176 ARISTOPHANES,

frogs. “No; that would be hard indeed.”

Bac. “Yes; but.I should suffer more
Overstraining with the oar.”

frogs. “Brekekex, koax, koax.”

Bac. “Have you nothing else to say ?”

frogs. “We'll make music all the day,
And as loudly as we may.
Brekekex, koax, koax.”

Bac. “But I'll beat you at your game.”
frogs. “We shall go on all the same.”
Ba. “Will you, then? But I will shout,

If "tis needful, all the day,

Till I beat your noisy rout,

And your dismal music stay.”
frogs. “Brekekex, koax, koax.”

In due course the boat reached the further shore.
Bacchus paid his fare, and, stepping out, began call-
ing for his slave. Xanthias appeared, and. congratu-
lated his master on his safe arrival.

Bac. “What is that before us?”

an. “The darkness and mire that Hercules told
us of.”

Bac. “ Have you seen any of the parricides and
murderers?”

Xan, “ Have not you?”

Bac. “Certainly I have, and do at this moment ;
and not very far off, either.” 1

Xan. “Well, master, I think that we had better
be going on, for this is the place where he said the
dreadful monsters were.”

1 This was said with a glance at the spectators. Aristophanes fre-
quently banters them with this somewhat savage playfulness.