EURIPIDES. Does he mean to say that Hermes had watched, only that Agamemnon should perish at the hands of a woman and be the victim of a criminal intrigue? AESCHYLUS. 'Tis not to the god of trickery, but to Hermes the benevolent, that he gives the name of god of the nether world, and this he proves by adding that Hermes is accomplishing the mission given him by his father. EURIPIDES. The blunder is even worse than I had thought to make it out; for if he holds his office in the nether world from his father.... DIONYSUS. It means his father has made him a grave-digger. AESCHYLUS. Dionysus, your wine is not redolent of perfume.[503] DIONYSUS. Continue, Aeschylus, and you, Euripides, spy out the faults as he proceeds. AESCHYLUS. "Be my deliverer, assist me, I pray thee. I come, I return to this land." EURIPIDES. Our clever Aeschylus says the very same thing twice over. AESCHYLUS. How twice over? EURIPIDES. Examine your expressions, for I am going to show you the repetition. "I come, I return to this land." But I _come_ is the same thing as I _return._ DIONYSUS. Undoubtedly. 'Tis as though I said to my neighbour, "Lend me either your kneading-trough or your trough to knead in." AESCHYLUS. No, you babbler, no, 'tis not the same thing, and the verse is excellent. DIONYSUS. Indeed! then prove it. AESCHYLUS. To come is the act of a citizen who has suffered no misfortune; but the exile both comes and returns. DIONYSUS. Excellent! by Apollo! What do you say to that, Euripides? EURIPIDES. I say that Orestes did not return to his country, for he came there secretly, without the consent of those in power. DIONYSUS. Very good indeed! by Hermes! only I have not a notion what it is you mean. EURIPIDES. Go on. DIONYSUS. Come, be quick, Aeschylus, continue; and you look out for the faults. AESCHYLUS. "At the foot of this tomb I invoke my father and beseech him to hearken to me and to hear." EURIPIDES. Again a repetition, to hearken and to hear are obviously the same thing. DIONYSUS. Why, wretched man, he's addressing the dead, whom to call thrice even is not sufficient. AESCHYLUS. And you, how do you form your prologues? EURIPIDES. I am going to tell you, and if you find a repetition, an idle word or inappropriate, let me be scouted! DIONYSUS. Come, speak; 'tis my turn to listen. Let us hear the beauty of your prologues, EURIPIDES. "Oedipus was a fortunate man at first ..." AESCHYLUS. Not at all; he was destined to misfortune before he even existed, since Apollo predicted he would kill his father before ever he was born. How can one say he was fortunate at first? EURIPIDES. "... and he became the most unfortunate of mortals afterwards."