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The phrase 'περὶ κρατὶ σῷ βρύοντα' presents a syntactic crux regarding the governing preposition and the case of the participle. While 'βρύοντα' is the accusative singular masculine participle of 'βρύω' (to bubble/foam over), the preposition 'περί' here governs the dative 'κρατί' (head) rather than the expected accusative or genitive for a standard locative or circumstantial sense. This construction, where 'περί' + dative indicates the sphere or area in which the action of the participle occurs (i.e., 'foaming around the head'), is rare in Aristophanes and contrasts with the more common accusative usage for physical contact or surrounding. The dative 'κρατί' is also a metrical variant of 'κεφαλή' or 'κεφαλή' in poetic diction, but here specifically functions as the dative of 'κέφαλα' (head) in a context describing the physical state of Dionysus (or the character addressed) as overwhelmed by wine or fear, requiring the reader to parse the prepositional phrase not as a simple spatial boundary but as an encompassing condition affecting the subject.
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The phrase exhibits a distinct Attic dialectal form: the article 'τὰν' (accusative feminine singular) replaces the standard Attic 'τήν', and the verb 'ἀκόλαστον' (here used substantively as a noun meaning 'the unbridled one' or 'the runaway') appears in the accusative, governed by the prepositional phrase 'ποδὶ' (dative of instrument). This construction is characteristic of Aristophanes' comic adaptation of Doric or choral forms for metrical and stylistic effect, specifically in the context of the 'Frogs' where the chorus or characters may adopt a more archaic or exaggerated tone. The dative 'ποδὶ' functions as a 'dative of means' or 'instrumental dative,' indicating the manner of the action (likely 'with the foot' or 'by foot'), while 'ἀκόλαστον' is an elliptical substantive construction where the adjective stands for a noun (e.g., 'horse' or 'chariot'), a common feature in Old Comedy to convey vivid, immediate imagery.
