We shall hear him moan and wail Like the plaintive nightingale. It behooves the sacred Chorus, and of right to them belongs, Better would it be, believe us, casting off revenge and pride, If your hearts are filled with fancies, proud, captious and severe, While the shock of instant danger threatens shipwreck to the State Such resolves will be lamented and repented of too late. If the Muse foresees at all He the scoundrel at the bath- Therefore he can never cease To declaim against a peace. What These two portraits of Cleophon and Cleiganes are so graphic that they might serve H. B. as models for a caricature. follows introduces the celebrated contest for supremacy between Eschylus and Euripides. The scene is laid in the Infernal Regions: Enter XANTHIAS and EACUS. EACUS. By Jupiter! but he's a gentleman, That master of yours. XANTHIAS. A gentleman! to be sure he is; Why, he does nothing else but wench and drink. EACUS. His never striking you when you took his name— XANTHIAS. It might have been worse for him if he had. EACUS. Well, that's well spoken, like a true-bred slave. What think you of muttering as you leave the room After a beating? EACUS. Why that's pleasant too. XANTHIAS. By Jove it is! but listening at the door To hear their secrets? EACUS. Oh! there's nothing like it! XANTHIAS. And then the reporting them in the neighborhood. EACUS. That's beyond every thing, that's quite ecstatic. XANTHIAS. Well, give me your hand, and there, take mine,-and buss me. And there again—and tell me, for Jupiter's sake For he's the patron of our kicks and beatings What's all that noise and bustle and abuse Within there На? EACUS. Eschylus and Euripides only. XANTHIAS. EACUS. Why there's a custom we have established In favor of professors of the arts. When any one, the first man in his line Comes down among us here, he stands entitled To privilege and precedence, with a seat XANTHIAS. I understand you. ACUS. So he maintains it, till there comes a better XANTHIAS. But why should Eschylus be disturbed at this? ACUS. He held the seat for Tragedy, as being master In that profession. XANTHIAS. Well, and who's there now? EACUS. He kept it till Euripides appeared; But he collected audiences about him, And flourished and exhibited and harangued In short-they raised an uproar. and declared him And he with this grew proud and confident, And laid a claim to the seat where Eschylus sate. XANTHIAS. And did he not get pelted for his pains? EACUS. Why, no.-The mob called out, and it was carried To have a public trial of skill between them. XANTHIAS. You mean the mob of scoundrels that you mentioned ? EACUS. Scoundrels, indeed! Ay, scoundrels without number. XANTHIAS. But Eschylus must have good friends and hearty. EACUS. Yes; but good men are scarce, both here and elsewhere. XANTHIAS. Well, what has Pluto settled to have done? EACUS. To have a trial and examination In public. XANTHIAS. But how comes it, Sophocles ? Why does not he put in his claim among them? ACUS. No, no, not he !-the moment he came down here He went up and saluted Eschylus, And kissed his cheek and took his hand quite kindly; And Eschylus edged a little from his chair To give him room; so now, the story goes, (At least I had it from Cleidemides,) He means to attend there as a stander-by, He'll stand a trial, he says, against Euripides. It is impossible for any translator to give a more perfect rendering of comedy. The facility, the flow, the living, breathing, chattering impudence of the two slaves is inimitable, lively and true. It may be doubted if Sheridan knew much about Aristophanes, but following the same great model, Nature, he has produced a companion scene to this dialogue in the opening of "The Rivals." The compliment to Sophocles and Eschylus is very graceful. Bacchus, the appointed judge, now enters, accompanied by the rival bands, and the contest begins. Chorus. Here beside you, here are we BACCHUS. Come now begin and speak away; but first I give you warning EURIPIDES. At the first outset I forbear to state my own pretensions; And after I have proved and shown how he abused and cheated The rustic audience that he found, which Phrygia has bequeathed him. He planted first upon the stage a figure vailed and muffled, An Achilles or a Niobe that never showed their faces, But kept a tragic attitude without a word to utter. BACCHUS. No more they did: it's very true. EURIPIDES. In the meanwhile the Chorus Strung on ten strophes right an end, but they remained in silence. BACCHUS. I liked that silence well enough; as well perhaps or better Than those new talking characters. EURIPIDES. That's from your want of judgment, Believe me |