The Frogs

Charon’s boat arrives at the orchestra’s edge, and the Frogs leave the stage. Dionysos disembarks, the boat continues until it is offstage, and Xanthias returns. Xanthias and Dionysos recognize that they have arrived at the river of mud and excrement. Peering into the distance, Xanthias swears that he sees a terrifying shape-shifting creature, leading Dionysos to worry that it is Empousa. Dionysos wants to hide behind Xanthias, but the creature vanishes. Xanthias hears pipes and feels warm air. The Chorus enters, dancing, in the costume of male and female initiates in the Eleusinian Mysteries.

As the Chorus invokes the divine name of Iakchos, as practiced by initiates in the Mysteries, Dionysos tells Xanthias they should “keep entirely quiet and find out more” (186). The Chorus sings and dances two verses praying for Iakchos to light their way in their “dance of rejuvenation” (186). The Chorus leader comes forward, chanting a proclamation instructing wrongdoers and outsiders to depart.

The Chorus sings two verses to “our Saviouress” (likely referring either to Athena or Persephone) who will “protect our land for ever” (188). The Leader calls for hymns to Demeter, and they sing three verses.