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Line 1208

Ἄργος κατασχών—

The participle κατασχών (from κατασχεῖν) functions as a causal or explanatory adjunct to the implied action of the subject (Dionysus), indicating that he secured Argos as the strategic basis for his subsequent military operations against Sparta. This construction relies on the audience's knowledge of the immediate historical context: the Sicilian Expedition's aftermath and the subsequent Spartan occupation of Decelea, which left Athens vulnerable. The specific choice of κατασχών rather than a simpler aorist indicative emphasizes the completed, decisive nature of the seizure, a detail critical to Aristophanes' satirical contrast between Dionysus' 'great' achievements and his actual incompetence. The phrase alludes to the real historical event where Argos was a key Athenian ally, and its control was pivotal in the Peloponnesian War's final phase, though the play was written before the war's conclusion, making this a pointed reference to contemporary political anxieties.

Frogs. Aristophanes. . 2026-09-08.

Current edition Experimental

Commentary (Sanjaya, generated; selected passages) (OCR draft) (English) (Source: pnadelofficial/aristophanes-sanjaya, commit c319590c139e5603e71f0699caa0663d823af8ad. Machine-generated source annotations retained; see Sanjaya import audit for coverage and limitations.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Βάτραχοι Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 2. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.) — 1206 focus

Εὐριπίδης

Αἴγυπτος, ὡς ὁ πλεῖστος ἔσπαρται λόγος,

ξὺν παισὶ πεντήκοντα ναυτίλῳ πλάτῃ

Ἄργος κατασχών—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

τουτὶ τί ἦν τὸ ληκύθιον; οὐ κλαύσεται;

λέγʼ ἕτερον αὐτῷ πρόλογον, ἵνα καὶ γνῶ πάλιν.
1210

Εὐριπίδης

Διόνυσος, ὃς θύρσοισι καὶ νεβρῶν δοραῖς

καθαπτὸς ἐν πεύκαισι Παρνασσὸν κάτα

πηδᾷ χορεύων—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

οἴμοι πεπλήγμεθʼ αὖθις ὑπὸ τῆς ληκύθου.

Εὐριπίδης

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἔσται πρᾶγμα· πρὸς γὰρ τουτονὶ
1215

τὸν πρόλογον οὐχ ἕξει προσάψαι λήκυθον.

οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις πάντʼ ἀνὴρ εὐδαιμονεῖ·

ἢ γὰρ πεφυκὼς ἐσθλὸς οὐκ ἔχει βίον,

ἢ δυσγενὴς ὤν—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

Εὐριπίδη—
1220

Εὐριπίδης

τί ἔσθʼ;

Διόνυσος

ὑφέσθαι μοι δοκεῖ·

τὸ ληκύθιον γὰρ τοῦτο πνευσεῖται πολύ.

Εὐριπίδης

οὐδʼ ἂν μὰ τὴν Δήμητρα φροντίσαιμί γε·

νυνὶ γὰρ αὐτοῦ τοῦτό γʼ ἐκκεκόψεται.

Διόνυσος

ἴθι δὴ λέγʼ ἕτερον κἀπέχου τῆς ληκύθου.

Εὐριπίδης

Σιδώνιόν ποτʼ ἄστυ Κάδμος ἐκλιπὼν
1225

Ἀγήνορος παῖς—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

ὦ δαιμόνιʼ ἀνδρῶν ἀποπρίω τὴν λήκυθον,

ἵνα μὴ διακναίσῃ τοὺς προλόγους ἡμῶν.

Εὐριπίδης

τὸ τί;

ἐγὼ πρίωμαι τῷδʼ;

Διόνυσος

ἐὰν πείθῃ γʼ ἐμοί.

Εὐριπίδης

οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεὶ πολλοὺς προλόγους ἕξω λέγειν
1230

ἵνʼ οὗτος οὐχ ἕξει προσάψαι ληκύθιον.

Πέλοψ ὁ Ταντάλειος ἐς Πῖσαν μολὼν

θοαῖσιν ἵπποις—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

ὁρᾷς, προσῆψεν αὖθις αὖ τὴν λήκυθον.

ἀλλʼ ὦγάθʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἀπόδος πάσῃ τέχνῃ·
1235

λήψει γὰρ ὀβολοῦ πάνυ καλήν τε κἀγαθήν.

Εὐριπίδης

μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὔπω γʼ· ἔτι γὰρ εἰσί μοι συχνοί.

Οἰνεύς ποτʼ ἐκ γῆς—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Εὐριπίδης

ἔασον εἰπεῖν πρῶθʼ ὅλον με τὸν στίχον.

Οἰνεύς ποτʼ ἐκ γῆς πολύμετρον λαβὼν στάχυν
1240

θύων ἀπαρχάς—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

μεταξὺ θύων; καὶ τίς αὔθʼ ὑφείλετο;

Εὐριπίδης

ἔα αὐτὸν ὦ τᾶν· πρὸς τοδὶ γὰρ εἰπάτω.

Ζεύς, ὡς λέλεκται τῆς ἀληθείας ὕπο—

Διόνυσος

ἀπολεῖ σʼ· ἐρεῖ γάρ, ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.
1245

τὸ ληκύθιον γὰρ τοῦτʼ ἐπὶ τοῖς προλόγοισί σου

ὥσπερ τὰ σῦκʼ ἐπὶ τοῖσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἔφυ.

ἀλλʼ ἐς τὰ μέλη πρὸς τῶν θεῶν αὐτοῦ τραποῦ.

Εὐριπίδης

καὶ μὴν ἔχω γʼ οἷς αὐτὸν ἀποδείξω κακὸν

μελοποιὸν ὄντα καὶ ποιοῦντα ταὔτʼ ἀεί.
1250

Translations (2)

Frogs (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Matthew Dillon). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 1206 focus

Euripides

“ Aegyptus , so the widespread rumor runs,

With fifty children in a long-oared boat,

Landing near Argos ”—

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus

What was this “oil flask”? You'll be sorry!
1395

Recite for him another prologue, so I can see once more.

Euripides

“Dionysus, who with thyrsus wands and fawnskins

bedecked amidst the pines on Mt. Parnassus

bounds dancing...”

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!
1400

Dionysus

Alas, again we have been stricken by that flask.

Euripides

It won't be a problem. For to this

prologue he won't be able to attach that flask.

“No man exists, who's altogether blest,

Either nobly sired he has no livelihood
1405

Or else base-born he ...”

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus

Euripides!

Euripides

What is it?

Dionysus

I think you should pull in your sails;
1410

that oil flask is going to blow up quite a storm.

Euripides

By Demeter, I wouldn't think of it.

For this one here will knock it away from him.

Dionysus

Go on and recite another then, but keep away from the flask!

Euripides

“Abandoning the town of Sidon , Cadmus,
1415

Agenor's son,...”

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus

My fine fellow, buy the flask;

so he can't smash our prologues.

Euripides

What!
1420

I should buy it from him?

Dionysus

If you take my advice.

Euripides

Oh no; for I have many prologues to recite,

Where he can't tack on a flask.

“To Pisa Pelops, son of Tantalus,
1425

Borne on swift coursers”—

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus

You see, he stuck on the flask again.

But, dear sir, pay him now by all means.

You'll get it for an obol, nice and neat.
1430

Euripides

Not yet, by Zeus; I still have plenty left.

“From the land once Oeneus”—

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Euripides

Let me say the whole line first!

“From the land once Oeneus reaped a plenteous crop,
1435

The first fruits offering”—

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus

In the midst of sacrificing? Who swiped it?

Euripides

Leave it be, sir, just let him speak to this—

“Zeus, as once was spoke in very truth”—
1440

Dionysus

You'll get killed, for he'll say “Lost his little oil flask!” This oil flask, it grows on your prologues

like warts on the eyes.

For God's sake turn to his lyrics.

Euripides

All right; I have ways to show how bad

a songwriter he is and always makes them just the same.
1445

English (Sanjaya, generated; selected passages) (OCR draft) Experimental (Source: pnadelofficial/aristophanes-sanjaya, commit c319590c139e5603e71f0699caa0663d823af8ad. Machine-generated source annotations retained; see Sanjaya import audit for coverage and limitations.) — 1206 focus

Euripides: 'Egypt, as the greatest amount has been scattered,'

Euripides: With fifty children, let him sail with a shallow draft.

Euripides: Having seized Argos—

Aeschylus: he lost a lekythos.

Dionysus: What was this little oil-flask? Will it not cry?

Dionysus: Say another prologue to him, so that he may know again.

1210

Euripides: Dionysus, who with thyrsuses and fawnskins

Euripides: 'To be hanged among the pines down on Parnassus.'

Euripides: He leaps, dancing—

Aeschylus: He lost a lekythos.

Dionysus: Alas! I have been struck again by the oil-flask.

Euripides: But there will be no trouble; for with regard to this man

1215

Euripides: He will not have the prologue to add a lekythos.

Euripides: 'No man is happy in all things.'

Euripides: For a man who is naturally good has no livelihood,

Euripides: Or, being of low birth—

Aeschylus: He lost a lekythos.

Dionysus: Euripides—

1220

Euripides: What is it?

Dionysus: I think I should be carried.

Dionysus: for this little flask will smell very much.

Euripides: No, by Demeter, I would not even care!

Euripides: For now this very thing will be hacked off him.

Dionysus: Come on, say something else and keep hold of the oil flask.

Euripides: When Cadmus once left the Sidonian city,

1225

Euripides: The son of Agenor—

Aeschylus: he lost a lekythos.

Dionysus: O cursed one, boil the oil-flask for the men,

Dionysus: in order that he may not disturb our prologues.

Euripides: What?

Euripides: Have I bought this?

Dionysus: if he only obeys me.

Euripides: Not at all, since I shall have many prologues to speak.

1230

Euripides: 'So that this man will not be able to attach a lekythos.'

Euripides: Pelops, the son of Tantalus, having come to Pisa,

Euripides: with swift horses—

Aeschylus: He lost a lekythos.

Dionysus: You see, he has again lit the oil lamp.

Dionysus: But, good sir, give it back now by every art;

1235

Dionysus: for he will receive a very good and noble obol.

Euripides: By Zeus, not yet; for I still have many [plays].

Euripides: "Once Oeneus from the land—"

Aeschylus: he lost a lekythos.

Euripides: Let me first say the whole line.

Euripides: 'Once Oineus, taking from the earth a grain with many-measured stalks,'

1240

Euripides: sacrificing the firstfruits—

Aeschylus: 'He lost a lekythos.'

Dionysus: between sacrificing? And who then took it away?

Euripides: Let him be, you wretch, for let him say this.

Euripides: Zeus, as has been said by the truth—

Dionysus: He will lose you, for he will say, 'I have lost a lekythos.'

1245

Dionysus: for this lekythos is upon your prologues.

Dionysus: Just as figs grow on the eyes.

Dionysus: But by the gods, turn to the verses himself.

Euripides: And indeed I have means by which I will prove him bad.

Euripides: a musician being and doing these things too.

1250

Commentary

Commentary (Sanjaya, generated; selected passages) (OCR draft) (Source: pnadelofficial/aristophanes-sanjaya, commit c319590c139e5603e71f0699caa0663d823af8ad. Machine-generated source annotations retained; see Sanjaya import audit for coverage and limitations.) focus

1208. mvp-tlg0019-tlg009-sanjaya-com-eng1-59

Line 1208

Ἄργος κατασχών—

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 1208

Current edition Experimental

Εὐριπίδης Αἴγυπτος, ὡς ὁ πλεῖστος ἔσπαρται λόγος, ξὺν παισὶ πεντήκοντα ναυτίλῳ πλάτῃ Ἄργος κατασχών—

Αἰσχύλος ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος τουτὶ τί ἦν τὸ ληκύθιον; οὐ κλαύσεται; λέγʼ ἕτερον αὐτῷ πρόλογον, ἵνα καὶ γνῶ πάλιν. 1210

Εὐριπίδης Διόνυσος, ὃς θύρσοισι καὶ νεβρῶν δοραῖς καθαπτὸς ἐν πεύκαισι Παρνασσὸν κάτα πηδᾷ χορεύων—

Αἰσχύλος ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος οἴμοι πεπλήγμεθʼ αὖθις ὑπὸ τῆς ληκύθου.

Αἰσχύλος ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος Εὐριπίδη— 1220

Εὐριπίδης τί ἔσθʼ;

Διόνυσος ὑφέσθαι μοι δοκεῖ· τὸ ληκύθιον γὰρ τοῦτο πνευσεῖται πολύ.

Εὐριπίδης οὐδʼ ἂν μὰ τὴν Δήμητρα φροντίσαιμί γε· νυνὶ γὰρ αὐτοῦ τοῦτό γʼ ἐκκεκόψεται.

Διόνυσος ἴθι δὴ λέγʼ ἕτερον κἀπέχου τῆς ληκύθου.

Εὐριπίδης Σιδώνιόν ποτʼ ἄστυ Κάδμος ἐκλιπὼν 1225 Ἀγήνορος παῖς—

Αἰσχύλος ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος ὦ δαιμόνιʼ ἀνδρῶν ἀποπρίω τὴν λήκυθον, ἵνα μὴ διακναίσῃ τοὺς προλόγους ἡμῶν.

Εὐριπίδης τὸ τί; ἐγὼ πρίωμαι τῷδʼ;

Διόνυσος ἐὰν πείθῃ γʼ ἐμοί.

Εὐριπίδης οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεὶ πολλοὺς προλόγους ἕξω λέγειν 1230 ἵνʼ οὗτος οὐχ ἕξει προσάψαι ληκύθιον. Πέλοψ ὁ Ταντάλειος ἐς Πῖσαν μολὼν θοαῖσιν ἵπποις—

Αἰσχύλος ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος ὁρᾷς, προσῆψεν αὖθις αὖ τὴν λήκυθον. ἀλλʼ ὦγάθʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἀπόδος πάσῃ τέχνῃ· 1235 λήψει γὰρ ὀβολοῦ πάνυ καλήν τε κἀγαθήν.

Εὐριπίδης μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὔπω γʼ· ἔτι γὰρ εἰσί μοι συχνοί. Οἰνεύς ποτʼ ἐκ γῆς—

Αἰσχύλος ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Εὐριπίδης ἔασον εἰπεῖν πρῶθʼ ὅλον με τὸν στίχον. Οἰνεύς ποτʼ ἐκ γῆς πολύμετρον λαβὼν στάχυν 1240 θύων ἀπαρχάς—

Αἰσχύλος ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος μεταξὺ θύων; καὶ τίς αὔθʼ ὑφείλετο;

Εὐριπίδης ἔα αὐτὸν ὦ τᾶν· πρὸς τοδὶ γὰρ εἰπάτω. Ζεύς, ὡς λέλεκται τῆς ἀληθείας ὕπο—

Εὐριπίδης καὶ μὴν ἔχω γʼ οἷς αὐτὸν ἀποδείξω κακὸν μελοποιὸν ὄντα καὶ ποιοῦντα ταὔτʼ ἀεί. 1250

Euripides “ Aegyptus , so the widespread rumor runs, With fifty children in a long-oared boat, Landing near Argos ”—

Aeschylus Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus What was this “oil flask”? You'll be sorry! 1395 Recite for him another prologue, so I can see once more.

Euripides “Dionysus, who with thyrsus wands and fawnskins bedecked amidst the pines on Mt. Parnassus bounds dancing...”

Aeschylus Lost his little oil flask! 1400

Dionysus Alas, again we have been stricken by that flask.

Euripides It won't be a problem. For to this prologue he won't be able to attach that flask. “No man exists, who's altogether blest, Either nobly sired he has no livelihood 1405 Or else base-born he ...”

Aeschylus Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus Euripides!

Euripides What is it?

Dionysus I think you should pull in your sails; 1410 that oil flask is going to blow up quite a storm.

Euripides By Demeter, I wouldn't think of it. For this one here will knock it away from him.

Dionysus Go on and recite another then, but keep away from the flask!

Euripides “Abandoning the town of Sidon , Cadmus, 1415 Agenor's son,...”

Aeschylus Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus My fine fellow, buy the flask; so he can't smash our prologues.

Euripides What! 1420 I should buy it from him?

Dionysus If you take my advice.

Euripides Oh no; for I have many prologues to recite, Where he can't tack on a flask. “To Pisa Pelops, son of Tantalus, 1425 Borne on swift coursers”—

Aeschylus Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus You see, he stuck on the flask again. But, dear sir, pay him now by all means. You'll get it for an obol, nice and neat. 1430

Euripides Not yet, by Zeus; I still have plenty left. “From the land once Oeneus”—

Aeschylus Lost his little oil flask!

Euripides Let me say the whole line first! “From the land once Oeneus reaped a plenteous crop, 1435 The first fruits offering”—

Aeschylus Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus In the midst of sacrificing? Who swiped it?

Euripides Leave it be, sir, just let him speak to this— “Zeus, as once was spoke in very truth”— 1440

Dionysus You'll get killed, for he'll say “Lost his little oil flask!” This oil flask, it grows on your prologues like warts on the eyes. For God's sake turn to his lyrics.

Euripides All right; I have ways to show how bad a songwriter he is and always makes them just the same. 1445

Commentary

Line 1208

Stable identifiers

Εὐριπίδης

Αἴγυπτος, ὡς ὁ πλεῖστος ἔσπαρται λόγος,

ξὺν παισὶ πεντήκοντα ναυτίλῳ πλάτῃ

Ἄργος κατασχών—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

τουτὶ τί ἦν τὸ ληκύθιον; οὐ κλαύσεται;

λέγʼ ἕτερον αὐτῷ πρόλογον, ἵνα καὶ γνῶ πάλιν.
1210

Εὐριπίδης

Διόνυσος, ὃς θύρσοισι καὶ νεβρῶν δοραῖς

καθαπτὸς ἐν πεύκαισι Παρνασσὸν κάτα

πηδᾷ χορεύων—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

οἴμοι πεπλήγμεθʼ αὖθις ὑπὸ τῆς ληκύθου.

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

Εὐριπίδη—
1220

Εὐριπίδης

τί ἔσθʼ;

Διόνυσος

ὑφέσθαι μοι δοκεῖ·

τὸ ληκύθιον γὰρ τοῦτο πνευσεῖται πολύ.

Εὐριπίδης

οὐδʼ ἂν μὰ τὴν Δήμητρα φροντίσαιμί γε·

νυνὶ γὰρ αὐτοῦ τοῦτό γʼ ἐκκεκόψεται.

Διόνυσος

ἴθι δὴ λέγʼ ἕτερον κἀπέχου τῆς ληκύθου.

Εὐριπίδης

Σιδώνιόν ποτʼ ἄστυ Κάδμος ἐκλιπὼν
1225

Ἀγήνορος παῖς—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

ὦ δαιμόνιʼ ἀνδρῶν ἀποπρίω τὴν λήκυθον,

ἵνα μὴ διακναίσῃ τοὺς προλόγους ἡμῶν.

Εὐριπίδης

τὸ τί;

ἐγὼ πρίωμαι τῷδʼ;

Διόνυσος

ἐὰν πείθῃ γʼ ἐμοί.

Εὐριπίδης

οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεὶ πολλοὺς προλόγους ἕξω λέγειν
1230

ἵνʼ οὗτος οὐχ ἕξει προσάψαι ληκύθιον.

Πέλοψ ὁ Ταντάλειος ἐς Πῖσαν μολὼν

θοαῖσιν ἵπποις—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

ὁρᾷς, προσῆψεν αὖθις αὖ τὴν λήκυθον.

ἀλλʼ ὦγάθʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἀπόδος πάσῃ τέχνῃ·
1235

λήψει γὰρ ὀβολοῦ πάνυ καλήν τε κἀγαθήν.

Εὐριπίδης

μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὔπω γʼ· ἔτι γὰρ εἰσί μοι συχνοί.

Οἰνεύς ποτʼ ἐκ γῆς—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Εὐριπίδης

ἔασον εἰπεῖν πρῶθʼ ὅλον με τὸν στίχον.

Οἰνεύς ποτʼ ἐκ γῆς πολύμετρον λαβὼν στάχυν
1240

θύων ἀπαρχάς—

Αἰσχύλος

ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.

Διόνυσος

μεταξὺ θύων; καὶ τίς αὔθʼ ὑφείλετο;

Εὐριπίδης

ἔα αὐτὸν ὦ τᾶν· πρὸς τοδὶ γὰρ εἰπάτω.

Ζεύς, ὡς λέλεκται τῆς ἀληθείας ὕπο—

Εὐριπίδης

καὶ μὴν ἔχω γʼ οἷς αὐτὸν ἀποδείξω κακὸν

μελοποιὸν ὄντα καὶ ποιοῦντα ταὔτʼ ἀεί.
1250

Euripides

“ Aegyptus , so the widespread rumor runs,

With fifty children in a long-oared boat,

Landing near Argos ”—

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus

What was this “oil flask”? You'll be sorry!
1395

Recite for him another prologue, so I can see once more.

Euripides

“Dionysus, who with thyrsus wands and fawnskins

bedecked amidst the pines on Mt. Parnassus

bounds dancing...”

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!
1400

Dionysus

Alas, again we have been stricken by that flask.

Euripides

It won't be a problem. For to this

prologue he won't be able to attach that flask.

“No man exists, who's altogether blest,

Either nobly sired he has no livelihood
1405

Or else base-born he ...”

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus

Euripides!

Euripides

What is it?

Dionysus

I think you should pull in your sails;
1410

that oil flask is going to blow up quite a storm.

Euripides

By Demeter, I wouldn't think of it.

For this one here will knock it away from him.

Dionysus

Go on and recite another then, but keep away from the flask!

Euripides

“Abandoning the town of Sidon , Cadmus,
1415

Agenor's son,...”

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus

My fine fellow, buy the flask;

so he can't smash our prologues.

Euripides

What!
1420

I should buy it from him?

Dionysus

If you take my advice.

Euripides

Oh no; for I have many prologues to recite,

Where he can't tack on a flask.

“To Pisa Pelops, son of Tantalus,
1425

Borne on swift coursers”—

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus

You see, he stuck on the flask again.

But, dear sir, pay him now by all means.

You'll get it for an obol, nice and neat.
1430

Euripides

Not yet, by Zeus; I still have plenty left.

“From the land once Oeneus”—

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Euripides

Let me say the whole line first!

“From the land once Oeneus reaped a plenteous crop,
1435

The first fruits offering”—

Aeschylus

Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus

In the midst of sacrificing? Who swiped it?

Euripides

Leave it be, sir, just let him speak to this—

“Zeus, as once was spoke in very truth”—
1440

Dionysus

You'll get killed, for he'll say “Lost his little oil flask!” This oil flask, it grows on your prologues

like warts on the eyes.

For God's sake turn to his lyrics.

Euripides

All right; I have ways to show how bad

a songwriter he is and always makes them just the same.
1445