Ar.Eq.516

Greek Learning Greek
1

The sentence in question is “φησὶ γὰρ ἁνὴρ
οὐχ ὑπ᾽ ἀνοίας τοῦτο πεπονθὼς διατρίβειν, ἀλλὰ νομίζων
κωμῳδοδιδασκαλίαν εἶναι χαλεπώτατον ἔργον ἁπάντων:”

Eugene O’Neill’s translation is “This is what he bids us say in reply to your questions; it is not without grounds that he has courted the shade, for, in his opinion, nothing is more difficult than to cultivate the comic Muse” but, while this may be most accurate in English, it does not seem to be a very literal translation. Can someone provide a more literal translation?

2

I’d have to see it in context. But something like:

For the man says that not out of folly has he spent time enduring this, but he considers that training a comedic chorus is the hardest work of all.

3

Thanks, that looks more helpful. (I’d link to Perseus for context, but newcomers aren’t allowed to post links.)