to
find any such resemblance; more so, indeed, than that of
Aristophanes, who makes his frogs say, by way of chorus,
'brekekekekex koaex koaex.' Possibly, however, that might have been
the Attic dialect among frogs.]

EXPLANATION.

This story may possibly be based upon some current tradition of Latona
having been subjected to such cruel treatment from some country
clowns; or, which is more probable, it may have been originally
invented as a satire on the rude manners and uncouth conduct of the
peasantry of ancient times. The story may also have been framed, to
account, in a poetical manner, for the origin of frogs.

FABLE IV. [VI.382-411]

The Satyr Marsyas, having challenged Apollo to a trial of skill on the
flute, the God overcomes him, and then flays him alive for his
presumption. The tears that are shed on the occasion of his death
produce the river that bears his name.

When thus one, who, it is uncertain, had related the destruction of
{these} men of the Lycian race, another remembers {that of} the
Satyr;[48] whom, overcome {in playing} on the Tritonian reed, the son of
Latona visited with punishment. "Why," said he, "art thou tearing me
from myself? Alas! I {now} repent; alas," cried he, "the flute is not of
so much value!" As he shrieked aloud, his skin was stript[49] off from
the surface of his limbs, nor was he aught but {one entire} wound. Blood
is flowing on every side; the nerves, exposed, appear, and the quivering
veins throb without any skin. You might have numbered his palpitating
bowels, and the transparent lungs within his breast. The inhabitants of
the country, the Fauns, Deities of the woods, and his brothers the
Satyrs, and Olympus,[50] even then renowned, and the Nymphs lamented
him; and whoever {besides} on those mountains was feeding the
wool-bearing flocks, and the horned herds.

The fruitful earth was moistened, and being moistened received the
falling tears, and drank them up in her lowest veins, which, when she
had turned into a stream, she sent forth into the vacant air. And then,
as the clearest river in Phrygia, running towards the rapid sea within
steep banks, it bears the name of Marsyas.

From narratives such as these the people return at once to the present
events, and mourn Amphion extinct together with {all} his race. The
mother is {an object} of hatred. Yet {her brother} Pelops is said alone
to have mourned for her as well; and after