---
title: "Birds · Ὄρνιθες"
author: "Aristophanes"
translator: "Anonymous (1912)"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 3 of 4
url: https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-birds/3/
cite: "Aristophanes, tr. Anonymous (1912), Birds · Ὄρνιθες, section 3. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-birds/3/"
---

# Birds · Ὄρνιθες

*Aristophanes, tr. Anonymous (1912)*

Two Athenians persuade the birds to build Cloudcuckooland between heaven and earth.

> Greek: ed. F. W. Hall, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0019.tlg006, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Anonymous (1912), from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0019.tlg006.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (line numbers), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 3. Lines 801–1312

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-birds/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-birds/3/#p-N

[¶0] Euelpides:
Why not choose Athena Polias?
Pisthetaerus:
Oh! what a well-ordered town it would be
to have a female deity armed from head to foot, while Clisthenes was spinning!
Leader of the Chorus:
Who then shall guard the Pelargicon?
Pisthetaerus:
A bird
Leader of the Chorus:
One of us? What kind of bird?
Pisthetaerus:
A bird of Persian strain, who is everywhere proclaimed to be the bravest of all,
a true chick of Ares.

> Greek: Ἐυελπίδης:
τίς δαὶ καθέξει τῆς πόλεως τὸ Πελαργικόν;
Ἔποψ:
ὄρνις ἀφʼ ἡμῶν τοῦ γένους τοῦ Περσικοῦ,
ὅσπερ λέγεται δεινότατος εἶναι πανταχοῦ
Ἄρεως νεοττός.

[¶1] Euelpides:
Oh! noble chick!

> Greek: Ἐυελπίδης:
ὦ νεοττὲ δέσποτα·
ὡς δʼ ὁ θεὸς ἐπιτήδειος οἰκεῖν ἐπὶ πετρῶν.

[¶2] Pisthetaerus:
Because he is a god well suited to live on the rocks. Come! into the air with you to help the workers who are building the wall; carry up rubble, strip yourself to mix the mortar,
take up the hod, tumble down the ladder, if you like, post sentinels, keep the fire smouldering beneath the ashes, go round the walls, bell in hand, and go to sleep up there yourself; then despatch two heralds, one to the gods above, the other to mankind on earth
and come back here.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἄγε νυν σὺ μὲν βάδιζε πρὸς τὸν ἀέρα
καὶ τοῖσι τειχίζουσι παραδιακόνει,
χάλικας παραφόρει, πηλὸν ἀποδὺς ὄργασον,
λεκάνην ἀνένεγκε, κατάπεσʼ ἀπὸ τῆς κλίμακος,
φύλακας κατάστησαι, τὸ πῦρ ἔγκρυπτʼ ἀεί,
κωδωνοφορῶν περίτρεχε καὶ κάθευδʼ ἐκεῖ·
κήρυκα δὲ πέμψον τὸν μὲν ἐς θεοὺς ἄνω,
ἕτερον δʼ ἄνωθεν ἆυ παρʼ ἀνθρώπους κάτω,
κἀκεῖθεν αὖθις παρʼ ἐμέ.

[¶3] Euelpides:
As for yourself, remain here, and may the plague take you for a troublesome fellow! He departs.

> Greek: Ἐυελπίδης:
σὺ δέ γʼ αὐτοῦ μένων
οἴμωζε παρʼ ἔμʼ.

[¶4] Pisthetaerus:
Go, friend, go where I send you, for without you my orders cannot be obeyed. For myself, I want to sacrifice to the new god, and I am going to summon the priest who must preside at the ceremony.
Slaves! slaves! bring forward the basket and the lustral water.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἴθʼ ὦγάθʼ οἷ πέμπω σʼ ἐγώ.
οὐδὲν γὰρ ἄνευ σοῦ τῶνδʼ ἃ λέγω πεπράξεται.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἵνα θύσω τοῖσι καινοῖσιν θεοῖς,
τὸν ἱερέα πέμψοντα τὴν πομπὴν καλῶ.
παῖ παῖ, τὸ κανοῦν αἴρεσθε καὶ τὴν χέρνιβα.

[¶5] Chorus: Singing.
I do as you do, and I wish as you wish, and I implore you to address powerful and solemn prayers to the gods, and in addition
to immolate a sheep as a token of our gratitude. Let us sing the Pythian chant in honor of the god, and let Chaeris accompany our voices.

> Greek: Ἱερεύς:
ὁμορροθῶ, συνθέλω,
συμπαραινέσας ἔχω
προσόδια μεγάλα σεμνὰ προσιέναι θεοῖσιν,
ἅμα δὲ προσέτι χάριτος ἕνεκα προβάτιόν τι θύειν.
ἴτω ἴτω δὲ Πυθιὰς βοὰ θεῷ,
συνᾳδέτω δὲ Χαῖρις ᾠδάν.

[¶6] Pisthetaerus: To the flute-player.
Enough! but, by Heracles! what is this?
Great gods! I have seen many prodigious things, but I never saw a muzzled raven. The Priest arrives. Priest! it's high time! Sacrifice to the new gods.
Priest:
I begin, but where is the man with the basket? Pray to the Hestia of the birds, to the kite, who presides over the hearth, and to all the god and goddess-birds who dwell in Olympus...

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
παῦσαι σὺ φυσῶν. Ἡράκλεις τουτὶ τί ἦν;
τουτὶ μὰ Δίʼ ἐγὼ πολλὰ δὴ καὶ δείνʼ ἰδὼν
οὔπω κόρακʼ εἶδον ἐμπεφορβειωμένον.
ἱερεῦ σὸν ἔργον, θῦε τοῖς καινοῖς θεοῖς.
Ἱερεύς:
δράσω τάδʼ. ἀλλὰ ποῦ ʼστιν ὁ τὸ κανοῦν ἔχων;
εὔχεσθε τῇ Ἑστίᾳ τῇ ὀρνιθείῳ καὶ τῷ ἰκτίνῳ τῷ ἑστιούχῳ καὶ ὄρνισιν Ὀλυμπίοις καὶ Ὀλυμπίῃσι πᾶσι καὶ πάσῃσιν —

[¶7] Pisthetaerus:
Oh! Hawk, the sacred guardian of Sunium, oh, god of the storks!
Priest:... to the swan of Delos, to Leto the mother of the quails, and to Artemis, the goldfinch...

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ὦ Σουνιέρακε χαῖρʼ ἄναξ Πελαργικέ.
Ἱερεύς:
καὶ κύκνῳ Πυθίῳ καὶ Δηλίῳ καὶ Λητοῖ Ὀρτυγομήτρᾳ καὶ Ἀρτέμιδι Ἀκαλανθίδι —

[¶8] Pisthetaerus:
It's no longer Artemis Colaenis, but Artemis the goldfinch.
Priest:... to Bacchus, the finch and Cybele, the ostrich and mother of the gods and mankind...

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐκέτι Κολαινὶς ἀλλʼ Ἀκαλανθὶς Ἄρτεμις.
Ἱερεύς:
καὶ φρυγίλῳ Σαβαζίῳ καὶ στρούθῳ μεγάλῃ μητρὶ θεῶν καὶ ἀνθρώπων —

[¶9] Pisthetaerus:
Oh! sovereign ostrich Cybele, mother of Cleocritus!
Priest:... to grant health and safety to the Nephelococcygians as well as to the dwellers in Chios...

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
δέσποινα Κυβέλη, στροῦθε, μῆτερ Κλεοκρίτου.
Ἱερεύς:
διδόναι Νεφελοκοκκυγιεῦσιν ὑγιείαν καὶ σωτηρίαν αὐτοῖσι καὶ Χίοισι —

[¶10] Pisthetaerus:
The dwellers in Chios! Ah! I am delighted they should be thus mentioned on all occasions.
Priest:... to the heroes, the birds, to the sons of heroes, to the porphyrion, the pelican, the spoon-bill, the redbreast, the grouse, the peacock, the horned-owl, the teal, the bittern, the heron, the stormy petrel, the fig-pecker, the titmouse...

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
Χίοισιν ἥσθην πανταχοῦ προσκειμένοις.
Ἱερεύς:
καὶ ἥρωσιν ὄρνισι καὶ ἡρώων παισί, πορφυρίωνι καὶ
πελεκᾶντι καὶ πελεκίνῳ καὶ φλέξιδι καὶ τέτρακι καὶ ταὧνι
καὶ ἐλεᾷ καὶ βασκᾷ καὶ ἐλασᾷ καὶ ἐρωδιῷ καὶ καταρράκτῃ
καὶ μελαγκορύφῳ καὶ αἰγιθάλλῳ —

[¶11] Pisthetaerus:
Stop! stop! you drive me crazy with your endless list. Why, wretch,
to what sacred feast are you inviting the vultures and the sea-eagles? Don't you see that a single kite could easily carry off the lot at once? Begone, you and your fillets and all; I shall know how to complete the sacrifice by myself.
The Priest departs.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
παῦʼ ἐς κόρακας, παῦσαι καλῶν. ἰοὺ ἰού,
ἐπὶ ποῖον ὦ κακόδαιμον ἱερεῖον καλεῖς
ἁλιαιέτους καὶ γῦπας; οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅτι
ἰκτῖνος εἷς ἂν τοῦτό γʼ οἴχοιθʼ ἁρπάσας;
ἄπελθʼ ἀφʼ ἡμῶν καὶ σὺ καὶ τὰ στέμματα·
ἐγὼ γὰρ αὐτὸς τουτογὶ θύσω μόνος.

[¶12] Chorus: Singing.
It is imperative that I sing another sacred chant for the rite of the lustral water, and that I invoke
the immortals, or at least one of them, provided always that you have some suitable food to offer him; from what I see here, in the shape of gifts, there is naught whatever but horn and hair.

> Greek: Ἱερεύς:
εἶτʼ αὖθις αὖ τἄρα σοι
δεῖ με δεύτερον μέλος
χέρνιβι θεοσεβὲς ὅσιον ἐπιβοᾶν, καλεῖν δὲ
μάκαρας, ἕνα τινὰ μόνον, εἴπερ ἱκανὸν ἕξετʼ ὄψον.
τὰ γὰρ παρόντα θύματʼ οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν
γένειόν ἐστι καὶ κέρατα.

[¶13] Pisthetaerus:
Let us address our sacrifices and our prayers to the winged gods.
A Poet enters.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
θύοντες εὐξώμεσθα τοῖς πτερίνοις θεοῖς.

[¶14] Poet:
Oh, Muse! celebrate happy Nephelococcygia in your hymns.

> Greek: Ποιητής:
Νεφελοκοκκυγίαν τὰν εὐδαίμονα
κλῇσον ὦ Μοῦσα τεαῖς ἐν ὓμνων ἀοιδαῖς.

[¶15] Pisthetaerus:
What have we here? Where did you come from, tell me? Who are you?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τουτὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα ποδαπόν; εἰπέ μοι τίς εἶ;

[¶16] Poet:
I am he whose language is sweeter than honey, the zealous slave of the Muses,
as Homer has it.

> Greek: Ποιητής:
ἐγὼ μελιγλώσσων ἐπέων ἱεὶς ἀοιδὰν
Μουσάων θεράπων ὀτρηρός,
κατὰ τὸν Ὅμηρον.

[¶17] Pisthetaerus:
You a slave! and yet you wear your hair long?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἔπειτα δῆτα δοῦλος ὢν κόμην ἔχεις;

[¶18] Poet:
No, but the fact is all we poets are the assiduous slaves of the Muses, according to Homer.

> Greek: Ποιητής:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ πάντες ἐσμὲν οἱ διδάσκαλοι
Μουσάων θεράποντες ὀτρηροί,
κατὰ τὸν Ὅμηρον.

[¶19] Pisthetaerus:
In truth your little cloak is quite holy too through zeal! But, poet, what ill wind drove you here?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐκ ἐτὸς ὀτρηρὸν καὶ τὸ ληδάριον ἔχεις.
ἀτὰρ ὦ ποιητὰ κατὰ τί δεῦρʼ ἀνεφθάρης;

[¶20] Poet:
I have composed verses in honor of your Nephelococcygia, a host of splendid dithyrambs and parthenia worthy of Simonides himself.

> Greek: Ποιητής:
μέλη πεποίηκʼ ἐς τὰς Νεφελοκοκκυγίας
τὰς ὑμετέρας κύκλιά τε πολλὰ καὶ καλὰ
καὶ παρθένεια καὶ κατὰ τὰ Σιμωνίδου.

[¶21] Pisthetaerus:
And when did you compose them? How long since?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ταυτὶ σὺ πότʼ ἐποίησας; ἀπὸ ποίου χρόνου;

[¶22] Poet:
Oh! 'tis long, aye, very long, that I have sung in honor of this city.

> Greek: Ποιητής:
πάλαι πάλαι δὴ τήνδʼ ἐγὼ κλῄζω πόλιν.

[¶23] Pisthetaerus:
But I am only celebrating its foundation with this sacrifice; I have only just named it, as is done with little babies.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐκ ἄρτι θύω τὴν δεκάτην ταύτης ἐγώ,
καὶ τοὔνομʼ ὥσπερ παιδίῳ νῦν δὴ ʼθέμην;

[¶24] Poet:
“Just as the chargers fly with the speed of the wind, so does the voice of the Muses take its flight. Oh! thou noble founder of the town of Aetna thou, whose name recalls the holy sacrifices,”
“make us such gift as thy generous heart shall suggest.” He puts out his hand.

> Greek: Ποιητής:
ἀλλά τις ὠκεῖα Μουσάων φάτις
οἷάπερ ἵππων ἀμαρυγά.
σὺ δὲ πάτερ κτίστορ Αἴτνας,
ζαθέων ἱερῶν ὁμώνυμε,
δὸς ἐμὶν ὅ τι περ
τεᾷ κεφαλᾷ θέλῃς
πρόφρων δόμεν ἐμὶν τείν.

[¶25] Pisthetaerus:
He will drive us silly if we do not get rid of him by some present. To the Priest's acolyte. Here! you, who have a fur as well as your tunic, take it off and give it to this clever poet. Come,
take this fur; you look to me to be shivering with cold.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τουτὶ παρέξει τὸ κακὸν ἡμῖν πράγματα,
εἰ μή τι τούτῳ δόντες ἀποφευξούμεθα.
οὗτος, σὺ μέντοι σπολάδα καὶ χιτῶνʼ ἔχεις,
ἀπόδυθι καὶ δὸς τῷ ποιητῇ τῷ σοφῷ.
ἔχε τὴν σπολάδα· πάντως δέ μοι ῥιγῶν δοκεῖς.

[¶26] Poet:
My Muse will gladly accept this gift; but engrave these verses of Pindar's on your mind.

> Greek: Ποιητής:
τόδε μὲν οὐκ ἀέκουσα φίλα
Μοῦσα δῶρον δέχεται·
τὺ δὲ τεᾷ φρενὶ μάθε Πινδάρειον ἔπος —

[¶27] Pisthetaerus:
Oh! what a pest! It's impossible then to get rid of him!

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἅνθρωπος ἡμῶν οὐκ ἀπαλλαχθήσεται.

[¶28] Poet:
“Straton wanders among the Scythian nomads, but has no linen garment. He is sad at only wearing an animal's pelt and no tunic.”
Do you get what I mean?

> Greek: Ποιητής:
νομάδεσσι γὰρ ἐν Σκύθαις
ἀλᾶται Στράτων,
ὃς ὑφαντοδόνατον ἔσθος οὐ πέπαται·
ἀκλεὴς δʼ ἔβα σπολὰς ἄνευ χιτῶνος.
ξύνες ὅ τοι λέγω.

[¶29] Pisthetaerus:
I understand that you want me to offer you a tunic. Hi! you To the acolyte. take off yours; we must help the poet.... Come, you, take it and get out.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ξυνῆχʼ ὅτι βούλει τὸν χιτωνίσκον λαβεῖν.
ἀπόδυθι· δεῖ γὰρ τὸν ποιητὴν ὠφελεῖν.
ἄπελθε τουτονὶ λαβών.

[¶30] Poet:
I am going, and these are the verses that I address to this city:
“Phoebus of the golden throne, celebrate this shivery, freezing city; I have travelled through fruitful and snow-covered plains. Tralala! Tralala!” He departs.

> Greek: Ποιητής:
ἀπέρχομαι,
κἀς τὴν πόλιν γʼ ἐλθὼν ποιήσω τοιαδί·
κλῇσον ὦ χρυσόθρονε τὰν τρομερὰν κρυεράν·
νιφόβολα πεδία πολύπορά τʼ ἤλυθον ἀλαλάν.

[¶31] Pisthetaerus:
What are you chanting us
about frosts? Thanks to the tunic, you no longer fear them. Ah! by Zeus! I could not have believed this cursed fellow could so soon have learnt the way to our city. To a slave. Come, take the lustral water and circle the altar. Let all keep silence!
An Oracle-Monger enters.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
νὴ τὸν Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ἤδη πέφευγας ταυταγὶ
τὰ κρυερὰ τονδὶ τὸν χιτωνίσκον λαβών.
τουτὶ μὰ Δίʼ ἐγὼ τὸ κακὸν οὐδέποτʼ ἤλπισα,
οὕτω ταχέως τοῦτον πεπύσθαι τὴν πόλιν.
αὖθις σὺ περιχώρει λαβὼν τὴν χέρνιβα.
εὐφημία ʼστω.

[¶32] Oracle-Monger:
Let not the goat be sacrificed.

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
μὴ κατάρξῃ τοῦ τράγου.

[¶33] Pisthetaerus:
Who are you?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς;

[¶34] Oracle-Monger:
Who am I? An oracle-monger.

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
ὅστις; χρησμολόγος.

[¶35] Pisthetaerus:
Get out!

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οἴμωζέ νυν.

[¶36] Oracle-Monger:
Wretched man, insult not sacred things. For there is an oracle of Bacis, which exactly applies to Nephelococcygia.

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
ὦ δαιμόνιε τὰ θεῖα μὴ φαύλως φέρε·
ὡς ἔστι Βάκιδος χρησμὸς ἄντικρυς λέγων
ἐς τὰς Νεφελοκοκκυγίας.

[¶37] Pisthetaerus:
Why did you not reveal it to me before
I founded my city?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
κὔπειτα πῶς
ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἐχρησμολόγεις σὺ πρὶν ἐμὲ τὴν πόλιν
τήνδʼ οἰκίσαι;

[¶38] Oracle-Monger:
The divine spirit was against it.

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
τὸ θεῖον ἐνεπόδιζέ με.

[¶39] Pisthetaerus:
Well, I suppose there's nothing to do but hear the terms of the oracle.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν οἷόν ἐστʼ ἀκοῦσαι τῶν ἐπῶν.

[¶40] Oracle-Monger:
“But when the wolves and the white crows shall dwell together between Corinth and Sicyon...”

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
ἀλλʼ ὅταν οἰκήσωσι λύκοι πολιαί τε κορῶναι
ἐν ταὐτῷ τὸ μεταξὺ Κορίνθου καὶ Σικυῶνος, —

[¶41] Pisthetaerus:
But how do the Corinthians concern me?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τί οὖν προσήκει δῆτʼ ἐμοὶ Κορινθίων;

[¶42] Oracle-Monger:
It is the regions of the air that Bacis indicates in this manner. “They must first sacrifice a white-fleeced goat to Pandora, and give the prophet who first reveals my words a good cloak and new sandals.”

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
ᾐνίξαθʼ ὁ Βάκις τοῦτο πρὸς τὸν ἀέρα.
πρῶτον Πανδώρᾳ θῦσαι λευκότριχα κριόν·
ὃς δέ κʼ ἐμῶν ἐπέων ἔλθῃ πρώτιστα προφήτης,
τῷ δόμεν ἱμάτιον καθαρὸν καὶ καινὰ πέδιλα —

[¶43] Pisthetaerus:
Does it say sandals there?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἔνεστι καὶ τὰ πέδιλα;

[¶44] Oracle-Monger:
Look at the book.
“And besides this a goblet of wine and a good share of the entrails of the victim.”

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
λαβὲ τὸ βιβλίον.
καὶ φιάλην δοῦναι, καὶ σπλάγχνων χεῖρʼ ἐπιπλῆσαι.

[¶45] Pisthetaerus:
Of the entrails —does it say that?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
καὶ σπλάγχνα διδόνʼ ἔνεστι;

[¶46] Oracle-Monger:
Look at the book. “If you do as I command, divine youth, you shall be an eagle among the clouds; if not, you shall be neither turtle-dove, nor eagle, nor woodpecker.”

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
λαβὲ τὸ βιβλίον.
κἂν μὲν θέσπιε κοῦρε ποιῇς ταῦθʼ ὡς ἐπιτέλλω,
αἰετὸς ἐν νεφέλῃσι γενήσεαι· αιʼ δέ κε μὴ δῷς,
οὐκ ἔσει οὐ τρυγὼν οὐδʼ αἰετὸς οὐ δρυκολάπτης.

[¶47] Pisthetaerus:
Does it say all that?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
καὶ ταῦτʼ ἔνεστʼ ἐνταῦθα;

[¶48] Oracle-Monger:
Look at the book.

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
λαβὲ τὸ βιβλίον.

[¶49] Pisthetaerus:
This oracle in no sort of way resembles the one Apollo dictated to me: “If an impostor comes without invitation to annoy you during the sacrifice and to demand a share of the victim,”
“apply a stout stick to his ribs.”

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐδὲν ἄρʼ ὅμοιός ἐσθʼ ὁ χρησμὸς τουτῳί,
ὃν ἐγὼ παρὰ τἀπόλλωνος ἐξεγραψάμην·
αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν ἄκλητος ἰὼν ἄνθρωπος ἀλαζὼν
λυπῇ θύοντας καὶ σπλαγχνεύειν ἐπιθυμῇ,
δὴ τότε χρὴ τύπτειν αὐτὸν πλευρῶν τὸ μεταξὺ —

[¶50] Oracle-Monger:
You are drivelling.

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
οὐδὲν λέγειν οἶμαί σε.

[¶51] Pisthetaerus:
Look at the book. “And don't spare him, were he an eagle from out of the clouds, were it Lampon himself or the great Diopithes.”

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
λαβὲ τὸ βιβλίον.
καὶ φείδου μηδὲν μηδʼ αἰετοῦ ἐν νεφέλῃσιν,
μήτʼ ἢν Λάμπων ᾖ μήτʼ ἢν ὁ μέγας Διοπείθης.

[¶52] Oracle-Monger:
Does it say that?

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
καὶ ταῦτʼ ἔνεστʼ ἐνταῦθα;

[¶53] Pisthetaerus:
Look at the book
and go and hang yourself.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
λαβὲ τὸ βιβλίον.
οὐκ εἶ θύραζʼ; ἐς κόρακας.

[¶54] Oracle-Monger:
Oh! unfortunate wretch that I am. He departs.

> Greek: Χρησμολόγος:
οἴμοι δείλαιος.

[¶55] Pisthetaerus:
Away with you, and take your prophecies elsewhere.
Enter Meton, with surveying instruments.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὔκουν ἑτέρωσε χρησμολογήσεις ἐκτρέχων;

[¶56] Meton:
I have come to you...

> Greek: Μέτων:
ἥκω παρʼ ὑμᾶς —

[¶57] Pisthetaerus: Interrupting.
Yet another pest! What have you come to do? What's your plan? What's the purpose of your journey? Why these splendid buskins?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἕτερον αὖ τουτὶ κακόν.
τί δʼ αὖ σὺ δράσων; τίς δʼ ἰδέα βουλεύματος;
τίς ἡ ʼπίνοια, τίς ὁ κόθορνος τῆς ὁδοῦ;

[¶58] Meton:
I want to survey the plains of the air for you and to parcel them into lots.

> Greek: Μέτων:
γεωμετρῆσαι βούλομαι τὸν ἀέρα
ὑμῖν διελεῖν τε κατὰ γύας.

[¶59] Pisthetaerus:
In the name of the gods, who are you?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
πρὸς τῶν θεῶν
σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς ἀνδρῶν;

[¶60] Meton:
Who am I? Meton, known throughout Greece and at Colonus.

> Greek: Μέτων:
ὅστις εἴμʼ ἐγώ; Μέτων,
ὃν οἶδεν Ἑλλὰς χὠ Κολωνός.

[¶61] Pisthetaerus:
What are these things?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
εἰπέ μοι,
ταυτὶ δέ σοι τί ἔστι;

[¶62] Meton:
Tools for measuring the air.
In truth, the spaces in the air have precisely the form of a furnace. With this bent ruler I draw a line from top to bottom; from one of its points I describe a circle with the compass. Do you understand?

> Greek: Μέτων:
κανόνες ἀέρος.
αὐτίκα γὰρ ἀήρ ἐστι τὴν ἰδέαν ὅλος
κατὰ πνιγέα μάλιστα. προσθεὶς οὖν ἐγὼ
τὸν κανόνʼ, ἄνωθεν τουτονὶ τὸν καμπύλον
ἐνθεὶς διαβήτην — μανθάνεις;

[¶63] Pisthetaerus:
Not in the least.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐ μανθάνω.

[¶64] Meton:
With the straight ruler I set to work to inscribe
a square within this circle; in its center will be the market-place, into which all the straight streets will lead, converging to this center like a star, which, although only orbicular, sends forth its rays in a straight line from all sides.

> Greek: Μέτων:
ὀρθῷ μετρήσω κανόνι προστιθείς, ἵνα
ὁ κύκλος γένηται σοι τετράγωνος κἀν μέσῳ
ἀγορά, φέρουσαι δʼ ὦσιν εἰς αὐτὴν ὁδοὶ
ὀρθαὶ πρὸς αὐτὸ τὸ μέσον, ὥσπερ δʼ ἀστέρος
αὐτοῦ κυκλοτεροῦς ὄντος ὀρθαὶ πανταχῇ
ἀκτῖνες ἀπολάμπωσιν.

[¶65] Pisthetaerus:
A regular Thales!
Meton...

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἅνθρωπος Θαλῆς.
Μέτων —

[¶66] Meton:
What d'you want with me?

> Greek: Μέτων:
τί ἔστιν;

[¶67] Pisthetaerus:
I want to give you a proof of my friendship. Use your legs.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οἶσθʼ ὁτιὴ φιλῶ σʼ ἐγώ,
κἀμοὶ πιθόμενος ὑπαποκίνει τῆς ὁδοῦ.

[¶68] Meton:
Why, what have I to fear?

> Greek: Μέτων:
τί δʼ ἐστὶ δεινόν;

[¶69] Pisthetaerus:
It's the same here as in Sparta. Strangers are driven away, and blows rain down as thick as hail.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ὥσπερ ἐν Λακεδαίμονι
ξενηλατοῦνται καὶ κεκίνηνταί τινες·
πληγαὶ συχναὶ κατʼ ἄστυ.

[¶70] Meton:
Is there sedition in your city?

> Greek: Μέτων:
μῶν στασιάζετε;

[¶71] Pisthetaerus:
No, certainly not.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὐ δῆτʼ.

[¶72] Meton:
What's wrong then?

> Greek: Μέτων:
ἀλλὰ πῶς;

[¶73] Pisthetaerus:
We are agreed to sweep all quacks and impostors far from our borders.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ὁμοθυμαδὸν
σποδεῖν ἅπαντας τοὺς ἀλαζόνας δοκεῖ.

[¶74] Meton:
Then I'll be going.

> Greek: Μέτων:
ὑπάγοιμί τἄρʼ ἄν.

[¶75] Pisthetaerus:
I'm afraid it's too late. The thunder growls already.
He beats him.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
νὴ Δίʼ ὡς οὐκ οἶδʼ ἂν εἰ
φθαίης ἄν· ἐπίκεινται γὰρ ἐγγὺς αὑταιί.

[¶76] Meton:
Oh, woe! oh, woe!

> Greek: Μέτων:
οἴμοι κακοδαίμων.

[¶77] Pisthetaerus:
I warned you.
Now, be off, and do your surveying somewhere else.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐκ ἔλεγον ἐγὼ πάλαι;
οὐκ ἀναμετρήσεις σαυτὸν ἀπιὼν ἀλλαχῇ;

[¶78] Meton takes to his heels. He is no sooner gone than an Inspector arrives.
Inspector:
Where are the Proxeni?

> Greek: Ἐπίσκοπος:
ποῦ πρόξενοι;

[¶79] Pisthetaerus:
Who is this Sardanapalus?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τίς ὁ Σαρδανάπαλλος οὑτοσί;

[¶80] Inspector:
I have been appointed by lot to come to Nephelococcygia as inspector.

> Greek: Ἐπίσκοπος:
ἐπίσκοπος ἥκω δεῦρο τῷ κυάμῳ λαχὼν
ἐς τὰς Νεφελοκοκκυγίας.

[¶81] Pisthetaerus:
An inspector! and who sends you here, you rascal?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἐπίσκοπος;
ἔπεμψε δὲ τίς σε δεῦρο;

[¶82] Inspector:
A decree of Teleas.

> Greek: Ἐπίσκοπος:
φαῦλον βιβλίον
Τελέου.

[¶83] Pisthetaerus:
Will you just pocket your salary, do nothing, and get out?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τί; βούλει δῆτα τὸν μισθὸν λαβὼν
μὴ πράγματʼ ἔχειν ἀλλʼ ἀπιέναι;

[¶84] Inspector:
Indeed I will; I am urgently needed to be at Athens to attend the Assembly; for I am charged with the interests of Pharnaces.

> Greek: Ἐπίσκοπος:
νὴ τοὺς θεούς.
ἐκκλησιάσαι δʼ οὖν ἐδεόμην οἴκοι μένων.
ἔστιν γὰρ ἃ διʼ ἐμοῦ πέπρακται Φαρνάκῃ.

[¶85] Pisthetaerus:
Take it then, and get on your way. This is your salary. He beats him.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἄπιθι λαβών· ἔστιν δʼ ὁ μισθὸς οὑτοσί.

[¶86] Inspector:
What does this mean?

> Greek: Ἐπίσκοπος:
τουτὶ τί ἦν;

[¶87] Pisthetaerus:
This is the assembly where you have to defend Pharnaces.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἐκκλησία περὶ Φαρνάκου.

[¶88] Inspector:
You shall testify that they dare to strike me, the inspector.

> Greek: Ἐπίσκοπος:
μαρτύρομαι τυπτόμενος ὢν ἐπίσκοπος.

[¶89] Pisthetaerus:
Are you not going to get out with your urns? It's not to be believed; they send us inspectors before we have so much as paid sacrifice to the gods.
The Inspector goes into hiding. A Dealer in Decrees arrives.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐκ ἀποσοβήσεις; οὐκ ἀποίσεις τὼ κάδω;
οὐ δεινά; καὶ πέμπουσιν ἤδη ʼπισκόπους
ἐς τὴν πόλιν, πρὶν καὶ τεθύσθαι τοῖς θεοῖς;

[¶90] Dealer in Decrees: Reading.
“If the Nephelococcygian does wrong to the Athenian...”

> Greek: Ψηφισματοπώλης:
ἐὰν δʼ ὁ Νεφελοκοκκυγιεὺς τὸν Ἀθηναῖον ἀδικῇ —

[¶91] Pisthetaerus:
What trouble now? What book is that?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τουτὶ τί ἔστιν αὖ κακὸν τὸ βιβλίον;

[¶92] Dealer in Decrees:
I am a dealer in decrees, and I have come here to sell you the new laws.

> Greek: Ψηφισματοπώλης:
ψηφισματοπώλης εἰμὶ καὶ νόμους νέους
ἥκω παρʼ ὑμᾶς δεῦρο πωλήσων.

[¶93] Pisthetaerus:
Which?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τὸ τί;

[¶94] Dealer in Decrees:
“The Nephelococcygians shall adopt the same weights, measures and decrees as the Olophyxians.”

> Greek: Ψηφισματοπώλης:
χρῆσθαι Νεφελοκοκκυγιᾶς τοῖσδε τοῖς μέτροισι καὶ
σταθμοῖσι καὶ ψηφίσμασι καθάπερ Ὀλοφύξιοι.

[¶95] Pisthetaerus:
And you shall soon be imitating the Ototyxians.
He beats him.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
σὺ δέ γʼ οἷσπερ ὡτοτύξιοι χρήσει τάχα.

[¶96] Dealer in Decrees:
Ow! what are you doing?

> Greek: Ψηφισματοπώλης:
οὗτος τί πάσχεις;

[¶97] Pisthetaerus:
Now will you get out of here with your decrees? For I am going to let you see some severe ones.
The Dealer in Decrees departs; the Inspector comes out of hiding.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐκ ἀποίσεις τοὺς νόμους;
πικροὺς ἐγώ σοι τήμερον δείξω νόμους.

[¶98] Inspector: Returning.
I summon Pisthetaerus for outrage for the month of Munychion.

> Greek: Ἐπίσκοπος:
καλοῦμαι Πισθέταιρον ὕβρεως ἐς τὸν Μουνιχιῶνα μῆνα.

[¶99] Pisthetaerus:
Ha! my friend! are you still here?
The Dealer in Decrees also returns.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἄληθες οὗτος; ἔτι γὰρ ἐνταῦθʼ ἦσθα σύ;

[¶100] Dealer in Decrees:
“Should anyone drive away the magistrates and not receive them, according to the decree duly posted...”

> Greek: Ψηφισματοπώλης:
ἐὰν δέ τις ἐξελαύνῃ τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ μὴ δέχηται
κατὰ τὴν στήλην —

[¶101] Pisthetaerus:
What! rascal! you are back too?
He rushes at him.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οἴμοι κακοδαίμων, καὶ σὺ γὰρ ἐνταῦθʼ ἦσθʼ ἔτι;

[¶102] Inspector:
Woe to you! I'll have you condemned to a fine of ten thousand drachmae.

> Greek: Ἐπίσκοπος:
ἀπολῶ σε καὶ γράφω σε μυρίας δραχμάς.

[¶103] Pisthetaerus:
And I'll smash your urns.
Inspector:
Do you recall that evening when you crapped on the column where the decrees are posted?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἐγὼ δὲ σοῦ γε τὼ κάδω διασκεδῶ.
Ψηφισματοπώλης:
μέμνησʼ ὅτε τῆς στήλης κατετίλας ἑσπέρας;

[¶104] Pisthetaerus:
Here! here! let him be seized. The Inspector runs off. Why, don't you want to stay any longer? But let us get indoors as quick as possible; we will sacrifice the goat inside.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
αἰβοῖ· λαβέτω τις αὐτόν. οὗτος οὐ μενεῖς;
ἀπίωμεν ἡμεῖς ὡς τάχιστʼ ἐντευθενὶ
θύσοντες εἴσω τοῖς θεοῖσι τὸν τράγον.

[¶105] First Semi-Chorus: Singing.
Henceforth it is to me that mortals must address
their sacrifices and their prayers. Nothing escapes my sight nor my might. My glance embraces the universe, I preserve the fruit in the flower by destroying the thousand kinds of voracious insects the soil produces, which attack the trees
and feed on the germ when it has scarcely formed in the calyx; I destroy those who ravage the balmy terrace gardens like a deadly plague;
all these gnawing crawling creatures perish beneath the lash of my wing.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἤδη ʼμοὶ τῷ παντόπτᾳ
καὶ παντάρχᾳ θνητοὶ πάντες
θύσουσʼ εὐκταίαις εὐχαῖς.
πᾶσαν μὲν γὰρ γᾶν ὀπτεύω,
σῴζω δʼ εὐθαλεῖς καρποὺς
κτείνων παμφύλων γένναν
θηρῶν, ἂ πάντʼ ἐν γαίᾳ
ἐκ κάλυκος αὐξανόμενον γένυσι παμφάγοις
δένδρεσί τʼ ἐφημένα καρπὸν ἀποβόσκεται·
κτείνω δʼ οἳ κήπους εὐώδεις
φθείρουσιν λύμαις ἐχθίσταις,
ἑρπετά τε καὶ δάκετα ⟨πάνθʼ⟩ ὅσαπερ
ἔστιν ὑπʼ ἐμᾶς πτέρυγος ἐν φοναῖς ὄλλυται.

[¶106] Leader of First Semi-Chorus:
I hear it proclaimed: “A talent for him who shall kill Diagoras of Melos,”
“and a talent for him who destroys one of the dead tyrants.” We likewise wish to make our proclamation: “A talent to him among you who shall kill Philocrates, the Struthian; four, if he brings him to us alive. For this Philocrates skewers the finches together and sells them at the rate of an obolus for seven.”
“He tortures the thrushes by blowing them out, so that they may look bigger, sticks their own feathers into the nostrils of blackbirds, and collects pigeons, which he shuts up and forces them, fastened in a net, to decoy others.” That is what we wish to proclaim. And if anyone is keeping birds
shut up in his yard, let him hasten to let them loose; those who disobey shall be seized by the birds and we shall put them in chains, so that in their turn they may decoy other men.

> Greek: Χορός:
τῇδε μέντοι θἠμέρᾳ μάλιστʼ ἐπαναγορεύεται,
ἢν ἀποκτείνῃ τις ὑμῶν Διαγόραν τὸν Μήλιον,
λαμβάνειν τάλαντον, ἤν τε τῶν τυράννων τίς τινα
τῶν τεθνηκότων ἀποκτείνῃ, τάλαντον λαμβάνειν.
βουλόμεσθʼ οὖν νυν ἀνειπεῖν ταὐτὰ χἠμεῖς ἐνθάδε.
ἢν ἀποκτείνῃ τις ὑμῶν Φιλοκράτη τὸν Στρούθιον,
λήψεται τάλαντον, ἢν δὲ ζῶντά ⟨γʼ⟩ ἀγάγῃ, τέτταρα,
ὅτι συνείρων τοὺς σπίνους πωλεῖ καθʼ ἑπτὰ τοὐβολοῦ,
εἶτα φυσῶν τὰς κίχλας δείκνυσι καὶ λυμαίνεται,
τοῖς τε κοψίχοισιν ἐς τὰς ῥῖνας ἐγχεῖ τὰ πτερά,
τὰς περιστεράς θʼ ὁμοίως ξυλλαβὼν εἵρξας ἔχει,
κἀπαναγκάζει παλεύειν δεδεμένας ἐν δικτύῳ.
ταῦτα βουλόμεσθʼ ἀνειπεῖν· κεἴ τις ὄρνιθας τρέφει
εἱργμένους ὑμῶν ἐν αὐλῇ, φράζομεν μεθιέναι.
ἢν δὲ μὴ πίθησθε, συλληφθέντες ὑπὸ τῶν ὀρνέων
αὖθις ὑμεῖς αὖ παρʼ ἡμῖν δεδεμένοι παλεύσετε.

[¶107] Second Semi-Chorus: Singing.
Happy indeed is the race of winged birds who
need no cloak in winter! Neither do I fear the relentless rays of the fiery dog-days;
when the divine grasshopper, intoxicated with the sunlight, as noon is burning the ground, is breaking out into shrill melody; my home is beneath the foliage in the flowery meadows. I winter in deep caverns, where I frolic with the mountain nymphs, while in spring I despoil
the gardens of the Graces and gather the white, virgin berry on the myrtle bushes.

> Greek: Χορός:
εὔδαιμον φῦλον πτηνῶν
οἰωνῶν, οἳ χειμῶνος μὲν
χλαίνας οὐκ ἀμπισχνοῦνται·
οὐδʼ αὖ θερμὴ πνίγους ἡμᾶς
ἀκτὶς τηλαυγὴς θάλπει·
ἀλλʼ ἀνθηρῶν λειμώνων
φύλλων ⟨τʼ⟩ ἐν κόλποις ναίω,
ἡνίκʼ ἂν ὁ θεσπέσιος ὀξὺ μέλος ἀχέτας
θάλπεσι μεσημβρινοῖς ἡλιομανὴς βοᾷ.
χειμάζω δʼ ἐν κοίλοις ἄντροις
νύμφαοις οὐρείαις ξυμπαίζων·
ἠρινά τε βοσκόμεθα παρθένια
λευκότροφα μύρτα Χαρίτων τε κηπεύματα.

[¶108] Leader of Second Semi-Chorus:
I want now to speak to the judges about the prize they are going to award; if they are favourable to us, we will load them with benefits far greater than those Paris received.
Firstly, the owls of Laurium, which every judge desires above all things, shall never be wanting to you; you shall see them homing with you, building their nests in your money-bags and laying coins. Besides, you shall be housed like the gods,
for we shall erect gables over your dwellings; if you hold some public post and want to do a little pilfering, we will give you the sharp claws of a hawk. Are you dining in town, we will provide you with stomachs as capacious as a bird's crop. But, if your award is against us, don't fail to have metal covers fashioned for yourselves,
like those they place over statues; else, look out! for the day you wear a white tunic all the birds will soil it with their droppings.

> Greek: Χορός:
τοῖς κριταῖς εἰπεῖν τι βουλόμεσθα τῆς νίκης πέρι,
ὅσʼ ἀγάθʼ, ἢν κρίνωσιν ἡμᾶς, πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς δώσομεν,
ὥστε κρείττω δῶρα πολλῷ τῶν Ἀλεξάνδρου λαβεῖν.
πρῶτα μὲν γὰρ οὗ μάλιστα πᾶς κριτὴς ἐφίεται,
γλαῦκες ὑμᾶς οὔποτʼ ἐπιλείψουσι Λαυρειωτικαί·
ἀλλʼ ἐνοικήσουσιν ἔνδον, ἔν τε τοῖς βαλλαντίοις
ἐννεοττεύσουσι κἀκλέψουσι μικρὰ κέρματα.
εἶτα πρὸς τούτοισιν ὥσπερ ἐν ἱεροῖς οἰκήσετε·
τὰς γὰρ ὑμῶν οἰκίας ἐρέψομεν πρὸς αἰετόν·
κἂν λαχόντες ἀρχίδιον εἶθʼ ἁρπάσαι βούλησθέ τι,
ὀξὺν ἱερακίσκον ἐς τὰς χεῖρας ὑμῖν δώσομεν.
ἢν δέ που δειπνῆτε, πρηγορεῶνας ὑμῖν πέμψομεν.
ἢν δὲ μὴ κρίνητε, χαλκεύεσθε μηνίσκους φορεῖν
ὥσπερ ἀνδριάντες· ὡς ὑμῶν ὃς ἂν μὴ μῆνʼ ἔχῃ,
ὅταν ἔχητε χλανίδα λευκήν, τότε μάλισθʼ οὕτω δίκην
δώσεθʼ ἡμῖν, πᾶσι τοῖς ὄρνισι κατατιλώμενοι.

[¶109] Pisthetaerus:
Birds! the sacrifice is propitious. But I see
no messenger coming from the wall to tell us what is happening. Ah! here comes one running himself out of breath as though he were in the Olympic stadium.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τὰ μὲν ἱέρʼ ἡμῖν ἐστιν ὦρνιθες καλά·
ἀλλʼ ὡς ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους πάρεστιν ἄγγελος
οὐδείς, ὅτου πευσόμεθα τἀκεῖ πράγματα.
ἀλλʼ οὑτοσὶ τρέχει τις Ἀλφειὸν πνέων.

[¶110] Messenger: Running back and forth.
Where, where, where is he? Where, where, where is he? Where, where, where is he? Where is Pisthetaerus, our leader?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Α:
ποῦ ποῦ ʼστι, ποῦ ποῦ ποῦ ʼστι, ποῦ ποῦ ποῦ ʼστι ποῦ,
ποῦ Πισθέταιρός ἐστιν ἅρχων;

[¶111] Pisthetaerus:
Here am I.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὑτοσί.

[¶112] Messenger:
The wall is finished.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Α:
ἐξῳκοδόμηταί σοι τὸ τεῖχος.

[¶113] Pisthetaerus:
That's good news.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
εὖ λέγεις.

[¶114] Messenger:
It's a most beautiful, a most magnificent work of art. The wall is so broad that Proxenides, the Braggartian, and Theogenes could pass each other in their chariots, even if they were drawn by steeds as big as the Trojan horse.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Α:
κάλλιστον ἔργον καὶ μεγαλοπρεπέστατον·
ὥστʼ ἂν ἐπάνω μὲν Προξενίδης ὁ Κομπασεὺς
καὶ Θεογένης ἐναντίω δύʼ ἅρματε,
ἵππων ὑπόντων μέγεθος ὅσον ὁ δούριος,
ὑπὸ τοῦ πλάτους ἂν παρελασαίτην.

[¶115] Pisthetaerus:
That's fine!

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
Ἡράκλεις.

[¶116] Messenger:
Its length is one hundred stadia; I measured it myself.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Α:
τὸ δὲ μῆκός ἐστι, καὶ γὰρ ἐμέτρησʼ αὔτʼ ἐγώ,
ἑκατοντορόγυιον.

[¶117] Pisthetaerus:
A decent length, by Poseidon! And who built such a wall?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ὦ Πόσειδον τοῦ μάκρους.
τίνες ᾠκοδόμησαν αὐτὸ τηλικουτονί;

[¶118] Messenger:
Birds —birds only; they had neither Egyptian brickmaker, nor stonemason, nor carpenter;
the birds did it all themselves; I could hardly believe my eyes. Thirty thousand cranes came from Libya with a supply of stones, intended for the foundations. The water-rails chiselled them with their beaks. Ten thousand storks were busy making bricks;
plovers and other water fowl carried water into the air.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Α:
ὄρνιθες, οὐδεὶς ἄλλος, οὐκ Αἰγύπτιος
πλινθοφόρος, οὐ λιθουργός, οὐ τέκτων παρῆν,
ἀλλʼ αὐτόχειρες, ὥστε θαυμάζειν ἐμέ.
ἐκ μέν γε Λιβύης ἧκον ὡς τρισμύριαι
γέρανοι θεμελίους καταπεπωκυῖαι λίθους.
τούτους δʼ ἐτύκιζον αἱ κρέκες τοῖς ῥύγχεσιν.
ἕτεροι δʼ ἐπλινθοφόρουν πελαργοὶ μύριοι·
ὕδωρ δʼ ἐφόρουν κάτωθεν ἐς τὸν ἀέρα
οἱ χαραδριοὶ καὶ τἄλλα ποτόμιʼ ὄρνεα.

[¶119] Pisthetaerus:
And who carried the mortar?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἐπηλοφόρουν δʼ αὐτοῖσι τίνες;

[¶120] Messenger:
Herons, in hods.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Α:
ἐρωδιοὶ
λεκάναισι.

[¶121] Pisthetaerus:
But how could they put the mortar into the hods?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τὸν δὲ πηλὸν ἐνεβάλλοντο πῶς;

[¶122] Messenger:
Oh! it was a truly clever invention;
the geese used their feet like spades; they buried them in the pile of mortar and then emptied them into the hods.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Α:
τοῦτʼ ὦγάθʼ ἐξηύρητο καὶ σοφώτατα·
οἱ χῆνες ὑποτύπτοντες ὥσπερ ταῖς ἄμαις
ἐς τὰς λεκάνας ἐνέβαλλον αὐτοῖς τοῖν ποδοῖν.

[¶123] Pisthetaerus:
Ah! to what use cannot feet be put?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τί δῆτα πόδες ἂν οὐκ ἂν ἐργασαίατο;

[¶124] Messenger:
You should have seen how eagerly the ducks carried bricks. To complete the tale,
the swallows came flying to the work, their beaks full of mortar and their trowels on their backs, just the way little children are carried.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Α:
καὶ νὴ Δίʼ αἱ νῆτταί γε περιεζωσμέναι
ἐπλινθοφόρουν· ἄνω δὲ τὸν ὑπαγωγέα
ἐπέτοντʼ ἔχουσαι κατόπιν †ὥσπερ παιδία
τὸν πηλὸν ἐν τοῖς στόμασιν† αἱ χελιδόνες.

[¶125] Pisthetaerus:
Who would want paid servants after this? But tell me, who did the woodwork?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τί δῆτα μισθωτοὺς ἂν ἔτι μισθοῖτό τις;
φέρʼ ἴδω, τί δαί; τὰ ξύλινα τοῦ τείχους τίνες
ἀπηργάσαντʼ;

[¶126] Messenger:
Birds again,
and clever carpenters too, the pelicans, for they squared up the gates with their beaks in such a fashion that one would have thought they were using axes; the noise was just like a dockyard. Now the whole wall is tight everywhere, securely bolted and well guarded;
it is patrolled, bell in hand; the sentinels stand everywhere and beacons burn on the towers. But I must run off to clean myself; the rest is your business.
He departs.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Α:
ὄρνιθες ἦσαν τέκτονες
σοφώτατοι πελεκᾶντες, οἳ τοῖς ῥύγχεσιν
ἀπεπελέκησαν τὰς πύλας· ἦν δʼ ὁ κτύπος
αὐτῶν πελεκώντων ὥσπερ ἐν ναυπηγίῳ.
καὶ νῦν ἅπαντʼ ἐκεῖνα πεπύλωται πύλαις
καὶ βεβαλάνωται καὶ φυλάττεται κύκλῳ,
ἐφοδεύεται, κωδωνοφορεῖται, πανταχῇ,
φυλακαὶ καθεστήκασι καὶ φρυκτωρίαι
ἐν τοῖσι πύργοις. ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ μὲν ἀποτρέχων
ἀπονίψομαι· σὺ δʼ αὐτὸς ἤδη τἄλλα δρᾶ.

[¶127] Leader of the Chorus: To Pisthetaerus.
Well! what do you say to it? Are you not astonished
at the wall being completed so quickly?

> Greek: Χορός:
οὗτος τί ποιεῖς; ἆρα θαυμάζεις ὅτι
οὕτω τὸ τεῖχος ἐκτετείχισται ταχύ;

[¶128] Pisthetaerus:
By the gods, yes, and with good reason. It's really not to be believed. But here comes another messenger from the wall to bring us some further news! What a fighting look he has!

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς ἔγωγε· καὶ γὰρ ἄξιον·
ἴσα γὰρ ἀληθῶς φαίνεταί μοι ψεύδεσιν.
ἀλλʼ ὅδε φύλαξ γὰρ τῶν ἐκεῖθεν ἄγγελος
ἐσθεῖ πρὸς ἡμᾶς δεῦρο πυρρίχην βλέπων.

[¶129] Second Messenger: Rushing in.
Alas! alas! alas! alas! alas! alas!

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Β:
ἰοὺ ἰού, ἰοὺ ἰού, ἰοὺ ἰού.

[¶130] Pisthetaerus:
What's the matter?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τί τὸ πρᾶγμα τουτί;

[¶131] Second Messenger:
A horrible outrage has occurred; a god sent by Zeus has passed through our gates and has penetrated the realms of the air without the knowledge of the jays, who are on guard in the daytime.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Β:
δεινότατα πεπόνθαμεν.
τῶν γὰρ θεῶν τις ἄρτι τῶν παρὰ τοῦ Διὸς
διὰ τῶν πυλῶν εἰσέπτετʼ ἐς τὸν ἀέρα,
λαθὼν κολοιοὺς φύλακας ἡμεροσκόπους.

[¶132] Pisthetaerus:
It's a terrible and criminal deed. What god was it?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ὦ δεινὸν ἔργον καὶ σχέτλιον εἰργασμένος.
τίς τῶν θεῶν;

[¶133] Second Messenger:
We don't know that. All we know is, that he has got wings.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Β:
οὐκ ἴσμεν· ὅτι δʼ εἶχε πτερά,
τοῦτʼ ἴσμεν.

[¶134] Pisthetaerus:
Why were not patrolmen sent against him at once?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὔκουν δῆτα περιπόλους ἐχρῆν
πέμψαι κατʼ αὐτὸν εὐθύς;

[¶135] Second Messenger:
We have despatched thirty thousand hawks of the legion of Mounted Archers.
All the hook-clawed birds are moving against him, the kestrel, the buzzard, the vulture, the great-horned owl; they cleave the air so that it resounds with the flapping of their wings; they are looking everywhere for the god, who cannot be far away; indeed, if I mistake not,
he is coming from yonder side.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Β:
ἀλλʼ ἐπέμψαμεν
τρισμυρίους ἱέρακας ἱπποτοξότας,
χωρεῖ δὲ πᾶς τις ὄνυχας ἠγκυλωμένος,
κερχνῂς τριόρχης γὺψ κύμινδις αἰετός·
ῥύμῃ τε καὶ πτεροῖσι καὶ ῥοιζήμασιν
αἰθὴρ δονεῖται τοῦ θεοῦ ζητουμένου·
κἄστʼ οὐ μακρὰν ἄπωθεν, ἀλλʼ ἐνταῦθά που
ἤδη ʼστίν.

[¶136] Pisthetaerus:
To arms, all, with slings and bows! This way, all our soldiers; shoot and strike! Some one give me a sling!

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὔκουν σφενδόνας δεῖ λαμβάνειν
καὶ τόξα; χώρει δεῦρο πᾶς ὑπηρέτης·
τόξευε παῖε, σφενδόνην τίς μοι δότω.

[¶137] Chorus: Singing.
War, a terrible war is breaking out
between us and the gods! Come, let each one guard Air, the son of Erebus, in which the clouds float.
Take care no immortal enters it without your knowledge.

> Greek: Χορός:
πόλεμος αἴρεται, πόλεμος οὐ φατὸς
πρὸς ἐμὲ καὶ θεούς. ἀλλὰ φύλαττε πᾶς
ἀέρα περινέφελον, ὃν ἔρεβος ἐτέκετο,
μή σε λάθῃ θεῶν τις ταύτῃ περῶν·

[¶138] Leader of the Chorus:
Scan all sides with your glance. Hark! methinks I can hear the rustle of the swift wings of a god from heaven.
The Machine brings in Iris, in the form of a young girl.

> Greek: Χορός:
… ἄθρει δὲ πᾶς κύκλῳ σκοπῶν,
ὡς ἐγγὺς ἤδη δαίμονος πεδαρσίου
δίνης πτερωτὸς φθόγγος ἐξακούεται.

[¶139] Pisthetaerus:
Hi! you woman! where, where, where are you flying to? Halt, don't stir!
keep motionless! not a beat of your wing! She pauses in her flight. Who are you and from what country? You must say whence you come.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
αὕτη σύ, ποῖ ποῖ ποῖ πέτει; μένʼ ἥσυχος,
ἔχʼ ἀτρέμας· αὐτοῦ στῆθʼ· ἐπίσχες τοῦ δρόμου.
τίς εἶ; ποδαπή; λέγειν ἐχρῆν ὁπόθεν πότʼ εἶ.

[¶140] Iris:
I come from the abode of the Olympian gods.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
παρὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔγωγε τῶν Ὀλυμπίων.

[¶141] Pisthetaerus:
What's your name, ship or head-dress?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ὄνομα δέ σο. τί ἐστι; πλοῖον ἢ κυνῆ;

[¶142] Iris:
I am swift Iris.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
Ἶρις ταχεῖα.

[¶143] Pisthetaerus:
Paralus or Salaminia?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
Πάραλος ἢ Σαλαμινία;

[¶144] Iris:
What do you mean?

> Greek: Ἶρις:
τί δὲ τοῦτο;

[¶145] Pisthetaerus:
Let a buzzard rush at her and seize her.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ταυτηνί τις οὐ συλλήψεται
ἀναπτόμενος τρίορχος;

[¶146] Iris:
Seize me? But what do all these insults mean?

> Greek: Ἶρις:
ἐμὲ συλλήψεται;
τί ποτʼ ἐστὶ τουτὶ τὸ κακόν;

[¶147] Pisthetaerus:
Woe to you!

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οἰμώξει μακρά.

[¶148] Iris:
I do not understand it.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
ἄτοπόν γε τουτὶ πρᾶγμα.

[¶149] Pisthetaerus:
By which gate did you pass through the wall, wretched woman?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
κατὰ ποίας πύλας
εἰσῆλθες ἐς τὸ τεῖχος ὦ μιαρωτάτη;

[¶150] Iris:
By which gate? Why, great gods, I don't know.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
οὐκ οἶδα μὰ Δίʼ ἔγωγε κατὰ ποίας πύλας.

[¶151] Pisthetaerus:
You hear how she holds us in derision. Did you present yourself to the officers in command of the jays? You don't answer. Have you a permit, bearing the seal of the storks?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἤκουσας αὐτῆς οἷον εἰρωνεύεται;
πρὸς τοὺς κολοιάρχας προσῆλθες; οὐ λέγεις;
σφραγῖδʼ ἔχεις παρὰ τῶν πελαργῶν;

[¶152] Iris:
Am I dreaming?

> Greek: Ἶρις:
τί τὸ κακόν.

[¶153] Pisthetaerus:
Did you get one?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐκ ἔλαβες;

[¶154] Iris:
Are you mad?

> Greek: Ἶρις:
ὑγιαίνεις μέν;

[¶155] Pisthetaerus:
No
head-bird gave you a safe-conduct?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐδὲ σύμβολον
ἐπέβαλεν ὀρνίθαρχος οὐδείς σοι παρών;

[¶156] Iris:
A safe-conduct to me. You poor fool!

> Greek: Ἶρις:
μὰ Δίʼ οὐκ ἔμοιγʼ ἐπέβαλεν οὐδεὶς ὦ μέλε.

[¶157] Pisthetaerus:
Ah! and so you slipped into this city on the sly and into these realms of air-land that don't belong to you.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
κἄπειτα δῆθʼ οὕτω σιωπῇ διαπέτει
διὰ τῆς πόλεως τῆς ἀλλοτρίας καὶ τοῦ χάους;

[¶158] Iris:
And what other roads can the gods travel?

> Greek: Ἶρις:
ποίᾳ γὰρ ἄλλῃ χρὴ πέτεσθαι τοὺς θεούς;

[¶159] Pisthetaerus:
By Zeus! I know nothing about that, not I. But they won't pass this way. And you still dare to complain? Why, if you were treated according to your deserts, no Iris would ever have more justly suffered death.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐκ οἶδα μὰ Δίʼ ἔγωγε· τῇδε μὲν γὰρ οὔ.
ἀδικεῖς δὲ καὶ νῦν. ἆρά γʼ οἶσθα τοῦθʼ ὅτι
δικαιότατʼ ἂν ληφθεῖσα πασῶν Ἰρίδων
ἀπέθανες, εἰ τῆς ἀξίας ἐτύγχανες;

[¶160] Iris:
I am immortal.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
ἀλλʼ ἀθάνατός εἰμʼ.

[¶161] Pisthetaerus:
You would have died nevertheless. —
Oh! that would be truly intolerable! What! should the universe obey us and the gods alone continue their insolence and not understand that they must submit to the law of the strongest in their due turn? But tell me, where are you flying to?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἂν ἀπέθανες.
δεινότατα γάρ τοι πεισόμεσθʼ, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ,
εἰ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων ἄρχομεν, ὑμεῖς δʼ οἱ θεοὶ
ἀκολαστανεῖτε, κοὐδέπω γνώσεσθʼ ὅτι
ἀκροατέον ὑμῖν ἐν μέρει τῶν κρειττόνων.
φράσον δέ τοί μοι τὼ πτέρυγε ποῖ ναυστολεῖς;

[¶162] Iris:
I? The messenger of Zeus to mankind, I am going to tell them to sacrifice sheep and oxen on the altars and to fill their streets with the rich smoke of burning fat.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
ἐγώ; πρὸς ἀνθρώπους πέτομαι παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς
φράσουσα θύειν τοῖς Ὀλυμπίοις θεοῖς
μηλοσφαγεῖν τε βουθύτοις ἐπʼ ἐσχάραις
κνισᾶν τʼ ἀγυιάς.

[¶163] Pisthetaerus:
Of which gods are you speaking?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τί σὺ λέγεις; ποίοις θεοῖς;

[¶164] Iris:
Of which? Why, of ourselves, the gods of heaven.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
ποίοισιν; ἡμῖν τοῖς ἐν οὐρανῷ θεοῖς.

[¶165] Pisthetaerus:
You, gods?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
θεοὶ γὰρ ὑμεῖς;

[¶166] Iris:
Are there others then?

> Greek: Ἶρις:
τίς γάρ ἐστʼ ἄλλος θεός;

[¶167] Pisthetaerus:
Men now adore the birds as gods, and it's to them, by Zeus, that they must offer sacrifices, and not to Zeus at all!

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ὄρνιθες ἀνθρώποισι νῦν εἰσιν θεοί,
οἷς θυτέον αὐτούς, ἀλλὰ μὰ Δίʼ οὐ τῷ Διί.

[¶168] Iris: In tragic style.
Oh! fool! fool! Rouse not
the wrath of the gods, for it is terrible indeed. Armed with the brand of Zeus, Justice would annihilate your race; the lightning would strike you as it did Licymnius and consume both your body and the porticos of your palace.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
ὦ μῶρε μῶρε μὴ θεῶν κίνει φρένας
δεινάς, ὅπως μή σου γένος πανώλεθρον
Διὸς μακέλλῃ πᾶν ἀναστρέψῃ Δίκη,
λιγνὺς δὲ σῶμα καὶ δόμων περιπτυχὰς
καταιθαλώσῃ σου Λικυμνίαις βολαῖς.

[¶169] Pisthetaerus:
Here! that's enough tall talk. Just you listen and keep quiet! Do you take me for a Lydian or a Phrygian
and think to frighten me with your big words? Know, that if Zeus worries me again, I shall go at the head of my eagles, who are armed with lightning, and reduce his dwelling and that of Amphion to cinders. I shall send more than six hundred porphyrions
clothed in leopards' skins up to heaven against him; and formerly a single Porphyrion gave him enough to do. As for you, his messenger, if you annoy me, I shall begin by getting between your thighs,
and even though you are Iris, you will be surprised at the erection the old man can produce; it's three times as good as the ram on a ship's prow!

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
ἄκουσον αὕτη· παῦε τῶν παφλασμάτων·
ἔχʼ ἀτρέμα. φέρʼ ἴδω, πότερα Λυδὸν ἢ Φρύγα
ταυτὶ λέγουσα μορμολύττεσθαι δοκεῖς;
ἆρʼ οἶσθʼ ὅτι Ζεὺς εἴ με λυπήσει πέρα,
μέλαθρα μὲν αὐτοῦ καὶ δόμους Ἀμφίονος
καταιθαλώσω πυρφόροισιν αἰετοῖς;
πέμψω δὲ πορφυρίωνας ἐς τὸν οὐρανὸν
ὄρνις ἐπʼ αὐτὸν παρδαλᾶς ἐνημμένους
πλεῖν ἑξακοσίους τὸν ἀριθμόν. καὶ δή ποτε
εἷς Πορφυρίων αὐτῷ παρέσχε πράγματα.
σὺ δʼ εἴ με λυπήσεις τι, τῆς διακόνου
πρώτης ἀνατείνας τὼ σκέλει διαμηριῶ
τὴν Ἶριν αὐτήν, ὥστε θαυμάζειν ὅπως
οὕτω γέρων ὢν στύομαι τριέμβολον.

[¶170] Iris:
May you perish, you wretch, you and your infamous words!

> Greek: Ἶρις:
διαρραγείης ὦ μέλʼ αὐτοῖς ῥήμασιν.

[¶171] Pisthetaerus:
Won't you get out of here quickly? Come, stretch your wings or look out for squalls!

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οὐκ ἀποσοβήσεις; οὐ ταχέως; εὐρὰξ πατάξ.

[¶172] Iris:
If my father does not punish you for your insults...
The Machine takes Iris away.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
ἦ μήν σε παύσει τῆς ὕβρεως οὑμὸς πατήρ.

[¶173] Pisthetaerus:
Ha!... but just you be off elsewhere to roast younger folk than us with your lightning.

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
οἴμοι τάλας. οὔκουν ἑτέρωσε πετομένη
καταιθαλώσεις τῶν νεωτέρων τινά;

[¶174] Chorus: Singing.
We forbid the gods, the sons of Zeus, to pass through our city
and the mortals to send them the smoke of their sacrifices by this road.
Pisthetaerus:
It's odd that the messenger
we sent to the mortals has never returned.
The Herald enters, wearing a golden garland on his head.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀποκεκλῄκαμεν διογενεῖς θεοὺς
μηκέτι τὴν ἐμὴν διαπερᾶν πόλιν,
μηδέ ⟨γέ⟩ τινʼ ἱερόθυτον ἀνὰ δάπεδον ἔτι
τῇδε βροτῶν θεοῖσι πέμπειν καπνόν.
Πισθέταιρος:
δεινόν γε τὸν κήρυκα τὸν παρὰ τοὺς βροτοὺς
οἰχόμενον, εἰ μηδέποτε νοστήσει πάλιν.

[¶175] Herald:
Oh! blessed Pisthetaerus, very wise, very illustrious, very gracious, thrice happy, very... Come, prompt me, somebody, do

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
ὦ Πισθέταιρʼ ὦ μακάριʼ ὦ σοφώτατε,
ὦ κλεινότατʼ ὦ σοφώτατʼ ὦ γλαφυρώτατε,
ὦ τρισμακάριʼ ὦ κατακέλευσον.

[¶176] Pisthetaerus:
Get to your story!

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
τί σὺ λέγεις;

[¶177] Herald:
All peoples are filled with admiration for your wisdom, and they award you this golden crown.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
στεφάνῳ σε χρυσῷ τῷδε σοφίας οὕνεκα
στεφανοῦσι καὶ τιμῶσιν οἱ πάντες λεῴ.

[¶178] Pisthetaerus:
I accept it. But tell me, why do the people admire me?

> Greek: Πισθέταιρος:
δέχομαι. τί δʼ οὕτως οἱ λεῲ τιμῶσί με;

[¶179] Herald:
Oh you, who have founded so illustrious a city in the air, you know not in what esteem men hold you and how many there are who burn with desire to dwell in it.
Before your city was built, all men had a mania for Sparta; long hair and fasting were held in honor, men went dirty like Socrates and carried staves. Now all is changed.
Firstly, as soon as it's dawn, they all spring out of bed together to go and seek their food, the same as you do; then they fly off towards the notices and finally devour the decrees.
The bird-madness is so clear that many actually bear the names of birds. There is a halting victualler, who styles himself the partridge; Menippus calls himself the swallow; Opuntius the one-eyed crow;
Philocles the lark; Theogenes the fox-goose; Lycurgus the ibis; Chaerephon the bat; Syracosius the magpie; Midias the quail; indeed he looks like a quail that has been hit hard on the head.
Out of love for the birds they repeat all the songs which concern the swallow, the teal, the goose or the pigeon; in each verse you see wings, or at all events a few feathers. This is what is happening down there.
Finally, there are more than ten thousand folk who are coming here from earth to ask you for feathers and hooked claws; so, mind you supply yourself with wings for the immigrants.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
ὦ κλεινοτάτην αἰθέριον οἰκίσας πόλιν,
οὐκ οἷσθʼ ὅσην τιμὴν παρʼ ἀνθρώποις φέρει,
ὅσους τʼ ἐραστὰς τῆσδε τῆς χώρας ἔχεις.
πρὶν μὲν γὰρ οἰκίσαι σε τήνδε τὴν πόλιν,
ἐλακωνομάνουν ἅπαντες ἄνθρωποι τότε,
ἐκόμων ἐπείνων ἐρρύπων ἐσωκράτουν
σκυτάλιʼ ἐφόρουν, νυνὶ δʼ ὑποστρέψαντες αὖ
ὀρνιθομανοῦσι, πάντα δʼ ὑπὸ τῆς ἡδονῆς
ποιοῦσιν ἅπερ ὄρνιθες ἐκμιμούμενοι·
πρῶτον μὲν εὐθὺς πάντες ἐξ εὐνῆς ἅμα
ἐπέτονθʼ ἕωθεν ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ νομόν·
κἄπειτʼ ἂν ἅμα κατῆραν ἐς τὰ βιβλία·
εἶτʼ ἀπενέμοντʼ ἐνταῦθα τὰ ψηφίσματα.
ὠρνιθομάνουν δʼ οὕτω περιφανῶς ὥστε καὶ
πολλοῖσιν ὀρνίθων ὀνόματʼ ἦν κείμενα.
πέρδιξ μὲν εἷς κάπηλος ὠνομάζετο
χωλός, Μενίππῳ δʼ ἦν χελιδὼν τοὔνομα,
Ὀπουντίῳ δʼ ὀφθαλμὸν οὐκ ἔχων κόραξ,
κορυδὸς Φιλοκλέει, χηναλώπηξ Θεογένει,
ἶβις Λυκούργῳ, Χαιρεφῶντι νυκτερίς,
Συρακοσίῳ δὲ κίττα· Μειδίας δʼ ἐκεῖ
ὄρτυξ ἐκαλεῖτο· καὶ γὰρ ᾔκειν ὄρτυγι
ὑπὸ στυφοκόπου τὴν κεφαλὴν πεπληγμένῳ.
ᾖδον δʼ ὑπὸ φιλορνιθίας πάντες μέλη,
ὅπου χελιδὼν ἦν τις ἐμπεποιημένη
ἢ πηνέλοψ ἢ χήν τις ἢ περιστερὰ
ἢ πτέρυγες, ἢ πτεροῦ τι καὶ σμικρὸν προσῆν.
τοιαῦτα μὲν τἀκεῖθεν. ἓν δέ σοι λέγω·
ἥξουσʼ ἐκεῖθεν δεῦρο πλεῖν ἢ μύριοι
πτερῶν δεόμενοι καὶ τρόπων γαμψωνύχων·
ὥστε πτερῶν σοι τοῖς ἐποίκοις δεῖ ποθέν.