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καὶ σκαριφησμοῖσι λήρων
The dative plural λήρων ('of nonsense' or 'of foolish things') is an irregular morphological form; the standard Attic genitive plural of ἄληθων (or the noun ἄληθων used substantively) would typically be ἄληθων, but here the form λήρων reflects a Doric or poetic variant often found in comedy, specifically a contraction of λήρων from λήρων (from λήρ, 'nonsense') with a Doric dative plural ending -οισι preceding it. The phrase σκαριφησμοῖσι λήρων uses a rare and vivid metaphor: σκαριφησμός (literally 'scratching' or 'nibbling') is used metaphorically for 'chatter' or 'trivial talk,' a usage attested elsewhere in Aristophanes but not common in other authors. The construction itself, with the dative of means or manner (σκαριφησμοῖσι) modifying an implied verbal idea of 'being filled with' or 'consisting of' λήρων, is syntactically elliptical but typical of the comic style, where such compression relies on the audience's familiarity with the metaphorical extension of physical actions to speech.
Frogs. Aristophanes. . 2026-09-08.