Batrachomyomachia

Batrachomyomachia

Contents

Batrachomyomachia (Greek: Βατραχομυομαχία, from βάτραχος, frog, μῦς, mouse, and, μάχη, battle) or the Battle of Frogs and Mice is a comic epic or parody on the Iliad, definitely attributed to Homer by the Romans, but according to Plutarch[1] the work of Pigres of Halicarnassus, the brother (or son) of Artemisia, queen of Caria and ally of Xerxes. Some modern scholars, however, assign it to an anonymous poet of the time of Alexander the Great.[2]

The word batrachomyomachia has come to mean "a silly altercation". The German translation, Froschmäusekrieg, has been used to describe disputes such as the one between the School of Math and the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Plot

A mouse drinking water from a lake meets the Frog King, who invites him to his house. As the Frog King swims across the lake, the Mouse seated on his back, they are confronted by a frightening water-snake. The Frog dives, forgetting about the Mouse, who drowns. Another Mouse witnesses the scene from the bank of the lake, and runs to tell everyone about it. The Mice arm themselves for battle to avenge the Frog King's treachery, and send a herald to the Frogs with a declaration of war. The Frogs blame their King, who altogether denies the incident. In the meantime, Zeus, seeing the brewing war, proposes that the gods take sides, and specifically that Athena help the Mice. Athena refuses, saying that mice have done her a lot of mischief. Eventually the gods decide to watch rather than get involved. A battle ensues and the Mice prevail. Zeus summons a force of crabs to prevent complete destruction of the Frogs. Powerless against the armoured crabs, the Mice retreat, and the one-day war ends at sundown.

References

  1. ^ Plutarch. De Herodoti Malignitate, 43.
  2. ^ A. Ludwich (1896).

Sources

English translations

  • Chapman, George (trans.) Homer's Batrachomyomachia, Hymns and Epigrams. Adamant Media Corporation, 2001. ISBN 1402181833

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Batrachomyomachĭa — (gr., Froschmäusekrieg), ein dem Homer zugeschriebenes komisches Epos, s.u. Homeros …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Batrachomyomachia — Batrachomyomachīa, (grch., d.h. Froschmäusekrieg) oder Batrachomachia (Froschkrieg), dem Homer fälschlich zugeschriebenes komisches Epos, Parodie der »Ilias«, hg. von Ludwig (1896), deutsch von Mitzschke (2. Aufl. 1892) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Batrachomyomachia — Batrachomyomachia, Froschmäusekrieg, ein gewöhnlich dem Homer zugeschriebenes komisches Heldengedicht, in dem Frösche und Mäuse gleich den Helden der Ilias auftreten und sich bekriegen; wahrscheinlich von einem alexandrinischen Dichter …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • BATRACHOMYOMACHIA — nomen carminis, ranarum muriumque pugnam continentis, quod Homeri nomen prae se fert. Et pro Homerico scripto agnoscit illam Statius Praesat. Silvarum ad Stellam: Sed et culicem leginus et Batrachomyomachiam etiam agnoscimus. Nec quisquam est… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Batrachomyomachia — Der Froschmäusekrieg (altgriechisch Βατραχομυομαχία, Batrachomyomachia, ursprünglich wohl kurz Batrachomachia: „Froschkrieg“ betitelt) ist ein unter dem Namen Homers überliefertes Epyllion aus späthellenistischer Zeit, das als Parodie auf die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Batrachomyomachia — La Batrachomyomachia (en grec ancien Βατραχομυομαχία / Batrakhomuomakhía), littéralement « La Bataille des grenouilles et des rats », est une épopée comique parodiant l’Iliade. Elle compte 303 hexamètres dactyliques. Elle fut largement… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • BATRACHOMYOMACHIA —    a mock heroic poem, The Battle of the Frogs and Mice, falsely ascribed to Homer …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • batrachomyomachia — noun a silly altercation • Hypernyms: ↑affray, ↑altercation, ↑fracas …   Useful english dictionary

  • Batrachomyomachie — Batrachomyomachia La Batrachomyomachia (en grec ancien Βατραχομυομαχία / Batrakhomuomakhía), littéralement « la Bataille des grenouilles et des rats », est une épopée comique parodiant l’Iliade. Elle compte 303 hexamètres dactyliques.… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Batrachomyomachie — Der Froschmäusekrieg (altgriechisch Βατραχομυομαχία, Batrachomyomachia, ursprünglich wohl kurz Batrachomachia: „Froschkrieg“ betitelt) ist ein unter dem Namen Homers überliefertes Epyllion aus späthellenistischer Zeit, das als Parodie auf die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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