The coals of Parues all but met with their death, and this too through the imprudence of their wardsmen ; under the influence of fear also, the coal-scuttle, as it were a cuttle-fish, sprinkled me with a cloud of black’ dust. Hard is it that the mind of men should naturally be as sour as a wild grape, urging them on to throw and shout, and willing them to hear of nothing which tends to a fair and equal mixture, such as mine--when I would address to them, over a chopping-block, whatever I should say in behalf of the Lacedæmonians. And yet I love at least my life.

CHOR.-Why then do you not commence, you wretch, having brought out the chopping-block, this weighty matter you have in hand, whatever it be, for altogether an earnest wish to know your sentiments possesses me. Come, having placed here the chopping-block, the means of punishment chosen by yourself, proceed to speak.

DIC.-Lo, behold! here is the chopping-block, and here the advocate about to address you-only of this size! I will not uselessly arm myself with a buckler, by Jupiter, but will speak in behalf of the Lacedæmonians what seems good to me. And yet my fears are many, for the humour too of the rustics I know to be wondrous tickled, if any vain, boasting demagogue praise them and their city, with justice on his side or not: and thus unknowingly they are sold. Of the elders again I know the mind, that they look to nothing else than galling with the pebble: and I myself know what I suffered at the hands of Cleon, for my last year's comedy. For having dragged me before the court, he calumniated me, he struck me dumb with his falsehoods, he bore me down with

1 Thucyd.lib. ii. 23. έδύουν των δήμων τινάς άλλους των μεταξύ Πάρνηθος kai Bpilýooov õpovs. Dawes, p. 593, Kidd. 2nd ed. 2 Vide Hor, sat. i. iv. 100—

_“ Hic nigræ succus coliginis : hæc est Ærugo mera."3 For similar expressions, vide Blomf. ad Choeph. 126.

4 The Babylonians, B.C. 426, 01. 3, lxxxviii. See Clinton's Fast. Hell. p. 67. 5 Vide Equit. 137, where Cleon is styled

"Αρπαξ, κεκράκτης, Κυκλοβόρου φωνήν έχων,

a torrent of lies, and smeared' mé with obloquy, so that I was all but lost under the filthiness of his abuse. First, then, ere I speak, permit me, most miserable of the miserable, to go and robe myself for the occasion.

CHOR.—What is the reason of these shifts ? what of these devices? why seek means for delay? Borrow, however, I care not, from Hieronymus, some dark shaggy, thick haired helmet of Hades. But mind you lay open such tricks as Sisyphus would have used, since this contest admits of no pretence.

DIC.-It is time for me now to summon up a hardy heart, and I must repair to Euripides.—Slave, slave!

SERVANT OF EURIPIDES.
SERV. OF EUR.-Who is this?
vic.—Is Euripides within ?
SERV. OF EUR.--Though not within, he is within, if

you are possessed of sense.

DIC.-How is this ? --within, and then not within.

SERV. OF EUR.—True enough, old man. "His mind, observe me, without, collecting little verse, is not within ; but he himself is within, up stairs, making tragedy.

DIC.-Thrice happy Euripides! to have a servant who interpretsø so wisely as this ! Call him out.

SERV, OF EUR. — Nay, it is impossible.
DIC.--Still, however, do; for I could not think of going

'.1“ Simili ferè sensu dicunt Galli : “ Laver la tête à quelqu'un :" id est

lui faire des réprimandes sévères.”—ELMSL. For Galli, the true word is Franco-Galli.'

2 Hieronymus was a sorry Dithyrambic poet. For additional information, see the Scholiast on the Clouds, v. 349.

3 " Exñus est prætextus sive excusatio quæ utebantur in jus citati quò minùs ad diem se sisterent.” --ELMSL. 4 See Mitchell, vol. i. p. 55. Vide Hor. Epist. lib. i. xii. 12–

Miramur, si Democriti pecus edit agellos

Cultaque, dum peregrè est animus sine corpore velox." 6:“ Ytrokpivɛodai, interpretari, legitur in Vesp. 53.”—ELMSL.

7 The åMlà throughout these lines hardly admits of a translation. Those only, who are fully and critically acquainted with the original, will be able to see its peculiar beauty:

away. Well then I will rap at the door myself. Euripides, my dear little Euripides, listen, if ever to any man, Dicæopolis calls you. I, of Chollis.

EURIPIDES.

EUR.-Nay, I have not leisure.

DIC.-Well then, be wheeled here in your encyclema.'

EUR.-Nay, it is impossible.

DIC.-Still, however, do.

EUR.-Well then, I will suffer myself to be wheeled out; but to descend, I have not leisure.

DIC.-Euripides!

EUR.-Why speak so loud?

DIC.-Do you make verses up stairs, when you might below? No wonder your verses are halt.

Yet, why wear you the
No wonder your charac-

rags from tragedy, a piteous garb? ters are beggars. But, Euripides, a suppliant at your knees. I entreat you give me a rag from some old drama, for I must address the Chorus in a lengthy speech, and if I acquit myself ill, the same brings in (the verdict of) death.

EUR.-What rags would you? those in which the wretched aged Æneus here acted his part?

DIC.-No, I want not those of Æneus, but of one far more wretched.

EUR.-Those of the blind Phoenix?

DIC.-No, no, not those of Phoenix; but there was another more miserable than Phoenix.

EUR.-What ragged garments does the man require? Are they then those of the beggar Philoctetes which you mean? DIC.-No: but those of one far more a beggar than he! EUR.-Would you then the tattered weeds which Bellerophon wore, that lame one?

DIC.-No, not Bellerophon's: though he I mean was lame, beggarly, glib, and the very deuce at speaking. EUR.-I have the man: Telephus of Mysia.

1 For a description, vide Poll. iv. 128.

2 For ȧrap rí, vide Elmsl. ad Her. 661, 662.

3 The Chorus. The names which follow are so well known to the readers of the Greek drama, that it has been thought needless to give any detail.

DIC.-Aye, Telephus: give me, I entreat you, his swaddling clothes!

EUR.-Slave, give to him the rags of Telephus: they lie above the Thyestean rags, between and those of Ino's.

EUR.-LO! here they are, take them.

DIC.-O Jupiter, that seest through and beholdest all things on every side, grant me, the most miserable of the miserable, to robe myself. Euripides, since kindly thou hast presented me with these, give me also those accompanying rags: the little Mysian cap to cover my head with. "For' to-day it is befitting I look the beggar, to be indeed the man I am, but to seem what I am not." The spectators must know me who I am; but the Chorus, on the other hand, should stand by like fools, that I may palm them off with diminutive words.

EUR.—I will give it: for in your well-stored mind you discover cunning devices.

DIC.-Blest be your lot :-but to Telephus, what I am pondering upon! Prolific wit! How am I now filled full of diminutive words! But still I lack the pauper's staff.

EUR.-Take this, and begone from my stone-built hold. DIC. My soul, for thou seest how I am excluded from his house in want of many small requisites to complete my tire. Now, indeed, be pliantly earnest, begging, and entreating. Euripides, give me a little basket, though burnt through with a link?

EUR. Unfortunate man! what call of necessity possesses' you for this wicker-work?

DIC.-None at all, but still I wish to have it.

EUR.-Thou art troublesome; know it, and be gone from my house.

DIC.-Alas!-Bliss be thy lot as erst it was thy mother's! EUR.-I beg you leave me.

DIC.-Nay, but grant me one other gift only, a little cup, whose edge is chipped.

I These two verses, according to the Scholiast, are from the Telephus of Euripides. Brunck has given them in uncial letters.

2 The true reading is doubtless σe not yɛ. Vide Elmsl. ad Med. v. 1334.

EUR.-Take it, and go hang: I bid you know again your company is troublesome in my house.

DIC. As yet you know not, by Jove, the ills you work yourself. But, my sweetest Euripides, give me yet this one article, a little platter, which has been smeared (with honey1) by a sponge?

EUR.-Fellow, you will rob me of my tragedy. Take this and depart.

DIC.-I go and yet what shall I do? for I need one thing, which, if I obtain not, I am undone. Hear, sweetest Euripides! If I obtain this, I will go, and will not come more. To put in the little basket, give me a few spare leaves.

EUR.-You will be my ruin. Here they are. My dramas are vanished!

DIC.-Well, no more: I will be gone; for I am too troublesome surely, since I appear to hold tyrants in abhorrence, Alas, ill-starred wretch! how am I undone. I have forgot that on which the whole of my business turns. My dear little Euripides, my honey, my darling, may I die the worst of deaths if I urge my requests further than for this one article, this one, this one only. Give me a potsherd,' your mother's legacy!

EUR.-The fellow becomes insolent: shut close the house

door.

DIC.-Heart of mine! we must go without the potsherd. Know you not how great a contest you will soon have to encounter, about to harangue in behalf of the Lacedæmonians. Proceed then, my heart! there stand the barriers. What? -Hesitate! will you not go after having embibed Euripides? -I give thee praise. Come then, care-worn heart of mine!

1 "A sponge dipped in honey, among the Greeks, supplied the place of Godfrey's Cordial with us.-MITCHELL.

2 See Elmsley's note on this verse (472.)

3 See the life of Euripides, at the end of Elmsley's Baccha. “ Ευριπίδης ὁ ποιητὴς ὑἱος ἐγένετο Μνηστάρχου καπήλου καὶ Κλειτοῦς λαχανοπώλιδος.” Elmsley's remark is, " Nunc primùm, nî fallor, in lucem prodit hæc Euripidis vita è bibliothecâ Collegii Ambrosiani, quod Mediolani est. Codicis nota est A. 104."