Living Poets

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ἔχαιρεν δὲ πάνυ καὶ Ἀριστοφάνει τῶι κωμικῶι καὶ Σώφρονι, παρ’ ὧν καὶ τὴν μίμησιν τῶν προσώπων ἐν τοῖς διαλόγοις ὠφελήθη. λέγεται δὲ οὕτως αὐτοῖς χαίρειν ὥστε καὶ ἡνίκα ἐτελεύτησεν εὑρεθῆναι ἐν τῆι κλίνηι αὐτοῦ Ἀριστοφάνη καὶ Σώφρονα. καὶ ἐπίγραμμα δὲ τοιοῦτον εἰς Ἀριστοφάνην αὐτὸς πεποίηκεν·

αἱ Χάριτες, τέμενός τι λαβεῖν ὅπερ οὐχὶ πεσεῖται
        ζητοῦσαι, ψυχὴν εὗρον Ἀριστοφάνους.

ἐκωμώιδησε δὲ αὐτὸν ἐν τῶι Συμποσίωι τῶι διαλόγωι ὡς κωμωιδίαν ὠφεληθείς· καὶ γὰρ ποιήσας αὐτὸν ὑμνοῦντα τὸν Ἔρωτα εἰσάγει αὐτὸν μεταξὺ λυγγὶ περιπεσόντα καὶ μὴ δυνάμενον πληρῶσαι τὸν ὕμνον.

He took particular delight in Aristophanes the comic poet and in Sophron, from whom he also borrowed the imitation of actors in his dialogues. He is said to have delighted in them to such an extent that even when he died, copies of Aristophanes and Sophron were found on his bed. And he composed the following epigram for Aristophanes:

The Graces, seeking a temple precinct which would never fall
        Lighted on the soul of Aristophanes.

And he made fun of Aristophanes in his dialogue The Symposium, as having derived some benefit from comedy. For having portrayed him hymning Eros, he introduces him as having an attack of hiccups in the middle and not being able to complete the hymn.

Relevant guides	Aristophanes