Meta Description: Join Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle for the Golden Anniversary of Ad Navseam (Episode 50)! Dive into the swamp with Aristophanes’ Frogs. Explore the Latin language of laughter, the difference between Old and New Comedy, and why a god would dress up as Heracles to save Athens.
Introduction: Twinkies in the Trunk
Welcome back to the “Vomitorium,” listeners! It is a monumental day here at Ad Navseam. We have reached Episode 50—our Golden Anniversary. Your hosts, Dr. Jeff Winkle and Dr. David Noe, are celebrating nearly a full year of bringing you the best (and the weirdest) of the classical world.
To mark the occasion, Dr. Noe suggests a celebration. Perhaps some Twinkies? Dr. Winkle admits he hasn’t cleaned out the trunk of his car in ages, but he might be able to find a box of “Thin Wheats” buried beneath the spare tire. It is the kind of high-quality catering you have come to expect from the Vomitorium.
But we aren’t here just to eat stale snacks. We are here to talk about one of the funniest, strangest, and most brilliant plays ever written: Aristophanes’ Frogs. It is a masterpiece of Old Comedy, featuring a god in a lion skin, a chorus of amphibians, and a poetic smackdown that determines the fate of Athens.
Shout-Out: The Presbyter of Pennsylvania
Before we descend into the underworld, we have a very special (and lengthy) shout-out. This goes to the Reverend Angelo Valle.
Angelo is the pastor of Christ Reformed Church in Alexandria, Pennsylvania, where he has served for eight years. He is a minister in the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) and a long-time friend of Dr. Noe. Angelo wrote in with a delightful update on his education and interests, noting that he is hoping to grow in his studies of the Latin language, classical literature, and casually dropping the word “gourmand” into ordinary conversation . To Angelo and all the pastors keeping their ancient languages alive: Gratias tibi agimus!
The Opening Quote: The Ribald Genius
Dr. Winkle sets the stage with a quote from Paul Roche, the translator of Aristophanes: The Complete Plays. Roche captures the frantic, chaotic energy of the playwright perfectly, noting the incongruity of his conservative politics and his wild humor:
“Aristophanes’ conservatism did not extend to his language, which is almost unimaginably rich and varied… The obscenity that crops up here and there is funny because it is unexpected.”
Roche compares an Aristophanes play to “the grandest dignitary present” trumpeting a “fart in a solemn moment at high mass.” This duality is crucial. Aristophanes isn’t just trying to make you laugh with scatological jokes; he is a landowning conservative who believes democracy is best served by the brightest minds, not “clamorous demagogues”.
What is “Old Comedy”?
To understand Frogs, you have to understand Old Comedy. Dr. Winkle explains that this isn’t like the “New Comedy” of Menander or the sitcoms we watch today (like Seinfeld or Friends), which are mostly about domestic misunderstandings and relationships.
Old Comedy is political, fantastical, and often obscene.
- The “Big Idea”: Every play is built around a “Fantastical Concept.” In Peace, a man flies to Olympus on a giant dung beetle. In The Birds, two guys build a city in the sky. In Frogs, a god goes to hell to bring a dead poet back to life.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: The characters are self-aware. In the opening scene of Frogs, the slave Xanthias looks at the audience and asks his master, “Which gag should I use? One of my classic gags that always leaves them rolling in the aisles?”
- Political Satire: No one was safe. Aristophanes roasted politicians like Cleon, philosophers like Socrates, and even the Athenian populace itself. He punched in all directions.
The Plot: A God Walks into Hades
The play opens with Dionysus, the god of theater. He is depressed. Why? Because the great tragic poets are dead. Sophocles and Euripides both died recently (in 406 BC), and the living poets are terrible . So, Dionysus hatches a plan: He will go to the Underworld and bring Euripides back from the dead.
The Disguise: To stay safe, Dionysus decides to dress up as Heracles, who has successfully gone to Hades before. But Dionysus is… let’s say, eclectic. He wears a yellow saffron robe (very effeminate) with a lion skin thrown over it, and he carries a giant club. It’s a ridiculous sight. He brings along his slave, Xanthias, who rides a donkey while carrying the luggage. This leads to the first classic “meta” joke of the play, where they argue about which “I’m carrying a heavy load” jokes are too stale to use.
Heracles and the Beef Stew
Before descending, Dionysus visits the real Heracles to get directions. He tries to explain his longing for the dead poet Euripides using an analogy Heracles (a notorious glutton) will understand:
“Have you ever… had a deep craving for say a big heaping bowl of beef and bean stew?”
Heracles immediately gets it. “Beef and bean stew? You’re talking my language.” Dionysus replies that his craving for Euripides is just like that. It is a hilarious moment that reduces high art to the level of a hungry stomach.
The Chorus of Frogs
Dionysus then has to cross the marsh to get to the Underworld. He hitches a ride with Charon, the ferryman. As he rows (badly), he is surrounded by a chorus of Frogs.
They mock his struggle with their famous chant:
Koax Koax Koax!
Dr. Noe and Dr. Winkle perform a dramatic reading of this scene, where the Frogs claim their song is beloved by the Muses, while Dionysus complains that his rear end is starting to hurt from the rowing. It is a musical battle between the god of drama and the swamp creatures.
Identity Crisis in the Underworld
When they arrive, the disguise causes problems. The locals remember Heracles—but not fondly. He stole their dog, Cerberus. When a terrified servant threatens them, Dionysus forces Xanthias to trade clothes and become “Heracles.” Immediately, a maid enters and says, “Heracles! My mistress has prepared a feast for you—roast ox, bird meat, and dancing girls!” Dionysus, hearing about the dancing girls, immediately demands the costume back. “You there, attend to the luggage!” he barks at Xanthias. It is a farce of shifting identities that exposes Dionysus’s cowardice and appetite.
The Agon: The Battle of the Poets
The climax of the play is the “Agon,” or contest. It turns out Aeschylus holds the “Chair of Tragedy” in Hades, but the newcomer Euripides wants to usurp him. Dionysus is appointed the judge. What follows is a brilliant literary critique disguised as a rap battle.
- Euripides: Accuses Aeschylus of being pompous, using “heavy” words, and starting every play with a “long, solemn pause”.
- Aeschylus: Calls Euripides a “rag-stitching, gossip-kvetching, beggar-bewitching mountebank” who populates the stage with cripples and corrupts the youth.
The Bottle of Oil: Dr. Noe’s favorite scene is when Aeschylus destroys Euripides’ prologues. Aeschylus claims Euripides’ meter is so predictable that you can finish any of his lines with the phrase “lost his little bottle of oil” (lekythion apolesen). Euripides recites a noble line: “Dionysus, who in skins of fawns…” Aeschylus interrupts: “…mislaid his bottle of pomade.” It happens over and over, proving Euripides’ verse is repetitive and trivial.
The Decision: Saving the City
In the end, Dionysus has to choose. He came for Euripides, the clever modern poet. But Athens is in crisis. The city needs leadership.
Pluto (Hades) tells Dionysus to pick the one who gives the best advice for saving the city.
- Euripides gives clever but slippery answers.
- Aeschylus gives practical, old-school advice about the fleet and the enemy.
Dionysus realizes that while Euripides is fun, Aeschylus is the moral anchor the city needs. He chooses the “Old Ways.” He takes Aeschylus back to the land of the living, leaving Euripides in the gloom.
Sponsors: Fuel for Your Katabasis
This journey through the underworld is brought to you by:
- Ratio Coffee: Dr. Noe loves his Ratio 8, and Dr. Winkle swears by the Ratio 6. It brews with the precision of an Aeschylean verse—banishing the “brackish tang” of bad coffee.
- The Deal: Visit ratiocoffee.com and use code ANCO for 15% off.
- Ad Astra Roasters: Based in Hillsdale, Michigan. Patrick Whalen and his team roast the beans that will wake the dead. Try the Tenebris blend—perfect for a dark journey across the Styx.
- The Deal: Visit adastraroasters.com and use code ANAA for 10% off.
- Hackett Publishing: For the best translations of Aristophanes (and the Latin language course Lingua Latina), check out Hackett.
- The Deal: Visit hackettpublishing.com and use code AN2021 for 20% off and free shipping.
- The Moss Method: Want to read Frogs in the original Greek? Dr. Noe is running a Back to School offer on his self-paced course. Go from “Neophyte to Erudite” for just $299.
- The Deal: Visit latinperdiem.com.
New Merch Alert: Sticker it to the Man
We have a new item in the Ad Navseam store! Stickers. These are nice, 2×2 square stickers with rounded edges. They are only $3.99—the price of a specialty donut with bacon on top. And here is the kicker: For a limited time (the first 500 orders), Dr. Noe and Dr. Winkle will hand-sign them. It’s the ultimate collector’s item.
The Gustatory Parting Shot
We end this golden episode with a quote from Richard Wood Baldwin, offering a slightly macabre but undeniable truth about community that even a cannibal could appreciate:
“Cannibals love their neighbors.”
Valete! (And watch out for the frogs).
Resources for the Latin and Greek Learner:MossMethod: Ready to tackle the Latin language or Ancient Greek? Visit latinperdiem.com to start your journey today!
