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Euripides
Aegyptus, so the widespread rumor runs,
With fifty children in a long-oared boat,
Landing near Argos”—

Aeschylus
Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus
What was this “oil flask”? You'll be sorry!
Recite for him another prologue, so I can see once more.

Euripides
“Dionysus, who with thyrsus wands and fawnskins
bedecked amidst the pines on Mt. Parnassus
bounds dancing...”

Aeschylus
Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus
Alas, again we have been stricken by that flask.

Euripides
It won't be a problem. For to this
prologue he won't be able to attach that flask.
“No man exists, who's altogether blest,
Either nobly sired he has no livelihood
Or else base-born he ...”

Aeschylus
Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus
Euripides!

Euripides
What is it?

Dionysus
I think you should pull in your sails;
that oil flask is going to blow up quite a storm.

Euripides
By Demeter, I wouldn't think of it.
For this one here will knock it away from him.

Dionysus
Go on and recite another then, but keep away from the flask!

Euripides
“Abandoning the town of Sidon, Cadmus,
Agenor's son,...”

Aeschylus
Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus
My fine fellow, buy the flask;
so he can't smash our prologues.

Euripides
What!
I should buy it from him?

Dionysus
If you take my advice.

Euripides
Oh no; for I have many prologues to recite,
Where he can't tack on a flask.
“To Pisa Pelops, son of Tantalus,
Borne on swift coursers”—

Aeschylus
Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus
You see, he stuck on the flask again.
But, dear sir, pay him now by all means.
You'll get it for an obol, nice and neat.

Euripides
Not yet, by Zeus; I still have plenty left.
“From the land once Oeneus”—

Aeschylus
Lost his little oil flask!

Euripides
Let me say the whole line first!
“From the land once Oeneus reaped a plenteous crop,
The first fruits offering”—

Aeschylus
Lost his little oil flask!

Dionysus
In the midst of sacrificing? Who swiped it?

Euripides
Leave it be, sir, just let him speak to this—
“Zeus, as once was spoke in very truth”—

Dionysus
You'll get killed, for he'll say “Lost his little oil flask!” This oil flask, it grows on your prologues
like warts on the eyes.
For God's sake turn to his lyrics.

Euripides
All right; I have ways to show how bad
a songwriter he is and always makes them just the same.

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