188 ARISTOPHANES.

Bac. “A black lamb this moment, my man;
there’s a hurricane coming. But I do beg you, my
honoured Aéschylus, to restrain yourself; and you,
you unlucky Euripides I advise you to get into shel-.
ter from the hail; a big stone might hit you on the
head, and spill one of your precious tragedies. To
' both of you I would say that two poets ought not to
abuse each other like a couple of bread-sellers.”

Eur. “Well, I’m ready; I am not going to shrink
from any test you like. Test my music, my lan-
guage, my characters, anything that you please.”

Bac. “ And what say you, Aéschylus ?”

4¢sch. “JV had rather not be put to the trial down
here. My poetry did not die with me; but this fel-
low’s did. There he has the advantage. However,
let it be as you will.”

Sac. “Bring some incense and a red-hot coal.
I should like to pray before they begin, that I may
have the wit and taste to decide this matter aright.
And each of you should say a prayer before you

commence.”

sch. “Grant, mighty mother, nurturer of my soul,
That I be worthy of your mysteries.”

Bac. “Now, Euripides, it is your turn.”

1 Black victims were offered to the storms, and to malign powers
generally. So we find in Virgil’s Zeid, III. 119-20: —

A bull to Neptune, and a bull
To thee, Apollo hight,

A lamb to Tempest, black of wool,
To western winds a white,