SCENE: A wild and desolate region; only thickets, rocks, and a single tree are seen. Euelpides and Pisthetaerus enter, each with a bird in his hand.Euelpides: To his jay.Do you think I should walk straight for yon tree?
Ἐυελπίδης:ὀρθὴν κελεύεις, ᾗ τὸ δένδρον φαίνεται;
Pisthetaerus: To his crow.Cursed beast, what are you croaking to me?... to retrace my steps?
Πισθέταιρος:διαρραγείης· ἥδε δʼ αὖ κρώζει πάλιν.
Euelpides:Why, you wretch, we are wandering at random, we are exerting ourselves only to return to the same spot; we're wasting our time.
Ἐυελπίδης:τί ὦ πόνηρʼ ἄνω κάτω πλανύττομεν;ἀπολούμεθʼ ἄλλως τὴν ὁδὸν προφορουμένω.
Pisthetaerus:To think that I should trust to this crow, which has made me cover more than a thousand furlongs!
Πισθέταιρος:τὸ δʼ ἐμὲ κορώνῃ πειθόμενον τὸν ἄθλιονὁδοῦ περιελθεῖν στάδια πλεῖν ἢ χίλια.
Euelpides:And that I, in obedience to this jay, should have worn my toes down to the nails!
Ἐυελπίδης:τὸ δʼ ἐμὲ κολοιῷ πειθόμενον τὸν δύσμορονἀποσποδῆσαι τοὺς ὄνυχας τῶν δακτύλων.
Pisthetaerus:If only I knew where we were...
Πισθέταιρος:ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὅπου γῆς ἐσμὲν οἶδʼ ἔγωγʼ ἔτι.
Euelpides:Could you find your country again from here?
Ἐυελπίδης:ἐντευθενὶ τὴν πατρίδʼ ἂν ἐξεύροις σύ που;
Pisthetaerus:No, I feel quite sure I could not, any more than could Execestides find his.
Πισθέταιρος:οὐδʼ ἂν μὰ Δία γʼ ἐντεῦθεν Ἐξηκεστίδης.
Euelpides:Alas!
Ἐυελπίδης:οἴμοι.
Pisthetaerus:Aye, aye, my friend, it's surely the road of “alases” we are following.
Πισθέταιρος:σὺ μὲν ὦ τᾶν τὴν ὁδὸν ταύτην ἴθι.
Euelpides:That Philocrates, the bird-seller, played us a scurvy trick,when he pretended these two guides could help us to find Tereus, the Epops, who is a bird, without being born of one. He has indeed sold us this jay, a true son of Tharrhelides, for an obolus, and this crow for three, but what can they do? Why, nothing whatever but bite and scratch!To his jay.What's the matter with you then, that you keep opening your beak? Do you want us to fling ourselves headlong down these rocks? There is no road that way.
Ἐυελπίδης:ἦ δεινὰ νὼ δέδρακεν οὑκ τῶν ὀρνέων,ὁ πινακοπώλης φιλοκράτης μελαγχολῶν,ὃς τώδʼ ἔφασκε νῷν φράσειν τὸν Τηρέατὸν ἔποφʼ ὃς ὄρνις ἐγένετʼ ἐκ τῶν ὀρνέων·κἀπέδοτο τὸν μὲν Θαρρελείδου τουτονὶκολοιὸν ὀβολοῦ, τηνδεδὶ τριωβόλου.τὼ δʼ οὐκ ἄρʼ ᾔστην οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν δάκνειν.καὶ νῦν τί κέχηνας; ἔσθʼ ὅποι κατὰ τῶν πετρῶνἡμᾶς ἔτʼ ἔξεις. οὐ γάρ ἐστʼ ἐνταῦθά τιςὁδός.
Pisthetaerus:Not even the vestige of a trail in any direction
Πισθέταιρος:οὐδὲ μὰ Δίʼ ἐνταῦθά γʼ ἀτραπὸς οὐδαμοῦ.
Euelpides:And what does the crow say about the road to follow?
Ἐυελπίδης:οὐδʼ ἡ κορώνη τῆς ὁδοῦ τι λέγει πέρι;
Pisthetaerus:By Zeus, it no longer croaks the same thing it did.
Πισθέταιρος:οὐ ταὐτὰ κρώζει μὰ Δία νῦν τε καὶ τότε.
Euelpides:And which way does it tell us to go now?
Ἐυελπίδης:τί δὴ λέγει περὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ;
Pisthetaerus:It says that, by dint of gnawing, it will devour my fingers.
Πισθέταιρος:τί δʼ ἄλλο γʼ ἢβρύκουσʼ ἀπέδεσθαί φησί μου τοὺς δακτύλους;
Euelpides:What misfortune is ours! we strain every nerve to get to the crows, do everything we can to that end, and we cannot find our way!Yes, spectators, our madness is quite different from that of Sacas. He is not a citizen, and would fain be one at any cost; we, on the contrary, born of an honorable tribe and family and living in the midst of our fellow-citizens,we have fled from our country as hard as ever we could go. It's not that we hate it; we recognize it to be great and rich, likewise that everyone has the right to ruin himself paying taxes; but the crickets only chirrup among the fig-trees for a month or two,whereas the Athenians spend their whole lives in chanting forth judgments from their law-courts. That is why we started off with a basket, a stew-pot and some myrtle boughs and have come to seek a quiet countryin which to settle. We are going to Tereus, the Epops, to learn from him, whether, in his aerial flights, he has noticed some town of this kind.
Ἐυελπίδης:οὐ δεινὸν οὖν δῆτʼ ἐστὶν ἡμᾶς δεομένουςἐς κόρακας ἐλθεῖν καὶ παρεσκευασμένουςἔπειτα μὴ ʼξευρεῖν δύνασθαι τὴν ὁδόν;ἡμεῖς γάρ, ὦνδρες οἱ παρόντες ἐν λόγῳ,νόσον νοσοῦμεν τὴν ἐναντίαν Σάκᾳ·ὁ μὲν γὰρ ὢν οὐκ ἀστὸς ἐσβιάζεται,ἡμεῖς δὲ φυλῇ καὶ γένει τιμώμενοι,ἀστοὶ μετʼ ἀστῶν, οὐ σοβοῦντος οὐδενὸςἀνεπτόμεσθʼ ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος ἀμφοῖν ποδοῖν,αὐτὴν μὲν οὐ μισοῦντʼ ἐκείνην τὴν πόλιντὸ μὴ οὐ μεγάλην εἶναι φύσει κεὐδαίμονακαὶ πᾶσι κοινὴν ἐναποτεῖσαι χρήματα.οἱ μὲν γὰρ οὖν τέττιγες ἕνα μῆνʼ ἢ δύοἐπὶ τῶν κραδῶν ᾄδουσʼ, Ἀθηναῖοι δʼ ἀεὶἐπὶ τῶν δικῶν ᾄδουσι πάντα τὸν βίον.διὰ ταῦτα τόνδε τὸν βάδον βαδίζομεν,κανοῦν δʼ ἔχοντε καὶ χύτραν καὶ μυρρίναςπλανώμεθα ζητοῦντε τόπον ἀπράγμονα,ὅποι καθιδρυθέντε διαγενοίμεθʼ ἄν.ὁ δὲ στόλος νῷν ἐστι παρὰ τὸν Τηρέατὸν ἔποπα, παρʼ ἐκείνου πυθέσθαι δεομἐνω,εἴ που τοιαύτην εἶδε πόλιν ᾗ ʼπέπτετο.
Pisthetaerus:Here! look!
Πισθέταιρος:οὗτος.
Euelpides:What's the matter?
Ἐυελπίδης:τί ἔστιν;
Pisthetaerus:Why, the crow has been directing meto something up there for some time now.
Πισθέταιρος:ἡ κορώνη μοι πάλαιἄνω τι φράζει.
Euelpides:And the jay is also opening it beak and craning its neck to show me I know not what. Clearly, there are some birds about here. We shall soon know, if we kick up a noise to start them.
Ἐυελπίδης:χὠ κολοιὸς οὑτοσὶἄνω κέχηνεν ὡσπερεὶ δεικνύς τί μοι,κοὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως οὐκ ἔστιν ἐνταῦθʼ ὄρνεα.εἰσόμεθα δʼ αὐτίκʼ, ἢν ποιήσωμεν ψόφον.
Pisthetaerus:Do you know what to do? Knock your leg against this rock.
Πισθέταιρος:ἀλλʼ οἶσθʼ ὃ δρᾶσον; τῷ σκέλει θένε τὴν πέτραν.
Euelpides:And you your head to double the noise.
Ἐυελπίδης:σὺ δὲ τῇ κεφαλῇ γʼ, ἵνʼ ᾖ διπλάσιος ὁ ψόφος.
Pisthetaerus:Well then use a stone instead; take one and hammer with it.
Πισθέταιρος:σὺ δʼ οὖν λίθῳ κόψον λαβών.
Euelpides:Good idea! He does so. Ho there, within! Slave! slave!
Ἐυελπίδης:πάνυ γʼ, εἰ δοκεῖ.παῖ παῖ.
Pisthetaerus:What's that, friend! You say, “slave,” to summon Epops? It would be much better to shout, “Epops, Epops!”
Πισθέταιρος:τί λέγεις οὗτος; τὸν ἔποπα παῖ καλεῖς;οὐκ ἀντὶ τοῦ παιδός ⟨σʼ⟩ ἐχρῆν ἐποποῖ καλεῖν;
Euelpides:Well then, Epops! Must I knock again? Epops!
Ἐυελπίδης:ἐποποῖ. ποιήσεις ἔτι με κόπτειν αὖθις αὖ.ἐποποῖ.
Trochilus:Rushing out of a thicket. Who's there? Who calls my master?Pisthetaerus: In terror.Apollo the Deliverer! what an enormous beak!He defecates. In the confusion both the jay and the crow fly away.
Θεράπων Ἔποπος:τίνες οὗτοι; τίς ὁ βοῶν τὸν δεσπότην;Ἐυελπίδης:Ἄπολλον ἀποτρόπαιε τοῦ χασμήματος.
Trochilus: Equally frightened.Good god! they are bird-catchers.
Θεράπων Ἔποπος:οἴμοι τάλας ὀρνιθοθήρα τουτωί.
Euelpides: Reassuring himself.But is it so terrible? Wouldn't it be better to explain things?
Ἐυελπίδης:οὕτως τι δεινὸν οὐδὲ κάλλιον λέγειν.
Trochilus: Also reassuring himself.You're done for.
Θεράπων Ἔποπος:ἀπολεῖσθον.
Euelpides:But we are not men.
Ἐυελπίδης:ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐσμὲν ἀνθρώπω.
Trochilus:What are you, then?
Θεράπων Ἔποπος:τί δαί;
Euelpides: Defecating also.I am the Fearling, an African bird.
Ἐυελπίδης:Ὑποδεδιὼς ἔγωγε Λιβυκὸν ὄρνεον.
Trochilus:You talk nonsense.
Θεράπων Ἔποπος:οὐδὲν λέγεις.
Euelpides:Well, then, just ask it of my feet.
Ἐυελπίδης:καὶ μὴν ἐροῦ τὰ πρὸς ποδῶν.
Trochilus:And this other one, what bird is it? To Pisthetaerus. Speak up!
Θεράπων Ἔποπος:ὁδὶ δὲ δὴ τίς ἐστιν ὄρνις; οὐκ ἐρεῖς;
Pisthetaerus: Weakly.I? I am a Crapple, from the land of the pheasants.
Πισθέταιρος:Ἐπικεχοδὼς ἔγωγε Φασιανικός.
Euelpides:But you yourself, in the name of the gods! what animal are you?
Ἐυελπίδης:ἀτὰρ σὺ τί θηρίον ποτʼ εἶ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν;
Trochilus:Why, I am a slave-bird.
Θεράπων Ἔποπος:ὄρνις ἔγωγε δοῦλος.
Euelpides:Why, have you been conquered by a cock?
Ἐυελπίδης:ἡττήθης τινὸςἀλεκτρυόνος;
Trochilus:No, but when my master was turned into a hoopoe, he begged me to become a bird also, to follow and to serve him.
Θεράπων Ἔποπος:οὐκ ἀλλʼ ὅτε περ ὁ δεσπότηςἔποψ ἐγένετο, τότε γενέσθαι μʼ ηὔξατοὄρνιν, ἵνʼ ἀκόλουθον διάκονόν τʼ ἔχῃ.
Euelpides:Does a bird need a servant, then?
Ἐυελπίδης:δεῖται γὰρ ὄρνις καὶ διακόνου τινός;
Trochilus:That's no doubt because he was once a man. At times he wants to eat a dish of sardines from Phalerum; I seize my dish and fly to fetch him some. Again he wants some pea-soup; I seize a ladle and a pot and run to get it.
Θεράπων Ἔποπος:οὗτός γʼ, ἅτʼ οἶμαι πρότερον ἄνθρωπός ποτʼ ὤν,τοτὲ μὲν ἐρᾷ φαγεῖν ἀφύας Φαληρικάς·τρέχω ʼπʼ ἀφύας λαβὼν ἐγὼ τὸ τρύβλιον.ἔτνους δʼ ἐπιθυμεῖ, δεῖ τορύνης καὶ χύτρας·τρέχω ʼπὶ τορύνην.
Euelpides:This is, then,truly a running-bird. Come, Trochilus, do us the kindness to call your master.
Ἐυελπίδης:τροχίλος ὄρνις οὑτοσί.οἶσθʼ οὖν ὃ δρᾶσον ὦ τροχίλε; τὸν δεσπότηνἡμῖν κάλεσον.
Trochilus:Why, he has just fallen asleep after a feed of myrtle-berries and a few grubs.
Θεράπων Ἔποπος:ἀλλʼ ἀρτίως νὴ τὸν Δίαεὕδει καταφαγὼν μύρτα καὶ σέρφους τινάς.
Euelpides:Never mind; wake him up.
Ἐυελπίδης:ὅμως ἐπέγειρον αὐτόν.
Trochilus:I am certain he will be angry. However, I will wake him to please you.He goes back into the thicket.
Θεράπων Ἔποπος:οἶδα μὲν σαφῶςὅτι ἀχθέσεται, σφῷν δʼ αὐτὸν οὕνεκʼ ἐπεγερῶ.
Pisthetaerus: As soon as Trochilus is out of sight.You cursed brute! why, I am almost dead with terror!
Πισθέταιρος:κακῶς σύ γʼ ἀπόλοιʼ, ὥς μʼ ἀπέκτεινας δέει.
Euelpides:Oh! my god! it was sheer fear that made me lose my jay.
Ἐυελπίδης:οἴμοι κακοδαίμων χὠ κολοιός μοἴχεταιὑπὸ τοῦ δέους.
Pisthetaerus:Ah! you big coward! were you so frightened that you let go your jay?
Πισθέταιρος:ὦ δειλότατον σὺ θηρίον,δείσας ἀφῆκας τὸν κολοιόν;
Euelpides:And did you not lose your crow, when you fell sprawling on the ground? Tell me that.
Ἐυελπίδης:εἰπέ μοι,σὺ δὲ τὴν κορώνην οὐκ ἀφῆκας καταπεσών;
Pisthetaerus:Not at all.
Πισθέταιρος:μὰ Δίʼ οὐκ ἔγωγε.
Euelpides:Where is it, then?
Ἐυελπίδης:ποῦ γάρ ἐστʼ;
Pisthetaerus:It flew away.
Πισθέταιρος:ἀπέπτετο.
Euelpides:And you did not let it go? Oh! you brave fellow!
Ἐυελπίδης:οὐκ ἆρʼ ἀφῆκας; ὦγάθʼ ὡς ἀνδρεῖος εἶ.
Epops: From within.Open the thicket, that I may go out!He comes out of the thicket.
Ἔποψ:ἄνοιγε τὴν ὕλην, ἵνʼ ἐξέλθω ποτέ.
Euelpides:By Heracles! what a creature! what plumage! What means this triple crest?
Ἐυελπίδης:ὦ Ἡράκλεις τουτὶ τί ποτʼ ἐστὶ τὸ θηρίον;τίς ἡ πτέρωσις; τίς ὁ τρόπος τῆς τριλοφίας;
Epops:Who wants me?
Ἔποψ:τίνες εἰσί μʼ οἱ ζητοῦντες;
Euelpides: Banteringly.The twelve great gods have used you ill, it seems.
Ἐυελπίδης:οἱ δώδεκα θεοὶεἴξασιν ἐπιτρῖψαί σε.
Epops:Are you twitting me about my feathers? I have been a man, strangers.
Ἔποψ:μῶν με σκώπτετονὁρῶντε τὴν πτέρωσιν; ἦν γὰρ ὦ ξένοιἄνθρωπος.
Euelpides:It's not you we are jeering at.
Ἐυελπίδης:οὐ σοῦ καταγελῶμεν.
Epops:At what, then?
Ἔποψ:ἀλλὰ τοῦ;
Euelpides:Why, it's your beak that looks so ridiculous to us.
Ἐυελπίδης:τὸ ῥάμφος ἡμῖν σου γέλοιον φαίνεται.
Epops:This is how Sophocles outrages me in his tragedies. Know, I once was Tereus.
Ἔποψ:τοιαῦτα μέντοι Σοφοκλέης λυμαίνεταιἐν ταῖς τραγῳδίαισιν ἐμὲ τὸν Τηρέα.
Euelpides:You were Tereus, and what are you now? a bird or a peacock?
Ἐυελπίδης:Τηρεὺς γὰρ εἶ σύ; πότερον ὄρνις ἢ ταὧς;
Epops:I am a bird.
Ἔποψ:ὄρνις ἔγωγε.
Euelpides:Then where are your feathers? I don't see any.
Ἐυελπίδης:κᾆτά σοι ποῦ τὰ πτερά;
Epops:They have fallen off.
Ἔποψ:ἐξερρύηκε.
Euelpides:Through illness?
Ἐυελπίδης:πότερον ὑπὸ νόσου τινός;
Epops:No. All birds moult their feathers, you know, every winter, and others grow in their place. But tell me, who are you?
Ἔποψ:οὔκ, ἀλλὰ τὸν χειμῶνα πάντα τὤρνεαπτερορρυεῖ τε καὖθις ἕτερα φύομεν.ἀλλʼ εἴπατόν μοι σφὼ τίνʼ ἐστόν;
Euelpides:We? We are mortals.
Ἐυελπίδης:νώ; βροτώ.
Epops:From what country?
Ἔποψ:ποδαπὼ τὸ γένος;
Euelpides:From the land of the beautiful galleys.
Ἐυελπίδης:ὅθεν αἱ τριήρεις αἱ καλαί.
Epops:Are you dicasts?
Ἔποψ:μῶν ἡλιαστά;
Euelpides:No, if anything,we are anti-dicasts.
Ἐυελπίδης:μἀλλὰ θατέρου τρόπου,ἀπηλιαστά.
Epops:Is that kind of seed sown among you?
Ἔποψ:σπείρεται γὰρ τοῦτʼ ἐκεῖτὸ σπέρμʼ;
Euelpides:You have to look hard to find even a little in our fields.
Ἐυελπίδης:ὀλίγον ζητῶν ἂν ἐξ ἀγροῦ λάβοις.
Epops:What brings you here?
Ἔποψ:πράγους δὲ δὴ τοῦ δεομένω δεῦρʼ ἤλθετον;
Euelpides:We wish to pay you a visit.
Ἐυελπίδης:σοὶ ξυγγενέσθαι βουλομένω.
Epops:What for?
Ἔποψ:τίνος πέρι;
Euelpides:Because you formerly were a man, like we are,formerly you had debts, as we have, formerly you did not want to pay them, like ourselves; furthermore, being turned into a bird, you have when flying seen all lands and seas. Thus you have all human knowledge as well as that of birds.And hence we have come to you to beg you to direct us to some cosy town, in which one can repose as if on thick coverlets.
Ἐυελπίδης:ὅτι πρῶτα μὲν ἦσθʼ ἄνθρωπος ὥσπερ νὼ ποτέ,κἀργύριον ὠφείλησας ὥσπερ νὼ ποτέ,κοὐκ ἀποδιδοὺς ἔχαιρες ὥσπερ νὼ ποτέ·εἶτʼ αὖθις ὀρνίθων μεταλλάξας φύσινκαὶ γῆν ἐπέπτου καὶ θάλατταν ἐν κύκλῳ,καὶ πάνθʼ ὅσαπερ ἄνθρωπος ὅσα τʼ ὄρνις φρονεῖς·ταῦτ οὖν ἱκέται νὼ πρὸς σὲ δεῦρʼ ἀφίγμεθα,εἴ τινα πόλιν φράσειας ἡμῖν εὔερονὥσπερ σισύραν ἐγκατακλινῆναι μαλθακήν.
Epops:And are you looking for a greater city than Athens?
Ἔποψ:ἔμειτα μείζω τῶν Κραναῶν ζητεῖς πόλιν;
Euelpides:No, not a greater, but one more pleasant to live in.
Ἐυελπίδης:μείζω μὲν οὐδέν, προσφορωτέραν δὲ νῷν.
Epops:Then you are looking for an aristocratic country.
Ἔποψ:ἀριστοκρατεῖσθαι δῆλος εἶ ζητῶν.
Euelpides:I? Not at all! I hold the son of Scellias in horror.
Ἐυελπίδης:ἐγώ;ἥκιστα· καὶ ⟨γὰρ⟩ τὸν Σκελίου βδελύττομαι.
Epops:But, after all, what sort of city would please you best?
Ἔποψ:ποίαν τινʼ οὖν ἥδιστʼ ἂν οἰκοῖτʼ ἂν πόλιν;
Euelpides:A place where the following would be the most important business transacted. —Some friend would come knocking at the door quite early in the morningsaying, “By Olympian Zeus, be at my house early, as soon as you have bathed, and bring your children too. I am giving a nuptial feast, so don't fail, or else don't cross my threshold when I am in distress.”
Ἐυελπίδης:ὅπου τὰ μέγιστα πράγματʼ εἴη τοιάδε·ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν μου πρῴ τις ἐλθὼν τῶν φίλωνλέγοι ταδί· πρὸς τοῦ Διὸς τοὐλυμπίουὅπως παρέσει μοι καὶ σὺ καὶ τὰ παιδίαλουσάμενα πρῴ· μέλλω γὰρ ἑστιᾶν γάμους·καὶ μηδαμῶς ἄλλως ποιήσῃς· εἰ δὲ μή,μή μοι τότε γʼ ἔλθῃς, ὅταν ἐγὼ πράττω κακῶς.
Epops:Ah! that's what may be called being fond of hardships! To Pisthetaerus. And what say you?
Ἔποψ:νὴ Δία ταλαιπώρων γε πραγμάτων ἐρᾷς.τί δαὶ σύ;
Pisthetaerus:My tastes are similar.
Πισθέταιρος:τοιούτων ἐρῶ κἀγώ.
Epops:And they are?
Ἔποψ:τίνων;
Pisthetaerus:I want a town where the father of a handsome lad will stop in the street and say to me reproachfully as if I had failed him, “Ah! Is this well done, Stilbonides?”“You met my son coming from the bath after the gymnasium and you neither spoke to him, nor kissed him, nor took him with you, nor ever once felt his balls. Would anyone call you an old friend of mine?”
Πισθέταιρος:ὅπου ξυναντῶν μοι ταδί τις μέμψεταιὥσπερ ἀδικηθεὶς παιδὸς ὡραίου πατήρ·καλῶς γέ μου τὸν υἱὸν ὦ Στιλβωνίδηεὑρὼν ἀπιόντʼ ἀπὸ γυμνασίου λελουμένονοὐκ ἔκυσας, οὐ προσεῖπας, οὐ προσηγάγου,οὐκ ὠρχιπέδισας, ὢν ἐμοὶ πατρικὸς φίλος.
Epops:Ah! wag, I see you are fond of suffering. But there is a city of delights such as you want.It's on the Red Sea.
Ἔποψ:ὦ δειλακρίων σὺ τῶν κακῶν οἵων ἐρᾷς.ἀτὰρ ἔστι γʼ ὁποίαν λέγετον εὐδαίμων πόλιςπαρὰ τὴν ἐρυθρὰν θάλατταν.
Euelpides:Oh, no. Not a sea-port, where some fine morning the Salaminian galley can appear, bringing a process-server along. Have you no Greek town you can propose to us?
Ἐυελπίδης:οἴμοι μηδαμῶςἡμῖν παρὰ τὴν θάλατταν, ἵνʼ ἀνακύψεταικλητῆρʼ ἄγουσʼ ἕωθεν ἡ Σαλαμινία.Ἑλληνικὴν δὲ πόλιν ἔχεις ἡμῖν φράσαι;
Epops:Why not choose Lepreum in Elis for your settlement?
Ἔποψ:τί οὐ τὸν Ἠλεῖον Λέπρεον οἰκίζετονἐλθόνθʼ;
Euelpides:By Zeus! I could not look at Lepreum without disgust, because of Melanthius.
Ἐυελπίδης:ὁτιὴ νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς ὅσʼ οὐκ ἰδὼνβδελύττομαι τὸν Λέπρεον ἀπὸ Μελανθίου.
Epops:Then, again, there is the Opuntian Locris, where you could live.
Ἔποψ:ἀλλʼ εἰσὶν ἕτεροι τῆς Λοκρίδος Ὀπούντιοι,ἵνα χρὴ κατοικεῖν.
Euelpides:I would not be Opuntian for a talent.But come, what is it like to live with the birds? You should know pretty well.
Ἐυελπίδης:ἀλλʼ ἔγωγʼ Ὀπούντιοςοὐκ ἂν γενοίμην ἐπὶ ταλάντῳ χρυσίου.οὗτος δὲ δὴ τίς ἔσθʼ ὁ μετʼ ὀρνίθων βίος;σὺ γὰρ οἶσθʼ ἀκριβῶς.
Epops:Why, it's not a disagreeable life. In the first place, one has no purse.
Ἔποψ:οὐκ ἄχαρις ἐς τὴν τριβήν·οὗ πρῶτα μὲν δεῖ ζῆν ἄνευ βαλλαντίου.
Euelpides:That does away with a lot of roguery.
Ἐυελπίδης:πολλήν γʼ ἀφεῖλες τοῦ βίου κιβδηλίαν.
Epops:For food the gardens yield us white sesame,myrtle-berries, poppies and mint.
Ἔποψ:νεμόμεσθα δʼ ἐν κήποις τὰ λευκὰ σήσαμακαὶ μύρτα καὶ μήκωνα καὶ σισύμβρια.
Euelpides:Why, 'tis the life of the newly-wed indeed.
Ἐυελπίδης:ὑμεῖς μὲν ἆρα ζῆτε νυμφίων βίον.
Pisthetaerus:Ha! I am beginning to see a great plan, which will transfer the supreme power to the birds, if you will but take my advice.
Πισθέταιρος:φεῦ φεῦ·ἦ μέγʼ ἐνορῶ βούλευμʼ ἐν ὀρνίθων γένει,καὶ δύναμιν ἣ γένοιτʼ ἄν, εἰ πίθοισθέ μοι.
Epops:Take your advice? In what way?
Ἔποψ:τί σοι πιθώμεσθʼ;
Pisthetaerus:In what way? Well, firstly,do not fly in all directions with open beak; it is not dignified. Among us, when we see a thoughtless man, we ask, “What sort of bird is this?” and Teleas answers, “It's a man who has no brain, a bird that has lost his head, a creature”“you cannot catch, for it never remains in any one place.”
Πισθέταιρος:ὅ τι πίθησθε; πρῶτα μὲνμὴ περιπέτεσθε πανταχῇ κεχηνότες·ὡς τοῦτʼ ἄτιμον τοὔργον ἐστίν. αὐτίκαἐκεῖ παρʼ ἡμῖν τοὺς πετομένους ἢν ἔρῃ,τίς ὄρνις οὗτος; ὁ Τελέας ἐρεῖ ταδί·ἅνθρωπος ὄρνις ἀστάθμητος πετόμενος,ἀτέκμαρτος, οὐδὲν οὐδέποτʼ ἐν ταὐτῷ μένων.
Epops:By Zeus himself! your jest hits the mark. What then is to be done?
Ἔποψ:νὴ τὸν Διόνυσον εὖ γε μωμᾷ ταυταγί.τί ἂν οὖν ποιοῖμεν;
Pisthetaerus:Found a city.
Πισθέταιρος:οἰκίσατε μίαν πόλιν.
Epops:We birds? But what sort of city should we build?
Ἔποψ:ποίαν δʼ ἂν οἰκίσαιμεν ὄρνιθες πόλιν;
Pisthetaerus:Oh, really, really! you talk like such a fool!Look down.
Πισθέταιρος:ἄληθες; ὦ σκαιότατον εἰρηκὼς ἔπος,βλέψον κάτω.
Epops:I am looking.
Ἔποψ:καὶ δὴ βλέπω.
Pisthetaerus:Now look up.
Πισθέταιρος:βλέπε νῦν ἄνω.
Epops:I am looking.
Ἔποψ:βλέπω.
Pisthetaerus:Turn your head round.
Πισθέταιρος:περίαγε τὸν τράχηλον.
Epops:Ah! it will be pleasant for me if I end in twisting my neck off!
Ἔποψ:νὴ Δίαἀπολαύσομαί τί γʼ, εἰ διαστραφήσομαι.
Pisthetaerus:What have you seen?
Πισθέταιρος:εἶδές τι;
Epops:The clouds and the sky.
Ἔποψ:τὰς νεφέλας γε καὶ τὸν οὐρανόν.
Pisthetaerus:Very well! is not this the pole of the birds then?
Πισθέταιρος:οὐχ οὗτος οὖν δήπου ʼστὶν ὀρνίθων πόλος;
Epops:How their pole?
Ἔποψ:πόλος; τίνα τρόπον;
Pisthetaerus:Or, if you like it, their place. And since it turns and passes through the whole universe, it is called ‘pole.’ If you build and fortify it, you will turn your pole into a city.In this way you will reign over mankind as you do over the grasshoppers and you will cause the gods to die of rabid hunger.
Πισθέταιρος:ὥσπερ ⟨ἂν⟩ εἴποι τις τόπος.ὅτι δὲ πολεῖται τοῦτο καὶ διέρχεταιἅπαντα διὰ τούτου, καλεῖται νῦν πόλος.ἢν δʼ οἰκίσητε τοῦτο καὶ φάρξηθʼ ἅπαξ,ἐκ τοῦ πόλου τούτου κεκλήσεται πόλις.ὥστʼ ἄρξετʼ ἀνθρώπων μὲν ὥσπερ παρνόπων,τοὺς δʼ αὖ θεοὺς ἀπολεῖτε λιμῷ Μηλίῳ.
Pisthetaerus:The air is between earth and heaven. When we want to go to Delphi, we ask the Boeotians for leave of passage;in the same way, when men sacrifice to the gods, unless the latter pay you tribute, you exercise the right of every nation towards strangers and don't allow the smoke of the sacrifices to pass through your city and territory.
Πισθέταιρος:ἐν μέσῳ δήπουθεν ἀήρ ἐστι γῆς.εἶθʼ ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς, ἢν ἰέναι βουλώμεθαΠυθώδε, Βοιωτοὺς δίοδον αἰτούμεθα,οὕτως, ὅταν θύσωσιν ἄνθρωποι θεοῖς,ἢν μὴ φόρον φέρωσιν οἱ ὑμῖν οἱ θεοί,[διὰ τῆς πόλεως τῆς ἀλλοτρίας καὶ τοῦ χάους]τῶν μηρίων τὴν κνῖσαν οὐ διαφρήσετε.
Epops:By earth! by snares! by network! by cages!I never heard of anything more cleverly conceived; and, if the other birds approve, I am going to build the city along with you.
Ἔποψ:ἰοὺ ἰού·μὰ γῆν μὰ παγίδας μὰ νεφέλας μὰ δίκτυα,μὴ ʼγὼ νόημα κομψότερον ἤκουσά πω·ὥστʼ ἂν κατοικίζοιμι μετὰ σοῦ τὴν πόλιν,εἰ ξυνδοκοίη τοῖσιν ἄλλοις ὀρνέοις.
Pisthetaerus:Who will explain the matter to them?
Πισθέταιρος:τίς ἂν οὖν τὸ πρᾶγμʼ αὐτοῖς διηγήσαιτο;
Epops:You must yourself. Before I came they were quite ignorant,but since I have lived with them I have taught them to speak.
Ἔποψ:σύ.ἐγὼ γὰρ αὐτοὺς βαρβάρους ὄντας πρὸ τοῦἐδίδαξα τὴν φωνήν, ξυνὼν πολὺν χρόνον.
Pisthetaerus:But how can they be gathered together?
Πισθέταιρος:πῶς δῆτʼ ἂν αὐτοὺς ξυγκαλέσειας;
Epops:Easily. I will hasten down to the thicket to waken my dear Procneand as soon as they hear our voices, they will come to us hot wing.
Ἔποψ:ῥᾳδίως.δευρὶ γὰρ ἐσβὰς αὐτίκα μάλʼ ἐς τὴν λόχμην,ἔπειτʼ ἀνεγείρας τὴν ἐμὴν ἀηδόνα,καλοῦμεν αὐτούς· οἱ δὲ νῷν τοῦ φθέγματοςἐάνπερ ἐπακούσωσι θεύσονται δρόμῳ.
Pisthetaerus:My dear bird, lose no time, please! Fly at once into the thicket and awaken Procne.
Πισθέταιρος:ὦ φίλτατʼ ὀρνίθων σὺ μή νυν ἕσταθι·ἀλλʼ ἀντιβολῶ σʼ ἄγʼ ὡς τάχιστʼ ἐς τὴν λόχμηνἔσβαινε κἀνέγειρε τὴν ἀηδόνα.
Epops rushes into the thicket.Epops: From within; singing.Chase off drowsy sleep, dear companion.Let the sacred hymn gush from thy divine throat in melodious strains; roll forth in soft cadence your refreshing melodies to bewail the fate of Itys, which has been the cause of so many tears to us both.Your pure notes rise through the thick leaves of the yew-tree right up to the throne of Zeus, where Phoebus listens to you, Phoebus with his golden hair. And his ivory lyre responds to your plaintive accents;he gathers the choir of the gods and from their immortal lips pours forth a sacred chant of blessed voices.The flute is played behind the scene, imitating the song of the nightingale.
Ἔποψ:ἄγε σύννομέ μοι παῦσαι μὲν ὕπνου,λῦσον δὲ νόμους ἱερῶν ὕμνων,οὓς διὰ θείου στόματος θρηνεῖςτὸν ἐμὸν καὶ σὸν πολύδακρυν Ἴτυν·ἐλελιζομένης δʼ ἱεροῖς μέλεσινγένυος ξουθῆςκαθαρὰ χωρεῖ διὰ φυλλοκόμουμίλακος ἠχὼ πρὸς Διὸς ἕδρας,ἵνʼ ὁ χρυσοκόμας Φοῖβος ἀκούωντοῖς σοῖς ἐλέγοις ἀντιψάλλωνἐλεφαντόδετον φόρμιγγα θεῶνἵστησι χορούς· διὰ δʼ ἀθανάτωνστομάτων χωρεῖ ξύμφωνος ὁμοῦθεία μακάρων ὀλολυγή.(ἁὐλεἶ)
Pisthetaerus:Oh! by Zeus! what a throat that little bird possesses. He has filled the whole thicket with honey-sweet melody!
Πισθέταιρος:ὦ Ζεῦ βασιλεῦ τοῦ φθέγματος τοὐρνιθίου·οἶον κατεμελίτωσε τὴν λόχμην ὃλην.
Euelpides:Hush!
Ἐυελπίδης:οὗτος.
Pisthetaerus:What's the matter?
Πισθέταιρος:τί ἔστιν;οὐ σιωπήσει;
Euelpides:Be still!
Ἐυελπίδης:τί δαί;
Pisthetaerus:What for?Euelpides:Epops is going to sing again.
Πισθέταιρος:οὕποψ μελῳδεῖν αὖ παρασκευάζεται.
Epops: In the thicket, singing.Epopopoi popoi popopopoi popoi, here, here, quick, quick, quick, my comrades in the air;all you who pillage the fertile lands of the husbandmen, the numberless tribes who gather and devour the barley seeds, the swift flying race that sings so sweetly. And you whose gentle twitterresounds through the fields with the little cry of tiotiotiotiotiotiotiotio; and you who hop about the branches of the ivy in the gardens;the mountain birds, who feed on the wild olive-berries or the arbutus, hurry to come at my call, trioto, trioto, totobrix; you also, who snap up the sharp-stinginggnats in the marshy vales, and you who dwell in the fine plain of Marathon, all damp with dew, and you, the francolin with speckled wings;you too, the halcyons, who flit over the swelling waves of the sea, come hither to hear the tidings; let all the tribes of long-necked birds assemble here;know that a clever old man has come to us, bringing an entirely new idea and proposing great reforms. Let all come to the debate here, here, here, here.Torotorotorotorotix, kikkabau, kikkabau, torotorotorolililix.
Ἔποψ:ἐποποῖ ποποποποποποποῖ,ἰὼ ἰὼ ἰτὼ ἰτὼ ἰτὼ ἰτὼ,ἴτω τις ὧδε τῶν ἐμῶν ὁμοπτέρων·ὅσοι τʼ εὐσπόρους ἀγροίκων γύαςνέμεσθε, φῦλα μυρία κριθοτράγωνσπερμολόγων τε γένηταχὺ πετόμενα, μαλθακὴν ἱέντα γῆρυν·ὅσα τʼ ἐν ἄλοκι θαμὰβῶλον ἀμφιτιττυβίζεθʼ ὧδε λεπτὸνἡδομένᾳ φωνᾷ·τιὸ τιὸ τιὸ τιὸ τιὸ τιὸ τιὸ τιό.ὅσα θʼ ὑμῶν κατὰ κήπους ἐπὶ κισσοῦκλάδεσι νομὸν ἔχει,τά τε κατʼ ὄρεα τά τε κοτινοτράγα τά τε κομαροφάγα,ἀνύσατε πετόμενα πρὸς ἐμὰν αὐδάν·τριοτὸ τριοτὸ τοτοβρίξ·οἵ θʼ ἑλείας παρʼ αὐλῶνας ὀξυστόμουςἐμπίδας κάπτεθʼ, ὅσα τʼ εὐδρόσους γῆς τόπουςἔχετε λειμῶνά τʼ ἐρόεντα Μαραθῶνος, ὄρνιςπτερυγοποίκιλός τʼ ἀτταγᾶς ἀτταγᾶς.ὧν τʼ ἐπὶ πόντιον οἶδμα θαλάσσηςφῦλα μετʼ ἀλκυόνεσσι ποτῆται,δεῦρʼ ἴτε πευσόμενοι τὰ νεώτερα,πάντα γὰρ ἐνθάδε φῦλʼ ἀθροΐζομενοἰωνῶν ταναοδείρων.ἥκει γὰρ τις δριμὺς πρέσβυςκαινὸς γνώμηνκαινῶν τʼ ἔργων ἐγχειρητής.ἀλλʼ ἴτʼ ἐς λόγους ἅπαντα,δεῦρο δεῦρο δεῦρο δεῦρο.Χορός:τοροτοροτοροτοροτίξ.κικκαβαῦ κικκαβαῦ.τοροτοροτοροτορολιλιλίξ.
Pisthetaerus:Can you see any bird?
Πισθέταιρος:ὁρᾷς τινʼ ὄρνιν;
Euelpides:By Phoebus, no! and yet I am straining my eyesight to scan the sky.
Ἐυελπίδης:μὰ τὸν Ἀπόλλω ʼγὼ μὲν οὔ·καίτοι κέχηνά γʼ ἐς τὸν οὐρανὸν βλέπων.
Pisthetaerus:It was hardly worth Epops' while to go and bury himself in the thicket like a hatching plover.
Πισθέταιρος:ἄλλως ἄρʼ οὕποψ, ὡς ἔοικʼ, ἐς τὴν λόχμηνἐσβὰς ἐπῷζε χαραδριὸν μιμούμενος.
A Bird: Entering.Torotix, torotix.Pisthetaerus:Wait, friend, there's a bird.
Ὄρνις Τις:τοροτὶξ τοροτίξ.Πισθέταιρος:ὦγάθʼ ἀλλʼ ⟨εἶς⟩ οὑτοσὶ καὶ δή τις ὄρνις ἔρχεται.
Euelpides:By Zeus, it is a bird, but what kind? Isn't it a peacock?
Ἐυελπίδης:νὴ Δίʼ ὄρνις δῆτα. τίς ποτʼ ἐστίν; οὐ δήπου ταὧς;
Pisthetaerus: As Epops comes out of the thicket.Epops will tell us. What is this bird?
Πισθέταιρος:οὗτος αὐτὸς νῷν φράσει· τίς ἐστιν ὄρνις οὑτοσί;
Epops:It's not one of those you are used to seeing; it's a bird from the marshes.
Ἔποψ:οὗτος οὐ τῶν ἠθάδων τῶνδʼ ὧν ὁρᾶθʼ ὑμεῖς ἀεί,ἀλλὰ λιμναῖος.
Euelpides:Oh! oh! but he is very handsome with his wings as crimson as flame.
Ἐυελπίδης:βαβαὶ καλός γε καὶ φοινικιοῦς.
Epops:Undoubtedly; indeed he is called flamingo.
Ἔποψ:εἰκότως ⟨γε⟩· καὶ γὰρ ὄνομʼ αὐτῷ ʼστὶ φοινικόπτερος.
Euelpides: Excitedly.Hi! I say! You!
Ἐυελπίδης:οὗτος ὦ σέ τοι.
Pisthetaerus:What are you shouting for?
Πισθέταιρος:τί βωστρεῖς;
Euelpides:Why, here's another bird.
Ἐυελπίδης:ἕτερος ὄρνις οὑτοσί.
Pisthetaerus:Aye, indeed; this one's a foreign bird too. To Epops. What is this bird from beyond the mountains with a look as solemn as it is stupid?
Πισθέταιρος:νὴ Δίʼ ἕτερος δῆτα χοὖτος ἔξεδρον χρόαν ἔχων.τίς ποτʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ μουσόμαντις ἄτοπος ὄρνις ὀρειβάτης;
Epops:He is called the Mede.
Ἔποψ:ὄνομα τούτῳ Μῆδός ἐστο.Πισθέταιρος:Μῆδος; ὦναξ Ἡράκλεις·εἶτα πῶς ἄνευ καμήλου Μῆδος ὤν εἰσέπτετο;
Euelpides:The Mede! But, by Heracles, how, if a Mede, has he flown here without a camel?
Ἐυελπίδης:ἕτερος αὖ λόφον κατειληφώς τις ὄρνις οὑτοσί.
Pisthetaerus:Here's another bird with a crest.From here on, the numerous birds that make up the Chorus keep rushing in.Euelpides:Ah! that's curious. I say, Epops, you are not the only one of your kind then?
Πισθέταιρος:τί τὸ τέρας τουτί ποτʼ ἐστίν; οὐ σὺ μόνος ἄρʼ ἦσθʼ ἔποψ,ἀλλὰ χοὖτος ἕτερος;
Epops:This bird is the son of Philocles, who is the son of Epops; so that, you see, I am his grandfather; just as one might say, Hipponicus, the son of Callias, who is the son of Hipponicus.
Ἔποψ:οὑτοσὶ μέν ἐστι Φιλοκλέουςἐξ ἔποπος, ἐγὼ δὲ τούτου πάππος, ὥσπερ εἰ λέγοιςἹππόνικος Καλλίου κἀξ Ἱππονίκου Καλλίας.Πισθέταιρος:Καλλίας ἄρʼ οὗτος οὕρνις ἐστίν· ὡς πτερορρυεῖ.
Euelpides:Then this bird is Callias! Why, what a lot of his feathers he has lost!
Ἐυελπίδης:ἅτε γὰρ ὢν γενναῖος ὑπό ⟨τε⟩ συκοφαντῶν τίλλεται,αἵ τε θήλειαι προσεκτίλλουσιν αὐτοῦ τὰ πτερά.Πισθέταιρος:ὦ Πόσειδον ἕτερος αὖ τις βαπτὸς ὄρνις οὑτοσί.τίς ὀνομάξεταί ποθʼ οὗτος;
Epops:That's because he is honest; so the informers set upon him and the women too pluck out his feathers.
Ἔποψ:οὑτοσὶ κατωφαγᾶς.Πισθέταιρος:ἔστι γὰρ κατωφαγᾶς τις ἄλλος ἢ Κλεώνυμος;
Euelpides:By Poseidon, do you see that many-coloured bird? What is his name?
Ἐυελπίδης:πῶς ἂν οὖν Κλεώνυμός γʼ ὢν οὐκ ἀπέβαλε τὸν λόφον;Πισθέταιρος:ἀλλὰ μέντοι τίς ποθʼ ἡ λόφωσις ἡ τῶν ὀρνέων;ἦ ʼπὶ τὸν δίαυλον ἦλθον;
Epops:This one? That's the glutton.
Ἔποψ:ὥσπερ οἱ Κᾶρες μὲν οὖνἐπὶ λόφων οἰκοῦσιν ὦγάθʼ ἀσφαλείας οὔνεκα.Πισθέταιρος:ὦ Πόσειδον οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσον συνείλεκται κακὸνὀρνέων;
Euelpides:Is there another glutton besides Cleonymus?But why, if he is Cleonymus, has he not thrown away his crest?But what is the meaning of all these crests? Have these birds come to contend for the double stadium prize?
Ἐυελπίδης:ὦναξ Ἄπολλον τοῦ νέφους. ἰοὺ ἰού,οὐδʼ ἰδεῖν ἔτʼ ἔσθʼ ὑπʼ αὐτῶν πετομένων τὴν εἴσοδον.
Epops:They are like the Carians, who cling to the crests of their mountains for greater safety.
Ἔποψ:οὑτοσὶ πέρδιξ, ἐκεινοσί γε νὴ Δίʼ ἀτταγᾶς,οὑτοσὶ δὲ πηνέλοψ, ἐκεινηὶ δέ γʼ ἀλκυών.
Pisthetaerus:Oh, Poseidon! look what awful swarms of birds are gathering here!Euelpides:By Phoebus! what a cloud! The entrance to the stage is no longer visible so closely do they fly together.Pisthetaerus:Here is the partridge.Euelpides:Why, there is the francolin.Pisthetaerus:There is the poachard.Euelpides:Here is the kingfisher.To Epops. What's that bird behind the kingfisher?
Πισθέταιρος:τίς γάρ ἐσθʼ οὕπισθεν αὐτῆς;
Epops:That's the barber.Euelpides:What? a bird a barber?
Ἔποψ:ὅστις ἐστί; κειρύλος.
Pisthetaerus:Why, Sporgilus is one.
Πισθέταιρος:κειρύλος γάρ ἐστιν ὄρνις;
Epops:Here comes the owl.
Ἔποψ:οὐ γάρ ἐστι Σποργίλος;χαὐτηί γε γλαῦξ.
Euelpides:And who is it brings an owl to Athens?
Ἐυελπίδης:τί φῄς; τίς γλαῦκʼ Ἀθήναζʼ ἤγαγεν;
Epops: Pointing to the various species.Here is the magpie, the turtle-dove, the swallow, the horned-owl, the buzzard, the pigeon, the falcon, the ring-dove, the cuckoo, the red-foot, the red-cap, the purple-cap, the kestrel, the diver, the ousel, the osprey, the woodpecker...
Ἔποψ:κίττα τρυγὼν κορυδὸς ἐλεᾶς ὑποθυμὶς περιστερὰνέρτος ἱέραξ φάττα κόκκυξ ἐρυθρόπους κεβλήπυριςπορφυρὶς κερχνῂς κολυμβὶς ἀμπελὶς φήνη δρύοψ.
Pisthetaerus:Oh! what a lot of birds! Oh! what a lot of blackbirds! How they scold, how they come rushing up! What a noise! what a noise! Can they be bearing us ill-will? Oh! there! there! they are opening their beaks and staring at us.
Πισθέταιρος:ἰοὺ ἰοὺ τῶν ὀρνέων, ἰοὺ ἰοὺ τῶν κοψίχων·οἶα πιππίζουσι καὶ τρέχουσι διακεκραγότες.ἆρʼ ἀπειλοῦσίν γε νῷν; οἴμοι, κεχήνασίν γέ τοικαὶ βλέπουσιν ἐς σὲ κἀμέ.
Euelpides:Why, so they are.
Ἐυελπίδης:τοῦτο μὲν κἀμοὶ δοκεῖ.
Leader of the Chorus:Popopopopopo. Where is he who called me? Where am I to find him?
Χορός:ποποποποποποποποποποῖ ποῦ μʼ ἄρʼ ὃςἐκάλεσε; τίνα τόπον ἄρα ποτὲ νέμεται;
Epops:I have been waiting for you a long while! I never fail in my word to my friends.
Ἔποψ:οὑτοσὶ πάλαι πάρειμι κοὐκ ἀποστατῶ φίλων.
Leader of the Chorus:Tititititititi. What good newshave you for me?
Χορός:τί τί τί τί τί τί τί τί· τίνα λόγον ἄρα ποτὲπρὸς ἐμὲ φίλον ἔχων;
Epops:Something that concerns our common safety, and that is just as pleasant as it is to the point. Two men, who are subtle reasoners, have come here to seek me.
Ἔποψ:κοινὸν ἀσφαλῆ δίκαιον ἡδὺν ὠφελήσιμον.ἄνδρε γὰρ λεπτὼ λογιστὰ δεῦρʼ ἀφῖχθον ὡς ἐμέ.
Leader of the Chorus:Where? How? What are you saying?
Χορός:ποῦ; πᾷ; πῶς φῄς;
Epops:I say, two old men have come from the abode of humans to propose a vast and splendid scheme to us.
Ἔποψ:φήμʼ ἀπʼ ἀνθρώπων ἀφῖχθαι δεῦρο πρεσβύτα δύο·ἥκετον δʼ ἔχοντε πρέμνον πράγματος πελωρίου.
Leader of the Chorus:Oh! it's a horrible, unheard-of crime! What are you saying?
Χορός:ὦ μέγιστον ἐξαμαρτὼν ἐξ ὅτου ʼτράφην ἐγώ,πῶς λέγεις;
Epops:Never let my words scare you.
Ἔποψ:μήπω φοβηθῇς τὸν λόγον.
Leader of the Chorus:What have you done to me?
Χορός:τί μʼ ἠργάσω;
Epops:I have welcomed two men, who wish to live with us.
Ἔποψ:ἄνδρʼ ἐδεξάμην ἐραστὰ τῆσδε τῆς ξυνουσίας.
Leader of the Chorus:And you have dared to do that!
Χορός:καὶ δέδρακας τοῦτο τοὔργον;
Epops:Yes, and I am delighted at having done so.
Ἔποψ:καὶ δεδρακώς γʼ ἥδομαι.
Leader of the Chorus:And are they already with us?
Χορός:κἀστὸν ἤδη που παρʼ ἡμῖν;
Epops:Just as much as I am.
Ἔποψ:εἰ παρʼ ὑμῖν εἴμʼ ἐγώ.
Chorus: Singing.Ah! ah! we are betrayed; 'tis sacrilege! Our friend,he who picked up corn-seeds in the same plains as ourselves, has violated our ancient laws; he has broken the oaths that bind all birds; he has laid a snare for me, he has handed us over to the attacks of that impious race which, throughout all time,has never ceased to war against us.
Χορός:ἔα ἔα,προδεδόμεθʼ ἀνόσιά τʼ ἐπάθομεν·ὃς γὰρ φίλος ἦν ὁμότροφά θʼ ἡμῖνἐνέμετο πεδία παρʼ ἡμῖν,παρέβη μὲν θεσμοὺς ἀρχαίους,παρέβη δʼ ὅρκους ὀρνίθων·ἐς δὲ δόλον ἐκάλεσε, παρέβαλέ τʼ ἐμὲ παρὰγένος ἀνόσιον, ὅπερ ἐξότʼ ἐγένετʼ ἐπʼ ἐμοὶπολέμιον ἐτράφη.
Leader of the Chorus:As for this traitorous bird, we will decide his case later, but the two old men shall be punished forthwith; we are going to tear them to pieces.
Χορός:ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοῦτον μὲν ἡμῖν ἐστιν ὕστερος λόγος·τὼ δὲ πρεσβύτα δοκεῖ μοι τώδε δοῦναι τὴν δίκηνδιαφορηθῆναί θʼ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν.
Pisthetaerus:It's all over with us.
Πισθέταιρος:ὡς ἀπωλόμεσθʼ ἄρα.
Euelpides:You are the sole cause of all our trouble.Why did you bring me from down yonder?
Ἐυελπίδης:αἴτιος μέντοι σὺ νῷν εἶ τῶν κακῶν τούτων μόνος.ἐπὶ τί γάρ μʼ ἐκεῖθεν ἦγες;
Pisthetaerus:To have you with me.
Πισθέταιρος:ἵνʼ ἀκολουθοίης ἐμοί.
Euelpides:Say rather to have me melt into tears.
Ἐυελπίδης:ἵνα μὲν οὖν κλάοιμι μεγάλα.
Pisthetaerus:Go on! you are talking nonsense. How will you weep with your eyes pecked out?
Πισθέταιρος:τοῦτο μὲν ληρεῖς ἔχωνκάρτα· πῶς κλαύσει γάρ, ἢν ἅπαξ γε τὠφθαλμὼ ʼκκοπῇς;
Chorus: Singing.Io! io! forward to the attack, throw yourselves upon the foe,spill his blood; take to your wings and surround them on all sides. Woe to them! let us get to work with our beaks, let us devour them.Nothing can save them from our wrath, neither the mountain forests, nor the clouds that float in the sky, nor the foaming deep.
Χορός:ἰὼ ἰώ,ἔπαγʼ ἔπιθʼ ἐπίφερε πολέμιονὁρμὰν φονίαν, πτέρυγά τε παντᾷἐπίβαλε περί τε κύκλωσαι·ὡς δεῖ τώδʼ οἰμώζειν ἄμφωκαὶ δοῦναι ῥύγχει φορβάν.οὔτε γὰρ ὄρος σκιερὸν οὔτε νέφος αἰθέριονοὔτε πολιὸν πέλαγος ἔστιν ὅ τι δέξεταιτώδʼ ἀποφυγόντε με.
Leader of the Chorus:Come, peck, tear to ribbons. Where is the chief of the cohort? Let him engage the right wing.
Χορός:ἀλλὰ μὴ μέλλωμεν ἤδη τώδε τίλλειν καὶ δάκνειν.ποῦ ʼσθʼ ὁ ταξίαρχος; ἐπαγέτω τὸ δεξιὸν κέρας.
They rush at the two Athenians.Euelpides:This is the fatal moment. Where shall I fly to, unfortunate wretch that I am?
Ἐυελπίδης:τοῦτʼ ἐκεῖνο· ποῖφύγω δύστηνος;
Pisthetaerus:Wait! Stay here!
Πισθέταιρος:οὗτος οὐ μενεῖς;
Euelpides:That they may tear me to pieces?
Ἐυελπίδης:ἵνʼ ὑπὸ τούτων διαφορηθῶ;
Pisthetaerus:And how do you think to escape them?
Πισθέταιρος:πῶς γὰρ ἂν τούτους δοκεῖςἐκφυγεῖν;
Euelpides:I don't know at all.
Ἐυελπίδης:οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως ἄν.
Pisthetaerus:Come, I will tell you. We must stop and fight them. Let us arm ourselves with these stew-pots.
Πισθέταιρος:ἀλλʼ ἐγώ τοί σοι λέγω,ὅτι μένοντε δεῖ μάχεσθαι λαμβάνειν τε τῶν χυτρῶν.
Euelpides:Why with the stew-pots?
Ἐυελπίδης:τί δὲ χύτρα νώ γʼ ὠφελήσει;
Pisthetaerus:The owl will not attack us then.
Πισθέταιρος:γλαῦξ μὲν οὐ πρόσεισι νῷν.
Euelpides:But do you see all those hooked claws?
Ἐυελπίδης:τοῖς δὲ γαμψώνυξι τοισδί;
Pisthetaerus:Take the spitand pierce the foe on your side.
Πισθέταιρος:τὸν ὀβελίσκον ἁρπάσαςεἶτα κατάπηξον πρὸ σαυτοῦ.
Euelpides:And how about my eyes?
Ἐυελπίδης:τοῖσι δʼ ὀφθαλμοῖσι τί;
Pisthetaerus:Protect them with this dish or this vinegar-pot.
Πισθέταιρος:ὀξύβαφον ἐντευθενὶ προσδοῦ λαβὼν ἢ τρύβλιον.
Euelpides:Oh! what cleverness! what inventive genius! You are a great general, even greater than Nicias, where stratagem is concerned.
Ἐυελπίδης:ὦ σοφώτατʼ, εὖ γʼ ἀνηῦρες αὐτὸ καὶ στρατηγικῶς·ὑπερακοντίζεις σύ γʼ ἤδη Νικίαν ταῖς μηχαναῖς.
Leader of the Chorus:Forward, forward, charge with your beaks! Come, no delay.Tear, pluck, strike, flay them, and first of all smash the stew-pot.
Χορός:ἐλελελεῦ χώρει κάθες τὸ ῥύγχος· οὐ μέλλειν ἐχρῆν.ἕλκε τίλλε παῖε δεῖρε, κόπτε πρώτην τὴν χύτραν.
Epops: Stepping in front of the Chorus.Oh, most cruel of all animals, why tear these two men to pieces, why kill them? What have they done to you? They belong to the same tribe, to the same family as my wife.
Ἔποψ:εἰπέ μοι τί μέλλετʼ ὦ πάντων κάκιστα θηρίωνἀπολέσαι παθόντες οὐδὲν ἄνδρε καὶ διασπάσαιτῆς ἐμῆς γυναικὸς ὄντε ξυγγενεῖ καὶ φυλέτα;
Leader of the Chorus:Are wolves to be spared? Are they not our most mortal foes?So let us punish them.
Χορός:φεισόμεσθα γάρ τι τῶνδε μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς ἢ λύκων;ἢ τίνας τεισαίμεθʼ ἄλλους τῶνδʼ ἂν ἐχθίους ἔτι;
Epops:If they are your foes by nature, they are your friends in heart, and they come here to give you useful advice.
Ἔποψ:εἰ δὲ τὴν φύσιν μὲν ἐχθροὶ τὸν δὲ νοῦν εἰσιν φίλοι,καὶ διδάξοντές τι δεῦρʼ ἥκουσιν ὑμᾶς χρήσιμον;
Leader of the Chorus:Advice or a useful word from their lips, from them, the enemies of my forebears?
Χορός:πῶς δʼ ἂν οἵδʼ ἡμᾶς τι χρήσιμον διδάξειάν ποτεἢ φράσειαν, ὄντες ἐχθροὶ τοῖσι πάπποις τοῖς ἐμοῖς;
Epops:The wise can often profit by the lessons of a foe, for caution is the mother of safety. It is just such a thing as one will not learn from a friend and which an enemy compels you to know. To begin with, it's the foe and not the friend that taught cities to build high walls, to equip long vessels of war;and it's this knowledge that protects our children, our slaves and our wealth.
Ἔποψ:ἀλλʼ ἀπʼ ἐχθρῶν δῆτα πολλὰ μανθάνουσιν οἱ σοφοί.ἡ γὰρ εὐλάβεια σῴζει πάντα. παρὰ μὲν οὖν φίλουοὐ μάθοις ἂν τοῦθʼ, ὁ δʼ ἐχθρὸς εὐθὺς ἐξηνάγκασεν.αὐτίχʼ αἱ πόλεις παρʼ ἀνδρῶν γʼ ἔμαθον ἐχθρῶν κοὐ φίλωνἐκπονεῖν θʼ ὑψηλὰ τείχη ναῦς τε κεκτῆσθαι μακράς·τὸ δὲ μάθημα τοῦτο σῴζει παῖδας οἶκον χρήματα.
Leader of the Chorus:Well then, I agree, let us first hear them, for that is best; one can even learn something in an enemy's school.
Χορός:ἔστι μὲν λόγων ἀκοῦσαι πρῶτον, ὡς ἡμῖν δοκεῖ,χρήσιμον· μάθοι γὰρ ἄν τις κἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν σοφόν.
Pisthetaerus: To Euelpides.Their wrath seems to cool. Draw back a little.
Πισθέταιρος:οἵδε τῆς ὀργῆς χαλᾶν εἴξασιν. ἄναγʼ ἐπὶ σκέλος.
Epops:It's only justice, and you will thank me later.
Ἔποψ:καὶ δίκαιόν γʼ ἐστὶ κἀμοὶ δεῖ νέμειν ὑμᾶς χάριν.
Leader of the Chorus:Never have we opposed your advice up to now.
Χορός:ἀλλὰ μὴν οὐδʼ ἄλλο σοί πω πρᾶγμʼ ἐνηντιώμεθα.
Pisthetaerus:They are in a more peaceful mood; put down your stew-pot and your two dishes; spit in hand, doing duty for a spear, let us mount guard inside the campclose to the pot and watch in our arsenal closely; for we must not fly.
Πισθέταιρος:μᾶλλον εἰρήνην ἄγουσι νὴ Δίʼ, ὥστε τὴν χύτραντώ τε τρυβλίω καθίει·καὶ τὸ δόρυ χρή, τὸν ὀβελίσκον,περιπατεῖν ἔχοντας ἡμᾶςτῶν ὅπλων ἐντός, παρʼ αὐτὴντὴν χύτραν ἄκραν ὁρῶνταςἐγγύς· ὡς οὐ φευκτέον νῷν.
Euelpides:You are right. But where shall we be buried, if we die?
Ἐυελπίδης:ἐτεὸν ἢν δʼ ἄρʼ ἀποθάνωμεν,κατορυχθησόμεσθα ποῦ γῆς;
Pisthetaerus:In the Ceramicus; for, to get a public funeral, we shall tell the Strategi that we fell at Orneae, fighting the country's foes.
Πισθέταιρος:ὁ Κεραμεικὸς δέξεται νώ.δημοσίᾳ γὰρ ἵνα ταφῶμεν,φήσομεν πρὸς τοὺς στρατηγοὺςμαχομένω τοῖς πολεμίοισινἀποθανεῖν ἐν Ὀρνεαῖς.
Leader of the Chorus:Return to your ranks and lay down your courage beside your wrath as the hoplites do. Then let us ask these men who they are, whence they come,and with what intent. Here, Epops, answer me.
Χορός:ἄναγʼ ἐς τάξιν πάλιν ἐς ταὐτόν,καὶ τὸν θυμὸν κατάθου κύψαςπαρὰ τὴν ὀργὴν ὥσπερ ὁπλίτης·κἀναπυθώμεθα τούσδε τίνες ποτὲκαὶ πόθεν ἔμολον† ἐπὶ τίνα τʼ ἐπίνοιαν. †ἰὼ ἔποψ σέ τοι καλῶ.
Epops:Are you calling me? What do you want of me?
Ἔποψ:καλεῖς δὲ τοῦ κλύειν θέλων;
Leader of the Chorus:Who are they? From what country?
Χορός:τίνες ποθʼ οἵδε καὶ πόθεν;
Epops:Strangers, who have come from Greece, the land of the wise.
Ἔποψ:ξείνω σοφῆς ἀφʼ Ἑλλάδος.
Leader of the Chorus:And what fate has led them hither to the land of the birds?
Χορός:τύχη δὲ ποία κομίζειποτʼ αὐτὼ πρὸς ὄρνιθαςἐλθεῖν;
Epops:Their love for you and their wish to share your kind of life; to dwell andremain with you always.
Ἔποψ:ἔρωςβίου διαίτης τε καὶσοῦ ξυνοικεῖν τέ σοικαὶ ξυνεῖναι τὸ πᾶν.
Leader of the Chorus:Indeed, and what are their plans?
Χορός:τί φῄς;λέγουσι δὴ τίνας λόγους;
Epops:They are wonderful, incredible, unheard of.
Ἔποψ:ἄπιστα καὶ πέρα κλύειν.
Leader of the Chorus:Why, do they think to see some advantage that determines them to settle here? Are they hoping with our helpto triumph over their foes or to be useful to their friends?
Χορός:ὁρᾷ τι κέρδος ἐνθάδʼ ἄξιονμονῆς, ὅτῳ πέποιθʼἐμοὶ ξυνὼν …κρατεῖν ἂν ἢ τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἢφίλοισιν ὠφελεῖν ἔχειν;
Epops:They speak of benefits so great it is impossible either to describe or conceive them; all shall be yours,all that we see here, there, above and below us; this they vouch for.
Ἔποψ:λέγει μέγαν τινʼ ὄλβον οὔτελεκτὸν οὔτε πιστόν· ὡςσὰ γὰρ ⟨τὰ⟩ πάντα ταῦτα καὶτὸ τῇδε καὶ τὸ κεῖσε καὶτὸ δεῦρο προσβιβᾷ λέγων.
Leader of the Chorus:Are they mad?
Χορός:πότερα μαινόμενος;
Epops:They are the sanest people in the world.
Ἔποψ:ἄφατον ὡς φρόνιμος.
Leader of the Chorus:Clever men?
Χορός:ἔνι σοφόν τι φρενί;
Epops:The slyest of foxes, cleverness its very self, men of the world, cunning, the cream of knowing folk.
Ἔποψ:πυκνότατον κίναδος,σόφισμα κύρμα τρῖμμα παιπάλημʼ ὅλον.
Leader of the Chorus:Tell them to speak and speak quickly; why, as I listen to you, I am beside myself with delight.
Χορός:λέγειν λέγειν κέλευέ μοι.κλύων γὰρ ὧν σύ μοι λέγειςλόγων ἀνεπτέρωμαι.
Epops: To two attendants.Here, you there, take all these weapons and hang them up inside close to the fire, near the figure of the god who presides there and under his protection; To Pisthetaerus. as for you, address the birds, tell them why I have gathered them together.
Ἔποψ:ἄγε δὴ σὺ καὶ σὺ τὴν πανοπλίαν μὲν πάλινταύτην λαβόντε κρεμάσατον τύχἀγαθῇἐς τὸν ἰπνὸν εἴσω πλησίον τοὐπιστάτου·σὺ δὲ τούσδʼ ἐφʼ οἷσπερ τοῖς λόγοις συνέλεξʼ ἐγὼφράσον, δίδαξον.