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Aeschylus
Pluto is the ruler of Hades. He organizes a contest to determine whether Euripides or Aeschylus is the superior poet; the winner will take over Aeschylus’s chair in Pluto’s Great Hall, and he’ll also journey back to the land of the living with Dionysus to save Athens. At the end of the play, after Dionysus has deemed Aeschylus the winner, Pluto congratulates Aeschylus and wishes him luck restoring Athens to its former glory.
Pluto Quotes in The Frogs
The The Frogs quotes below are all either spoken by Pluto or refer to Pluto. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes
XANTHIAS Come on, don’t dither. Remember you’re supposed to be Heracles!
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DIONYSUS Well, if you’re feeling so brave and heroic, how about taking my place? Here you are, you take the club and lion-skin – a chance to show your courage – and I’ll carry the luggage for you.
XANTHIAS Anything you say. You’re the boss.
[They exchange roles.]
There, how do I look? Xanthias as Heracles! I reckon the part suits me better than it does you, you old coward!
DIONYSUS It’s a very good imitation of a slave dressed up as Heracles. Come on, let me have those bundles.
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CHORUS
Well now you’re dressed up just the same as before,
A sight to make anyone tremble,
You must roll your eyes and swagger and roar
Like the god you’re supposed to resemble.
If you flinch or waver or fluff your role
And forget to speak bravely and brag, man,
You’ll be putting those suitcases back on that pole
And going back to your job as a bagman.
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Act 2, Scene 1 Quotes
SLAVE He’s a real gentleman, your master, by Zeus.
XANTHIAS Of course. Like all real gentlemen he only understands two things: swigging and frigging.
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SLAVE Well, Euripides came along and started showing off to all the other people we’ve got down here, you know, cut-throats, highwaymen, murderers, burglars – a right rough lot they are – and of course he soon had them all twisted round his little finger, with all his arguments and clever talking. So they’ve all started saying he’s the best, and he’s decided to lay claim to the chair instead of Aeschylus.
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XANTHIAS Weighing poetry? What, like slices of meat?
SLAVE Oh, yes, it’s all got to be measured properly, with rulers, yardsticks, compasses and wedges, and god knows what else.
XANTHIAS A regular torture chamber.
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DIONYSUS I’ll judge between you on this score alone: I shall select the man my soul desires.
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Pluto Character Timeline in The Frogs
The timeline below shows where the character Pluto appears in The Frogs. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, Scene 1
...people who’ve been “initiated into the rites of the Mysteries” and can direct Heracles to Pluto’s palace. Heracles wishes Dionysus luck, and then he goes back inside his house. Dionysus and...
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...their Hymn to Persephone. Dionysus takes the opportunity to ask the Initiates for directions to Pluto’s palace. They tell Dionysus the palace is nearby and point him in the right direction....
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Act 1, Scene 2
Dionysus and Xanthias arrive at Pluto’s palace; Dionysus knocks on the door and is greeted by Aeacus, the formidable doorkeeper to...
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...blow, and each reacts more strongly. Aeacus, frustrated, decides to take Xanthias and Dionysus to Pluto and Persephone, who will be able to tell which of them is a god. They...
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Act 2, Scene 1
In Pluto’s palace, Xanthias and Pluto’s slave are working together on some tedious chore. Xanthias gripes about...
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The sound of nearby yelling interrupts Xanthias and Pluto’s slave’s conversation. Pluto’s slave explains that it’s Aeschylus and Euripides who are yelling: they’re presently...
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Xanthias asks if Sophocles is also competing for the chair. Pluto’s slave explains that when Sophocles first arrived, he kissed Aeschylus on the hand and promised...
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Dionysus and Pluto enter and find their seats. Slaves carry in a scale and other tools to weigh...
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...the winner, he struggles. One poet is wise, but he “just love[s]” the other poet. Pluto says that Dionysus should just pick a poet; he can take the poet he picks...
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Pluto says it’s time for Dionysus to decide which poet he will take back with him....
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Pluto orders Dionysus and Aeschylus inside to entertain them before they leave. The Chorus stays behind...
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Pluto, Aeschylus, and Dionysus emerge from Pluto’s palace. Pluto bids his guests goodbye and tells them...
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