User:AristippusSer/The Battle of the Frogs and Mice

by Homer

Dramatis Personæ

NAMES OF THE MICE.

Psicharpax, one who plunders granaries.
Troxartes, a bread-eater.
Lychomyle, a licker of meal.
Pternotroctas, a bacon-eater.
Lichopinax, a licker of dishes.
Embasichytros, a creeper into pots.
Lichenor, a name from licking.
Troglodytes, one who runs into holes.
Artophagus, who feeds on bread.
Tyroglyphus, a cheese-scooper.
Pternoglyphus, a bacon-scooper.
Pternophagus, a bacon-eater.
Cnissodioctes, one who follows the steam of kitchens.
Sitophagus, an eater of wheat.
Meridarpax, one who plunders his share.

NAMES OF THE FROGS.

Physignathus, one who swells his cheeks.
Peleus, a name from mud.
Hydromeduse, a ruler in the waters.
Hypsiboas, a loud bawler.
Pellion, from mud.
Seutlæus, called from the beets.
Polyphonus, a great babbler.
Limnocharis, one who loves the lake.
Crambophagus, cabbage-eater.
Limnisius, called from the lake.
Calaminthius, from the herb.
Hydrocharis, who loves the water.
Borborocetes, who lies in the mud.
Prassophagus, an eater of garlic.
Pelusius, from mud.
Pelobates, who walks in the dirt.
Prassæus, called from garlic.
Craugasides, from croaking.

Book I

  To fill my rising song with sacred fire,
Ye tuneful nine, ye sweet celestial choir!
From Helicon’s imbowering height repair,
Attend my labors and reward my prayer.
The dreadful toils of raging Mars I write,
The springs of contest and the fields of fight ;
How threatening mice advanced with warlike grace,
And waged dire combats with the croaking race.
Not louder tumults shook Olympus’ towers,
When earth-born giants dared immortal powers.
These equal acts an equal glory claim,
And thus the Muse records the tale of fame.
  Once on a time, fatigued, and out of breath,
And just escaped the stretching claws of death,
A gentle mouse, whom cats pursued in vain,
Flies swift of foot across the neighboring plain,
Hangs o’er a brink, his eager thirst to cool,
And dips his whiskers in the standing pool :
When near, a courteous frog advanced his head,
And from the waters, hoarse resounding, said,
  “What art thou, stranger? what the line you boast?
What chance hath cast thee panting on our coast?
With strictest truth let all thy words agree,
Nor let me find a faithless mouse in thee.
If worthy friendship, proffered friendship take,
And ent’ring, view the pleasurable lake ;
Range o’er my palace, in my bounty share,
And glad return from hospitable fare.
This silver realm extends beyond my sway,
And me, their monarch, all its frogs obey.
Great Physignathus I, from Peleus’ race,
Begot in fair Hydromeduse’ embrace,
Where by the nuptial bank that paints his side,
The swift Eridanus delights to glide.
Thee too, thy form, thy strength, and port proclaim
A sceptred king, a son of martial fame ;
Then trace thy line, and aid my guessing eyes.”
Thus ceased the frog, and thus the mouse replies :