Living Poets

How to quote this translation

Show notes

M = reading of the whole MS tradition
m = reading of part of the MS tradition
P = reading on a papyrus
 

Aristophanes, Frogs 76-82 = T 101 Radt

HR.
εἶτ’ οὐ Σοφοκλέα πρότερον ὄντ’ Εὐριπίδου
μέλλεις ἀνάγειν, εἴπερ γ’ ἐκεῖθεν δεῖ σ’ ἄγειν;

ΔΙ.
οὔ, πρίν γ’ ἂν Ἰοφῶντ’, ἀπολαβὼν αὐτὸν μόνον,
ἄνευ Σοφοκλέους ὅ τι ποιεῖ κωδωνίσω.
κἄλλως ὁ μέν γ’ Εὐριπίδης πανοῦργος ὢν
κἂν κἂν Dobree: καὶ M ξυναποδρᾶναι δεῦρ’ ἐπιχειρήσειέ μοι·
ὁ δ’ εὔκολος μὲν ἐνθάδ’, εὔκολος δ’ ἐκεῖ.

Aristophanes, Frogs 76-82 = T 101 Radt

Heracles:

Then aren’t you planning to bring up Sophocles, who is better than Euripides, if you really have to bring someone up out of there?

Dionysus:

No, not before I’ve had a chance to test what Iophon is capable of producing all on his own, without Sophocles. Anyway, Euripides is a knave in other respects, so he’d willingly try to escape with me as his accomplice. But Sophocles was content here and will be content there.

Aristophanes, Frogs 786-794 = T 102 Radt

ΞΑ.
        κἄπειτα πῶς
οὐ καὶ Σοφοκλέης ἀντελάβετο τοῦ θρόνου;

ΟΙ.
μὰ Δί’ οὐκ ἐκεῖνος, ἀλλ’ ἔκυσε μὲν Αἰσχύλον,
ὅτε δὴ κατῆλθε, κἀνέβαλε τὴν δεξιάν.
{κἀκεῖνος ὑπεχώρησεν αὐτῶι τοῦ θρόνου}
νυνὶ δ’ ἔμελλεν, ὡς ἔφη Κλειδημίδης,
ἔφεδρος καθεδεῖσθαι· κἂν μὲν Αἰσχύλος κρατῆι,
ἕξειν κατὰ χώραν, εἰ δὲ μή, περὶ τῆς τέχνης
διαγωνιεῖσθ’ ἔφασκε πρός γ’ Εὐριπίδην.

Aristophanes, Frogs 786-794 = T 102 Radt

Xanthias:

Then how was it that Sophocles didn’t also try to take the throne instead?

Slave:

By Zeus, he wouldn’t dream of it! Instead he kissed Aeschylus when he came down and took his right hand.{and he yielded part of the throne to him} But now he plans, so Cleidemides says, to take his seat as a reserve. If Aeschylus wins, he’ll remain where he is, but if not, he said he will fight to the end with Euripides for the sake of art.

Aristophanes, Frogs 1515-1519 = T 103 Radt

AI.
   σὺ δὲ τὸν θᾶκον θᾶκον Bentley: θῶκον m: θρόνον m
τὸν ἐμὸν παράδος Σοφοκλεῖ τηρεῖν
καὶ διασώιζειν, ἢν ἄρ’ ἐγώ ποτε
δεῦρ’ ἀφίκωμαι· τοῦτον γὰρ ἐγὼ
σοφίαι κρίνω δεύτερον εἶναι.

Aristophanes, Frogs 1515-1519 = T 103 Radt

Aeschylus:

And hand over my throne to Sophocles to watch over and keep safe for me, in case I ever return here. For I judge him to be second to me in wisdom.

Relevant guides	Sophocles