CALLIDEMUS.

You have more reason to fear Aristophanes than any fool living. Oh, that he could but hear you trying to imitate the slang of Straton(2) and the lisp of Alcibiades!(3) You would be an inexhaustible subject. You would console him for the loss of Cleon.

SPEÜSIPPÜS

No, no. I may perhaps figure at the dramatic representations before long; but in a very different way.

(1) A favourite epithet of Athens. See Aristophanes; Acharn.
637.
(2) See Aristophanes; Equités, 1375.
(3) See Aristophanes; Vespæ, 44.

CALLIDEMUS.

What do you mean?

SPEÜSIPPÜS.

What say you to a tragedy?

CALLIDEMUS.