(v. 61), and after them the ridiculous figure of Pseudartabas (v. 94), who, as "the king's eye," has a monstrous orifice in his mask, resembling the port-hole of an Athenian trireme with the leather-bag below to prevent it from shipping water (v. 97: (
Greek characters)). These are followed by the
Thracian mercenaries (v. 155), who steal the garlick of Dicæopolis;
and Amphitheus, who had been ejected by the Prytanes (v. 58),
reappears from the right (v. 129), in order to cross the stage to
the left (v. 132) with the commission to buy eight shillings' worth
of peace for Dicæopolis. From the left periactos he returns (175),
pursued by the Acharnians, who of course enter by the left-hand
parodos (v. 204) ; Amphitheus continues his flight into the city,
and Dicseopolis retires to his own house, from whence he reappears
with his family (237). The chorus interrupt the festivities by
actually throwing stones on the stage (284). The Acharnians
are brought to terms by the production of the basket of charcoal,
made to resemble a child (Greek characters) which Dicæopolis fetches
from his house (v. 331) ; and he also goes in to procure the
chopping-block on which he is to plead his cause (v. 359 : (Greek characters)). A question arises as to the scene with Euripides. Many commentators, and even the latest writers on this play[1], supposes that Euripides and his servant appear on the balcony or second story of the scene. But in this, as we think, they have been misled by the Scholiast, who has not understood the Greek of his author, and we conceive that the direct reference
to the (Greek characters) must be accepted as a proof of the fact that Euripides is shown in the interior of his house, but on the level of the stage. The words of the original run thus (vv. 394 sqq.):
(Greek characters)
- ↑ See Brunck on v. 411, and Schönborn, p. 311.
