Latimer, James A.

Tufts University

Frogs

Latimer, James A. /
  • Created on 2017-05-10 21:08:40
  • Modified on 2017-05-10 22:18:27
  • Aligned by Latimer, James A.
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
Διόνυσος
ἀλλ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα χρὴ λέγειν : οὕτω δ᾽ ὅπως ἐρεῖτον
ἀστεῖα καὶ μήτ᾽ εἰκόνας μήθ᾽ οἷ᾽ ἂν ἄλλος εἴποι .
Εὐριπίδης

καὶ μὴν ἐμαυτὸν μέν γε τὴν ποίησιν οἷός εἰμι ,
ἐν τοῖσιν ὑστάτοις φράσω , τοῦτον δὲ πρῶτ᾽ ἐλέγξω ,
ὡς ἦν ἀλαζὼν καὶ φέναξ οἵοις τε τοὺς θεατὰς
ἐξηπάτα μώρους λαβὼν παρὰ Φρυνίχῳ τραφέντας .
πρώτιστα μὲν γὰρ ἕνα τιν᾽ ἂν καθῖσεν ἐγκαλύψας ,
Ἀχιλλέα τιν᾽ Νιόβην , τὸ πρόσωπον οὐχὶ δεικνύς ,
πρόσχημα τῆς τραγῳδίας , γρύζοντας οὐδὲ τουτί .

Διόνυσος

μὰ τὸν Δί᾽ οὐ δῆθ᾽ .

Εὐριπίδης
δὲ χορός γ᾽ ἤρειδεν ὁρμαθοὺς ἂν
μελῶν ἐφεξῆς τέτταρας ξυνεχῶς ἄν οἱ δ᾽ ἐσίγων .

Διόνυσος

ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἔχαιρον τῇ σιωπῇ , καί με τοῦτ᾽ ἔτερπεν
οὐχ ἧττον νῦν οἱ λαλοῦντες .

Εὐριπίδης
ἠλίθιος γὰρ ἦσθα ,
σάφ᾽ ἴσθι .

Διόνυσος
κἀμαυτῷ δοκῶ . τί δὲ ταῦτ᾽ ἔδρασ᾽ δεῖνα ;

Εὐριπίδης

ὑπ᾽ ἀλαζονείας , ἵν᾽ θεατὴς προσδοκῶν καθοῖτο ,
ὁπόθ᾽ Νιόβη τι φθέγξεται : τὸ δρᾶμα δ᾽ ἂν διῄει .

Διόνυσος

παμπόνηρος , οἷ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἐφενακιζόμην ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ .
τί σκορδινᾷ καὶ δυσφορεῖς ;

Εὐριπίδης
ὅτι αὐτὸν ἐξελέγχω .
κἄπειτ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ταῦτα ληρήσειε καὶ τὸ δρᾶμα
ἤδη μεσοίη , ῥήματ᾽ ἂν βόεια δώδεκ᾽ εἶπεν ,
ὀφρῦς ἔχοντα καὶ λόφους , δείν᾽ ἄττα μορμορωπά ,
ἄγνωτα τοῖς θεωμένοις .

Αἰσχύλος
οἴμοι τάλας .

Διόνυσος
σιώπα .

Εὐριπίδης

σαφὲς δ᾽ ἂν εἶπεν οὐδὲ ἕν—

Διόνυσος
μὴ πρῖε τοὺς ὀδόντας .

Εὐριπίδης

ἀλλ᾽ Σκαμάνδρους τάφρους ' π᾽ ἀσπίδων ἐπόντας
γρυπαιέτους χαλκηλάτους καὶ ῥήμαθ᾽ ἱππόκρημνα ,
ξυμβαλεῖν οὐ ῥᾴδι᾽ ἦν .

Διόνυσος
νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς ἐγὼ γοῦν
ἤδη ποτ᾽ ἐν μακρῷ χρόνῳ νυκτὸς διηγρύπνησα
τὸν ξουθὸν ἱππαλεκτρυόνα ζητῶν τίς ἐστιν ὄρνις .

Αἰσχύλος

σημεῖον ἐν ταῖς ναυσὶν ὦμαθέστατ᾽ ἐνεγέγραπτο .

Διόνυσος

ἐγὼ δὲ τὸν Φιλοξένου γ᾽ ᾤμην Ἔρυξιν εἶναι .

Εὐριπίδης

εἶτ᾽ ἐν τραγῳδίαις ἐχρῆν κἀλεκτρυόνα ποιῆσαι ;

Αἰσχύλος

σὺ δ᾽ θεοῖσιν ἐχθρὲ ποῖ᾽ ἄττ᾽ ἐστὶν ἅττ᾽ ἐποίεις ;

Εὐριπίδης

οὐχ ἱππαλεκτρυόνας μὰ Δί᾽ οὐδὲ τραγελάφους , ἅπερ σύ ,
ἃν τοῖσι παραπετάσμασιν τοῖς Μηδικοῖς γράφουσιν :
ἀλλ᾽ ὡς παρέλαβον τὴν τέχνην παρὰ σοῦ τὸ πρῶτον εὐθὺς
οἰδοῦσαν ὑπὸ κομπασμάτων καὶ ῥημάτων ἐπαχθῶν ,
ἴσχνανα μὲν πρώτιστον αὐτὴν καὶ τὸ βάρος ἀφεῖλον
ἐπυλλίοις καὶ περιπάτοις καὶ τευτλίοισι λευκοῖς ,
χυλὸν διδοὺς στωμυλμάτων ἀπὸ βιβλίων ἀπηθῶν :
εἶτ᾽ ἀνέτρεφον μονῳδίαις—

Διόνυσος
Κηφισοφῶντα μιγνύς .

Εὐριπίδης

εἶτ᾽ οὐκ ἐλήρουν τι τύχοιμ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ἐμπεσὼν ἔφυρον ,
ἀλλ᾽ οὑξιὼν πρώτιστα μέν μοι τὸ γένος εἶπ᾽ ἂν εὐθὺς
τοῦ δράματος .

Διόνυσος
κρεῖττον γὰρ ἦν σοι νὴ Δί᾽ τὸ σαυτοῦ .

Εὐριπίδης

ἔπειτ᾽ ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων ἐπῶν οὐδὲν παρῆκ᾽ ἂν ἀργόν ,
ἀλλ᾽ ἔλεγεν γυνή τέ μοι χὠ δοῦλος οὐδὲν ἧττον ,
χὠ δεσπότης χἠ παρθένος χἠ γραῦς ἄν .

Αἰσχύλος
εἶτα δῆτα
οὐκ ἀποθανεῖν σε ταῦτ᾽ ἐχρῆν τολμῶντα ;

Εὐριπίδης
μὰ τὸν Ἀπόλλω :
δημοκρατικὸν γὰρ αὔτ᾽ ἔδρων .

Διόνυσος
τοῦτο μὲν ἔασον τᾶν .
οὐ σοὶ γάρ ἐστι περίπατος κάλλιστα περί γε τούτου .

Εὐριπίδης

ἔπειτα τουτουσὶ λαλεῖν ἐδίδαξα—

Αἰσχύλος
φημὶ κἀγώ .
ὡς πρὶν διδάξαι γ᾽ ὤφελες μέσος διαρραγῆναι .

Εὐριπίδης

λεπτῶν τε κανόνων ἐσβολὰς ἐπῶν τε γωνιασμούς ,
νοεῖν ὁρᾶν ξυνιέναι στρέφειν ἐρᾶν τεχνάζειν ,
κάχ᾽ ὑποτοπεῖσθαι , περινοεῖν ἅπαντα—

Αἰσχύλος
φημὶ κἀγώ .

Εὐριπίδης

οἰκεῖα πράγματ᾽ εἰσάγων , οἷς χρώμεθ᾽ , οἷς ξύνεσμεν ,
ἐξ ὧν γ᾽ ἂν ἐξηλεγχόμην : ξυνειδότες γὰρ οὗτοι
ἤλεγχον ἄν μου τὴν τέχνην : ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐκομπολάκουν
ἀπὸ τοῦ φρονεῖν ἀποσπάσας , οὐδ᾽ ἐξέπληττον αὐτούς ,
Κύκνους ποιῶν καὶ Μέμνονας κωδωνοφαλαροπώλους .
γνώσει δὲ τοὺς τούτου τε κἀμοὺς ἑκατέρου μαθητάς .
τουτουμενὶ Φορμίσιος Μεγαίνετός θ᾽ Μανῆς ,
σαλπιγγολογχυπηνάδαι , σαρκασμοπιτυοκάμπται ,
οὑμοὶ δὲ Κλειτοφῶν τε καὶ Θηραμένης κομψός .

Διόνυσος

Θηραμένης ; σοφός γ᾽ ἀνὴρ καὶ δεινὸς ἐς τὰ πάντα ,
ὃς ἢν κακοῖς που περιπέσῃ καὶ πλησίον παραστῇ ,
πέπτωκεν ἔξω τῶν κακῶν , οὐ Χῖος ἀλλὰ Κεῖος .

Εὐριπίδης

τοιαῦτα μέντοὐγὼ φρονεῖν
τούτοισιν εἰσηγησάμην ,
λογισμὸν ἐνθεὶς τῇ τέχνῃ
καὶ σκέψιν , ὥστ᾽ ἤδη νοεὶν
ἅπαντα καὶ διειδέναι
τά τ᾽ ἄλλα καὶ τὰς οἰκίας
οἰκεῖν ἄμεινον πρὸ τοῦ
κἀνασκοπεῖν , ‘πῶς τοῦτ᾽ ἔχει ;
ποῦ μοι τοδί ; τίς τοῦτ᾽ ἔλαβε ;

Διόνυσος

νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς νῦν γοῦν Ἀθηναίων
ἅπας τις εἰσιὼν
κέκραγε πρὸς τοὺς οἰκέτας
ζητεῖ τε , ‘ποῦ ' στιν χύτρα ;
τίς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀπεδήδοκεν
τῆς μαινίδος ; τὸ τρύβλιον
τὸ περυσινὸν τέθνηκέ μοι :
ποῦ τὸ σκόροδον τὸ χθιζινόν ;
τίς τῆς ἐλάας παρέτραγεν ;
Dionysus
Now you must talk as fast as you can , and see that you both speak
elegantly , and no similes or the things someone else might say .
Euripides
Well , of myself and what sort of poet I am ,
I will tell at the end : but first I ' ll prove that this man
was an impostor and a cheat , and how he took the spectators and used to fool the dupes reared with Phrynichos .
First , he ' d wrap up and sit down someone or other ,
An Achilles , or Niobe , not showing the face ,
a facade of tragedy , not mumbling so much as this .
Dionysus
That ' s right , they didn ' t .
Euripides
And then the chorus boomed
four strings of lyric in a row nonstop : but they kept quiet .
Dionysus
And l enjoyed their silence ; that pleased me
no less than the babblers now .
Euripides
Because you were stupid ,
no doubt about it .
Dionysus
I think so too . Why did the so-and-so do this ?
Euripides
From fraudulence , so the spectator would sit there waiting
for when Niobe would say something . And the play would go on .
Dionysus
Oh what a villain ! How I was fooled by him !
Why do you stretch and act uncomfortable ?
Euripides
Because I ' m convicting him .
And then after he pulled this cheap trick , and the play
was already half over , he ' d speak a dozen bullish words
With eyebrows , crests , some awful witch-faced things ,
Unknown to the audience .
Aeschylus
Woe is me , alas .
Dionysus
Quiet .
Euripides
Yet not a thing he said was clear—
Dionysus
Don ' t saw your teeth .
Euripides
But Scamanders , or trenches , or shield-adorning
bronze-beaten griffon-eagles and horse-cliffed phrases ,
which it was not easy to construe .
Dionysus
Ye gods ! As for me ,
" one night did I pass sleepless all the while , "
wondering what sort of bird the yellow hipporooster was .
Aeschylus
You blockhead , it ' s a symbol engraved on ships .
Dionysus
I thought it was Eryxis , Philoxenus ' son .
Euripides
Then , did you have to create a rooster in tragedy ?
Aeschylus
You god-detested wretch ! What sort of things did
you used to compose ?
Euripides
Not hipporoosters , by God , nor goat-stags , like you ,
which they depict on Persian tapestries .
But when I first received the art from you ,
she was swollen from bombast and ponderous diction ,
at once I slimmed her down and took off weight
with versicles and strolls and laxative roots ,
giving a dose of drivel strained from books .
Then I nursed it back with monodies—
Dionysus
—mixing in Cephisophon .
Euripides
Then I didn ' t say whatever nonsense occurred to me , nor knead in what I fell upon ,
But the character who came out first would straightway
tell the background of the play .
Dionysus
Better than your own , by Zeus .
Euripides
Then from the opening words I permitted nothing idle ; my woman spoke , as did the slave as well ,
Or master , maiden , or old woman .
Aeschylus
Then really
shouldn ' t you be put to death for daring this ?
Euripides
No , by Apollo ,
For this was a democratic thing I did .
Dionysus
Let it go , sir ,
It ' s not best for you to digress on that point .
Euripides
Then , I taught these folks to speak up . . .
Aeschylus
I ' ll say ,
I wish before that lesson you had split down the middle .
Euripides
. . . And the introduction of subtle rules and squared-off words ,
to think , to see , to understand , to love to twist , to connive ,
to suspect the worst , to overthink all things . . .
Aeschylus
I ' ll say .
Euripides
. . . Introducing domestic matters which we ' re used to and understand ,
on which I could be tested . For these folks are knowledgeable ,
and could have criticized my art . But I didn ' t toss off boasts ,
drawing them away from common sense , and I didn ' t scare them ,
creating Cycnuses and Memnons of the bell-cheeked steeds .
You ' ll recognize the disciples of both this fellow and myself :
His are Phormisios and manic Meganeitos
Sons of long-beard lancers , pine-tree flesh rippers ,
but mine are Cleitophon and Theramenes the dandy .
Dionysus
Theramenes ? A clever fellow , an all-round wonder ;
If he runs into trouble and happens to be close by
He ' s thrown clear of the trouble , no Chian but a Kian .
Euripides
Well , to ponder such things , I
instructed these folks here ,
putting logic in my art
and scrutiny , so now they notice
everything and know through and through
most especially how to run
the household better than before ,
and they inquire , " How ' s this doing ?
Where ' s this ? Who took that ? "
Dionysus
Yes , by gods ! In fact , now
every single Athenian goes inside
and yells to his servants
and asks , " Where ' s my pot ?
Who ' s eaten off the head
of my sardine ; My bowl
of yesteryear—has it perished ?
Where is yesterday ' s garlic ?
Who nibbled at the olive ? "

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