Aristophanes, Frogs 76-82, 786-794, 1515-1519

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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 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 τὸν ἐμὸν παράδος Σοφοκλεῖ τηρεῖν καὶ διασώιζειν, ἢν ἄρ’ ἐγώ ποτε δεῦρ’ ἀφίκωμαι· τοῦτον γὰρ ἐγὼ σοφίαι κρίνω δεύτερον εἶναι.

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.