Page:Philological Museum v2.djvu/301

291 On the Attic Dionysia, 291 celebrated not only at the usual place, in the country, in this instance at Chollidae, where Dicaeopolis lived (381. AiKaioiroXi^ /caXel oe XoWL^rjs)^ but also at the proper time : for otherwise Dicaeopolis would not have been so long deprived of the plea- sure by the war, since the enemy did not remain the whole year through in Attica^^. The chorus, after witnessing the commencement of the procession, begin their attack on Dicaeo- polis, who only obtains a hearing by threatening the existence of the little objects of their tenderest sympathies. When by this stratagem he has gained leave to make a formal defense, distrusting his powers of oratory, he further desires a garb fitted to move compassion, and being permitted to procure one, instantly makes an application to Euripides. The following scene, before the door of the tragic poet, brings us once more back to Athens, but, as before, without any visible change to assist the spectator'^s imagination. When Dicaeopolis has stript Euripides of all his tragic furniture, he begins his oration, which is addressed to the spectators (/ur] jaoi (p6ovrjar]T avSpe^ 01 6€(jo/jl€vol) and is spoken throughout in the mind and person of the poet himself, so that the line, avrol yap ecjjuer, ovttl ArjvaLtp T aycdv^ which occurs in the prooemium, must be taken as the literal expression of the fact. Dicaeopolis finally gains his cause, and announces his intention of opening a private market to the Peloponnesians, Megarians, and Boeotians. After the parabasis we see him busied in fixing the boundaries of his marketplace, and the strangers whom he has invited come to deal with him. After he has despatched his various customers, the servant of Lamachus brings the message from which we learn that the Choes are about to be celebrated, eKeXevae akayo^ ae Tavrrj^ tt}^ cpa'^/uf]^ ei^ tov^ Aoa^ avrco juera- ^ovvai Twv KiyXwv : and the play ends with the contrast between the wailings of Lamachus and the triumph of Dicaeo- polis, who has drained his yoev^ first, and desires to be led to the judges to receive the prize. ^^ This is Boeckh's argument. But perhaps it presses the language of the poet a little too closely. The war might interrupt rural festivities in various ways, even when the enemy was not actually in the country, or might destroy the property which afforded the means of celebrating them. One can hardly infer from this passage that hostile inroads were usually expected in Poseideon on account of the vintage. Still the presumption that Aristophanes supposes each festival celebrated at its proper time will be sufficiently strong.