In our last episode, the Mice and Frogs joined battle…the fight rages on!

“Platelicker then killed blameless Mudbedder
as he sprung at him with his shield. Then darkness covered his eyes.
When Greenstalk saw this he dragged Smoke-hunter by the foot
overpowered him, and drowned him in the pond as he reached out his hand.
Crumbthief defended his dead friend
and hurled at Greenstalk through his stomach into his liver–
then he fell forward then his soul descended to Hades.
Cabbage-treader saw this and threw a lump of mud at him;
it smeared his face and blinded him a little bit.
When he was enraged by this, he grabbed a heavy rock
Lying on the ground, a burden to the earth, with his stout hand
and he struck Cabbagetreader with it below the knees. His right greave
was completely shattered and he fell from high to the dust.
Croakerson defended him and went straight at the other guy
striking him in the middle of the stomach. The sharp reed
pierced into him and all of his guts poured out
around the spear as it was withdrawn by the strong hand.
When Holedweller saw this from the banks of the river,
He retreated from the battle to stop, since he terribly worn out.
He rushed into the ditches in order to flee the sheer destruction.
Breadmuncher struck Bellowmouth on the top of the foot.
And as he was pressed down he fled driven into the pond.
And when Greenstalk saw him falling half-choked
He went through the champions and hurled his sharp-reed.
He didn’t break the shield and the tip of the spear held fast.
Shining Oregano didn’t hit the four-measured, blameless helm
As he imitated Ares himself
Who alone prevailed through the engagement among the frogs.
And he rushed at him. But when he saw him, he didn’t wait for
The strong heroes, but he dived into the depths of the pond.

There was a child among the mice who stood out from all others
Pieceplunder, the dear son of blameless Grater the Bread-councilor.
He was on his way home; he had ordered the child to refrain from war.
But he was threatening to eliminate the race of the frogs
as he stood nearby desiring to fight with force
First, he split a nut along its middle into two halves
and set them on both his naked hands as defense,
then everyone feared him and scattered around the pond.
He would have achieved his goal since his strength was so great
if the father of men and gods had not taken note.
Kronos’ son pitied the dying frogs;
He spoke this kind of speech as he shook his head.
“O friends, I really see a wonder with my eyes
Pieceplunder worries me not a little as he crosses as
a thief among the frogs. But quickly then
Let’s send war-rousing Pallas and Ares too
who will restrain him from battle though he is mighty.”

So Zeus spoke and Ares responded with a speech:
“Son of Cronus, neither the power of Athena or Ares
Is able to ward steep destruction from the frogs.
Let’s all go as allies. Or maybe you should
brandish your arms. Whoever is best will be caught in this way
As when you killed the stout man Kapaneus
and great Engkelados and fierce tribes of the giants.”

231 Λειχοπίναξ δ’ ἔκτεινεν ἀμύμονα Βορβοροκοίτην,
232 ἔγχει ἐπαΐξας• τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν.
233 Πρασσαῖος δὲ ἰδὼν ποδὸς εἵλκυσε Κνισσοδιώκτην ,
234 ἐν λίμνῃ δ’ ἀπέπνιξε κρατήσας χειρὶ τένοντα.
235 Ψιχάρπαξ δ’ ἤμυν’ ἑτάρου περὶ τεθνειῶτος
236 καὶ βάλε Πρασσαῖον κατὰ νηδύος ἐς μέσον ἧπαρ,
237 πῖπτε δέ οἱ πρόσθεν, ψυχὴ δ’ ᾿Αϊδόσδε βεβήκει.
238 Κραμβοβάτης δὲ ἰδὼν πηλοῦ δράκα ῥίψεν ἐπ’ αὐτόν,
239 καὶ τὸ μέτωπον ἔχρισε καὶ ἐξετύφλου παρὰ μικρόν.
240 ὠργίσθη δ’ ἄρ’ ἐκεῖνος, ἑλὼν δ’ ἄρα χειρὶ παχείῃ
241 κείμενον ἐν δαπέδῳ λίθον ὄβριμον, ἄχθος ἀρούρης,
242 τῷ βάλε Κραμβοβάτην ὑπὸ γούνατα• πᾶσα δ’ ἐκλάσθη
243 κνήμη δεξιτερή, πέσε δ’ ὕπτιος ἐν κονίῃσι.
244 Κραυγασίδης δ’ ἤμυνε καὶ αὖθις βαῖνεν ἐπ’ αὐτόν,
245 τύψε δέ οἱ μέσσην κατὰ γαστέρα• πᾶς δέ οἱ εἴσω
246 ὀξύσχοινος ἔδυνε, χαμαὶ δ’ ἔκχυντο ἅπαντα
247 ἔγκατ’ ἐφελκομένῳ ὑπὸ δούρατι χειρὶ παχείῃ•
248 Τρωγλοδύτης δ’ ὡς εἶδεν ἐπ’ ὄχθῃσιν ποταμοῖο,
249 σκάζων ἐκ πολέμου ἀνεχάζετο, τείρετο δ’ αἰνῶς•
250 ἥλατο δ’ ἐς τάφρους, ὅππως φύγῃ αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.
251 Τρωξάρτης δ’ ἔβαλεν Φυσίγναθον ἐς ποδὸς ἄκρον.
252 ἔσχατος δ’ ἐκ λίμνης ἀνεδύσετο, τείρετο δ’ αἰνῶς
253 Πρασσαῖος δ’ ὡς εἶδεν ἔθ’ ἡμίπνουν προπεσόντα,
254 ἦλθε διὰ προμάχων καὶ ἀκόντισεν ὀξύσχοινον•
255 οὐδ’ ἔρρηξε σάκος, σχέτο δ’ αὐτοῦ δουρὸς ἀκωκή•
256 οὐδ’ ἔβαλε τρυφάλειαν ἀμύμονα καὶ τετράχυτρον
257 δῖος ᾿Οριγανίων, μιμούμενος αὐτὸν ῎Αρηα,
258 ὃς μόνος ἐν βατράχοισιν ἀρίστευεν καθ’ ὅμιλον•
259 ὥρμησεν δ’ ἄρ’ ἐπ’ αὐτόν• ὁ δ’ ὡς ἴδεν οὐχ ὑπέμεινεν
ἥρωας κρατερούς, ἀλλ’ ἔδυνε βένθεσι λίμνης

260 ῏Ην δέ τις ἐν μυσὶ παῖς Μεριδάρπαξ ἔξοχος ἄλλων,
261 Κναίσωνος φίλος υἱὸς ἀμύμονος ἀρτεπιβούλου•
262 οἴκαδ’ ἴεν, πολέμου δὲ μετασχεῖν παῖδ’ ἐκέλευεν•
263 οὗτος ἀναρπάξαι βατράχων γενεὴν ἐπαπείλει•
264 ἀγχοῦ δ’ ἕστηκεν μενεαίνων ἶφι μάχεσθαι
265 καὶ ῥήξας καρύοιο μέσην ῥάχιν εἰς δύο μοίρας
266 φράγδην ἀμφοτέροισι κενώμασι χεῖρας ἔθηκεν•
267 οἱ δὲ τάχος δείσαντες ἔβαν πάντες κατὰ λίμνην•
268 καί νύ κεν ἐξετέλεσσεν ἐπεὶ μέγα οἱ σθένος ἦεν,
269 εἰ μὴ ἄρ’ ὀξὺ νόησε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε.
270 καὶ τότ’ ἀπολλυμένους βατράχους ᾤκτειρε Κρονίων,
271 κινήσας δὲ κάρη τοίην ἐφθέγξατο φωνήν•
272 ῍Ω πόποι ἦ μέγα θαῦμα τόδ’ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρῶμαι•
273 [οὐ μικρόν με πλήσσει Mεριδάρπαξ ὃς κατὰ λίμνην ]
274 ῞aρπαξ ἐν βατράχοισιν ἀμείβεται• ἀλλὰ τάχιστα
275 Παλλάδα πέμψωμεν πολεμόκλονον ἢ καὶ ῎Αρηα,
276 οἵ μιν ἐπισχήσουσι μάχης κρατερόν περ ἐόντα.
277 ῝Ως ἄρ’ ἔφη Κρονίδης• ῎Αρης δ’ ἀπαμείβετο μύθῳ•
278 οὔτ’ ἄρ’ ᾿Αθηναίης Κρονίδη σθένος οὔτε ῎Αρηος
279 ἰσχύει βατράχοισιν ἀμυνέμεν αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.
280 ἀλλ’ ἄγε πάντες ἴωμεν ἀρηγόνες• ἢ τὸ σὸν ὅπλον
281 κινείσθω• οὕτω γὰρ ἁλώσεται ὅς τις ἄριστος,
282 ὥς ποτε καὶ Καπανῆα κατέκτανες ὄβριμον ἄνδρα
283 καὶ μέγαν ᾿Εγκελάδοντα καὶ ἄγρια φῦλα Γιγάντων.