,
To fall in love, think evil, l[ue"tion all things,

AESCHYLUS
Grantrd, granted!

EURIPIDES
1 put things on the stagc th::!t came from daily life and bll~ine"s.
\\'hrrc men could catch 111r if 1 tripped; L'Ouldlisten without diuiness
To thing" t hey knew, and judge my art. I never crashed and lightencd
And bullied people's seno,('~ out; nor tried to keep them frightened
With l\Iagic Swans and .'\ethiup knights, loud barh and clangin,g vizor!
Then look at my disciples, too, and mark what neat mrs his are!
Phormi"ius is his product and the looby lump l\legaenrtus,
All trumpet, lance, moustache, and glare, who twist their dubs of pine at
liS;
While Clitophon is mine, sirs, anrl Theral1lcnes the l\Tatchles,!

DIONYSUS
Theramenes! Ah, that's the man! All dangrr leaves him scratchless.
His friends may come to grid, and he he found in awkward fc.;es,
But always tumbles right end up, not aces-no: all sixes!
97 0 Aristophancs 197 1 - 100 5]

EURIPIDES (morc 1"11 pidf)')

This was the kind of lore I broup;ht
To school my town in ways of thought,
J mingled re'asoning with my art
And shrewdness, till I fired their heart
To brood, to think things through and through;
And rule their houses better, too.
DIONYSUS (still morc rapidly)
Yes, by the powers, that's very true!
No burgher now, who comes indoors,
But straight looks round the house and roars:
"Where is the saucepan gonc? And who
Has bitten that sprat's head away?
And, out, abs! The earthen pot
1 bought last year is not, is not ~
Where are the leeks of yesterday?
And who has gnawed this olive, pray;'''
Whereas, before they took his school,
Each sat at hOTlle', a simple, cool,
Religious, unsuspecting fool,
And happy in his shepp-like way I
CHORUS (Sil1gill{;)
Great Achilles, gaze around thee'
'Twill astound thee and con found thee.
Answer now: but keep in bound tIl('
'Vords that off thc cour"e would tear,
Bit in teeth, in turmoil flocking.
Yes: it's mon"trous-shameful--o,]1flcking-
Brave old warrior. But beware!

Don't retort with haste or passion;

l\leet the squalls in sailor fashion,
Mainsail reefed and mast nigh bare;
Then, when safe beyond disaster
You may press him fiercer, faster,
Close and show yourself his master,
Oncc the wind is smooth and fair!
LEADER OF THE CnORlJS
() thou who first of the Greeks did build great words to heaven-high towers,
And thc essence of tragedy-padding distilled, gi\'c vent to thy pent-up
showers.
[1006-1021] The Frogs 97 1
AESCHYLUS
I frecly admit that I take it amiss, and I think my anger is just,
At having to answer a mall like this. S(iII, le~t I should seem nonplus!>ed,
Pray, tell me on what particular ground a poet :-.hould claim admiration?

EURIPIDES
If his art is true, and his counsel sound; and if he brings help to the nation,
By making men better in some respect.

AESCHYLUS
And suppose you have done the reverse,
And havr had upon good strong men the effect of makilIg them weaker
and worse,
What, do you say, should your recompense bc?

DIONYSUS
Thc gallows' You nredn't ask him.

AESCHYLUS
Well, think what they were when he had them f[(im I1!C' (;ood !>ix-footers,
solid of limb,
Well-born, wcll-brrd, not ready to 11y from obeying their country's call,
Nor in latter-day fa!'>hion to loiter and lie, and keep their consciences
small ;
Thcir life was in shafts of ash and of ('1m, in bright plumes t1uttering wide,
In lance and greaves and corslet and helm, and hearts of sevenfold hide'
EURIPIllES (asid(')
Oh, now he's begun ami will probably run a whole arrnourer's shop on
my head!
(To AESCIlYLl1S) Stop: How was It duc in c5pecial to you, if they were
so very-wrll-brecJ?

DIONYSUS
Come, answer him, Aeschylus' Don't be so hot, or smoulder in silent
disdain.

AESCITYLUS «(r1{s/llngty)
By a tragedy 'brimming with Ares!'
DIONYSUS
A what?

AESCHYLUS
The "Seven against Thebes."
97 2 Aristophanes [1022-10 39 ]

DIONYSUS
Pray explain.
AESCHYLUS
There wasn't a man could see that play but he hungered for havoc and
gore.

DIONYSUS
I'm afraid that tells in the opposite way. For the Thebans profited more,
It urged them to fight without flinching or fear, amI they did so; and long
may you rue it!

AESCHYLUS
The same thing was open to all of you here, but it didn't amuse you to do
it!
Then next I taught you for glory to long, and against all odd~ stand
fast;
That was "The Persians," which bodied in song the noblest deed of the
past.
DIONYSUS
Yes, yes! \Vhen Darius arose from the grave it gave me gcnuine joy,
And the Chorus stood with its arms a-wave, and observed, "Yow-oy,
Yow-oy!" ~,

AESCHYJ_US
Yes, that's the effect for a play to produce! For observe, from the w(lrld's
iirst start
Those pocts have all been of practical usc who have been supreme in their
art.
First, Orpheus withheld us from bloodshed impure, and vouchsafed us
the great revplation;
1\1 usapus was next, with wi"dom to Lure diseases anel tpach divination.
Then He:,joLl showed us th!.' seas()n to plough, tf) sow, and to rea;). And
thE' l:1Urels
That shine upon Homer"s celestial brow are equally due to his morals!
He taught men to stand, to march, and to arm.

DIONYSUS
So that was old Homer's profession?
Then I wish he could keep his successors from harm, like Pantacles in
till' procession,
Who fIrst got his helmet well strapped on his head, and then tried to put
in the plume!
 The Frogs 973
AESCHYLUS
There be many brave men that he fashionrd and bred, like Lamachus,
now in his tomb.
And in his great spirit my plays had a part, wilh Ihrir heroes many and
bravr-
Teucers, T'atroc1uses, lions at hrart; who made 1l1V citizens crave
To dash iike them at the face of the foe, and" leap at I he calI of a
trumprt !--
But no Stheneboea I've givrn YOIl, no; no T'hardra, no hrroine-strumpet!
If I've once put a woman in love in one act of one play, may my teaching
be scouted!

EURIPIDES
No, you hadn't exactly the style to attract Aphrodite!
AE:-'ClIYLUS
I'm better without it.
A deal too milch of Ihat style she found in S01J1e of your friends and you,
And once, at leasl, left you fiat on the ground!
DIONYSUS
By Zeus, that's perfectly true.
J f he dealt his neighbours such ral tIing blow'i, we must think how he suf-
fered in person.
EURIPIDES
And what are the public defects you suppose my poor Slheneboea I·)
worsen?
AESCHYLUS (nJadinJ; tlie questi()/1 with a j('st)
She makes good women, and good men's wives, whrlJ their hrart, arp
wrary and want ease,
Drink jorums of hemlock and jinish their lives, to gratify Bellerophont(')!
EURIPIDES
But did I invent the slory I lold of---Phaedra, say? Wasn't it history?
AESCHYLUS
It was true, right enough; but the porI 5houltl hold sllch a trulh ('n-
velopetl in mystery,
And not represent it or make it a play. It's his duty to teach, and you know
it.
As a child learns from all who may comr in his way, so the grown world
learns from the poet.
Oh, words of good counsel should flow from his voice-
974 Aristopltan('s [ 1056-1071]
EURIPIDES
And words like Mount Lycabettus
Or Parnes, such as you give us for choice, must needs be good counsel?-
Oh, let us,
Oh, let us at least use the language of men!
AESCHYLUS
Flat cavil, sir! cavil absurd!
When the subject is great and the sentiment, then, of necessity, great
grows the word:
When heroes give range to their hearts, is it strange if the speech of them
over us towers?
Nay, the garb of them too must be gorgeous to view, and majestical,
nothing like ours.
All this J saw, and establi~hed as law, till you came and spoilt it.
EURIPIDES
How so?
AESCHYLUS
You wrapped them in rags from old beggarmen's bags, to express their
heroical woe,
And reduce the spectator to tears of compassion!
EURIPIDES
Well, what was the harm if I did?
AESCHYLUS (r~)lldil/g fite qUI'sf ion as be/orr)
Bah, your modern rich man has adopted the fashion, for remission of
taxes to bid;
"He couldn't provide a trireme if he tried;" he implores us his stdte to
behold.
DIONYSUS
Though rags outside may very well hide good woollens heneath, if it's
cold!
And when once he's exempted, he gilily departs and pOpS up at the fish-
mongers' stalls.
AESCHYLUS (rrmtinuing)
Then, next, you have trained in the speech making arts nigh every infant
that crawls.
Oh, this is the thing that Stich havoc has wrought in the wrestling-school,
narrowed tl1(' hips
Of the poor pale chattering children, and taught the crews of the pick of
the ships
[ I0 72 - II 03] The Frogs 975
To answer back pat to their officer's nose! How unlike myoId sailor of
yore,
With no thought in his head but to guzzle his brose and sing as he bent
at the oar!
DIONYSUS
And spit on the heads of the rowers below/:' and garott stray lubbers on
shore!
But our new man just sails where it happens to bJuw, and argues, and
rows no more!
AESCHYLUS (more ra pldl)')
\Vhat hasn't he done that is under the sun,
And the 10Vf'-dealing dames that wit h him have begun?
One's her own brother\ wife;
One says Life is not Life;
And one goes into shrines to give birth to a son!
Our city through him is filled to the hrim
\\"ith monkeys who chatter to everyone's whim:
Little scriveners' clerks
With their winks and their lar];~,
But for wrestle or race not a muscle in trim!
DIONYSUS (still 111 orr ra/lidly)
Kol a doubl of it! Why, T laugh ted fit to cry
At the Pan;~thenaea, a man to espy,
Pair, flabby, and fat,
And bent double at that,
Puffing feebly behind, with a lear in his eye:

Till there in their place, with cord and with hrace,

\Vere the Potters assembled to quicken his pace;
,\nd down they came, whack'
On sides, belly, and back,
Till he blew out his torch and just Hed from t he race I 26

CnORUS (Sil1f!.IIlf!.)
K ever were such warriors, never
Prize so rich and feud so keen:
Dangerous, too, such knots to sever:
/Ie drives on with stern endeavour,
/Ie falls back, but rallies evn,
Marks his spot and stabs il clean'
 Aristophancs [ I 104- I 128 ]

Change your step, though! Do not tarry;

Other way~ thrre br to harry
Old antagonists in art.
Show whatever sparks you carry,
Question, answer, thrust and parry-
Be they new or ancient, marry,
Let them fly, well-winged and smart!

If you feelr, from former cases,

That thr audience p'raps may fail
To appreciate your paces,
Your allusions and your graces,
Look a moment in their faces!
They will tell anotber tale.

Oft from long campaigns returning

Thro' the devious roads of learning
Thr~e have wandered, bool;.s in hand:
l'\ature ~ave them kern discerning
Eyrs; and you have set them burning!
Sharpest thoughl or deepest yearning-
Speak, and these will understand.

ECRIPIVlcS
Quite so; I'll turn then to his prologues straight,
AlHlmake in thel t fj rst part of tragedy
:'.Jy first review in detail of this Genius!
His exposition always was obscure.

DIONYSUS
Which one will you examine!

EURIPIDES
Which? Oh, lots!
First quote me that from the Oresteia, please.

DIONYSUS
lIo, silence in the cOllrt! Speak, Aeschylus.

AESCHYH1S (quoting tlte first lincs of The ClwcjJ/rori)

"Guide of the Dead, warding a father's way,
Be thou my light and saviour, where I pray,
In this my fatherland, returned, restored."
 The Fro{;s 977
DIONYSUS (to EURIPlOl,~)
You fmd some false lines there?

EURIl'IDFS
Al)(lut a dozen!
DIONYSUS
Why, altogether I here are only thl ee!
EllltIPIDES
But everyone ha;, twenty faults in drawing!
(AESl'llYLLIS br'gilLl to il1tcl'mpt )

DIONYSUS
No, stor, c,top, Ae~chylu,,: or perhaps you'll fmd
Your debb run up 10 morc than Ihlee iambics.
AESCITYLlJS (raging)
Stop to let him sjlcak?
DIONYSUS
,,'ell, that's my advire.
E tJRIl'IDES
IIe',; gonr straight off some thousand miles a~tray.

AF;,CllYLUS
Of course it's foolery-hut what do J rarc?
Point out the faults.
EURIPllJES
Repe:l1 the linrs again.
AF:,Cl! YLUS
"Guide of the 1)1':1<1, wardin.1!; a [alllrr'" way, "
EliRIPIJlES
Ow;,te,; sjleaks those won];" I lake it, stalllling
On bi~; (kad father's tomb?
AES(,}IYUJS
1 don 'j deny it.
EUHIl'IDl',S
Then what's the falher's way thai Hermes wards?
Is it the way Oreste~' father wenl.
To darkness by a woman's dark intrnt?
 Aristo phanes
AESCHYLUS
No, no! He calls on Eriunian Hermes,
Guide of the Dead, and adds a word to say
That offlce is derived from Hcrmes' father.
EUIUPInES
That's worse than I supposed! For if your Hermcs
j lcrivcs his care of dcad mcn from his father, . . .

DIONYSUS (interrupting)
Why, re,;urrectioning's the family trade!
AESCI-IYLUS
Dionysus, dull of fragrance is thy wine!
DIONYSUS
\VeIl, say the Ile\t: and (fo EURIPlIlES) you look out for Slips.
AESCHYLUS
"Be thou my light and saviour wherc I pray
In this my fatherland returned, restored."
EURIPIDES
Our noble Aeschylus repeats himself.
DIONYSUS
How so?
EURIPIDES
Observe his phrasing, and you'll sec.
First to this land "returned" and then "restored";
'Returned' is just the same thing as 'restored.'
DIONYSUS
Why, yes! It's just as if you asked your neighbour,
'Lend me a pail, or, if not that, a bucket.'
AESCHYLUS
Oh, too much talking has bemuzzed your brain!
The words are not the same; the line is perfcct.
DIONYSUS
~ow, is it reaIly? TeIl me how you mean.
AESCHYLUS
Returning home is the act of any person
\rho has a home: he comes back, nothing more:
An exile both returns and is restored!
[II66-II82 ] Til(; Frogs 979
DIONYSUS
True, by Apollo! (To EURIPIDES) What do you say to that?
EURIPIDES
I don't admit Orestes was restored.
He came in secret with no legal permit.
DIONYSUS
By Hermes, yes! (aside) I wonder what they mean!
EURIPIDES
Go on then to the next.
(AESCHYLUS is silent.)
DIONYSUS
Come, Aeschylus,
Do as he says: (to EURIPIDES) ancl you look out for faults.
AESCHYLUS
"Yea, on this bank of death, 1 call my lord
To hear and list. .. ."
EURIPIDES
Anot her repetition!
"To hear and list" -the same thing palpably!
DIONYSUS
The man was talking to the dead. you dog.
Who are always called three times-and then don't hear.
AJ'~nIYLUS
Come, how did you write prologues:>
EURIPIDES
Oh, T"II show you.
And if you find there any repctit ions
Or any irrelevant padding,-spit upon me'
DIONYSUS
Oh, do begin. I mustn't miss those prologues
In all their exquisite exactitude'
EURIPIDES
"At first was Oerlipus in happy state."
 Aristophanes
AESCHYLllS
He wasn't! He was born and bred in misery.
Did not Apollo doom him still unborn
To slay his father? . . .
DIONYSUS (aside)
His poor unborn father?
AFSCHYLUS
"A happy state at first," you call it, do you?
EURIPlJ)ES «(ontemptuous!.v resuming)
"At fIrst was Oedipus in happy state,
Then changed he, and became most desolate."
AESCHYLUS
He didn't. He was never anything else!
Why, he was scarcely born when they exposed him
In winter, in a pot, that he might never
Grow up and be his father's murderer.
Then off he crawled to l'nlybus wit h sore feet,
Then married an old woman, twice hi;, agr,
Who further chanced to be his mother, then
Tore out his eyes: the lucky dog he was!
DlONYSl1';
At least he fought no sea-fight with a colleague
Called Erasinides!
EeRIPIDES
That's no critici~J11.
I write my prologues singularly well!
AESCHYLUS
By Zeus, T won't go pecking word by word
At every phrase; I'll take one little oil-can,"7
God helping me, and send your prologues pop!
EURIPIDES
My prologues pop . . . with oil-cans?
AESCHYLUS
Just one oil-can!
You write them so that nothing comes amiss,
The bed-quilt, or the oil-can, or the clothes-bag,
All suit your tragic verse! Wait and I'll prove it.
[ 1205-1220] The Frogs
EURIPIDES
You'll prove it? Really?
AESClIYI_US
Yes.
DIONYSUS
Bpgin to quote.
EURIPIDES
"Aegyptus, so the tale is spread afar,
With tifty youths fled in a sea-Lurne car,
But, reaching Argos . . . "
AESCHYLUS
Fuund his oil-can gone!
DIONYSUS
What's that about the oil-can! Drat the thing!
Quote him another prologue, and let's see.
EURIPIDES
"Dionysus, who with wand and fawn-skin dight
On great Parnassus races in the light
Of lamps far-flashing, . . ."
AESCHYLUS
Found his oil-can gone!
DIONYSUS
Alas! again the oil-can flllds our heart!
EmuPIDEs (beginning to reflect anxiously)
Oh, it won't come to much, though! Here's another,
With not a crack t a stick the oil-can in!
"No man hath bliss in full and !lawless health;
Lo, this one hath high race, but little wealth;
That, base in blood, hath . . "
AESCHYLUS
Fuund his oil-can gone!
DIONYSUS
Euripides!
EURIPIDES
Well?
 Aristo phancs [I220- I2 38]

DIONYSUS
Better furl your sails;
This oil-can seems inclined to raise the wind!
EURIPIDES
Bah, I disdain to give a thought to it!
I'll dash it from his hands in half a minute.
(Il(' racks his 11l('mary )
DIONYSUS
\VelI, quote another ,-and beware of oil-cam.
EURIPIDES
"Great Cadmus long ago, Agenor's son,
From Sidon racing, . . ."
AESCHYLUS
Found his oil-can gone!
DIONYSUS
Oh, this is awful! Buy the thing outright,
Before it messes every blessed prologue!
EURIPIDES
I buy him ofP
DIONYSUS
T strongly recommend it.
EURIPIDES
No; I have many prologues yet to cite
Where he can't fmo a chink to pour his oil.
"As rapid wheels to Pisa bore him on,
Tantalian Pelops . . ."
AESCHYLUS
Found his oil-can gone!
DIONYSUS
What did I tell you? There it sticks again!
You might let Pelops have a new one, though-
You get quite good ones very cheap just now.
EURIPIDES
By Zeus, not yet! T still have plenty left
"From earth King Oeneus, . . . "
 The Frogs
AESCHYLUS
Found his oil can gone!
EURIPIDES
You must first let me quote one line entire!
"From earth King Oeneus goodly harvest won,
But, while he worshipped, . . .,

AESCHYLUS
Found his oil-can gone!
DIONYSUS
During the prayers! Who can have been the thief!
EURIPIDES (drsprratcly)
Oh, let him be! I defy him answer this-
"Great Zeus in heaven, the word of truth has flown, "
DIONYSUS
o mercy! II is is certain to be gone!
They bristle with long oil-cans, hedgehog-wise,
Your prologues; they're as uunged up as your eyes!
For God's sake change the subject.-Take his songs!
EURIPIDES
Songs? Yes, I have materials to show
How bad his are, and always all alike.
CHORUS (sin~in~)
What in the world shall we look for next?
Aeschylus' music! I feel perplexed
How he can want it mended.
I have always held that never a man
Had written or sling since the world began
Melodies half so splendid!
(Can he really find a mistake
Tn the master of inspiration?
I feel some consternation
For our Bacchic prince's sake!)
EURIPIDES
Wonderful songs they are! You'lI see directly;
1'11 run them all together into one.
DIONYSUS
I'll take some pebbles, then, and count for you.
 Aristophanes
EURIPIDES (singing)
"0 Phthian Achilles, canst hark to the battle 's man-~Iaying shock,
Yea, shock, and not to succour come?
Lo, we of the mere give worship to Hermes, the fount of our stock,
Yea, shock, and not to succour come!"
DIONYSUS
Two shocks to you, Aeschylus, there!
EURIPIDES (singing)
"Thou choice of Achaea, wiele-ruling Atrides, give heed to my
schooling!
Yea, shock, and not to succour come."
DIONYSUS
.'\ third shock that, I declare!
EURIPIDES (singing)
"Ah, peace, and give ear! For the Bee-l\laid~ be near to ope wide
Art(,l1lis' port also
Yea, shock-a-nock a-succour com('!
Behold it is mine to sing of the sign of the way fate-laden to mortals;
Yah, shocker-knocker succucum!" ~~
DIONYSUS
o Zeus Almighty, what a chain of shocks!
I think I'll go away and take a bath;
The shocks arc too much for my nerves and kidneys!
EURIPIDES
Not till you've heard another little set
Compounded from his various cithara-songs.
DIONYSUS
Well then, proceed; but don't put any shocks in!
EURIPIDES (singing)
"How the might twin-throned of Achaea for Hellene chivalry brin.f1;cth
Flat tothrat toflattothrat!
The prince of the powers of storm, the Sphinx thereovcr he wingeth
Flattothrat toilattothrat!
With decdful hand and lance the furious fowl of the air
Flattothrat toflattothrat!
That the wild wind-walking hounds unhindered tear
Flattothrat toflaltothrat!
[12 93- 1 3 2 3] The Frogs
And War toward Ajax leaned his weight,
Flatiothrat toflattothrait!"
DIONYSUS
What's Fla ttothrat? Was it from :1\1arathon
You gathered this wool-gatherer's stuff, or where?
AESClIYLUS
Clean was the place I found them, clean the place
I brought them, loath to glean with l'hrynichus
The same enchanted meadow of the Muse.
But any place will do for him to poach,
Drink-ditties of Meletus, Carian pipings,
And wakes, and dancing songs -Here, let me show you!
Ho, some one bring my lyre! But no; what need
Of lyres for this stuff? Where's the wench that plays
The bunes?-Appruach, Euripidean Muse,
These songs are meet for your accompaniment!
DIONYSUS
This 1\1 use was once . . . no Lesbian; not at all!
AESCHYLUS (to EURIPIDES)
c'Ye halcyons by the dancing sea
Who babble everlastingly,
While on your bathing pinions fall
The dewy foam-sprays, fresh and free;
And, oh, ye spiclers ddt to rrawl
In many a chink of roof and wall,
While left and rir;ht, bl'fore, behind,
Yuur fingers wi-i-i-i-ind 29
The treasures of the labouring loom,
Fruit of the shuttle's minstrel mind,
Where many a songful dolphin trips
To ll'ad thl' dark-blul'-beakl'd ships,
And tosses with aerial touch
Temples and rare-courses ami such.
o bright grape tendril's essence pure,
'Vine to swel'p care from human lip":
Grant me, 0 child, one arm-pressllrt'!"
(Breaking off.)
That fuot, you see?
DIONYSUS
1 do.
 Aristophanes
AESCHYLUS
And he?
EURIPIDES
Of course I see the foot!
AESCHYLUS
And this is the stuff to trial you bring
And face my songs with the kind of thing
That a man might sing when he dances a fling
To mad Cyrene's flute'

'rhere, that's your choral stuff! But I've not tinished,

I want to show the spirit of his solos!
(Sin!!,s a!!,alll; mysteriously.)

"What vision of dreaming,

Thou fire-hearted Night,
Death's minion dark-gleaming,
Hast thou sent in thy might)
And his soul was no soul, and the Murk was his mother, a horror to sight!

Black dead was his robe, and his eyes

All blood, and the claws of him great;
Ye maidens, strike fire and arise;
Take pails to the well by the gate,
Yea, bring me a cruse of hot water, to wash off this vision of fate.

Thou Sprite of the Sea,

It is e'en as I feared!
Fellow-lodgers of me,
What dread thing hath appeared?
Lo, Glycc. hath stolen my cock, and away from the neighbourhood cleared t
(Wildly)

(Ye Nymphs of the Mountain give aid!

And what's come to the scullery-maid?)
(Tearfully. )
And I-ah, would I were dead t _
To my work had given my mind;
A spindle heavy with thread
.My hands did wi-i-i-ind,
.\nd T meant to go early to market, a suitable buyer to find!
[ 135 2 - 1377] The Frogs
(Almost UJc('pmf!,.)
-But he rose, rose, in the air
On quivering blades of flight;
He left me care, care; .
And tears, tears of despair,
Fell, fell, and dimmer! my ~ight I

(Recovering himself; in jlom/, trar;l( styl('.)

Children of lda's snows,
Cretans, take up your bows,
And ring the house with many a leaping limh!
And thou, fair maid of bliss,
Dictynna, Artemis,
Range with thy bandogs through each corner dim;
Yea, Thou of twofold Fires,
Grant me my deep desires,
Thou Zeus-born Hecate; in all men's eyes
Let the detective sheen
Flashed from thy torches keen,
Light me to Glycp's house, and that lost fowl surprise!"
DIONYSUS
Come, stop the singing!
AESCHYLUS
I've had quite cnollgh!
What I want is to bring him to the balance;
The one sure test of what art is worth!
DIONYSUS
So that's my business next? Come forward, pleasr:
I'll weigh out poetry like so much chersc!
(A large pair of scalI'S i.1 brought forward.)

CHORUS (singing)
Oh, the workings of genius are keen and laborious'
Here's a new wonder, incredible, glorious!
Who but this twain have the boldness of brain
To so quaint an invention to run?
Such a marvellous thing, if another had said it har!
Happened to him, I should never have credited,
I should have just thought that he must
Simply be talking for fun!
 Aristophallcs [137 8- 13:9° ]
DIONYSUS
Come, take your places by the balance.
AESCHYLUS and EURIPIDES
There!
DIONYSUS
Now, each take hold of it, and speak your verse,
And don't let go until T say "Cuckoo."
AESCHYLUS and EURIPIDES
(taking their stand at either side oj thl' lialiJncr)
We have it.
DIONYSUS
Kow, each a verse into the scale!
EURIPIDES
"Would God no Argo e'er had winged the brine."
AESCHYLUS
"Sperchiu5, and ye haunts of grazing kine!"
DIONYSUS
Cuckoo! Let go.-Ah, down comes Aeschylus
Far lower.
EURIPIDES
Why, what can be the explanation?
DIONYSUS
That river he put in, to wet his wares
The way wool-dealers do, and make them heavier!
Besides, you know, the verse you gave had wings!
AESCHYLUS
Well, let him speak another and we'll see.
DIONYSUS
Take hold again then.
AESCHYLUS and EURIPIDES
There you are.
DIONYSUS
Now speak.
 The Frogs
EURIPIDES
"Persuasion, save in speech, no temple hath."
AESCHYLUS
"Lo, one god craves no offering, even Death."
DIONYSUS
Let go, let go I
EURIPIDES
Why, his goes down again!
DIONYSUS
He put in Death, a monstrous heavy thing!
EURIPIDES
But my Persuasion made a lovely line!
DIONYSUS
Persuasion has no bulk ami not much weight.
Do look about you for some ponderou~ line
To force the scale down, something large and strong.
EURIPIDES
Where have I such a thing, now? Where?
DIONYSUS (misrltiC1.IlIu.lly)
I'll tell you:
"Achilles has two aces and a four! "-
Come, speak your lines; this is the [mal bout.
EURIPIDES
"A mace of weighted iron his right hand sped."
AESCHYLUS
"Chariot on chariot lay, (lead piled on dead."
DIONYSUS
He beats you this time too!
EURIPIDES
How does he do it?
DIONYSUS
Two chariots and two corpses in the o.cale-
Why, ten Egyptians couldn't lift so much!
99 0 Aristophancs
AESCHYLUS
Come, no more line-far-lines! Let him jump in
And sit in the scale himself, with all his books,
His wife, his children, his Cephisophon!
I'll back two lines of mine against the lot!
(The central door opens alld PLUTO comes forth.)
PLUTO (to DIONYSUS)
Well, is the strife decided?

DIONYSUS
I won't decide! The men are both my friends;
Why should I make an enemy of either?
The one's so good, and I so love the other!
PLUTO
In that case you must give up all you came for!

DIONYSUS
.\nd if I do decide?
PLUTO
Why, not to make
Your trouble fruitless, you may take away
Whichever you decide for.

DIONYSUS
Hearty thanb'
Now, both, approach, and I'll explain - I came
Down here to fetch a poet: "Why a poet?"
That his advice may guide the city tmp
And so keep up my worshir: Consequently,
I'll take whichever seems the best adviser.
Advise me fIrst of Alcibiadcs,
Whose birth gives travail still to mother Athens.

PLUTO
What is her disposition towards him?

DIONYSUS
Well,
She loves and hates, and longs still to possess.
T want the views of both upon that question!
[14 2 7- 1 455] The Frogs 99 1
EURIPIDES
Out on the burgher, who to serve his state
Is slow, but swift to do her deadly hate,
With much wit for himself, and none for her.
DIONYSUS
Good, by Posidon, thal~-And what say you?
(To AESCHYLUS.)

AJ<.SCll YLUS
No lion's whelp within thy precincts raise;
But, if it be there, bend thee to its ways!
DIONYSUS
By Zeus the Saviour, still I can't decide!
The one so fine, and the other so convincing!
Well, I must ask you both for one more judgment;
What steps do you advise to save our country?
EURIPIDES
I know and am prepared to say!
DIONYSUS
Say on.
EURIPIDES
Where Mistrust now has sway, put Trust to dwell,
And where Trust is, l\listrust; and all is well.
DIONYSUS
I don't quite follow. Please say that again,
Not quite so cleverly and rather plainer.
EURIPIDES
If we count all the men whom now we trust,
Susrect; and call on those whom now we sr urn
To serve us, we may fJl1d deliverance yet
DIONYSUS
And what say you?
AESCHYLUS
First tell me about the city;
What servants does she choose? The good?
99 2 Aristophanes
DIONYSUS
Great Heavens,
She loathes them!
AESCHYLUS
And takes pleasure in the vile?
DIONYSUS
Not she, but has perforce to let them serve her!
AESCHYLUS
What hope of comfort is there for a city
That quarrels with her silk and hates her hodden?
DIONYSUS
That's just what you must answer, if you want
To rise again!
AESCHYLUS
I'll answer there, not here.
DIONYSUS
No; better send up blessing from below.

AESCHYLUS
Her safety is to count hel enemy's land
Her own, yea, and her own her enemy's;
Her ships her treasures, and her treasure dross!
DIONYSUS
Good;-though it all goes down the juror's throat!
PLUTO
Come, give your judgment!
DIONYSUS
Well, I'll judge like this;
My choice shall fall on him my soul desires!
EURIPIDES
Remember all the gods by whom you swore
To take me home with you, and choose your friend!
DIONYSUS
My tongue hath sworn;-but I'll choose Aeschylus!
EURIPIDES
What have you done, you traitor?
 The Frogs 993
DIONYSUS
I? I've judged·
That Aeschylus gets the prize. Why shouldn't I?
EURIPIDES
Canst meet mine eyes, fresh from thy deed of shame?
DIONYSUS
What is shame, that the . . . Theatre deems no shame?
EURIPIDES
Hard heart! You mean to leave your old friend dead?
DIONYSUS
Who knoweth if to live is but to die? . . .
If breath is bread and sleep a woolly lie?
PLUTO
Come in, then, both.
DIONYSUS
Again?
PLUTO
To feast with me
Before you sail.
DIONYSlTS
With pleasure! That's the way
Duly to crown a well-contented day!
CHORUS (SiI1Rillg)
o blessed are they who possess
An extra share of brains!
Tis a fact that more or less
All fortunes of men t'xpress;
As now, by showing
An intellect glowing,
This man his home regains;
Brings benefit far and near
To all who may hold him dear,
And staunches his country's tfar,-
All because of his brains!

Then never with Socrates

Make one of the row of fools
994 Aristophanes
Who gabble away at ease,
Letting art and music freeze,
And freely neglect
In every respect
The drama's principal rules!
Oh, to sit in a gloomy herd
A-scraping of word on word,
All idle and all absurd,-
That is the fate of fools!
PLUTO
Then farewell, Aeschylus! Go your ways,
And save your town for happier days
By counsel wise; and a school prepare
For all the fools-there are plenty there!
And take me some parcels, I pray; this sword
Is for Cleophon; these pretty ropes for the board
Of providers. But ask them one halter to spare
For Nicomachus; one, too, is Myrmex's share.
And, along with this venomous
Draught for Archenomus,
Take them my confident prayer,
That they all will come here for a visit, and stay.
And bid them be quick; for, should they delay.
Or meet my request with ingratitude, say
I will fetch them myself, by Apollo!
And hurry the gang of them down with a run
All branded and chained-with Leucolophus' son
The sublime Adimantus to follow!
AESCHYLUS
I will do as you wish.-And as for my throne.
I beg you let Sophocles sit there alone,
On guard, till perchance I return some ,by,
For he-all present may mark what I say
Is my second in art and in wit.
And see, above all, that this devil-may-care
Child of deceit with his mountebank air
Shall never on that imperial chair
By the wildest of accidents sit!
PLUTO (to the CHORllS)
With holy torches in high display
Light ye the Marchers' triumphal advance;
 The Frogs 995
Let Aeschylus' music on Aeschylus' way
Echo in song and in dance!
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Peace go with him and joy in his journeying! Guide ye our poet
Forth to the light, ye powers that reign in the Earth and below it;
Send good thoughts with him, too, for the aid of a travailing nation,
So shall we rest at the last, and forget our long desolation,
War and the clashing of wrong.-And for Cleophon, why. if he'd rather,
Let him fIght all alone with his friends. in the far-off fIelds of his father.
 NOTES ~'OR THE FROGS

I. What the Greek literally says is as follows:

DIONYSUS
Don't shift yuur luggage pole
Across, amI say, "I want 10 take a crap,"

XANTHIAS
Nor t ha t ] 've got such a weight upon my back
That unless some onc helps llIe quickly J shall fart?

o Any slaw Ihat hJrI fought in this bJttle WJS sct free,

3. What the Greek literally says is as follows:

DIONYSUS
I went aboard Clisthenes.
HERACLES
Did you fight?
DIONYSUS
We sank twelve or thirteen enemy ships.

HERACLES
You two?
DIONYSUS
Yes, by Apollo!
XANTHIAS (asidr)
And then I woke up:
DIONYSUS
As J was reading the Andromeda on the ship, I slHldenly felt
my heart afire with a wish so very violent!

HERACLES
A wish? How big a one?
 Notes for The Frogs 997
DIONYSUS
Not so big; about as large as Malon.
HERACLES
For a woman?

DIONYSUS
No.
HERACLES
For a boy, then?
DIONYSUS
Not at all.
HERACLES
For a man, then?
lJIONYSUS
Faugh!
HERACLES
Were you making love to Clisthenes?
4. What Dionysus is really saying is that the inferior poets can do no
more than piddle; there is none with any seminal fluid in him.
5. The diobolus had for a long time been the standard salary of
Athenian puhlic officials, but during the Peloponnesian \Var the dema-
gogues had effected an increase to three obols.
6. Literally, "or made love to a boy and cheated him out of hi~ p~ly."
7. One of the chid promises which the Mysteries held out to their
devotees was a blissful afterlife.
R. Ophthalmia was a very common complaint in the ancient world, but
it would also seem to have been used as an excuse to escape milItary
service.
9. What the Greek literally says is as follows:
IhONYSllS
l\f v hands are full of blisters and my arse i" covered with
sweat; what with all t his bending over it will soon he saying
FROGS
H rekekekex koax ko1ix
10. For the details of what actually was said by this actor, see Hegel-
ochus in the Glossarv.
I I. Pigs were sac;ificed before the Mysteries.
12. Literally, "Defecates on Hecate's shrines."
 Notes for The Frogs
13. The reference is to those who had put through laws designed to
reduce the costs and restrict the freedom of comedy.
14. Dionysus.
IS. In the Greek Sebinus is called an Anaphlystian, for which see the
Glossary, and, a little below, the name of the father of Callias is comically
altered from Hipponicus to Hippocinus, "he who makes love to a mare."
16. What the Greek literally says is as follows:
XANTHIAS (as soon as AEAcus has gone)
What are you doing?
DIONYSUS (squattinlO
I have crapped. Invoke the god.
This is sufficient to make the true sense of what follows quite clear. The
phrase, "Invoke the god" was the usual utterance at libations.
17. What the Greek really says is: "Would it not be ridiculous if
Xanthias, a slave, were stretched out on the Milesian cushions, kissing
the dancing girl and asking for a thunder-mug, and I, watching all this,
would be playing with my tool, etc."
18. The word of a slave was valid in Athenian courts only if given
under torture. Since a man's personal servants would nat urally know a
great deal about his actions, it was a gesture of confident innocence t:)
give one's slaves up to be examined under torture.
19. Whips of leek or shalott were used in certain religious rites ill
which ceremonial scourging took place.
20. These scapegoats were individuals whom the community chose to
be the bearers of all their sins and then exiled or killed. This exceedingly
primitive religious survival is reported to have been practised in various
parts of Greece.
2 I. A parody of a verse, perhaps from the Tclephus, of Euripides.
Originally the word "Sea" stood in place of "Greens." Aristophanes never
tires of twitting Euripides with the fact or fancy that his mother had suld
vegetables.
22. Such animals were sacrificed to Typhon, the god of storms.
23. Euripides had at various times uttered in his plays highly anti-
democratic sentiments. See, e.g., Orestes 902-930.
24. This exclamation is not found in The Persians, but various ungreek
ones are, e.g., ai, oa, ioa.
25. Literally, "to fart in the face of the rower below and to crap on his
mate, etc."
26. Literally, "they beat his belly, sides, flanks, and arse; these blows
knocked such a fart out of him that it blew out his torch and he ran away."
27. "An ancient Athenian carried a cruse of olive oil about with him,
both to anoint himself with after washing and to eat like butter with his
 Notes jor The Frogs 999
food. Naturally he was apt to lose it, especially when travelling. In my
first edition I could find no object which both ancient Greeks ancl modern
Englishmen would haLitually use and lose except an umbrella. But since
then motors have come in.
"The point of this famous bit of fooling is, I think, first, that Euripides'
tragic style is so little elevated that oil-cans and clothes-bags are quite at
home in it; srcondly, that there is a certain monotony of grammatical
structure in Euripides' prologues, so that you can constantly finish a
sentence by a half-line with a verb in it.
"The first point, though burlesqucly exaggerated, is true and important.
Euripides' style, indeed, is not prosaic. It is strange that competent stu-
dents of Greek tragic diction should rver have thought it so. But it is wide
in its range, and uses colloquial words by the side of very romantic or
archaic ones-a dangerous and diflicult process, which only a great master
of language can successfully carry through. Cf. the 'light weight' of his
lines, below, 1365 ff.
"As to the second point, it is amusing to make out the statistics. Of the
extant Greek tragedies, the following can have lekythion ap6lcsc, 'found
his oil-can gone,' stuck on to one of the first ten lines of the prologue:
Aesch. Prom. 8, Sl'pt. 6, Eum. 3, ancl several other lines; Soph. O. T. 4,
Ef. 5, Trach. 3 and 6, Antig. 2 and 7; Euripides, Tro. !O, Hrc. 2, PhO(,I1.
7, Hdid. 2 and 4, Hl'r. 9, JId. 4, Ef. 10,1. A. 54 (=6), and 1. T. 2, quoted
here. Thus all three tragedians have such passagrs in the opening of
about half their extant plays, and the 'monotony,' if such it be, belongs
rather to the style of the tragic prologue than to Euripides."-Gilbert
l\Turray.
28. It should be noted that in the Greek this refrain does not change,
but becomes increasingly meaningless in each new conte'\t.
29. The singing of more than one note for a single syllable seems to
have been very late in making its appearance in Greek music, and this
passage te~tifles to the fact that in Aristophanes' time it must have been
regarried as something vrry new and daring.