The Eleven Comedies, Volume 1

Автор

Аристофан

Год написания книги

2018

<< 1 ... 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 ... 83 >>

На страницу:

Перейти

69 из 83

Настройки чтения

Размер шрифта

Высота строк

Поля

208

"Wheeled out"—that is, by means of the [Greek: ekkukl_ema], a mechanical contrivance of the Greek stage, by which an interior was shown, the set scene with performers, etc., all complete, being in some way, which cannot be clearly made out from the descriptions, swung out or wheeled out on to the main stage.

209

Having been lamed, it is of course implied, by tumbling from the lofty apparatus on which the Author sat perched to write his tragedies.

210

Euripides delighted, or was supposed by his critic Aristophanes to delight, in the representation of misery and wretchedness on the stage. 'Aeneus,' 'Phoenix,' 'Philoctetes,' 'Bellerophon,' 'Telephus,' 'Ino' are titles of six tragedies of his in this genre of which fragments are extant.

211

Line borrowed from Euripides. A great number of verses are similarly parodied in this scene.

212

Report said that Euripides' mother had sold vegetables on the market.

213

Aristophanes means, of course, to imply that the whole talent of Euripides lay in these petty details of stage property.

214

'The Babylonians' had been produced at a time of year when Athens was crowded with strangers; 'The Acharnians,' on the contrary, was played in December.

215

Sparta had been menaced with an earthquake in 427 B.C. Posidon was 'The Earthshaker,' god of earthquakes, as well as of the sea.

216

A song by Timocreon the Rhodian, the words of which were practically identical with Pericles' decree.

217

A small and insignificant island, one of the Cyclades, allied with the Athenians, like most of these islands previous to and during the first part of the Peloponnesian War.

218

A figure of Medusa's head, forming the centre of Lamachus' shield.

219

Indicates the character of his election, which was arranged, so Aristophanes implies, by his partisans.

220

Towns in Sicily. There is a pun on the name Gela—[Greek: Gela] and [Greek: Katagela] (ridiculous)—which it is impossible to keep in English. Apparently the Athenians had sent embassies to all parts of the Greek world to arrange treaties of alliance in view of the struggle with the Lacedaemonians; but only young debauchees of aristocratic connections had been chosen as envoys.

221

A contemporary orator apparently, otherwise unknown.

222

The parabasis in the Old Comedy was a sort of address or topical harangue addressed directly by the poet, speaking by the Chorus, to the audience. It was nearly always political in bearing, and the subject of the particular piece was for the time being set aside altogether.

223

It will be remembered that Aristophanes owned land in Aegina.

224

Everything was made the object of a law-suit at Athens. The old soldiers, inexpert at speaking, often lost the day.

225

A water-clock used to limit the length of speeches in the courts.

226

A braggart speaker, fiery and pugnacious.

227

Cephisodemus was an Athenian, but through his mother possessed Scythian blood.

228

The city of Athens was policed by Scythian archers.

229

Alcibiades.

230

The leather market was held at Lepros, outside the city.

231

Meaning an informer ([Greek: phain_o], to denounce).

232

According to the Athenian custom.