88
ARISTOPHANES' FROGS
Dionysus.
At least he fought no sea-fight with a colleague
Called Erasinides!
Euripides.
That's no criticism.
I write my prologues singularly well!
Aeschylus.
By Zeus, I won't go pecking word by word
At every phrase; I'll take one little oil-can,
God helping me, and send your prologues pop!
Euripides.
My prologues pop . . . with oil-cans?
Aeschylus.
Just one oil-can!
You write them so that nothing comes amiss,
The bed-quilt, or the oil-can, or the clothes-bag,
All suit your tragic verse! Wait and I'll prove it.
Euripides.
You'll prove it? Really?
Aeschylus.
Yes.
Dionysus.
Begin to quote.
Euripides.
"Aegyptus, so the tale is spread afar,
With fifty youths fled in a sea-borne car,
But, reaching Argos . . ."
