Prologue
XAN. Shall I crack any of those old jokes, master,At which the audience never fail to laugh?
DIO. Aye, what you will, except I'm getting crushed:Fight shy of that: I'm sick of that already.
XAN. Nothing else smart?
DIO. Aye, save my shoulder's aching.
XAN. Come now, that comical joke?
DIO. With all my heart.Only be careful not to shift your pole,And--
XAN. What?
DIO. And vow that you've a bellyache.
XAN. May I not say I'm overburdened soThat if none ease me, I must ease myself?
DIO. For mercy's sake, not till I'm going to vomit.
XAN. What! must I bear these burdens, and not makeOne of the jokes Ameipsias and LycisAnd Phrynichus, in every play they write,Put in the mouths of all their burden-bearers?
DIO. Don't make them; no! I tell you when I seeTheir plays, and hear those jokes, I come awayMore than a twelvemonth older than I went.
XAN. O thrice unlucky neck of mine, which nowIs getting crushed, yet must not crack its joke!
DIO. Now is not this fine pampered insolenceWhen I myself, Dionysus, son of--Pipkin,Toil on afoot, and let this fellow ride,Taking no trouble, and no burden bearing?
XAN. What, don't I bear?
DIO. How can you when you're riding?
XAN. Why, I bear these.
DIO. How?
XAN. Most unwillingly.
DIO. Does not the donkey bear the load you're bearing?
XAN. Not what I bear myself: by Zeus, not he.
DIO. How can you bear, when you are borne yourself?
XAN. Don't know: but anyhow my shoulder's aching.
DIO. Then since you say the donkey helps you not,You lift him up and carry him in turn.
XAN. O hang it all! why didn't I fight at sea?You should have smarted bitterly for this.
DIO. Get down, you rascal; I've been trudging onTill now I've reached the portal, where I'm goingFirst to turn in.Boy! Boy! I say there, Boy!
HER. Who banged the door? How like a prancing CentaurHe drove against it! Mercy o' me, what's this?
DIO. Boy.
XAN. Yes.
DIO. Did you observe?
XAN. What?
DIO. How alarmed He is.
XAN. Aye truly, lest you've lost your wits.
HER. O by Demeter, I can't choose but laugh.Biting my lips won't stop me. Ha! ha! ha!
DIO. Pray you, come hither, I have need of you.
HER. I vow I can't help laughing, I can't help it.A lion's hide upon a yellow silk, a club and buskin!What's it all about? Where were you going?
DIO. I was serving lately aboard the--Cleisthenes.
HER. And fought?
DIO. And sank more than a dozen of the enemy's ships.
HER. You two?
DIO. We two.
HER. And then I awoke, and lo!
DIO. There as, on deck, I'm reading to myselfThe Andromeda, a sudden pang of longingShoots through my heart, you can't conceive how keenly.
HER. How big a pang.
DIO. A small one, Molon's size.
HER. Caused by a woman?
DIO. No.
HER. A boy?
DIO. No, no.
HER. A man?
DIO. Ah! ah!
HER. Was it for Cleisthenes?
DIO. Don't mock me, brother; on my life I amIn a bad way: such fierce desire consumes me.
HER. Aye, little brother? how?
DIO. I can't describe it.But yet I'll tell you in a riddling way.Have you e'er felt a sudden lust for soup?
HER. Soup! Zeus-a-mercy, yes, ten thousand times.
DIO. Is the thing clear, or must I speak again?
HER. Not of the soup: I'm clear about the soup.
DIO. Well, just that sort of pang devours my heartFor lost Euripides.
HER. A dead man too.
DIO. And no one shall persuade me not to go after the man.
HER. Do you mean below, to Hades?
DIO. And lower still, if there's a lower still.
HER. What on earth for?
DIO. I want a genuine poet,"For some are not, and those that are, are bad."
HER. What! does not Iophon live?
DIO. Well, he's the soleGood thing remaining, if even he is good.For even of that I'm not exactly certain.
HER. If go you must, there's Sophocles--he comes BeforeEuripides--why not take him?
DIO. Not till I've tried if Iophon's coin rings trueWhen he's alone, apart from Sophocles.Besides, Euripides the crafty rogue,Will find a thousand shifts to get away,But he was easy here, is easy there.
HER. But Agathon, where is he?
DIO. He has gone and left us,A genial poet, by his friends much missed.
HER. Gone where?
DIO. To join the blessed in their banquets.
HER. But what of Xenocles?
DIO. O he be hanged!
HER. Pythangelus?
XAN. But never a word of me,Not though my shoulder's chafed so terribly.
HER. But have you not a shoal of little songsters,Tragedians by the myriad, who can chatterA furlong faster than Euripides?
DIO. Those be mere vintage-leavings, jabberers, choirsOf swallow-broods, degraders of their art,Who get one chorus, and are seen no more,The Muses' love once gained. But O my friend,Search where you will, you'll never find a trueCreative genius, uttering startling things.
HER. Creative? how do you mean?
DIO. I mean a man Who'll dare some novel venturesome conceit,Air, Zeus's chamber, or Time's foot, or this,'Twas not my mind that swore: my tongue committedA little perjury on its own account.
HER. You like that style?
DIO. Like it? I dote upon it.
HER. I vow it's ribald nonsense, and you know it.
DIO. "Rule not my mind": you've got a house to mind.
HER. Really and truly though 'tis paltry stuff.
DIO. Teach me to dine!
XAN. But never a word of me.
DIO. But tell me truly--'twas for this I cameDressed up to mimic you--what friends receivedAnd entertained you when you went belowTo bring back Cerberus, in case I need them.And tell me too the havens, fountains, shops,Roads, resting-places, stews, refreshment rooms,Towns, lodgings, hostesses, with whom were foundThe fewest bugs.
XAN. But never a word of me.
HER. You are really game to go?
DIO. O drop that, can't you?And tell me this: of all the roads you knowWhich is the quickest way to get to Hades?I want one not too warm, nor yet too cold.
HER. Which shall I tell you first? which shall it be?There's one by rope and bench: you launch awayAnd--hang yourself.
DIO. No thank you: that's too stifling.
HER. Then there's a track, a short and beaten cut.By pestle and mortar.
DIO. Hemlock, do you mean?
HER. Just so.
DIO. No, that's too deathly cold a way;You have hardly started ere your shins get numbed.
HER. Well, would you like a steep and swift descent?
DIO. Aye, that's the style: my walking powers are small.
HER. Go down to the Cerameicus.
DIO. And do what?
HER. Climb to the tower's top pinnacle--
DIO. And then?
HER. Observe the torch-race started, and when allThe multitude is shouting Let them go,Let yourself go.
DIO. Go whither?
HER. To the ground.
DIO. O that would break my brain's two envelopes.I'll not try that
HER. Which will you try?
DIO. The way you went yourself.
HER. A parlous voyage that,For first you'll come to an enormous lakeOf fathomless depth.
DIO. And how am I to cross?
HER. An ancient mariner will row you overIn a wee boat, so big.The fare's two obols.
DIO. Fie! The power two obols have, the whole world through!How came they thither?
HER. Theseus took them down.And next you'll see great snakes and savage monstersIn tens of thousands.
DIO. You needn't try to scare me, I'm going to go.
HER. Then weltering seas of filthAnd ever-rippling dung: and plunged therein,Whoso has wronged the stranger here on earth,Or robbed his boylove of the promised pay,Or swinged his mother, or profanely smittenHis father's cheek, or sworn an oath forsworn,Or copied out a speech of Morsimus.
DIO. There too, perdie, should he be plunged, whoe'erHas danced the sword-dance of Cinesias.
HER. And next the breath of flutes will float around you,And glorious sunshine, such as ours, you'll see,And myrtle groves, and happy bands who clapTheir hands in triumph, men and women too.
DIO. And who are they?
HER. The happy mystic bands.
XAN. And I'm the donkey in the mystery show.But I'll not stand it, not one instant longer.
HER. Who'll tell you everything you want to know.You'll find them dwelling close beside the roadYou are going to travel, just at Pluto's gate.And fare thee well, my brother.
DIO. And to you Good cheer.(To Xan.) Now sirrah, pick you up the traps.
XAN. Before I've put them down?
DIO. And quickly too.
XAN. No, prithee, no; but hire a body, oneThey're carrying out, on purpose for the trip.
DIO. If I can't find one?
XAN. Then I'll take them.
DIO. Good. And see! they are carrying out a body now.Hallo! you there, you deadman, are you willingTo carry down our little traps to Hades?
CORP. What are they?
DIO. These.
CORP. Two drachmas for the job?
DIO. Nay, that's too much.
CORP. Out of the pathway, you!
DIO. Beshrew thee, stop: may-be we'll strike a bargain.
CORP. Pay me two drachmas, or it's no use talking.
DIO. One and a half.
CORP. I'd liefer live again!
XAN. How absolute the knave is!He be hanged! I'll go myself.
DIO. You're the right sort, my man.Now to the ferry.
CHAR. Yoh, up! lay her to.
XAN. Whatever's that?
DIO. Why, that's the lake, by Zeus,Whereof he spake, and yon's the ferry-boat.
XAN. Poseidon, yes, and that old fellow's Charon.
DIO. Charon! O welcome, Charon! welcome, Charon.
CHAR. Who's for the Rest from every pain and ill?Who's for the Lethe's plain? the Donkey-shearings?Who's for Cerberia? Taenarum? or the Ravens?
DIO. I.
CHAR. Hurry in.
DIO. But where are you going really? In truth to the Ravens?
CHAR. Aye, for your behoof. Step in.
DIO. (To Xan.) Now, lad.
CHAR. A slave? I take no slave,Unless he has fought for his bodyrights at sea.
XAN. I couldn't go. I'd got the eye-disease.
CHAR. Then fetch a circuit round about the lake.
XAN. Where must I wait?
CHAR. Beside the Withering stone,Hard by the Rest.
DIO. You understand?
XAN. Too well. O, what ill omen crost me as I started!
CHAR. (To DIO.) Sit to the oar.(Calling.) Who else for the boat?Be quick.(To DIO.) Hi! what are you doing?
DIO. What am I doing? Sitting On to the oar.You told me to, yourself.
CHAR. Now sit you there, you little Potgut.
DIO. So?
CHAR. Now stretch your arms full length before you.
DIO. So?
CHAR. Come, don't keep fooling; plant your feet, and nowPull with a will.
DIO. Why, how am I to pull? I'm not an oarsman, seaman,Salaminian. I can't!
CHAR. You can. Just dip your oar in once,You'll hear the loveliest timing songs.
DIO. What from?
CHAR. Frog-swans, most wonderful.
DIO. Then give the word.
CHAR. Heave ahoy! heave ahoy!!
FR. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax!Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax!We children of the fountain and the lakeLet us wakeOur full choir-shout, as the flutes are ringing out,Our symphony of clear-voiced song.The song we used to love in the Marshland up above,In praise of DIOnysus to produce,Of Nysaean DIOnysus, son of Zeus,When the revel-tipsy throng, all crapulous and gay,To our precinct reeled along on the holyPitcher day.Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax.
DIO. O, dear! O dear! now I declareI've got a bump upon my rump.
FR. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax.
DIO. But you, perchance, don't care.
FR. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax.
DIO. Hang you, and your ko-axing too!There's nothing but ko-ax with you.
FR. That is right, Mr. Busybody, right!For the Muses of the lyre love us well;And hornfoot Pan who plays on the pipe his jocund lays;And Apollo, Harper bright, in our Chorus takes delightFor the strong reed's sake which I grow within my lakeTo be girdled in his lyre's deep shell.Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax.
DIO. My hands are blistered very sore;My stern below is sweltering so,'Twill soon, I know, upturn and roarBrekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax.O tuneful race, O pray give o'er,O sing no more.
FR. Ah, no! ah, no! Loud and louder our chant must flow.Sing if ever ye sang of yore,When in sunny and glorious daysThrough the rushes and marsh-flags springingOn we swept, in the joy of singingMyriad-divine roundelays.Or when fleeing the storm, we wentDown to the depths, and our choral songWildly raised to a loud and longBubble-bursting accompaniment.
FR. and DIO. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax.
DIO. This timing song I take from you.
FR. That's a dreadful thing to do.
DIO. Much more dreadful, if I rowTill I burst myself, I trow.
FR. and DIO. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax.
DIO. Go, hang yourselves; for what care I?
FR. All the same we'll shout and cry,Stretching all our throats with song,Shouting, crying, all day long.
FR. and DIO. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax.
DIO. In this you'll never, never win.
FR. This you shall not beat us in.
DIO. No, nor ye prevail o'er me.Never! never! I'll my songShout, if need be, all day long,Until I've learned to master your ko-ax.Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax.I thought I'd put a stop to your ko-ax.
CHAR. Stop!Easy! Take the oar and push her tonow pay your fare and go.
DIO. Here 'tis: two obols. Xanthias! where's Xanthias?Is it Xanthias there?
XAN. Hoi, hoi!
DIO. Come hither.
XAN. Glad to meet you, master.
DIO. What have you there?
XAN. Nothing but filth and darkness.
DIO. But tell me, did you see the parricidesAnd perjured folk he mentioned?
XAN. Didn't you?
DIO. Poseidon, yes. Why look! (pointing to the audience)I see them now. What's the next step?
XAN. We'd best be moving on.This is the spot where Heracles declaredThose savage monsters dwell.
DIO. O hang the fellow.That's all his bluff: he thought to scare me off,The jealous dog, knowing my plucky ways.There's no such swaggerer lives as Heracles.Why, I'd like nothing better than to achieveSome bold adventure, worthy of our trip.
XAN. I know you would. Hallo! I hear a noise.
DIO. Where? what?
XAN. Behind us, there.
DIO. Get you behind.
XAN. No, it's in front.
DIO. Get you in front directly.
XAN. And now I see the most ferocious monster.
DIO. O, what's it like?
XAN. Like everything by turns.Now it's a bull: now it's a mule: and nowThe loveliest girl.
DIO. O, where? I'll go and meet her.
XAN. It's ceased to be a girl: it's a dog now.
DIO. It is Empusa!
XAN. Well, its face is allAblaze with fire.
DIO. Has it a copper leg?
XAN. A copper leg, yes, one; and one of cow dung.
DIO. O, whither shall I flee?
XAN. O, whither I?
DIO. My priest, protect me, and we'll sup together.
XAN. King Heracles, we're done for.
DIO. O, forbear, Good fellow, call me anything but that.
XAN. Well then, Dionysus.
DIO. O, that's worse again.
XAN. (To the Spectre.) Aye, go thy way.O master, here, come here.
DIO. O, what's up now?
XAN. Take courage; all's serene.And, like Hegelochus, we now may say"Out of the storm there comes a new fine wether."Empusa's gone.
DIO. Swear it.
XAN. By Zeus she is.
DIO. Swear it again.
XAN. By Zeus.
DIO. Again
XAN. By Zeus. O dear, O dear, how pale I grew to see her,But he, from fright has yellowed me all over.
DIO. Ah me, whence fall these evils on my head?Who is the god to blame for my destruction?Air, Zeus's chamber, or the Foot of Time?
DIO. (A flute is played behind the scenes.) Hist!
XAN. What's the matter.
DIO. Didn't you hear it?
XAN. What?
DIO. The breath of flutes.
XAN. Aye, and a whiff of torchesBreathed o'er me too; a very mystic whiff.
DIO. Then crouch we down, and mark what's going on.
Words in this poem 68
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- aching a.
- That aches; continuously painful. See Ache.
- bellyache n.
- Pain in the bowels; colic.
- twelvemonth n.
- A year which consists of twelve calendar months.
- went n.
- Course; way; path; journey; direction.
- pampered a.
- Fed luxuriously; indulged to the full; hence, luxuriant.
- insolence n.
- The quality of being unusual or novel. [F. insolence, L. insolentia. See Insolent.]
- donkey n.
- An ass; or (less frequently) a mule. [Prob. dun, in allusion to the color of the animal + a dim. termination.]
- anyhow adv.
- In any way or manner whatever; at any rate; in any event.
- bitterly adv.
- In a bitter manner.
- centaur n.
- A fabulous being, represented as half man and half horse.
- drove n.
- A collection of cattle driven, or cattle collected for driving; a number of animals, as oxen, sheep, or swine, driven in a body. [AS. draf, fr. drifan to drive. See Drive.]
- buskin n.
- A strong, protecting covering for the foot, coming some distance up the leg. [Prob. from OF. brossequin, or D. broosken. See Brodekin.]
- aboard adv.
- On board; into or within a ship or boat; hence, into or within a railway car. [Pref. a- on, in + board.]
- andromeda n.
- A northern constellation, supposed to represent the mythical Andromeda.
- keenly adv.
- In a keen manner.
- riddling a.
- Speaking in a riddle or riddles; containing a riddle.
- lust v. i.
- To list; to like. [AS. lystan. See Lust, n., and cf. List to choose.]
- genial a.
- Contributing to, or concerned in, propagation or production; generative; procreative; productive. [L. genialis: cf. OF. genial. See Genius.]
- myriad n.
- The number of ten thousand; ten thousand persons or things. [Gr. myriade.]
- furlong n.
- A measure of length; the eighth part of a mile; forty rods; two hundred and twenty yards. [OE. furlong, furlang, AS. furlang, furlung, prop., the length of a furrow; furh furrow + lang long. See Furrow, and Long, a.]
- dote n.
- A marriage portion. See 1st Dot, n. Wyatt. [See Dot dowry.]
- dine v. i.
- To eat the principal regular meal of the day; to take dinner. [F. dîner, OF. disner, LL. disnare, contr. fr. an assumed disjunare; dis- + an assumed junare (OF. juner) to fast, for L. jejunare, fr. jejunus fasting. See Jeju]
- cerberus n.
- A monster, in the shape, of a three-headed dog, guarding the entrance into the infernal regions, Hence: Any vigilant custodian or guardian, esp. if surly.
- thank n.
- A expression of gratitude; an acknowledgment expressive of a sense of favor or kindness received; obligation, claim, or desert, or gratitude; -- now generally used in the plural. [AS. Þanc, Þonc, thanks, favor, thought; akin to OS. thank favor, pleasure, thanks, D. & G. dank thanks, Icel. Þ\'94kk, Dan. tak, Sw. tack, Goth. Þagks thanks; -]
- deathly a.
- Deadly; fatal; mortal; destructive.
- pinnacle n.
- An architectural member, upright, and generally ending in a small spire, -- used to finish a buttress, to constitute a part in a proportion, as where pinnacles flank a gable or spire, and the like. [OE. pinacle, F. pinacle, L. pinnaculum, fr. pinna pinnacle, feather. See Pin a peg.]
- whither adv.
- To what place; -- used interrogatively; as, whither goest thou [OE. whider. AS. hwider; akin to E. where, who; cf. Goth. hvadre whither. See Who, and cf. Hither, Thither.]
- parlous a.
- Attended with peril; dangerous; as, a parlous cough. [For perlous, a contr. fr. perilous.]
- fathomless a.
- Incapable of being fathomed; immeasurable; that can not be sounded.
- scare v. t.
- To frighten; to strike with sudden fear; to alarm. [OE. skerren, skeren, Icel. skirra to bar, prevent, skirrask to shun , shrink from; or fr. OE. skerre, adj., scared, Icel. skjarr; both perhaps akin to E. sheer ]
- whoso pron.
- Whosoever. Piers Plowman.
- profanely adv.
- In a profane manner.
- glorious a.
- Exhibiting attributes, qualities, or acts that are worthy of or receive glory; noble; praiseworthy; excellent; splendid; illustrious; inspiring admiration; as, glorious deeds. [OF. glorios, glorious, F. glorieux, fr. L. gloriosus. See Glory, n.]
- sunshine n.
- The light of the sun, or the place where it shines; the direct rays of the sun, the place where they fall, or the warmth and light which they give.
- prithee interj.
- A corruption of pray thee; as, I prithee; generally used without I.
- pathway n.
- A footpath; a beaten track; any path or course. Also used figuratively.
- beshrew v. t.
- To curse; to execrate.
- knave n.
- A boy; especially, a boy servant. Wyclif. [OE., boy, servant, knave, AS. cnafa boy, youth; cf. AS. cnapa boy, youth, D. kna, G. knabe boy, knappe esquire, Icel. knapi, Sw. knape esquire, knäfvel knave.]
- whereof adv.
- Of which; of whom; formerly, also, with which; -- used relatively.
- charon n.
- The son of Erebus and Nox, whose office it was to ferry the souls of the dead over the Styx, a river of the infernal regions.
- behoof n.
- Advantage; profit; benefit; interest; use. [OE. to bihove for the use of, AS. beh advantage, a word implied in beh necessary; akin to Sw. behof, Dan. behov, G. behuf, and E. heave, the root meaning to sei]
- withering a.
- Tending to wither; causing to shrink or fade.
- oarsman n.
- One who uses, or is skilled in the use of, an oar; a rower.
- ahoy interj.
- A term used in hailing; as, [OE. a, interj. + hoy.]
- symphony n.
- A consonance or harmony of sounds, agreeable to the ear, whether the sounds are vocal or instrumental, or both. [F. symphonie (cf. It. sinfonia), L. symphonia, Gr. Phonetic.]
- crapulous a.
- Surcharged with liquor; sick from excessive indulgence in liquor; drunk; given to excesses. [L. crapulentus, crapulosus: cf. F. crapuleux.]
- precinct n.
- The limit or exterior line encompassing a place; a boundary; a confine; limit of jurisdiction or authority; -- often in the plural; as, the precincts of a state. [LL. praecinctum, fr. L. praecingere, praecinctum, to gird about, to encompass; prae before + cingere to gird, surround. See Pre-, and Cincture.]
- bump v. t.
- To strike, as with or against anything large or solid; to thump; as, to bump the head against a wall. [Cf. W. pwmp round mass, pwmpiaw to thump, bang, and E. bum, v.i., boom to roar.]
- busybody n.
- One who officiously concerns himself with the affairs of others; a meddling person.
- hornfoot a.
- Having hoofs; hoofed.
- jocund
- Merry; cheerful; gay; airy; lively; sportive. [L. jocundus, jucundus, orig., helpful, fr. juvare to help. See Aid.]
- harper n.
- A player on the harp; a minstrel. [AS. hearpere.]
- upturn v. t.
- To turn up; to direct upward; to throw up; as, to upturn the ground in plowing.
- tuneful a.
- Harmonious; melodious; musical; as, tuneful notes.
- yore adv.
- In time long past; in old time; long since. [OE. , yare, , AS. geára;akin to geár a year, E. year. Year.]
- sunny a.
- Of or pertaining to the sun; proceeding from, or resembling the sun; hence, shining; bright; brilliant; radiant.
- choral a.
- Of or pertaining to a choir or chorus; singing, sung, or adapted to be sung, in chorus or harmony. Choral service, a service of song. [LL. choralis, fr. L. chorus. See Chorus.]
- dreadful a.
- Full of dread or terror; fearful.
- trow v. i.
- To believe; to trust; to think or suppose. [OE. trowen, AS.treówan to trust, believe, fr. treów trust, treówe true, faithful. See True.]
- perjured a.
- Guilty of perjury; having sworn falsely; forsworn.
- folk n.
- In Anglo-Saxon times, the people of a group of townships or villages; a community; a tribe. [AS. folc; akin to D. volk, OS. & OHG. folk, G. volk, Icel. f, Sw. & Dan. folk, Lith. pulkas crowd, and perh. to E. follow.]
- dwell v. i.
- To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
- bluff a.
- Having a broad, flattened front; as, the bluff bows of a ship. [Cf. OD. blaf flat, broad, blaffaert one with a broad face, also, a boaster; or G. verblüffen to confuse, LG. bluffen to frighten; to unknown origin.]
- ablaze adv.
- On fire; in a blaze, gleaming. Milman. [Pref. a- + blaze.]
- spectre n.
- Something preternaturally visible; an apparition; a ghost; a phantom. [F. spectre, fr. L. spectrum an appearance, image, specter, fr. specere to look. See Spy, and cf. Spectrum.]
- wether n.
- A castrated ram. [OE. wether, AS. we; akin to OS. wethar, withar, a ram, D. weder, G. widder, OHG. widar, Icel. ver, Sw. vädur, Dan. vædder, Goth. wiprus a lamb, L. vitulus calf,]
- whiff n.
- A sudden expulsion of air from the mouth; a quick puff or slight gust, as of air or smoke. [OE. weffe vapor, whiff, probably of imitative origin; cf. Dan. vift a puff, gust, W. chwiff a whiff, puff.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Prologue is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Frogs of Aristophanes, translated by Benjamin Bickley Rogers (Harvard Classics vol. 8, 1909; Rogers's translation first published 1902), Project Gutenberg ebook #7998, the Benjamin Bickley Rogers translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Aristophanes, Prologue, in The Frogs (1902), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #7998, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/aristophanes-frogs/prologue.html, id L28741.
Form and metre
Prologue is 413 lines in 243 stanzas. This poem did not settle on a metre of its own; the book it comes from is in trochaic pentameter.
See other poems in trochaic pentameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm. The first 120 of 243 stanzas.
- 26 A-A- onA · going · inA · boy
- 105 -AA all · goA · goA
- 117 -A--A-- filth · thereinA · earth · pay · smittenA · forsworn · morsimus
- 119 A--A youA · see · clap · tooA
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against trochaic pentameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| XAN. Shall I crack any of those old jokes, master, | 12 | ····/˘····/˘ |
| At which the audience never fail to laugh? | 10 | ···/˘˘/··· |
| DIO. Aye, what you will, except I'm getting crushed: | 11 | ········/˘· |
| Fight shy of that: I'm sick of that already. | 11 | ········˘/˘ |
| XAN. Nothing else smart? | 5 | ·/˘·· |
| DIO. Aye, save my shoulder's aching. | 8 | ····/˘/˘ |
| XAN. Come now, that comical joke? | 8 | ····/˘˘· |
| DIO. With all my heart. | 5 | ····· |
| Only be careful not to shift your pole, | 10 | /˘·/˘····· |
| And-- | 1 | · |
| XAN. What? | 2 | ·· |
| DIO. And vow that you've a bellyache. | 9 | ······/˘· |
| XAN. May I not say I'm overburdened so | 11 | ······/˘/˘· |
| That if none ease me, I must ease myself? | 10 | ·········/ |
| DIO. For mercy's sake, not till I'm going to vomit. | 12 | ··/˘····/·/˘ |
| XAN. What! must I bear these burdens, and not make | 11 | ······/˘··· |
| One of the jokes Ameipsias and Lycis | 10 | ·········· |
| And Phrynichus, in every play they write, | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| Put in the mouths of all their burden-bearers? | 11 | ·······/˘/˘ |
| DIO. Don't make them; no! I tell you when I see | 11 | ··········· |
| Their plays, and hear those jokes, I come away | 10 | ········˘/ |
| More than a twelvemonth older than I went. | 10 | ···/˘/˘··· |
| XAN. O thrice unlucky neck of mine, which now | 11 | ···˘/˘····· |
| Is getting crushed, yet must not crack its joke! | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| DIO. Now is not this fine pampered insolence | 11 | ······/˘/˘˘ |
| When I myself, Dionysus, son of--Pipkin, | 11 | ···/·····/˘ |
| Toil on afoot, and let this fellow ride, | 10 | ··˘/···/˘· |
| Taking no trouble, and no burden bearing? | 11 | /˘·/˘··/˘/˘ |
| XAN. What, don't I bear? | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. How can you when you're riding? | 8 | ······/˘ |
| XAN. Why, I bear these. | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. How? | 2 | ·· |
| XAN. Most unwillingly. | 6 | ··˘/˘˘ |
| DIO. Does not the donkey bear the load you're bearing? | 12 | ····/˘····/˘ |
| XAN. Not what I bear myself: by Zeus, not he. | 11 | ······/···· |
| DIO. How can you bear, when you are borne yourself? | 11 | ·········˘/ |
| XAN. Don't know: but anyhow my shoulder's aching. | 12 | ····/˘··/˘/˘ |
| DIO. Then since you say the donkey helps you not, | 11 | ······/˘··· |
| You lift him up and carry him in turn. | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| XAN. O hang it all! why didn't I fight at sea? | 12 | ······/˘···· |
| You should have smarted bitterly for this. | 10 | ···/˘/˘˘·· |
| DIO. Get down, you rascal; I've been trudging on | 11 | ····/˘··/˘· |
| Till now I've reached the portal, where I'm going | 11 | ·····/˘··/˘ |
| First to turn in. | 4 | ···· |
| Boy! Boy! I say there, Boy! | 6 | ······ |
| HER. Who banged the door? How like a prancing Centaur | 12 | ········/˘/· |
| He drove against it! Mercy o' me, what's this? | 11 | ·····/˘···· |
| DIO. Boy. | 2 | ·· |
| XAN. Yes. | 2 | ·· |
| DIO. Did you observe? | 5 | ···˘/ |
| XAN. What? | 2 | ·· |
| DIO. How alarmed He is. | 6 | ··˘/·· |
| XAN. Aye truly, lest you've lost your wits. | 9 | ··/˘····· |
| HER. O by Demeter, I can't choose but laugh. | 11 | ···˘/˘····· |
| Biting my lips won't stop me. Ha! ha! ha! | 10 | /˘········ |
| DIO. Pray you, come hither, I have need of you. | 11 | ····/˘····· |
| HER. I vow I can't help laughing, I can't help it. | 12 | ······/˘···· |
| A lion's hide upon a yellow silk, a club and buskin! | 15 | ·/˘····/˘····/˘ |
| What's it all about? Where were you going? | 10 | ········/˘ |
| DIO. I was serving lately aboard the--Cleisthenes. | 12 | ···/˘/˘˘/··· |
| HER. And fought? | 3 | ··· |
| DIO. And sank more than a dozen of the enemy's ships. | 13 | ······/˘··/˘· |
| HER. You two? | 3 | ··· |
| DIO. We two. | 3 | ··· |
| HER. And then I awoke, and lo! | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| DIO. There as, on deck, I'm reading to myself | 11 | ······/˘··/ |
| The Andromeda, a sudden pang of longing | 11 | ·˘/˘·/˘··/˘ |
| Shoots through my heart, you can't conceive how keenly. | 11 | ······˘/·/˘ |
| HER. How big a pang. | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. A small one, Molon's size. | 7 | ······· |
| HER. Caused by a woman? | 6 | ····/˘ |
| DIO. No. | 2 | ·· |
| HER. A boy? | 3 | ··· |
| DIO. No, no. | 3 | ··· |
| HER. A man? | 3 | ··· |
| DIO. Ah! ah! | 3 | ··· |
| HER. Was it for Cleisthenes? | 6 | ······ |
| DIO. Don't mock me, brother; on my life I am | 11 | ····/˘····· |
| In a bad way: such fierce desire consumes me. | 11 | ······˘/˘/· |
| HER. Aye, little brother? how? | 7 | ··/˘/˘· |
| DIO. I can't describe it. | 6 | ···˘/· |
| But yet I'll tell you in a riddling way. | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| Have you e'er felt a sudden lust for soup? | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| HER. Soup! Zeus-a-mercy, yes, ten thousand times. | 11 | ····/˘··/˘· |
| DIO. Is the thing clear, or must I speak again? | 11 | ·········˘/ |
| HER. Not of the soup: I'm clear about the soup. | 11 | ··········· |
| DIO. Well, just that sort of pang devours my heart | 11 | ·······˘/·· |
| For lost Euripides. | 5 | ····· |
| HER. A dead man too. | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. And no one shall persuade me not to go after the man. | 15 | ·····˘/········ |
| HER. Do you mean below, to Hades? | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| DIO. And lower still, if there's a lower still. | 10 | ··/····/˘· |
| HER. What on earth for? | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. I want a genuine poet, | 9 | ····//·/˘ |
| "For some are not, and those that are, are bad." | 10 | ·········· |
| HER. What! does not Iophon live? | 7 | ······· |
| DIO. Well, he's the sole | 5 | ····· |
| Good thing remaining, if even he is good. | 10 | ··˘/˘·/··· |
| For even of that I'm not exactly certain. | 11 | ·/····˘/˘/˘ |
| HER. If go you must, there's Sophocles--he comes Before | 12 | ······/˘···· |
| Euripides--why not take him? | 7 | ······· |
| DIO. Not till I've tried if Iophon's coin rings true | 11 | ··········· |
| When he's alone, apart from Sophocles. | 10 | ··˘/˘/·/˘˘ |
| Besides, Euripides the crafty rogue, | 9 | ·/····/˘· |
| Will find a thousand shifts to get away, | 10 | ···/˘···˘/ |
| But he was easy here, is easy there. | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| HER. But Agathon, where is he? | 8 | ········ |
| DIO. He has gone and left us, | 7 | ······· |
| A genial poet, by his friends much missed. | 10 | ·/˘/˘····· |
| HER. Gone where? | 3 | ··· |
| DIO. To join the blessed in their banquets. | 10 | ·····˘··/˘ |
| HER. But what of Xenocles? | 6 | ······ |
| DIO. O he be hanged! | 5 | ····· |
| HER. Pythangelus? | 5 | ····· |
| XAN. But never a word of me, | 8 | ··/˘···· |
| Not though my shoulder's chafed so terribly. | 10 | ···/˘··/˘˘ |
| HER. But have you not a shoal of little songsters, | 12 | ········/˘·· |
| Tragedians by the myriad, who can chatter | 11 | ·····/˘··/˘ |
| A furlong faster than Euripides? | 9 | ·/·/˘···· |
| DIO. Those be mere vintage-leavings, jabberers, choirs | 12 | ····/˘/˘···· |
| Of swallow-broods, degraders of their art, | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| Who get one chorus, and are seen no more, | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| The Muses' love once gained. But O my friend, | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| Search where you will, you'll never find a true | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| Creative genius, uttering startling things. | 10 | ˘/˘/˘/˘/˘· |
| HER. Creative? how do you mean? | 8 | ·˘/˘···· |
| DIO. I mean a man Who'll dare some novel venturesome conceit, | 14 | ········/˘/˘˘/ |
| Air, Zeus's chamber, or Time's foot, or this, | 10 | ·/˘/˘····· |
| 'Twas not my mind that swore: my tongue committed | 11 | ········˘/˘ |
| A little perjury on its own account. | 10 | ·/˘/˘···˘/ |
| HER. You like that style? | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. Like it? I dote upon it. | 8 | ········ |
| HER. I vow it's ribald nonsense, and you know it. | 12 | ····/˘/˘···· |
| DIO. "Rule not my mind": you've got a house to mind. | 11 | ··········· |
| HER. Really and truly though 'tis paltry stuff. | 11 | ·/˘·/˘··/˘· |
| DIO. Teach me to dine! | 5 | ····· |
| XAN. But never a word of me. | 8 | ··/˘···· |
| DIO. But tell me truly--'twas for this I came | 11 | ····/˘····· |
| Dressed up to mimic you--what friends received | 10 | ···/˘···˘/ |
| And entertained you when you went below | 10 | ··˘/······ |
| To bring back Cerberus, in case I need them. | 11 | ···/˘˘····· |
| And tell me too the havens, fountains, shops, | 10 | ·····/˘/˘· |
| Roads, resting-places, stews, refreshment rooms, | 10 | ·/˘/˘·˘/˘· |
| Towns, lodgings, hostesses, with whom were found | 10 | ·/˘/˘˘···· |
| The fewest bugs. | 4 | ·/˘· |
| XAN. But never a word of me. | 8 | ··/˘···· |
| HER. You are really game to go? | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| DIO. O drop that, can't you? | 6 | ······ |
| And tell me this: of all the roads you know | 10 | ·········· |
| Which is the quickest way to get to Hades? | 11 | ···/˘····/˘ |
| I want one not too warm, nor yet too cold. | 10 | ·········· |
| HER. Which shall I tell you first? which shall it be? | 11 | ··········· |
| There's one by rope and bench: you launch away | 10 | ········˘/ |
| And--hang yourself. | 4 | ··˘/ |
| DIO. No thank you: that's too stifling. | 8 | ······/˘ |
| HER. Then there's a track, a short and beaten cut. | 11 | ········/˘· |
| By pestle and mortar. | 6 | ·/˘·/˘ |
| DIO. Hemlock, do you mean? | 6 | ·/···· |
| HER. Just so. | 3 | ··· |
| DIO. No, that's too deathly cold a way; | 9 | ····/˘··· |
| You have hardly started ere your shins get numbed. | 11 | ··/˘/˘····· |
| HER. Well, would you like a steep and swift descent? | 11 | ·········˘/ |
| DIO. Aye, that's the style: my walking powers are small. | 11 | ······/˘/·· |
| HER. Go down to the Cerameicus. | 9 | ········· |
| DIO. And do what? | 4 | ···· |
| HER. Climb to the tower's top pinnacle-- | 10 | ····/˘·/˘˘ |
| DIO. And then? | 3 | ··· |
| HER. Observe the torch-race started, and when all | 11 | ·˘/···/˘··· |
| The multitude is shouting Let them go, | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| Let yourself go. | 4 | ·˘/· |
| DIO. Go whither? | 4 | ··/˘ |
| HER. To the ground. | 4 | ···· |
| DIO. O that would break my brain's two envelopes. | 11 | ········/˘· |
| I'll not try that | 4 | ···· |
| HER. Which will you try? | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. The way you went yourself. | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| HER. A parlous voyage that, | 7 | ··/˘/˘· |
| For first you'll come to an enormous lake | 10 | ······˘/˘· |
| Of fathomless depth. | 5 | ·/˘˘· |
| DIO. And how am I to cross? | 7 | ······· |
| HER. An ancient mariner will row you over | 10 | ··/˘/˘···· |
| In a wee boat, so big. | 6 | ······ |
| The fare's two obols. | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. Fie! The power two obols have, the whole world through! | 12 | ···/········ |
| How came they thither? | 5 | ···/˘ |
| HER. Theseus took them down. | 6 | ······ |
| And next you'll see great snakes and savage monsters | 11 | ·······/˘/˘ |
| In tens of thousands. | 5 | ···/˘ |
| DIO. You needn't try to scare me, I'm going to go. | 12 | ··/˘·····/·· |
| HER. Then weltering seas of filth | 8 | ··/˘˘··· |
| And ever-rippling dung: and plunged therein, | 10 | ·//˘˘····· |
| Whoso has wronged the stranger here on earth, | 10 | /˘···/˘··· |
| Or robbed his boylove of the promised pay, | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| Or swinged his mother, or profanely smitten | 11 | ···/˘·˘/˘/˘ |
| His father's cheek, or sworn an oath forsworn, | 10 | ·/˘······/ |
| Or copied out a speech of Morsimus. | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| DIO. There too, perdie, should he be plunged, whoe'er | 10 | ···˘/····· |
| Has danced the sword-dance of Cinesias. | 10 | ··˘······· |
| HER. And next the breath of flutes will float around you, | 12 | ············ |
| And glorious sunshine, such as ours, you'll see, | 10 | ·/˘/···/·· |
| And myrtle groves, and happy bands who clap | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| Their hands in triumph, men and women too. | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| DIO. And who are they? | 5 | ····· |
| HER. The happy mystic bands. | 7 | ··/˘/˘· |
| XAN. And I'm the donkey in the mystery show. | 11 | ····/˘··/˘· |
| But I'll not stand it, not one instant longer. | 11 | ·······/˘/˘ |
| HER. Who'll tell you everything you want to know. | 11 | ····/˘····· |
| You'll find them dwelling close beside the road | 10 | ···/˘·˘/·· |
| You are going to travel, just at Pluto's gate. | 11 | ··/·/˘··/˘· |
| And fare thee well, my brother. | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| DIO. And to you Good cheer. | 6 | ······ |
| (To Xan.) Now sirrah, pick you up the traps. | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| XAN. Before I've put them down? | 7 | ······· |
| DIO. And quickly too. | 5 | ··/˘· |
| XAN. No, prithee, no; but hire a body, one | 11 | ··/˘··/·/˘· |
| They're carrying out, on purpose for the trip. | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| DIO. If I can't find one? | 6 | ······ |
| XAN. Then I'll take them. | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. Good. And see! they are carrying out a body now. | 13 | ······/˘··/˘· |
| Hallo! you there, you deadman, are you willing | 11 | ·········/˘ |
| To carry down our little traps to Hades? | 11 | ·/˘·//˘··/˘ |
| CORP. What are they? | 4 | ···· |
| DIO. These. | 2 | ·· |
| CORP. Two drachmas for the job? | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| DIO. Nay, that's too much. | 5 | ····· |
| CORP. Out of the pathway, you! | 7 | ····/·· |
| DIO. Beshrew thee, stop: may-be we'll strike a bargain. | 12 | ·˘/·······/˘ |
| CORP. Pay me two drachmas, or it's no use talking. | 12 | ····/˘····/˘ |
| DIO. One and a half. | 5 | ····· |
| CORP. I'd liefer live again! | 7 | ··/˘·˘/ |
| XAN. How absolute the knave is! | 8 | ··/˘···· |
| He be hanged! I'll go myself. | 7 | ······/ |
| DIO. You're the right sort, my man. | 7 | ······· |
| Now to the ferry. | 5 | ···/˘ |
| CHAR. Yoh, up! lay her to. | 6 | ······ |
| XAN. Whatever's that? | 5 | ··/˘· |
| DIO. Why, that's the lake, by Zeus, | 7 | ······· |
| Whereof he spake, and yon's the ferry-boat. | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| XAN. Poseidon, yes, and that old fellow's Charon. | 12 | ·˘/˘····/˘/˘ |
| DIO. Charon! O welcome, Charon! welcome, Charon. | 12 | ·/˘·/˘/˘/˘/˘ |
| CHAR. Who's for the Rest from every pain and ill? | 11 | ······/˘··· |
| Who's for the Lethe's plain? the Donkey-shearings? | 10 | ······/˘/˘ |
| Who's for Cerberia? Taenarum? or the Ravens? | 12 | ··········/˘ |
| DIO. I. | 2 | ·· |
| CHAR. Hurry in. | 4 | ·/˘· |
| DIO. But where are you going really? In truth to the Ravens? | 14 | ·····//˘····/˘ |
| CHAR. Aye, for your behoof. Step in. | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| DIO. (To Xan.) Now, lad. | 5 | ····· |
| CHAR. A slave? I take no slave, | 7 | ······· |
| Unless he has fought for his bodyrights at sea. | 12 | ············ |
| XAN. I couldn't go. I'd got the eye-disease. | 11 | ··/˘·····˘/ |
| CHAR. Then fetch a circuit round about the lake. | 11 | ····/˘····· |
| XAN. Where must I wait? | 5 | ····· |
| CHAR. Beside the Withering stone, | 8 | ·˘/·/˘˘· |
| Hard by the Rest. | 4 | ···· |
| DIO. You understand? | 5 | ···˘/ |
| XAN. Too well. O, what ill omen crost me as I started! | 14 | ······/˘····/˘ |
| CHAR. (To DIO.) Sit to the oar. | 7 | ······· |
| (Calling.) Who else for the boat? | 7 | /˘····· |
| Be quick. | 2 | ·· |
| (To DIO.) Hi! what are you doing? | 8 | ······/˘ |
| DIO. What am I doing? Sitting On to the oar. | 11 | ····//˘···· |
| You told me to, yourself. | 6 | ····˘/ |
| CHAR. Now sit you there, you little Potgut. | 10 | ······/˘·· |
| DIO. So? | 2 | ·· |
| CHAR. Now stretch your arms full length before you. | 10 | ·········· |
| DIO. So? | 2 | ·· |
| CHAR. Come, don't keep fooling; plant your feet, and now | 11 | ····/˘····· |
| Pull with a will. | 4 | ···· |
| DIO. Why, how am I to pull? I'm not an oarsman, seaman, | 14 | ··········/˘/˘ |
| Salaminian. I can't! | 6 | ······ |
| CHAR. You can. Just dip your oar in once, | 9 | ········· |
| You'll hear the loveliest timing songs. | 9 | ······/˘· |
| DIO. What from? | 3 | ··· |
| CHAR. Frog-swans, most wonderful. | 7 | ····/˘˘ |
| DIO. Then give the word. | 5 | ····· |
| CHAR. Heave ahoy! heave ahoy!! | 7 | ··˘/·˘/ |
| FR. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax! | 9 | ········· |
| Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax! | 8 | ········ |
| We children of the fountain and the lake | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| Let us wake | 3 | ··· |
| Our full choir-shout, as the flutes are ringing out, | 11 | /·/·····/˘· |
| Our symphony of clear-voiced song. | 10 | /˘/˘˘···˘· |
| The song we used to love in the Marshland up above, | 13 | ········/···· |
| In praise of DIOnysus to produce, | 9 | ·······˘/ |
| Of Nysaean DIOnysus, son of Zeus, | 9 | ········· |
| When the revel-tipsy throng, all crapulous and gay, | 13 | ··/˘/˘······· |
| To our precinct reeled along on the holy | 11 | ·//··˘/··/˘ |
| Pitcher day. | 3 | /˘· |
| Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax. | 8 | ········ |
| DIO. O, dear! O dear! now I declare | 9 | ·······˘/ |
| I've got a bump upon my rump. | 8 | ········ |
| FR. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax. | 9 | ········· |
| DIO. But you, perchance, don't care. | 7 | ···˘/·· |
| FR. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax. | 9 | ········· |
| DIO. Hang you, and your ko-axing too! | 9 | ········· |
| There's nothing but ko-ax with you. | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| FR. That is right, Mr. Busybody, right! | 10 | ····/˘/˘˘· |
| For the Muses of the lyre love us well; | 10 | ··/˘······ |
| And hornfoot Pan who plays on the pipe his jocund lays; | 13 | ·/˘·······/˘· |
| And Apollo, Harper bright, in our Chorus takes delight | 14 | ·˘/˘/˘··//˘·˘/ |
| For the strong reed's sake which I grow within my lake | 12 | ············ |
| To be girdled in his lyre's deep shell. | 10 | ··/˘˘····· |
| Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax. | 8 | ········ |
| DIO. My hands are blistered very sore; | 10 | ····/˘˘/˘· |
| My stern below is sweltering so, | 9 | ·····/˘˘· |
| 'Twill soon, I know, upturn and roar | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax. | 8 | ········ |
| O tuneful race, O pray give o'er, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| O sing no more. | 4 | ···· |
| FR. Ah, no! ah, no! Loud and louder our chant must flow. | 12 | ·······//··· |
| Sing if ever ye sang of yore, | 8 | ··/˘···· |
| When in sunny and glorious days | 9 | ··/˘·/˘˘· |
| Through the rushes and marsh-flags springing | 9 | ··/˘···/˘ |
| On we swept, in the joy of singing | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| Myriad-divine roundelays. | 8 | /˘˘˘/··· |
| Or when fleeing the storm, we went | 8 | ··/˘···· |
| Down to the depths, and our choral song | 10 | ·····/˘/˘· |
| Wildly raised to a loud and long | 9 | /˘·˘····· |
| Bubble-bursting accompaniment. | 8 | /˘/˘˘/˘˘ |
| FR. and DIO. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax. | 11 | ··········· |
| DIO. This timing song I take from you. | 9 | ··/˘····· |
| FR. That's a dreadful thing to do. | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| DIO. Much more dreadful, if I row | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Till I burst myself, I trow. | 7 | ····/·· |
| FR. and DIO. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax. | 11 | ··········· |
| DIO. Go, hang yourselves; for what care I? | 9 | ···˘/···· |
| FR. All the same we'll shout and cry, | 8 | ········ |
| Stretching all our throats with song, | 8 | /˘·/˘··· |
| Shouting, crying, all day long. | 7 | /˘/˘··· |
| FR. and DIO. Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax. | 11 | ··········· |
| DIO. In this you'll never, never win. | 9 | ····/˘/˘· |
| FR. This you shall not beat us in. | 8 | ········ |
| DIO. No, nor ye prevail o'er me. | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| Never! never! I'll my song | 7 | /˘/˘··· |
| Shout, if need be, all day long, | 7 | ······· |
| Until I've learned to master your ko-ax. | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax. | 8 | ········ |
| I thought I'd put a stop to your ko-ax. | 10 | ·········· |
| CHAR. Stop! | 2 | ·· |
| Easy! Take the oar and push her to | 9 | /˘······· |
| now pay your fare and go. | 6 | ······ |
| DIO. Here 'tis: two obols. Xanthias! where's Xanthias? | 11 | ··········· |
| Is it Xanthias there? | 5 | ····· |
| XAN. Hoi, hoi! | 3 | ··· |
| DIO. Come hither. | 4 | ··/˘ |
| XAN. Glad to meet you, master. | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| DIO. What have you there? | 5 | ····· |
| XAN. Nothing but filth and darkness. | 8 | ·/˘···/˘ |
| DIO. But tell me, did you see the parricides | 11 | ··········· |
| And perjured folk he mentioned? | 7 | ·/˘··/˘ |
| XAN. Didn't you? | 4 | ·/˘· |
| DIO. Poseidon, yes. Why look! (pointing to the audience) | 13 | ·˘/˘···/˘··/˘ |
| I see them now. What's the next step? | 8 | ········ |
| XAN. We'd best be moving on. | 7 | ····/˘· |
| This is the spot where Heracles declared | 10 | ·······˘/˘ |
| Those savage monsters dwell. | 6 | ·/˘/˘· |
| DIO. O hang the fellow. | 6 | ····/˘ |
| That's all his bluff: he thought to scare me off, | 10 | ·········· |
| The jealous dog, knowing my plucky ways. | 10 | ·/˘·/˘·/˘· |
| There's no such swaggerer lives as Heracles. | 10 | ···/˘˘···· |
| Why, I'd like nothing better than to achieve | 11 | ···/˘/˘··˘/ |
| Some bold adventure, worthy of our trip. | 10 | ··˘/˘/˘·/· |
| XAN. I know you would. Hallo! I hear a noise. | 11 | ··········· |
| DIO. Where? what? | 3 | ··· |
| XAN. Behind us, there. | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. Get you behind. | 5 | ····· |
| XAN. No, it's in front. | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. Get you in front directly. | 8 | ·····˘/˘ |
| XAN. And now I see the most ferocious monster. | 12 | ·······˘/˘/˘ |
| DIO. O, what's it like? | 5 | ····· |
| XAN. Like everything by turns. | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Now it's a bull: now it's a mule: and now | 10 | ·········· |
| The loveliest girl. | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. O, where? I'll go and meet her. | 8 | ········ |
| XAN. It's ceased to be a girl: it's a dog now. | 11 | ··········· |
| DIO. It is Empusa! | 6 | ······ |
| XAN. Well, its face is all | 6 | ······ |
| Ablaze with fire. | 5 | ˘/·/˘ |
| DIO. Has it a copper leg? | 7 | ····/˘· |
| XAN. A copper leg, yes, one; and one of cow dung. | 12 | ··/˘········ |
| DIO. O, whither shall I flee? | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| XAN. O, whither I? | 5 | ··/˘· |
| DIO. My priest, protect me, and we'll sup together. | 12 | ···˘/····˘/˘ |
| XAN. King Heracles, we're done for. | 7 | ······· |
| DIO. O, forbear, Good fellow, call me anything but that. | 14 | ··˘/·/˘··/˘··· |
| XAN. Well then, Dionysus. | 6 | ······ |
| DIO. O, that's worse again. | 6 | ····˘/ |
| XAN. (To the Spectre.) Aye, go thy way. | 9 | ···/˘···· |
| O master, here, come here. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| DIO. O, what's up now? | 5 | ····· |
| XAN. Take courage; all's serene. | 7 | ··/˘·˘/ |
| And, like Hegelochus, we now may say | 10 | ·········· |
| "Out of the storm there comes a new fine wether." | 11 | ·········/˘ |
| Empusa's gone. | 4 | ···· |
| DIO. Swear it. | 3 | ··· |
| XAN. By Zeus she is. | 5 | ····· |
| DIO. Swear it again. | 5 | ···˘/ |
| XAN. By Zeus. | 3 | ··· |
| DIO. Again | 3 | ·˘/ |
The first 400 of 413 lines; the reader marks them all.
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.