Frogs was first performed in 405 B.C. during the Lenaean Festival¹, at which it won first prize. It was one of the most popular of Aristophanes' comedys, being granted the rare honour of a second performance the following year, and is still considered his masterpiece by many.

Synopsis

Act 1

The play opens with the main character, Dionysus, and his slave, Xanthias, making their way to the house of Herakles³. Xanthias is riding a donkey and with heavy luggage suspended from a carrying pole over his shoulder. Dionysus walks beside him dressed in a lion skin over his traditional, effeminate tunic, and carrying a club in an attempt to disguise himself as Herakles.

Dionysus and Xanthias are arguing. Xanthias asks if he can make scatalogical jokes traditional of "comic porter scenes". Dionysus refuses, but in doing so he gives Aristophanes the chance to make these jokes anyway. The argument soon turns to a parody of the Sophist argument about the use of active and passive parts of speech when Dionysus rejects Xanthias' complaints that he is carrying the luggage rather than the donkey.