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288 288 ARISTOPHANES

Charon. Now ply your hands and arms.

JSacchus (makes a silly motion with his arms^. Well, so I do. 25

Charon. You 'd best leave o£E your fooling. Take to the oar, And pull away.

Bacchus. But how shall I contrive ?

I 've never served on board. — I 'm only a landsman ; I 'm quite unused to it. —

Charon. We can manage it.

As soon as you begin you shall have some music 30 That will teach you to keep time.

Bacchus. What music 's that ?

Charon. A chorus of Frogs — uncommon musical Frogs.

Bacchus. Well, give me the word and the time.

Charon. Whooh up, up ; whooh up, up.

CHORUS.^

Brekeke-kesh, koash, koash,

Shall the Choral Quiristers of the Marsh 35

Be censured and rejected as hoarse and harsh ;

And their Chromatic essays

Deprived of praise ? No, let us raise afresh

Our obstreperous Brekeke-kesh ; 40

The customary croak and cry

Of the creatures

At the theatres,^ In their yearly revelry. Brekeke-kesh, koash, koash. 45

1 The Choms in this play was made up of men dressed to represent ^ The region near the theatre was marshy.