How the three great Athenian Dramatists treated the Story of

Philoctetes. Oration 52

X. LUCIAN

How to become a Perfect Orator. The Orator's Manual

15-21

Index

212

218

223

GREEK LITERARY CRITICISM

I. ARISTOPHANES

A Contest for the Throne of Tragedy

FROGS 756-1533. (Dionysus' slave Xanthias is conversing with Aeacus, the porter of Hades.)

Xanthias. What is that noise . . . those shouts and quarrelling. Inside?

Aeacus. That? Aeschylus and Euripides!
Xanthias. Eh?

Aeacus. Yes; there's a big business just astir,
And hot dissension among all the dead.
Xanthias. About what?

Aeacus.

There's a law established here

Concerning all the large and liberal arts, Which grants the foremost master in each art Free entertainment at the Central Hearth, And also a special throne in Pluto's row. Xanthias. Oh, now I understand!

Aeacus.

To hold until

There comes one greater; then he must make way. Xanthias. But how has this affected Aeschylus ?

Aeacus. Aeschylus held the throne of tragedy,

As greatest

Xanthias.

Held it? Why, who holds it now?

Aeacus. Well, when Euripides came down, he gave
Free exhibitions to our choicest thieves,

Footpads, cut-purses, burglars, father-beaters,

-Of whom we have numbers here; and when they heard

The neat retorts, the fencing, and the twists,

They all went mad and thought him something splendid. And he, growing proud, laid hands upon the throne Where Aeschylus sat.

Xanthias.

And wasn't pelted off?

Aeacus. Not he. The whole folk clamoured for a trial
To see which most was master of his craft.
Xanthias. The whole jail-folk?

Aeacus.

Exactly;-loud as trumpets. Xanthias. And were there none to fight for Aeschylus ? Aeacus. Goodness is scarce, you know. [Indicating the audience] The same as here!

Xanthias. And what does Pluto mean to do about it?

Aeacus. Why, hold a trial and contest on the spot

To test their skill for certain

Xanthias [reflecting].

But, I say,

Sophocles surely must have claimed the throne?
Aeacus. Not he; as soon as ever he came down,
He kissed old Aeschylus, and wrung his hand,
And Aeschylus made room on half his seat.
And now he means to wait-or so, at least,
Clidemides informs us-in reserve.

If Aeschylus wins the day, he'll rest content:
If not, why then, he says, for poor Art's sake,
He must show fight against Euripides!

Xanthias. It is to be, then?

Aeacus.

Certainly, quite soon.

Just where you stand we'll have the shock of war.
They'll weigh the poetry line by line.

Xanthias.

Poor thing,

A lamb set in the meat-scale and found wanting!

Aeacus. They'll bring straight-edges out, and cubit-rules, And folded cube-frames

Xanthias.

Is it bricks they want?

Aeacus. And mitre-squares and wedges! Line by line

Euripides will test all tragedies!

Xanthias. That must make Aeschylus angry, I should

think?

Aeacus. Well, he did stoop and glower like a mad bull.
Xanthias. Who'll be the judge?

Aeacus.

That was a difficulty.

Both found an utter dearth of proper critics;

For Aeschylus objected to the Athenians .

Xanthias. Perhaps he thought the jail-folk rather many? Aeacus. And all the world beside, he thought mere dirt

At seeing what kind of thing a poet was.

So, in the end, they fixed upon your master
As having much experience in the business.

But come in; when the master's face looks grave
There's mostly trouble coming for the slave.

[They go into the house. Chorus. [The song is a parody of the metre and style of Aeschylus.] Eftsoons shall dire anger interne be the Thunderer's portion,

When his foe's glib tusk fresh whetted for blood he

descries;

Then fell shall his heart be, and mad; and a pallid distortion

Descend as a cloud on his eyes.

Yea, words with plumes wild on the wind and with helmets a-glancing,

With axles a-splinter and marble a-shiver, eftsoons Shall bleed, as a man meets the shock of a Thoughtbuilder's prancing

Stanzas of dusky dragoons.