THE FROGS. 193

“sch. “Well, you might have made yourselves
the same, but you chose other things. Then I exhib-
ited The Persians, and I made them ever eager to
conquer their foes. Yes, this is the function of the
poet. And see how in all ages the really noble poets
have discharged it. Orpheus taught us to worship
the gods, and to keep our hands from blood; Mu-
seeus instructed us in medicine, and told us of the
future ; Hesiod.sang of husbandry and the seasons;
and for what is Homer famous, but that he sang of
battle array, and noble deeds, and heroes arming for
the fight ? Then were trained such men as the hero
Lamachus, and many another like him. But to think
of the creatures that you have brought upon the
stage, the foolish women, for instance! whereas I
don’t know that I ever introduced a woman in love.”

Eur. “No, you did not know how.”

Lsch. “No, and I don’t want to know.”

Eur. “ But were they not true to life?”

“isch, “T dare say; but that was no reason why
you should put them on the stage. The poet should
hide what is bad, not bring it forward. What the
teacher is to the child, that is the poet to the youth.”

£ur. “But what virtue was there in your huge-
sounding phrases? Should you not use the common
speech of men?”

“Zisch. “Wretch, don’t you know that noble ideas
must be clothed in noble words? Demigods surely
should use a loftier speech than ours, and wear a

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