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Aiaikos: By Zeus, it was not he, but he begat Aeschylus,

Aiaikos: when he indeed came down, and threw his right hand,

Aeacus: And he also yielded to him the throne;

790

Aiakos: now indeed it was about to be, as Kleidēmidēs said,

Aiakos: Sit on the bench; and if indeed Aeschylus prevails,

Aiakos: He will have it by force; but if not, about the art.

Aeacus: 'He said he would compete with Euripides.'

Xanthias: Then will the money be?

795

Aiakos: By Zeus, a little later.

Aiaikos: And here too the horrors will now be set in motion.

Aiakos: For even by the talent of music it will be weighed—

Xanthias: What then? Will they lead the tragedy on?

Aiakos: and they will take away the canons and the cubits of the verses.

Aiakos: and folded frames—

800

Xanthias: 'For will they be made of brick?'

Aiakos: and measuring-rods and wasps. For Euripides

Aiakos: he says that each word tortures the tragedies.

Xanthias: I think that Aeschylus is indeed being borne with difficulty.

Aiakos: He did at least look bull-like, peering down.

Xanthias: But who will decide what this is?

805

Aiakos: That was difficult.

Aiakos: for I found a difficulty with wise men.

Aeacus: for Aeschylus did not happen to be with the Athenians—

Xanthias: perhaps he considered many of the wall-climbers.

Aiakeus: He thought the other things too foolish to be known.

Aiakos: the natures of poets; then your master.

810

Aiakeus: They allowed it, because he was experienced in the art.

Aiaikos: But let us go in; for whenever the masters

Aiakos: They have hurried up; we are getting weeping.

Frogs. Aristophanes. . 2026-09-08.

Current edition Experimental

English (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.) — 788 focus

Ἄιακος

μὰ Δίʼ οὐκ ἐκεῖνος, ἀλλʼ ἔκυσε μὲν Αἰσχύλον,

ὅτε δὴ κατῆλθε, κἀνέβαλε τὴν δεξιάν,

κἀκεῖνος ὑπεχώρησεν αὐτῷ τοῦ θρόνου·
790

νυνὶ δʼ ἔμελλεν, ὡς ἔφη Κλειδημίδης,

ἔφεδρος καθεδεῖσθαι· κἂν μὲν Αἰσχύλος κρατῇ,

ἕξειν κατὰ χώραν· εἰ δὲ μή, περὶ τῆς τέχνης

διαγωνιεῖσθʼ ἔφασκε πρός γʼ Εὐριπίδην.

Ξανθίας

τὸ χρῆμʼ ἄρʼ ἔσται;
795

Ἄιακος

νὴ Δίʼ ὀλίγον ὕστερον.

κἀνταῦθα δὴ τὰ δεινὰ κινηθήσεται.

καὶ γὰρ ταλάντῳ μουσικὴ σταθμήσεται—

Ξανθίας

τί δέ; μειαγωγήσουσι τὴν τραγῳδίαν;

Ἄιακος

καὶ κανόνας ἐξοίσουσι καὶ πήχεις ἐπῶν

καὶ πλαίσια ξύμπτυκτα—
800

Ξανθίας

πλινθεύσουσι γάρ;

Ἄιακος

καὶ διαμέτρους καὶ σφῆνας. ὁ γὰρ Εὐριπίδης

κατʼ ἔπος βασανιεῖν φησι τὰς τραγῳδίας.

Ξανθίας

ἦ που βαρέως οἶμαι τὸν Αἰσχύλον φέρειν.

Ἄιακος

ἔβλεψε γοῦν ταυρηδὸν ἐγκύψας κάτω.

Ξανθίας

κρινεῖ δὲ δὴ τίς ταῦτα;
805

Ἄιακος

τοῦτʼ ἦν δύσκολον·

σοφῶν γὰρ ἀνδρῶν ἀπορίαν ηὑρισκέτην.

οὔτε γὰρ Ἀθηναίοισι συνέβαινʼ Αἰσχύλος—

Ξανθίας

πολλοὺς ἴσως ἐνόμιζε τοὺς τοιχωρύχους.

Ἄιακος

λῆρόν τε τἄλλʼ ἡγεῖτο τοῦ γνῶναι πέρι

φύσεις ποιητῶν· εἶτα τῷ σῷ δεσπότῃ
810

ἐπέτρεψαν, ὁτιὴ τῆς τέχνης ἔμπειρος ἦν.

ἀλλʼ εἰσίωμεν· ὡς ὅταν γʼ οἱ δεσπόται

ἐσπουδάκωσι, κλαύμαθʼ ἡμῖν γίγνεται.

Translations (1)

Frogs (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Matthew Dillon). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 788 focus

Aeacus

Not him, by Zeus, but he kissed Aeschylus

When he arrived, and shook his hand,

And yielded the chair to him.
935

Now he intends, so says Cleidemides,

to sit out in reserve. And if Aeschylus wins,

he'll stay put; if not, he said he'd fight

against Euripides for the sake of his art.

Xanthias

So this thing will really happen?
940

Aeacus

Yes, just a little later,

and here there'll be an awful commotion.

For poetry will be measured out on scales!

Xanthias

What? They're going to weigh tragedy by the ounce?

Aeacus

And they'll bring out rulers and verbal yardsticks,
945

and flexible frames,

Xanthias

Then they'll be making bricks?

Aeacus

And bevels and wedges. Because Euripides

says he'll test the plays word by word.

Xanthias

I guess Aeschylus is taking it pretty hard.
950

Aeacus

Well, he lowered his head and cast a bullish glance.

Xanthias

And who's to be the judge?

Aeacus

That was difficult.

You'll find a shortage of sophisticated men.

Aeschylus didn't get along with the Athenians—
955

Xanthias

Maybe he thought most of them were crooks.

Aeacus

And he considered the rest trash for judging

the essence of poets: so to your master

they turned, since he has experience in the art.

But let's go in; for when masters
960

are in a hurry, it means trouble for us.

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

797. mvp-tlg0019-tlg009-sanjaya-com-eng1-28

Line 797

καὶ γὰρ ταλάντῳ μουσικὴ σταθμήσεται—

The verb σταθμήσεται (future middle/passive of σταθμέω) is a rare hapax in this specific metrical and syntactic configuration within Aristophanes, meaning 'will be weighed out' or 'will be measured out' (specifically in the sense of a payment or allocation). Here, it functions as a technical financial term applied metaphorically to music, implying that the quality of the music will be objectively quantified against a talent's worth. The construction with the dative ταλάντῳ (instrumental dative of value/measure) is syntactically precise, indicating the standard against which the weighing occurs, rather than the object being weighed. This usage relies on the audience's familiarity with the specific financial procedures of the Athenian treasury or the metaphorical 'weighing' of poets in the trial scene, distinguishing it from generic verbs of comparison.

Aristophanes Frogs 788

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Ξανθίας

τὸ χρῆμʼ ἄρʼ ἔσται;
795

Ἄιακος

νὴ Δίʼ ὀλίγον ὕστερον.

κἀνταῦθα δὴ τὰ δεινὰ κινηθήσεται.

καὶ γὰρ ταλάντῳ μουσικὴ σταθμήσεται—

Ξανθίας

τί δέ; μειαγωγήσουσι τὴν τραγῳδίαν;

Ἄιακος

καὶ κανόνας ἐξοίσουσι καὶ πήχεις ἐπῶν

καὶ πλαίσια ξύμπτυκτα—
800

Ξανθίας

πλινθεύσουσι γάρ;

Ἄιακος

καὶ διαμέτρους καὶ σφῆνας. ὁ γὰρ Εὐριπίδης

κατʼ ἔπος βασανιεῖν φησι τὰς τραγῳδίας.

Ξανθίας

ἦ που βαρέως οἶμαι τὸν Αἰσχύλον φέρειν.

Ἄιακος

ἔβλεψε γοῦν ταυρηδὸν ἐγκύψας κάτω.

Ξανθίας

κρινεῖ δὲ δὴ τίς ταῦτα;
805

Ἄιακος

τοῦτʼ ἦν δύσκολον·

σοφῶν γὰρ ἀνδρῶν ἀπορίαν ηὑρισκέτην.

οὔτε γὰρ Ἀθηναίοισι συνέβαινʼ Αἰσχύλος—

Ξανθίας

πολλοὺς ἴσως ἐνόμιζε τοὺς τοιχωρύχους.

Aeacus

Not him, by Zeus, but he kissed Aeschylus

When he arrived, and shook his hand,

And yielded the chair to him.
935

Now he intends, so says Cleidemides,

to sit out in reserve. And if Aeschylus wins,

he'll stay put; if not, he said he'd fight

against Euripides for the sake of his art.

Xanthias

So this thing will really happen?
940

Aeacus

Yes, just a little later,

and here there'll be an awful commotion.

For poetry will be measured out on scales!

Xanthias

What? They're going to weigh tragedy by the ounce?

Aeacus

And they'll bring out rulers and verbal yardsticks,
945

and flexible frames,

Xanthias

Then they'll be making bricks?

Aeacus

And bevels and wedges. Because Euripides

says he'll test the plays word by word.

Xanthias

I guess Aeschylus is taking it pretty hard.
950

Aeacus

Well, he lowered his head and cast a bullish glance.

Xanthias

And who's to be the judge?

Aeacus

That was difficult.

You'll find a shortage of sophisticated men.

Aeschylus didn't get along with the Athenians—
955

Xanthias

Maybe he thought most of them were crooks.

Aeacus

And he considered the rest trash for judging

the essence of poets: so to your master

they turned, since he has experience in the art.

But let's go in; for when masters
960

are in a hurry, it means trouble for us.

Commentary

Line 797

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

Ξανθίας τὸ χρῆμʼ ἄρʼ ἔσται; 795

Ἄιακος νὴ Δίʼ ὀλίγον ὕστερον. κἀνταῦθα δὴ τὰ δεινὰ κινηθήσεται. καὶ γὰρ ταλάντῳ μουσικὴ σταθμήσεται—

Ξανθίας τί δέ; μειαγωγήσουσι τὴν τραγῳδίαν;

Ἄιακος καὶ κανόνας ἐξοίσουσι καὶ πήχεις ἐπῶν καὶ πλαίσια ξύμπτυκτα— 800

Ξανθίας πλινθεύσουσι γάρ;

Ἄιακος καὶ διαμέτρους καὶ σφῆνας. ὁ γὰρ Εὐριπίδης κατʼ ἔπος βασανιεῖν φησι τὰς τραγῳδίας.

Ξανθίας ἦ που βαρέως οἶμαι τὸν Αἰσχύλον φέρειν.

Ἄιακος ἔβλεψε γοῦν ταυρηδὸν ἐγκύψας κάτω.

Ξανθίας κρινεῖ δὲ δὴ τίς ταῦτα; 805

Ἄιακος τοῦτʼ ἦν δύσκολον· σοφῶν γὰρ ἀνδρῶν ἀπορίαν ηὑρισκέτην. οὔτε γὰρ Ἀθηναίοισι συνέβαινʼ Αἰσχύλος—

Ξανθίας πολλοὺς ἴσως ἐνόμιζε τοὺς τοιχωρύχους.

Aeacus Not him, by Zeus, but he kissed Aeschylus When he arrived, and shook his hand, And yielded the chair to him. 935 Now he intends, so says Cleidemides, to sit out in reserve. And if Aeschylus wins, he'll stay put; if not, he said he'd fight against Euripides for the sake of his art.

Xanthias So this thing will really happen? 940

Aeacus Yes, just a little later, and here there'll be an awful commotion. For poetry will be measured out on scales!

Xanthias What? They're going to weigh tragedy by the ounce?

Aeacus And they'll bring out rulers and verbal yardsticks, 945 and flexible frames,

Xanthias Then they'll be making bricks?

Aeacus And bevels and wedges. Because Euripides says he'll test the plays word by word.

Xanthias I guess Aeschylus is taking it pretty hard. 950

Aeacus Well, he lowered his head and cast a bullish glance.

Xanthias And who's to be the judge?

Aeacus That was difficult. You'll find a shortage of sophisticated men. Aeschylus didn't get along with the Athenians— 955

Xanthias Maybe he thought most of them were crooks.

Aeacus And he considered the rest trash for judging the essence of poets: so to your master they turned, since he has experience in the art. But let's go in; for when masters 960 are in a hurry, it means trouble for us.

Commentary

Line 797

Stable identifiers

Ξανθίας

τὸ χρῆμʼ ἄρʼ ἔσται;
795

Ἄιακος

νὴ Δίʼ ὀλίγον ὕστερον.

κἀνταῦθα δὴ τὰ δεινὰ κινηθήσεται.

καὶ γὰρ ταλάντῳ μουσικὴ σταθμήσεται—

Ξανθίας

τί δέ; μειαγωγήσουσι τὴν τραγῳδίαν;

Ἄιακος

καὶ κανόνας ἐξοίσουσι καὶ πήχεις ἐπῶν

καὶ πλαίσια ξύμπτυκτα—
800

Ξανθίας

πλινθεύσουσι γάρ;

Ἄιακος

καὶ διαμέτρους καὶ σφῆνας. ὁ γὰρ Εὐριπίδης

κατʼ ἔπος βασανιεῖν φησι τὰς τραγῳδίας.

Ξανθίας

ἦ που βαρέως οἶμαι τὸν Αἰσχύλον φέρειν.

Ἄιακος

ἔβλεψε γοῦν ταυρηδὸν ἐγκύψας κάτω.

Ξανθίας

κρινεῖ δὲ δὴ τίς ταῦτα;
805

Ἄιακος

τοῦτʼ ἦν δύσκολον·

σοφῶν γὰρ ἀνδρῶν ἀπορίαν ηὑρισκέτην.

οὔτε γὰρ Ἀθηναίοισι συνέβαινʼ Αἰσχύλος—

Ξανθίας

πολλοὺς ἴσως ἐνόμιζε τοὺς τοιχωρύχους.

Aeacus

Not him, by Zeus, but he kissed Aeschylus

When he arrived, and shook his hand,

And yielded the chair to him.
935

Now he intends, so says Cleidemides,

to sit out in reserve. And if Aeschylus wins,

he'll stay put; if not, he said he'd fight

against Euripides for the sake of his art.

Xanthias

So this thing will really happen?
940

Aeacus

Yes, just a little later,

and here there'll be an awful commotion.

For poetry will be measured out on scales!

Xanthias

What? They're going to weigh tragedy by the ounce?

Aeacus

And they'll bring out rulers and verbal yardsticks,
945

and flexible frames,

Xanthias

Then they'll be making bricks?

Aeacus

And bevels and wedges. Because Euripides

says he'll test the plays word by word.

Xanthias

I guess Aeschylus is taking it pretty hard.
950

Aeacus

Well, he lowered his head and cast a bullish glance.

Xanthias

And who's to be the judge?

Aeacus

That was difficult.

You'll find a shortage of sophisticated men.

Aeschylus didn't get along with the Athenians—
955

Xanthias

Maybe he thought most of them were crooks.

Aeacus

And he considered the rest trash for judging

the essence of poets: so to your master

they turned, since he has experience in the art.

But let's go in; for when masters
960

are in a hurry, it means trouble for us.