The Frogs

by Aristophanes

"The Frogs" by Aristophanes is a comedy performed in 405 BC. The god Dionysus journeys to the underworld with his slave Xanthias to rescue the playwright Euripides, hoping to save Athenian theater from decline. Along the way, Dionysus disguises himself as Heracles and faces comical mishaps. In Hades, he judges a fierce debate between Euripides and Aeschylus over who deserves the throne of tragic poetry, blending irreverent humor with sharp commentary on literature and Athenian politics.