Page:Masterpieces of Greek Literature (1902).djvu/321

291 THE FROGS

291

ΛΥθ renew the tuneful strain.

Brekeke-kesh, koash, koash. Bacchus. I disdain — (Hang the pain !) us

All your nonsense, noise, and trash.

O, my blister ! O, my sjjrain ! Frogs. Brekeke-kesh, koash, koash.

Friends and. Frogs, we must display

All our powers of voice to-day ; 120

Suffer not this stranger here.

With fastidious foreign ear.

To confound us and abash.

Brekeke-kesh, koash, koash. Bacchus. Well, my spirit is not broke, 125

If it 's only for the joke,

I '11 outdo you with a croak.

Here it goes, (yei^y loztd} "Koash, koash." Frogs. Xow for a glorious croaking crash, (^Still louder).

Brekeke-kesh, koash, koash. ωο

Bacchus {^splashing icith his oar^.

I '11 disperse you with a splash. Frogs. Brekeke-kesh, koash, koash. Bacchus. I '11 subdue

Your rebellious, noisy crew —

Have amongst you there, slap-dash. 135

[Strikes at them. Frogs. Brekeke-kesh, koash, koash.

AVe defy your oar and you. Charon. Hold I We 're ashore just — shift your oar. Get out. — Now pay for your fare.

Bacchus. There — there it is — the twopence.^

' A small coin was pat into the mouth of the corpse as a fee for Charuu.