AESCHYLUS. ... lost his little bottle. EURIPIDES. Let me first finish the opening verse: "Oeneus in the fields one day, having made an abundant harvest and sacrificed the first-fruits to the gods ..." AESCHYLUS. ... lost his little bottle. DIONYSUS. During the sacrifice? And who was the thief? EURIPIDES. Allow him to try with this one: "Zeus, as even Truth has said[513] ..." DIONYSUS (_to Euripides_). You have lost again; he is going to say, "lost his little bottle," for that bottle sticks to your prologues like a ringworm. But, in the name of the gods, turn now to his choruses. EURIPIDES. I will prove that he knows nothing of lyric poetry, and that he repeats himself incessantly. CHORUS. What's he going to say now? I am itching to know what criticisms he is going to make on the poet, whose sublime songs so far outclass those of his contemporaries. I cannot imagine with what he is going to reproach the king of the Dionysia, and I tremble for the aggressor. EURIPIDES. Oh! those wonderful songs! But watch carefully, for I am going to condense them all into a single one. DIONYSUS. And I am going to take pebbles to count the fragments. EURIPIDES. "Oh, Achilles, King of Phthiotis, hearken to the shout of the conquering foe and haste to sustain the assault. We dwellers in the marshes do honour to Hermes, the author of our race. Haste to sustain the assault." DIONYSUS. There, Aeschylus, you have already two assaults against you. EURIPIDES. "Oh, son of Atreus, the most illustrious of the Greeks, thou, who rulest so many nations, hearken to me. Haste to the assault." DIONYSUS. A third assault. Beware, Aeschylus. EURIPIDES. "Keep silent, for the inspired priestesses are opening the temple of Artemis. Haste to sustain the assault. I have the right to proclaim that our warriors are leaving under propitious auspices. Haste to sustain the assault."[514] DIONYSUS. Great gods, what a number of assaults! my kidneys are quite swollen with fatigue; I shall have to go to the bath after all these assaults. EURIPIDES. Not before you have heard this other song arranged for the music of the cithara. DIONYSUS. Come then, continue; but, prithee, no more "assaults." EURIPIDES. "What! the two powerful monarchs, who reign over the Grecian youth, phlattothrattophlattothrat, are sending the Sphinx, that terrible harbinger of death, phlattothrattophlattothrat. With his avenging arm bearing a spear, phlattothrattophlattothrat, the impetuous bird delivers those who lean to the side of Ajax, phlattothrattophlattothrat, to the dogs who roam in the clouds, phlattothrattophlattothrat."[515] DIONYSUS (_to Aeschylus_). What is this 'phlattothrat'? Does it come from Marathon or have you picked it out of some labourer's chanty?