We shall thus be prepared to find that the mind of Aristophanes, although his views were aristocratic, harmonized in tone with that of the people, and that his humour bears the stamp of the ancient era in which he lived.  The illustrations from the animal world in which he constantly indulges remind us of the conceits of old times, when marvellous stories were as much admired as the monstrous figures upon the Persian tapestry.  Would any man at the present day produce comedies with such names as “The Wasps,” “The Frogs,” and “The Birds."[11] But we here meet with our feathered and four-footed companions at every corner.  The building of the bird’s city is a good illustration of this.  Thirty thousand cranes brought stones for the foundations from Libya, and ten thousand storks made bricks, the ducks with aprons on carried the bricks, and the swallows flew with trowels behind them like little boys, and with mortar in their beaks.

We also notice in Aristophanes a simple and rude form of the ludicrous, scarcely to be called humour, much in favour with his immediate predecessors.  I refer to throwing fruits and sweatmeats among the audience.  Trygaeus (Vintner), celebrating a joyous country festival in honour of the return of peace and plenty, takes occasion to throw barley among the spectators.  In another place Dicaepolis, also upon pacific deeds intent, establishes a public treat, and calls out, “Let some one bring in figs for the little pigs.  How they squeak! will they eat them? (throws some) Bless me! how they do munch them! from what place do they come?  I should say from Eaton.”

In this scrambling fun there would be good and bad fortune, and much laughter would be occasioned, but mostly of an emotional character.  Some of the jokes of Hegemon, who first introduced dramatic parody, were of a similar description, but more unpleasant.  On one occasion he came into the theatre with his robe full of stones, and began to throw them into the orchestra, saying, “These are stones, and let those who will throw them.”  Aristophanes makes great use of that humour which is dependent upon awakening hostile and combative feelings.  Personal violence and threats are with him common stage devices.  We have here as much “fist sauce,” and shaking of sticks, and as many pommellings, boxings of ears, and threats of assault and battery as in any modern harlequinade.

Next in order, we come to consider some of the many instances in Aristophanes of what may be called optical humour—­that in which the point principally depends upon the eye.  Thus he makes Hercules say he cannot restrain his laughter on seeing Bacchus wearing a lion’s skin over a saffron robe.  A Megarian reduced to extremities, determines to sell his little daughters as pigs, and disguises them accordingly.[12] In the Thesmophoriazusae, there is a shaving scene, in which the man performed upon has his face cut, and runs away, “looking ridiculous with only one side of his face shaven.”  In another