Frogs, Dionysus Flashcards
Show that Dionysus is self-referential to comedy/ Athenian Life
“not ‘I’m feeling the pressure’ Keep pff that one. It’s so irritating”- Praeteritio- saying something that you don’t want to say- saying it without saying it
“Only don’t… shift your pole around and say you need a dump”
“whenever I go to the theatre and see one of those jokes, I come away with a year off my life”
“[It’ll cost two drachmas] God, too much.”
“Priest save me- I’ll get you a drink after the show”
“Which god shall I blame for my undoing?”
“How should I knock on the door?”
“An outrage? That’s not what the audience think.”
Show that Dionysus is arrogant
“Here, am I, Dionysus…I am the one walking and doing all the hard work”- sim Bacchae
“How scared he was of me”- Hercales is supposedly scared of D
“Don’t try to scare or frighten me. You won’t succeed”
“He was just bragging to make me afraid, knowing what I good fighter I am”
“Immortal. That’s what I am. Dionysus, son of Zeus”-sim bacchae
Show that Dionysus takes advantage of Xanthias for the purposes of comedy
“How can you be carrying it, when you are the burden?”
“You pick the donkey up and carry him instead”
“Weren’t you frightened by his shouts and threats?”
“Aren’t you the whipping boy from Melite? (more like Callias (wealthy athenian in cults) than Heracles)
“may I die most horribly, if I don’t love you”
“Xanthy Wanthy”
“since you claim to be a god why don’t you get the same beating as me?”
What’s Dionysus’ view of Euripides (early in the play)
“Euripides is a complete crook and would have a go at running away from the underworld world with me”
What is Dionysus’ view of Sophocles (early in the play)
“Without Sophocles, to test what he’s made of”
“Sophocles is completely easy-going, wherever he is”
Show that Dionysus is vulgar
“once they’ve got their hands on a tragic chorus, they piss on the opportunity and vanish”
“your extrrrremities get frrrrrozen rrright off”
“it was frightened and crept down to my bowels.”
Show that Dionysus looks ridiculous because of his clothing
a yellow gown-colour of women
skin of the lion and the club
Show that Dionysus makes him self look inferior
“what’s the quickest route to the underworld? Nothing too hot or cold”
“I’ve never tried, never been at sea… How can I row?”
“may I, my wife and my children- and poor gummy- eyed Archedemus- be utterly destroyed” (Gods usually swear on river Styx- Arch is a ambitious outsider politician)
“How come I didn’t even sneeze”
Show how Dionysus interacts with the chorus of Frogs
“I am beginning to feel a pain- in the arse”
“To hell with your co-ax”
“My bum is wet and just about to poo. Something will pop out and say”
Show that Dionysus is afraid of the empusa
“Get behind me. Now! [but its in front] Quick get in front”
Show that Dionysus likes being worshipped
“I’ve always been a fan of this sort of thing. I’d quite like to join the Chorus and play with her myself.
Show that Dionysus is made look foolish
“me? I’m not a coward- I asked you for a sponge!”
“you weren’t taking me seriously when I disguised you as Heracles…Stop talking nonsense Xanthias”
“Don’t go until I say ‘cock-a-doodle-doo”
Show that Dionysus thinks he is intelligent
“since you are so courageous and full of spirit, swap places with me…I’ll be your porter”
“I can pray that my judgement will be perfectly inspired” - his judgement is already perfectly inspired as it he is divine
Show that in the interlude Dionysus is comedic
“Xanthias… asks for a potty”
“I start buffing my chick-pea”
“smacks me on the jaw and wipes the smile off my chorus of teeth”
Show that Dionysus is making a political point in the interlude
by changing his mind completely Dionysus mimics the politicians who change their minds unconvincingly
