But what did you want with a cock in
tragedy?
Aristophanes
Silence!
EURIPIDES. There was no comprehending one word.
DIONYSUS (_to Aeschylus_). Don't grind your teeth.
EURIPIDES. There were Scamanders, abysses, griffins with eagles' beaks
chiselled upon brazen bucklers, all words with frowning crests and hard,
hard to understand.
DIONYSUS. 'Faith, I was kept awake almost an entire night, trying to
think out his yellow bird, half cock and half horse. [474]
AESCHYLUS. Why, fool, 'tis a device that is painted on the prow of a
vessel.
DIONYSUS. Ah! I actually thought 'twas Eryxis, the son of
Philoxenus. [475]
EURIPIDES.
But what did you want with a cock in tragedy?
AESCHYLUS. But you, you foe of the gods, what have you done that is so
good?
EURIPIDES. Oh! I have not made horses with cocks' heads like you, nor
goats with deer's horns, as you may see 'em on Persian tapestries; but,
when I received tragedy from your hands, it was quite bloated with
enormous, ponderous words, and I began by lightening it of its heavy
baggage and treated it with little verses, with subtle arguments, with
the sap of white beet and decoctions of philosophical folly, the whole
being well filtered together;[476] then I fed it with monologues, mixing
in some Cephisophon;[477] but I did not chatter at random nor mix in any
ingredients that first came to hand; from the outset I made my subject
clear, and told the origin of the piece.
AESCHYLUS. Well, that was better than telling your own. [478]
EURIPIDES. Then, starting with the very first verse, each character
played his part; all spoke, both woman and slave and master, young girl
and old hag. [479]
AESCHYLUS. And was not such daring deserving of death?
EURIPIDES. No, by Apollo! 'twas to please the people.
DIONYSUS.
EURIPIDES. There was no comprehending one word.
DIONYSUS (_to Aeschylus_). Don't grind your teeth.
EURIPIDES. There were Scamanders, abysses, griffins with eagles' beaks
chiselled upon brazen bucklers, all words with frowning crests and hard,
hard to understand.
DIONYSUS. 'Faith, I was kept awake almost an entire night, trying to
think out his yellow bird, half cock and half horse. [474]
AESCHYLUS. Why, fool, 'tis a device that is painted on the prow of a
vessel.
DIONYSUS. Ah! I actually thought 'twas Eryxis, the son of
Philoxenus. [475]
EURIPIDES.
But what did you want with a cock in tragedy?
AESCHYLUS. But you, you foe of the gods, what have you done that is so
good?
EURIPIDES. Oh! I have not made horses with cocks' heads like you, nor
goats with deer's horns, as you may see 'em on Persian tapestries; but,
when I received tragedy from your hands, it was quite bloated with
enormous, ponderous words, and I began by lightening it of its heavy
baggage and treated it with little verses, with subtle arguments, with
the sap of white beet and decoctions of philosophical folly, the whole
being well filtered together;[476] then I fed it with monologues, mixing
in some Cephisophon;[477] but I did not chatter at random nor mix in any
ingredients that first came to hand; from the outset I made my subject
clear, and told the origin of the piece.
AESCHYLUS. Well, that was better than telling your own. [478]
EURIPIDES. Then, starting with the very first verse, each character
played his part; all spoke, both woman and slave and master, young girl
and old hag. [479]
AESCHYLUS. And was not such daring deserving of death?
EURIPIDES. No, by Apollo! 'twas to please the people.
DIONYSUS.
