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Aristophanes · The Frogs §1175-1254

Euripides' Prologues and the Oil Flask Joke

Passage 15 of 18 · Greek

Summary

After Aeschylus defends his repetitive calling to the dead, he targets Euripides' prologues using the famous "little oil-flask" (lekythion) formula to expose their predictable structure, before the debate shifts to lyric songs.

§1175τεθνηκόσιν γὰρ ἔλεγεν ὦ μόχθηρε σύ, §1176οἷς οὐδὲ τρὶς λέγοντες ἐξικνούμεθα.
(AESCHYLUS) For he was speaking to the dead, you miserable wretch, to whom we cannot reach even when we speak three times.
§1177σὺ δὲ πῶς ἐποίεις τοὺς προλόγους;
(DIONYSUS) And how did you write your prologues?
§1177bἐγὼ φράσω.
(EURIPIDES) I will tell you.
§1178κἄν που δὶς εἴπω ταὐτόν, ἢ στοιβὴν ἴδῃς §1179ἐνοῦσαν ἔξω τοῦ λόγου, κατάπτυσον.
And if I say the same thing twice anywhere, or if you see any padding inside that is outside the plot, spit on me.
§1180ἴθι δὴ λέγʼ· οὐ γάρ μοὔστιν ἀλλʼ ἀκουστέα §1181τῶν σῶν προλόγων τῆς ὀρθότητος τῶν ἐπῶν.
(DIONYSUS) Come then, speak; for there is nothing for me but to hear the correctness of the verses of your prologues.
§1182ἦν Οἰδίπους τὸ πρῶτον εὐδαίμων ἀνήρ — §1183μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὐ δῆτʼ, ἀλλὰ κακοδαίμων φύσει,
(EURIPIDES) "Oedipus was at first a fortunate man—" (AESCHYLUS) By Zeus, not at all!
§1184ὅντινά γε πρὶν φῦναι μὲν Ἁπόλλων ἔφη §1185ἀποκτενεῖν τὸν πατέρα, πρὶν καὶ γεγονέναι·
Rather, unfortunate by nature, since, before he was born, yes, even before he was conceived, Apollo said he would kill his father.
§1186πῶς οὗτος ἦν τὸ πρῶτον εὐδαίμων ἀνήρ;
How was this man at first a fortunate man?
§1187εἶτʼ ἐγένετʼ αὖθις ἀθλιώτατος βροτῶν. §1188μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὐ δῆτʼ, οὐ μὲν οὖν ἐπαύσατο.
(EURIPIDES) "Then he became in turn the most miserable of mortals." (AESCHYLUS) By Zeus, not at all! Rather, he never ceased being so.
§1189πῶς γάρ;
For how so?
ὅτε δὴ πρῶτον μὲν αὐτὸν γενόμενον §1190χειμῶνος ὄντος ἐξέθεσαν ἐν ὀστράκῳ, §1191ἵνα μὴ ʼκτραφεὶς γένοιτο τοῦ πατρὸς φονεύς· §1192εἶθʼ ὡς Πόλυβον ἤρρησεν οἰδῶν τὼ πόδε· §1193ἔπειτα γραῦν ἔγημεν αὐτὸς ὢν νέος §1194καὶ πρός γε τούτοις τὴν ἑαυτοῦ μητέρα· §1195εἶτʼ ἐξετύφλωσεν αὑτόν.
Seeing that, in the first place, when he was born, in the depth of winter, they exposed him in an earthen pot, so that he might not grow up to be his father's murderer; then he dragged himself to Polybus with both feet swollen; then, being himself a young man, he married an old woman, and moreover, his own mother; then he blinded himself.
§1195bεὐδαίμων ἄρʼ ἦν, §1196εἰ κἀστρατήγησέν γε μετʼ Ἐρασινίδου.
(DIONYSUS) A fortunate man he was, then, if he also served as general along with Erasinides.
§1197ληρεῖς·
(EURIPIDES) You are talking nonsense.
ἐγὼ δὲ τοὺς προλόγους καλοὺς ποιῶ.
But I write beautiful prologues.
§1198καὶ μὴν μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὐ κατʼ ἔπος γέ σου κνίσω §1199τὸ ῥῆμʼ ἕκαστον, ἀλλὰ σὺν τοῖσιν θεοῖς §1200ἀπὸ ληκυθίου σου τοὺς προλόγους διαφθερῶ.
(AESCHYLUS) And yet, by Zeus, I will not nibble at your phrases line by line, but with the help of the gods, I will destroy your prologues with a little oil-flask.
§1201ἀπὸ ληκυθίου σὺ τοὺς ἐμούς;
(EURIPIDES) You, destroy my prologues with a little oil-flask?
§1201bἑνὸς μόνου.
(AESCHYLUS) With only one.
§1202ποιεῖς γὰρ οὕτως ὥστʼ ἐναρμόττειν ἅπαν, §1203καὶ κῳδάριον καὶ ληκύθιον καὶ θύλακον, §1204ἐν τοῖς ἰαμβείοισι.
For you write in such a way that anything fits into your iambics— a fleece, a little oil-flask, or a little bag.
δείξω δʼ αὐτίκα.
I will show you right away.
§1205ἰδού, σὺ δείξεις;
(EURIPIDES) Look, you will show me?
§1205bφημί.
(AESCHYLUS) Yes, I say so.
§1205cκαὶ δὴ χρὴ λέγειν.
(DIONYSUS) And indeed, you must recite.
§1206Αἴγυπτος, ὡς ὁ πλεῖστος ἔσπαρται λόγος, §1207ξὺν παισὶ πεντήκοντα ναυτίλῳ πλάτῃ §1208Ἄργος κατασχών— §1208bληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.
(EURIPIDES) "Aegyptus, as the most widespread story goes, having put in at Argos with fifty sons by maritime oar—" (AESCHYLUS) —lost his little oil-flask.
§1209τουτὶ τί ἦν τὸ ληκύθιον;
(DIONYSUS) What on earth was this little oil-flask?
οὐ κλαύσεται;
Won't he go weep for it?
§1210λέγʼ ἕτερον αὐτῷ πρόλογον, ἵνα καὶ γνῶ πάλιν.
Recite another prologue to him, so that I may understand it again.
§1211Διόνυσος, ὃς θύρσοισι καὶ νεβρῶν δοραῖς §1212καθαπτὸς ἐν πεύκαισι Παρνασσὸν κάτα §1213πηδᾷ χορεύων — §1213bληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.
(EURIPIDES) "Dionysus, who, clad in thyrsus-staves and fawnskins, leaps dancing amid the pines along Parnassus—" (AESCHYLUS) —lost his little oil-flask.
§1214οἴμοι πεπλήγμεθʼ αὖθις ὑπὸ τῆς ληκύθου.
(DIONYSUS) Alas, we have been struck again by the oil-flask!
§1215ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἔσται πρᾶγμα· πρὸς γὰρ τουτονὶ §1216τὸν πρόλογον οὐχ ἕξει προσάψαι λήκυθον.
(EURIPIDES) But it will be nothing; for to this prologue he will not be able to attach the oil-flask.
§1217οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις πάντʼ ἀνὴρ εὐδαιμονεῖ· §1218ἢ γὰρ πεφυκὼς ἐσθλὸς οὐκ ἔχει βίον, §1219ἢ δυσγενὴς ὤν — §1219bληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.
"There is no man who is fortunate in all things; for either, being noble by birth, he lacks a livelihood, or being of low birth—" (AESCHYLUS) —lost his little oil-flask.
§1220Εὐριπίδη— §1220bτί ἔσθʼ;
(DIONYSUS) Euripides— (EURIPIDES) What is it?
§1220cὑφέσθαι μοι δοκεῖ·
(DIONYSUS) I think you should lower your sails.
§1221τὸ ληκύθιον γὰρ τοῦτο πνευσεῖται πολύ.
For this little oil-flask will blow a gale.
§1222οὐδʼ ἂν μὰ τὴν Δήμητρα φροντίσαιμί γε·
(EURIPIDES) By Demeter, I would not care at all!
§1223νυνὶ γὰρ αὐτοῦ τοῦτό γʼ ἐκκεκόψεται.
For now this very thing will be knocked out of his hand.
§1224ἴθι δὴ λέγʼ ἕτερον κἀπέχου τῆς ληκύθου.
(DIONYSUS) Come then, recite another, and keep clear of the oil-flask.
§1225Σιδώνιόν ποτʼ ἄστυ Κάδμος ἐκλιπὼν §1226Ἀγήνορος παῖς — §1226bληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.
"Cadmus having once left the Sidonian city, the son of Agenor—" (AESCHYLUS) —lost his little oil-flask.
§1227ὦ δαιμόνιʼ ἀνδρῶν ἀποπρίω τὴν λήκυθον, §1228ἵνα μὴ διακναίσῃ τοὺς προλόγους ἡμῶν.
(DIONYSUS) My good man, buy off the oil-flask, so that he may not ruin our prologues!
§1228bτὸ τί;
(EURIPIDES) What's that?
§1229ἐγὼ πρίωμαι τῷδʼ;
Am I to buy from him?
§1229bἐὰν πείθῃ γʼ ἐμοί.
(DIONYSUS) Yes, if you take my advice.
§1230οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεὶ πολλοὺς προλόγους ἕξω λέγειν §1231ἵνʼ οὗτος οὐχ ἕξει προσάψαι ληκύθιον.
(EURIPIDES) Certainly not, since I shall have many prologues to recite, where he will not be able to attach a little oil-flask.
§1232Πέλοψ ὁ Ταντάλειος ἐς Πῖσαν μολὼν §1233θοαῖσιν ἵπποις — §1233bληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.
"Pelops, the son of Tantalus, having come to Pisa with swift horses—" (AESCHYLUS) —lost his little oil-flask.
§1234ὁρᾷς, προσῆψεν αὖθις αὖ τὴν λήκυθον.
(DIONYSUS) You see, he attached the oil-flask once again.
§1235ἀλλʼ ὦγάθʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἀπόδος πάσῃ τέχνῃ· §1236λήψει γὰρ ὀβολοῦ πάνυ καλήν τε κἀγαθήν.
But, my good friend, even now, buy it off by all means; for you will get a very fine and good one for an obol.
§1237μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὔπω γʼ·
(EURIPIDES) By Zeus, not yet!
ἔτι γὰρ εἰσί μοι συχνοί.
For I still have plenty of them.
§1238Οἰνεύς ποτʼ ἐκ γῆς — §1238bληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.
"Oeneus once from the land—" (AESCHYLUS) —lost his little oil-flask.
§1239ἔασον εἰπεῖν πρῶθʼ ὅλον με τὸν στίχον.
(EURIPIDES) Let me say the whole line first.
§1240Οἰνεύς ποτʼ ἐκ γῆς πολύμετρον λαβὼν στάχυν §1241θύων ἀπαρχάς — §1241bληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν.
"Oeneus once, having received a bountiful harvest of grain from the land, sacrificing the first-fruits—" (AESCHYLUS) —lost his little oil-flask.
§1242μεταξὺ θύων;
(DIONYSUS) While sacrificing?
καὶ τίς αὔθʼ ὑφείλετο;
And who stole it from him?
§1243ἔα αὐτὸν ὦ τᾶν· πρὸς τοδὶ γὰρ εἰπάτω.
(EURIPIDES) Let him be, my friend; let him try it against this next one.
§1244Ζεύς, ὡς λέλεκται τῆς ἀληθείας ὕπο — §1245ἀπολεῖ σʼ· ἐρεῖ γάρ, ληκύθιον ἀπώλεσεν. §1246τὸ ληκύθιον γὰρ τοῦτʼ ἐπὶ τοῖς προλόγοισί σου §1247ὥσπερ τὰ σῦκʼ ἐπὶ τοῖσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἔφυ.
"Zeus, as has been said by Truth—" (DIONYSUS) He will ruin you; for he will say, 'lost his little oil-flask.' For this little oil-flask grows upon your prologues just like warts on people's eyes.
§1248ἀλλʼ ἐς τὰ μέλη πρὸς τῶν θεῶν αὐτοῦ τραποῦ.
But by the gods, turn to his lyric songs.
§1249καὶ μὴν ἔχω γʼ οἷς αὐτὸν ἀποδείξω κακὸν §1250μελοποιὸν ὄντα καὶ ποιοῦντα ταὔτʼ ἀεί.
(EURIPIDES) And indeed I have the means by which I will show him to be a bad song-maker, and always doing the same things.
§1251τί ποτε πρᾶγμα γενήσεται;
(CHORUS) What on earth will happen?
§1252φροντίζειν γὰρ ἔγωγʼ ἔχω, §1253τίνʼ ἄρα μέμψιν ἐποίσει §1254ἀνδρὶ τῷ πολὺ πλεῖστα δὴ
For I cannot help wondering, what blame indeed he will bring against the man who has surely composed by far the most...

Notes

  1. §1176οἷς οὐδὲ τρὶς λέγοντες ἐξικνούμεθα — The relative pronoun οἷς refers to the antecedent τεθνηκόσιν (the dead) and functions as the dative complement of the verb ἐξικνούμεθα (to reach). The participle λέγοντες is concessive, meaning 'even if we speak/call'. It refers to the Greek custom of calling the dead three times.
  2. §1180οὐ γάρ μοὔστιν ἀλλʼ ἀκουστέα — The construction οὐ γάρ μοὔστιν [μοι ἔστιν] ἀλλʼ... (literally, 'there is nothing for me but...') expresses strong necessity. The neuter plural verbal adjective ἀκουστέα is used impersonally, with the dative μοι functioning as the logical subject. The subsequent genitives (τῶν σῶν προλόγων τῆς ὀρθότητος τῶν ἐπῶν) are nested, meaning 'the correctness of the verses of your prologues'.
  3. §1202ὥστʼ ἐναρμόττειν ἅπαν — A consecutive clause introduced by ὥστε followed by the infinitive ἐναρμόττειν (to fit). The subject is ἅπαν (everything), which anticipates the subsequent examples of diminutives: κῳδάριον (fleece), ληκύθιον (oil-flask), and θύλακον (bag).
  4. §1235ἀπόδος πάσῃ τέχνῃ — The verb ἀπόδος is the second-person singular aorist active imperative of ἀποδίδωμι. Although it can mean 'sell' in other contexts, here it means to 'buy off' or 'pay' to get rid of the oil-flask. The phrase πάσῃ τέχνῃ is an idiomatic dative meaning 'by all means' or 'by any device'.
  5. §1252φροντίζειν γὰρ ἔγωγʼ ἔχω — The verb ἔχω functions auxiliary-like with the infinitive φροντίζειν, meaning 'I cannot help but wonder' or 'I am able to ponder'. The subject is emphasized by the intensive pronoun ἔγωγε.

Cite this passage

Aristophanes, The Frogs §1175-1254. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg009.humanitext-grc2:1175-1254

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