[495] It was only the rich Athenians who could afford fresh fish, because of their high price; we know how highly the gourmands prized the eels from the Copaic lake. [496] If Aristophanes is to be believed, the orators were of depraved habits, and exacted infamous complaisances as payment for their lessons in rhetoric. [497] Aristophanes attributes the general dissoluteness to the influence of Euripides; he suggests that the subtlety of his poetry, by sharpening the wits of the vulgar and even of the coarsest, has instigated them to insubordination. [498] Augé, who was seduced by Heracles, was delivered in the temple of Athené (Scholiast); it is unknown in what piece this fact is mentioned.--Macareus violates his sister Canacé in the 'Aeolus.' [499] i.e. they busy themselves with philosophic subtleties. This line is taken from 'The Phryxus,' of which some fragments have come down to us. [500] In the torch-race the victor was the runner who attained the goal first without having allowed his torch to go out. This race was a very ancient institution. Aristophanes means to say that the old habits had fallen into disuse. [501] A tetralogy composed of three tragedies, the 'Agamemnon,' the 'Choëphorae,' the 'Eumenides,' together with a satirical drama, the 'Proteus.' [502] This is the opening of the 'Choëphorae.' Aeschylus puts the words in the mouth of Orestes, who is returning to his native land and visiting his father's tomb. [503] i.e. your jokes are very coarse. [504] He was one of the Athenian generals in command at Arginusae; he and his colleagues were condemned to death for not having given burial to the men who fell in that naval fight. [505] As Euripides had done to those of Aeschylus; that sort of criticism was too low for him. [506] [Greek: D_ekuthion ap_olesa], _oleum perdidi,_ I have lost my labour, was a proverbial expression, which was also possibly the refrain of some song. Aeschylus means to say that all Euripides' phrases are cast in the same mould, and that his style is so poor and insipid that one can adapt to it any foolery one wishes; as for the phrase he adds to every one of the phrases his rival recites, he chooses it to insinuate that the work of Euripides is _labour lost_, and that he would have done just as well not to meddle with tragedy. The joke is mediocre at its best and is kept up far too long. [507] Prologue of the 'Archelaus' of Euripides, a tragedy now lost. [508] From prologue of the 'Hypsipilé' of Euripides, a play now lost. [509] From prologue of the 'Sthenoboea' of Euripides, a play now lost. [510] From prologue of the 'Phryxus' of Euripides, a play now lost. [511] From prologue of the 'Iphigeneia in Tauris' of Euripides. [512] Prologue of 'The Meleager' by Euripides, lost. [513] Prologue of 'The Menalippé Sapiens,' by Euripides, lost.