463.
mvp-tlg0019-tlg009-sanjaya-com-eng1-14
Line 463
καθʼ Ἡρακλέα τὸ σχῆμα καὶ τὸ λῆμʼ ἔχων.
The phrase λῆμ' (from λῆμα) here denotes the 'loins' or 'waist,' specifically referring to the muscular girdle or belt often associated with Heracles in iconography. This usage is distinct from the more common λῆμα meaning 'impulse' or 'fury,' and the pairing with σχῆμα ('figure' or 'posture') creates a specific visual allusion to the hero's iconic, muscular physique as depicted in the costume of the actor playing him.
475.
mvp-tlg0019-tlg009-sanjaya-com-eng1-15
Line 475
Ταρτησία μύραινα· τὼ νεφρὼ δέ σου
The term μύραινα (myraina) is a rare hapax legomenon in this context, appearing here as a comic insult rather than a standard noun. While often glossed as 'bitch' or 'she-wolf,' the etymology is debated; some scholars link it to the river Tarra (Tartessus) or a specific local dialectal form for a female canine, playing on the exoticism of 'Tartessian' to imply a foreign, uncouth origin for the insult. Aristophanes uses this obscure, dialect-heavy term to heighten the vulgarity and absurdity of the exchange, distinguishing it from more common abusive vocabulary.
477.
mvp-tlg0019-tlg009-sanjaya-com-eng1-16
Line 477
διασπάσονται Γοργόνες Τειθράσιαι,
The adjective Τειθράσιαι (Teithrasiai) is a rare localizing epithet referring to the sanctuary of the Furies (Erinyes) at Teithras, a deme of Attica. While the Furies are a standard chthonic figure in Greek tragedy and comedy, their specific designation as 'Teithrasian' here anchors the invocation to a specific, historically attested cult site known for its role in purifying Orestes, rather than the generic Furies of myth. This specificity suggests a localizing allusion or a reference to a particular ritual context familiar to the Athenian audience, distinguishing this invocation from the more common generic epithets found elsewhere in Aristophanic choral odes.
496.
mvp-tlg0019-tlg009-sanjaya-com-eng1-17
Line 496
καὶ τὴν λεοντῆν, εἴπερ ἀφοβόσπλαγχνος εἶ·
The compound adjective ἀφοβόσπλαγχνος is a hapax legomenon in extant literature, constructed with the privative alpha and the rare noun σπλάγχνον (meaning 'heart' or 'inner organs' as the seat of courage) to mean 'without fear in one's heart' or 'fearless'. Aristophanes' coinage here is a deliberate parody of the epic diction, as the phrase echoes Homeric descriptions of heroes (e.g., Iliad 3.224, where Menelaus is described as having a 'fearless heart'), but applies it to a character (Hercules) who is currently being mocked for his cowardice or inaction in this scene.
499.
mvp-tlg0019-tlg009-sanjaya-com-eng1-18
Line 499
καὶ βλέψον ἐς τὸν Ἡρακλειοξανθίαν,
The noun Ἡρακλειοξανθίαν is a hapax legomenon in the extant corpus of Greek literature, a compound formation unique to this passage in Aristophanes' Frogs. The term appears to be a portmanteau of Ἡρακλείας (referring to Heracles) and οξανθίαν (a form related to ox or yellow/oxen), likely functioning as a comic neologism for a specific character, place, or object within the play's absurd geography, possibly a distortion of a real toponym or a satirical reference to a Heracleian cult practice involving oxen. Its construction as a compound adjective or noun in the accusative case, governed by the preposition ἐς, relies on the audience's ability to parse the compound's components for humorous effect, a technique Aristophanes employs to mock the obscurity of certain local traditions or to invent a pseudo-historical figure.
516.
mvp-tlg0019-tlg009-sanjaya-com-eng1-19
Line 516
ἡβυλλιῶσαι κἄρτι παρατετιλμέναι.
The participle παρατετιλμέναι (perfect passive of παρατελῶ, 'to have been led out' or 'to have been exposed') is rare in this specific perfect form with the augment and reduplication in the feminine plural nominative, appearing here to describe the frogs as 'just now led out' or 'exposed' to the chorus. The prefix παρα- adds a sense of 'standing forth' or 'presented,' and the perfect tense emphasizes the state resulting from the action of being led out onto the stage, a nuance critical for understanding the frogs' sudden appearance and their role as a chorus entering the scene.
531.
mvp-tlg0019-tlg009-sanjaya-com-eng1-20
Line 531
ὡς δοῦλος ὢν καὶ θνητὸς Ἀλκμήνης ἔσει;
The participle ὢν (being) is in the nominative masculine singular, agreeing with the implied subject 'you' (Hermes, addressing Heracles). However, the phrase ὡς δοῦλος ὢν καὶ θνητὸς creates a complex predicative structure where 'slave' and 'mortal' are both predicated of the addressee. The construction ὡς + participle here functions adverbially ('as being...'), emphasizing the contrast between Heracles' current humble state in Hades (as a slave) and his former divine status, while θνητὸς reinforces his mortality, a key irony given Heracles' deification. The phrase Ἀλκμήνης ἔσει (you will be the son of Alcmene) is in the future tense, projecting the addressee's identity back to his mortal origins despite his current situation. This juxtaposition of present participle and future verb highlights the tension between Heracles' present condition and his eternal identity.
