The Battle of Frogs and Mice

The Batrachomyomachia or The Battle of the Frogs and Mice is an ancient Greek parody of the Homeric epics. The armies of the frogs and mice go to war over a misunderstanding, mighty deeds are performed by warriors on both sides, the gods become involved and great slaugher ensues before the resolution. There have been several translations from Chapman onwards; our version is in Draytonian stanzas by Jane Barlow in 1894, with illustrations by Francis D. Bedford.