The Frogs

The Frogs, by Aristophanes

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Title: The Frogs
Author: Aristophanes
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THE HARVARD CLASSICS
EDITED BY CHARLES W ELIOT LLD

NINE GREEK DRAMAS
BY ÆSCHYLUS, SOPHOCLES, EURIPIDES AND
ARISTOPHANES

TRANSLATIONS BY E D A MORSHEAD E H PLUMPTRE
GILBERT MURRAY AND B B ROGERS

WITH INTRODUCTIONS AND NOTES

VOLUME 8
* * * * *

THE FROGS OF ARISTOPHANES

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
Aristophanes, the greatest of comic writers in Greek and in the opinion
of many, in any language, is the only one of the Attic comedians any of
whose works has survived in complete form He was born in Athens
about the middle of the fifth century B C, and had his first comedy
produced when he was so young that his name was withheld on account
of his youth. He is credited with over forty plays, eleven of which
survive, along with the names and fragments of some twenty-six others.
His satire deal with political, religious, and literary topics, and with all
its humor and fancy is evidently the outcome of profound conviction
and a genuine patriotism. The Attic comedy was produced at the
festivals of Dionysus, which were marked by great license, and to this,
rather than to the individual taste of the poet, must be ascribed the
undoubted coarseness of many of the jests. Aristophanes seems, indeed,
to have been regarded by his contemporaries as a man of noble
character. He died shortly after the production of his "Plutus," in 388 B.
C.
"The Frogs" was produced the year after the death of Euripides, and
laments the decay of Greek tragedy which Aristophanes attributed to
that writer. It is an admirable example of the brilliance of his style, and
of that mingling of wit and poetry with rollicking humor and keen
satirical point which is his chief characteristic. Here, as elsewhere, he
stands for tradition against innovation of all kinds, whether in politics,
religion, or art. The hostility to Euripides displayed here and in several
other plays, like his attacks on Socrates, is a result of this attitude of
conservatism. The present play is notable also as a piece of elaborate if
not over-serious literary criticism from the pen of a great poet.
* * * * *
THE FROGS

OF ARISTOPHANES

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ
THE GOD DIONYSUS
XANTHIAS, his slave
AESCHYLUS
EURIPIDES
HERACLES
PLUTO
CHARON AEACUS, house porter to Pluto
A CORPSE
A MAIDSERVANT OF PERSEPHONE
A LANDLADY IN HADES
PLATHANE, her servant
A CHORUS OP FROGS
A CHORUS OF INITIATED PERSONS
Attendants at a Funeral;
Women worshipping Iacchus;
Servants of Pluto, &c.
Xanthias

Shall I crack any of those old jokes, master, At which the audience
never fail to laugh?
DIONYSUS. Aye, what you will, except I'm getting crushed: Fight shy
of that: I'm sick of that already.
XAN. Nothing else smart?
DIO. Aye, save my shoulder's aching.
XAN. Come now, that comical joke?
DIO. With all my heart. Only be careful not to shift your pole, And--
XAN. What?
DIO. And vow that you've a bellyache.
XAN. May I not say I'm overburdened so That if none ease me, I must
ease myself?
DIO. For mercy's sake, not till I'm going to vomit.
XAN. What! must I bear these burdens, and not make One of the jokes
Ameipsias and Lycis And Phrynichus, in every play they write, Put in
the mouths of all their burden-bearers?
DIO. Don't make them; no! I tell you when I see Their plays, and hear
those jokes, I come away More