WS Gilbert A Mid-Victorian Aristophanes - Haddon Hall

8 W. S. GILBERT A MID-VICTORIAN ARISTOPHANES
Aristophanes was amused by grand talk that covered empty content. The first scene in
Thesmophoriazusae is a street in Athens. Two elderly men enter, one with the lofty air that
befits a Poet and Philosopher; the other an ordinary, cheerful old fellow — he speaks first.
Mnesilochus. Might I, before I’ve lost my wind entirely,
Be told where you are taking me, Euripides?
Euripides. (solemnly) You may not hear the things which presently you are
to see.
Mnesilochus. What’s that? Say it again. I’m not to hear — ?
Euripides. What you shall surely see.
Mnesilochus. And not to see — ?
Euripides. The things you must needs hear.
Mnesilochus. Oh how you talk. Of course you’re very clever.
You mean I must not either hear or see?
Euripides. They two are twain and by their nature diverse,
Each one from other.
Mnesilochus. Hearing from seeing, eh?
Euripides. Even so. By nature diverse.
Mnesilochus. What’s that — diverse?
Euripides. Their elemental parts are separate.
Mnesilochus. Oh, what it is to talk to learned people.
Gilbert was amused by the same thing. In the second act of the Princess Ida the first
scene is the hall of the Women’s University. The principal has been addressing the
faculty and students, and as she finishes asks:
Who lectures in the Hall of Arts to-day?
Lady Blanche. I, madam, on Abstract Philosophy.
There I propose considering, at length,
Three points — The IS, the MIGHT BE, and the MUST.
Whether the IS, from being actual fact,
Is more important than the vague MIGHT BE,
Or the MIGHT BE, from taking wider scope,
Is for that reason greater than the IS:
And lastly, how the IS and MIGHT BE stand
Compared with the inevitable MUST!
Princess. The subject’s deep.