Pisthetaerus:Ah! by Zeus, there's no time for idling. To some slaves. Go as quick as possible and fill every hamper,every basket you can find with wings. Manes will bring them to me outside the walls, where I will welcome those who present themselves.
Πισθέταιρος:οὐκ ἆρα μὰ Δίʼ ἡμῖν ἔτʼ ἔργον ἑστάναι.ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστα σὺ μὲν ἰὼν τὰς ἀρρίχουςκαὶ τοὺς κοφίνους ἅπαντας ἐμπίμπλη πτερῶν·Μανῆς δὲ φερέτω μοι θύραζε τὰ πτερά·ἐγὼ δʼ ἐκείνων τοὺς προσιόντας δέξομαι.
Chorus: Singing.This town will soon be inhabited by a crowd of men.Fortune favours us aloneand thus they have fallen in love with our city.Pisthetaerus: To the slave Manes, who brings in a basket full of wings.Come, hurry up and bring them along.Chorus:Will not man find here everything that can please him —wisdom, love, the divine Graces, the sweet face of gentle peace?Pisthetaerus: As Manes comes in with another basket.Oh! you lazy servant! won't you hurry yourself?
Χορός:ταχὺ δὴ πολυάνορα τάνδε πόλινκαλεῖ τις ἀνθρώπων.Πισθέταιρος:τύχη μόνον προσείη.Χορός:κατέχουσι δʼ ἔρωτες ἐμᾶς πόλεως.Πισθέταιρος:θάττον φέρειν κελεύω.Χορός:τί γὰρ οὐκ ἔνι ταύτῃκαλὸν ἀνδρὶ μετοικεῖν;Σοφία Πόθος Ἀμβροσία Χάριτεςτό τε τῆς ἀγανόφρονος Ἡσυχίαςεὐήμερον πρόσωπον.Πισθέταιρος:ὡς βλακικῶς διακονεῖς·οὐ θᾶττον ἐγκονήσεις;
Chorus: Singing.Let a basket of wings be brought speedily.Come, beat him as I do, and put some life into him;he is as lazy as an ass.Pisthetaerus:Aye, Manes is a great craven.Chorus:Begin by putting this heap of wings in order; divide them in three parts according to the birds from whom they came; the singing, the prophetic and the aquatic birds; then you must take care to distribute them to the men according to their character.Pisthetaerus: To Manes, who is bringing in another basket.Oh! by the kestrels! I can keep my hands off you no longer; you are too slow and lazy altogether.
Χορός:φερέτω κάλαθον ταχύ τις πτερύγων,σὺ δʼ αὖθις ἐξόρμα —Πισθέταιρος:τύπτων γε τοῦτον ὡδί.Χορός:πάνυ γὰρ βραδύς ἐστί τις ὥσπερ ὄνος.Πισθέταιρος:Μανῆς γάρ ἐστι δειλός.Χορός:σὺ δὲ τὰ πτερὰ πρῶτονδιάθες τάδε κόσμῳ,τά τε μουσίχʼ ὁμοῦ τά τε μαντικὰ καὶτὰ θαλάττιʼ. ἔπειτα δʼ ὅπως φρονίμωςπρὸς ἄνδρʼ ὁρῶν πτερώσεις.Πισθέταιρος:οὔ τοι μὰ τὰς κερχνῇδας ἔτι σοῦ σχήσομαι,οὕτως ὁρῶν σε δειλὸν ὄντα καὶ βραδύν.
He hits Manes, who runs away. A young Parricide enters.Parricide: Singing.Oh! might I but become an eagle, who soars in the skies! Oh! might I fly above the azure waves of the barren sea!
Πατραλοίας:γενοίμαν αἰετὸς ὑψιπέτας,ὡς ἀμποταθείην ὑπὲρ ἀτρυγέτουγλαυκᾶς ἐπʼ οἶδμα λίμνας.
Pisthetaerus:Ha! it would seem the news was true; I hear someone coming who talks of wings.
Πισθέταιρος:ἔοικεν οὐ ψευδαγγελήσειν ἅγγελος.ᾄδων γὰρ ὅδε τις αἰετοὺς προσέρχεται.
Parricide:Nothing is more charming than to fly; I am bird-mad and fly towards you, for I wantto live with you and to obey your laws.
Πατραλοίας:αἰβοῖ·οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν τοῦ πέτεσθαι γλυκύτερον·ὀρνιθομανῶ γὰρ καὶ πέτομαι καὶ βούλομαιοἰκεῖν μεθʼ ὑμῶν κἀπιθυμῶ τῶν νόμων.
Pisthetaerus:Which laws? The birds have many laws.
Πισθέταιρος:ποίων νόμων; πολλοὶ γὰρ ὀρνίθων νόμοι.
Parricide:All of them; but the one that pleases me most is that among the birds it is considered a fine thing to peck and strangle one's father.
Πατραλοίας:πάντων· μάλιστα δʼ ὅτι καλὸν νομίζεταιτὸν πατέρα τοῖς ὄρνισιν ἄγχειν καὶ δάκνειν.
Pisthetaerus:Yes, by Zeus! according to us,he who dares to strike his father, while still a chick, is a brave fellow.
Πισθέταιρος:καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἀνδρεῖόν γε πάνυ νομιζομεν,ὃς ἂν πεπλήγῃ τὸν πατέρα νεοττὸς ὤν.
Parricide:And therefore I want to dwell here, for I want to strangle my father and inherit his wealth.
Πατραλοίας:διὰ ταῦτα μέντοι δεῦρʼ ἀνοικισθεὶς ἐγὼἄγχειν ἐπιθυμῶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ πάντʼ ἔχειν.
Pisthetaerus:But we have also an ancient law written in the code of the storks, which runs thus,“When the stork father has reared his young and has taught them to fly, the young must in their turn support the father.”
Πισθέταιρος:ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἡμῖν τοῖσιν ὄρνισιν νόμοςπαλαιὸς ἐν ταῖς τῶν πελαργῶν κύρβεσιν·ἐπὴν ὁ πατὴρ ὁ πελαργὸς ἐκπετησίμουςπάντας ποιήσῃ τοὺς πελαργιδέας τρέφων,δεῖ τοὺς νεοττοὺς τὸν πατέρα πάλιν τρέφειν.
Parricide: Petulantly.It's hardly worth while coming all this distance to be compelled to keep my father!
Πατραλοίας:ἀπέλαυσά τἄρα νὴ Δίʼ ἐλθὼν ἐνθαδί,εἴπερ γέ μοι καὶ τὸν πατέρα βοσκητέον.
Pisthetaerus:No, no, young friend, since you have come to us with such willingness, I am going to give you these black wings, as though you were an orphan bird; furthermore, some good advice, that I received myself in infancy. Don't strike your father, but takethese wings in one hand and these spurs in the other; imagine you have a cock's crest on your head and go and mount guard and fight; live on your pay and respect your father's life. You're a gallant fellow! Very well, then! Fly to Thrace and fight.
Πισθέταιρος:οὐδέν γʼ. ἐπειδήπερ γὰρ ἦλθες ὦ μέλεεὔνους, πτερώσω σʼ ὥσπερ ὄρνιν ὀρφανόν.σοὶ δʼ ὦ νεανίσκʼ οὐ κακῶς ὑποθήσομαι,ἀλλʼ οἷάπερ αὐτὸς ἔμαθον ὅτε παῖς ἦ. σὺ γὰρτὸν μὲν πατέρα μὴ τύπτε· ταυτηνδὶ λαβὼντὴν πτέρυγα καὶ τουτὶ τὸ πλῆκτρον θἀτέρᾳ,νομίσας ἀλεκτρυόνος ἔχειν τονδὶ λόφον,φρούρει στρατεύου μισθοφορῶν σαυτὸν τρέφε,τὸν πατέρ ἔα ζῆν· ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ μάχιμος εἶ,ἐς τἀπὶ Θρᾴκης ἀποπέτου κἀκεῖ μάχου.
Parricide:By Bacchus! You're right; I will follow your counsel.
Πατραλοίας:νὴ τὸν Διόνυσον εὖ γέ μοι δοκεῖς λέγειν,καὶ πείσομαί σοι.
Pisthetaerus:It's acting wisely, by Zeus..
Πισθέταιρος:νοῦν ἄρʼ ἔξεις νὴ Δία.
The Parricide departs, and the dithyrambic poet Cinesias arrives.Cinesias: Singing.“On my light pinions I soar off to Olympus; in its capricious flight my Muse flutters along the thousand paths of poetry in turn...”Pisthetaerus:This is a fellow will need a whole shipload of wings.Cinesias: Singing.“... and being fearless and vigorous, it is seeking fresh outlet.”Pisthetaerus:Welcome, Cinesias, you lime-wood man! Why have you come here twisting your game leg in circles?Cinesias: Singing.“I want to become a bird, a tuneful nightingale.”Pisthetaerus:Enough of that sort of ditty. Tell me what you want.Cinesias:Give me wings and I will fly into the topmost airs to gather fresh songs in the clouds,in the midst of the vapors and the fleecy snow.Pisthetaerus:Gather songs in the clouds?Cinesias:'Tis on them the whole of our latter-day art depends. The most brilliant dithyrambs are those that flap their wings in empty space and are clothed in mist and dense obscurity.To appreciate this, just listen.Pisthetaerus:Oh! no, no, no!Cinesias:By Hermes! but indeed you shall.Cinesias: He sings.“I shall travel through thine ethereal empire”“like a winged bird, who cleaveth space with his long neck...”Pisthetaerus:Stop! Way enough!Cinesias:“... as I soar over the seas, carried by the breath of the winds...”Pisthetaerus:By Zeus! I'll cut your breath short. He picks up a pair of wings and begins trying to stop Cinesias' mouth with them.Cinesias: Running away.“... now rushing along the tracks of Notus, now nearing Boreas”“across the infinite wastes of the ether.”Ah! old man, that's a pretty and clever idea truly!Pisthetaerus:What! are you not delighted to be cleaving the air?Cinesias:To treat a dithyrambic poet, for whom the tribes dispute with each other, in this style!Pisthetaerus:Will you stay with us and form a chorus of winged birds as slender as Leotrophides for the Cecropid tribe?Cinesias:You are making game of me, that's clear; but know that I shall never leave you in peace if I do not have wings wherewith to traverse the air.
Κινησίας:ἀναπέτομαι δὴ πρὸς Ὄλυμπον πτερύγεσσι κούφαις·πέτομαι δʼ ὁδὸν ἄλλοτʼ ἐπʼ ἄλλαν μελέων —Πισθέταιρος:τουτὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα φορτίου δεῖται πτερῶν.Κινησίας:ἀφόβῳ φρενὶ σώματί τε νέαν ἐφέπων —Πισθέταιρος:ἀσπαζόμεσθα φιλύρινον Κινησίαν.τί δεῦρο πόδα σὺ κυλλὸν ἀνὰ κύκλον κυκλεῖς;Κινησίας:ὄρνις γενέσθαι βούλομαι λιγύφθογγος ἀηδών.Πισθέταιρος:παῦσαι μελῳδῶν, ἀλλʼ ὅ τι λέγεις εἰπέ μοι.Κινησίας:ὑπὸ σοῦ πτερωθεὶς βούλομαι μετάρσιοςἀναπτόμενος ἐκ τῶν νεφελῶν καινὰς λαβεῖνἀεροδονήτους καὶ νιφοβόλους ἀναβολάς.Πισθέταιρος:ἐκ τῶν νεφελῶν γὰρ ἄν τις ἀναβολὰς λάβοι;Κινησίας:κρέμαται μὲν οὖν ἐντεῦθεν ἡμῶν ἡ τέχνη.τῶν διθυράμβων γὰρ τὰ λαμπρὰ γίγνεταιἀέρια καὶ σκότιά γε καὶ κυαναυγέακαὶ πτεροδόνητα· σὺ δὲ κλύων εἴσει τάχα.Πισθέταιρος:οὐ δῆτʼ ἔγωγε.Κινησίας:νὴ τὸν Ἡρακλέα σύ γε.ἅπαντα γὰρ δίειμί σοι τὸν ἀέρα.Κινησίας:εἴδωλα πετεινῶναἰθεροδρόμωνοἰωνῶν ταναοδείρων —Πισθέταιρος:ὠόπ.Κινησίας:τὸν ἁλάδρομον ἁλάμενοςἅμʼ ἀνεμων πνοαῖσι βαίην.Πισθέταιρος:νὴ τὸν Δίʼ ἦ ʼγώ σου καταπαύσω τὰς πνοάς.Κινησίας:τοτὲ μὲν νοτίαν στείχων πρὸς ὁδόν,τοτὲ δʼ αὖ βορέᾳ σῶμα πελάζωνἀλίμενον αἰθέρος αὔλακα τέμνων.Κινησίας:χαρίεντά γʼ ὦ πρεσβῦτʼ ἐσοφίσω καὶ σοφά.Πισθέταιρος:οὐ γὰρ σὺ χαίρεις πτεροδόνητος γενόμενος;Κινησίας:ταυτὶ πεποίηκας τὸν κυκλιοδιδάσκαλον,ὂς ταῖσι φυλαῖς περιμάχητός εἰμʼ ἀεί;Πισθέταιρος:βούλει διδάσκειν καὶ παρʼ ἡμῖν οὖν μένωνΛεωτροφίδῃ χορὸν πετομένων ὀρνέωνΚεκροπίδα φυλήν;Κινησίας:καταγελᾷς μου, δῆλος εἶ.ἀλλʼ οὖν ἔγωγʼ οὐ παύσομαι, τοῦτʼ ἴσθʼ ὅτι,πρὶν ἂν πτερωθεὶς διαδράμω τὸν ἀέρα.
Cinesias departs and an Informer arrives.Informer:What are these birds with downy feathers, who look so pitiable to me? Tell me, oh swallow with the long dappled wings.
Συκοφάντης:ὄρνιθες τίνες οὐδὲν ἔχοντες πτεροποίκιλοι,τανυσίπτερε ποικίλα χελιδοῖ;
Pisthetaerus:Oh! it's a regular invasion that threatens us. Here comes another one, humming along.
Πισθέταιρος:τουτὶ τὸ κακὸν οὐ φαῦλον ἐξεγρήγορεν.ὅδʼ αὖ μινυρίζων δεῦρό τις προσέρχεται.
Informer:Swallow with the long dappled wings, once more I summon you.
Συκοφάντης:τανυσίπτερε ποικίλα μάλʼ αὖθις.
Pisthetaerus:It's his cloak I believe he's addressing; it stands in great need of the swallows' return.
Πισθέταιρος:ἐς θοἰμάτιον τὸ σκόλιον ᾄδειν μοι δοκεῖ,δεῖσθαι δʼ ἔοικεν οὐκ ὀλίγων χελιδόνων.
Informer:Where is he who gives out wings to all comers?
Συκοφάντης:τίς ὁ πτερῶν δεῦρʼ ἐστὶ τοὺς ἀφικνουμένους;
Pisthetaerus:Here I am, but you must tell me for what purpose you want them.
Πισθέταιρος:ὁδὶ πάρεστιν· ἀλλʼ ὅτου δεῖ χρὴ λέγειν.
Informer:Ask no questions. I want wings, and wings I must have.
Συκοφάντης:πτερῶν πτερῶν δεῖ· μὴ πύθῃ τὸ δεύτερον.
Pisthetaerus:Do you want to fly straight to Pellene?
Πισθέταιρος:μῶν εὐθὺ Πελλήνης πέτεσθαι διανοεῖ;
Informer:I? Why, I am an accuser of the islands, an informer...
Συκοφάντης:μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλὰ κλητήρ εἰμι νησιωτικὸςκαὶ συκοφάντης —
Pisthetaerus:A fine trade, truly!Informer:... a hatcher of lawsuits. Hence I have great need of wingsto prowl round the cities and drag them before justice.
Πισθέταιρος:ὦ μακάριε τῆς τέχνης.Συκοφάντης:καὶ πραγματοδίφης. εἶτα δέομαι πτερὰ λαβὼνκύκλῳ περισοβεῖν τὰς πόλεις καλούμενος.
Pisthetaerus:Would you do this better if you had wings?
Πισθέταιρος:ὑπὸ πτερύγων τι προσκαλεῖ σοφώτερον;
Informer:No, but I should no longer fear the pirates; I should return with the cranes, loaded with a supply of lawsuits by way of ballast.
Συκοφάντης:μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ἵνʼ οἱ λῃσταί τε μὴ λυπῶσί με,μετὰ τῶν γεράνων τʼ ἐκεῖθεν ἀναχωρῶ πάλιν,ἀνθʼ ἕρματος πολλὰς καταπεπωκὼς δίκας.
Pisthetaerus:So it seems, despite all your youthful vigor, you make it your trade to denounce strangers?
Πισθέταιρος:τουτὶ γὰρ ἐργάζει σὺ τοὔργον; εἰπέ μοι,νεανίας ὢν συκοφαντεῖς τοὺς ξένους;
Informer:Well, and why not? I don't know how to dig.
Συκοφάντης:τί γὰρ πάθω; σκάπτειν γὰρ οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι.
Pisthetaerus:But, by Zeus! there arehonest ways of gaining a living at your age without all this infamous trickery.
Πισθέταιρος:ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἕτερα νὴ Δίʼ ἔργα σώφρονα,ἀφʼ ὧν διαζῆν ἄνδρα χρῆν τοσουτονὶἐκ τοῦ δικαίου μᾶλλον ἢ δικορραφεῖν.
Informer:My friend, I am asking you for wings, not for words.
Συκοφάντης:ὦ δαιμόνιε μὴ νουθέτει μʼ ἀλλὰ πτέρου.
Pisthetaerus:It's just my words that gives you wings.
Πισθέταιρος:νῦν τοι λέγων πτερῶ σε.
Informer:And how can you give a man wings with your words?
Συκοφάντης:καὶ πῶς ἂν λόγοιςἄνδρα πτερώσειας σύ;
Pisthetaerus:They all start this way.
Πισθέταιρος:πάντες τοῖς λόγοιςἀναπτεροῦνται.
Informer:How?
Συκοφάντης:πάντες;
Pisthetaerus:Have you not often heardthe father say to young men in the barbers' shops, “It's astonishing how Diitrephes' advice has made my son fly to horse-riding.” —“Mine,” says another, “has”“flown towards tragic poetry on the wings of his imagination.”
Πισθέταιρος:οὐκ ἀκήκοας,ὅταν λέγωσιν οἱ πατέρες ἑκάστοτετοῖς μειρακίοις ἐν τοῖσι κουρείοις ταδί;δεινῶς γέ μου τὸ μειράκιον Διειτρέφηςλέγων ἀνεπτέρωκεν ὥσθʼ ἱππηλατεῖν.ὁ δέ τις τὸν αὑτοῦ φησιν ἐπὶ τραγῳδίᾳἀνεπτερῶσθαι καὶ πεποτῆσθαι τὰς φρένας.
Informer:So that words give wings?
Συκοφάντης:λόγοισί τἄρα καὶ πτεροῦνται;
Pisthetaerus:Undoubtedly; words give wings to the mind and make a man soar to heaven. Thus I hope that my wise words will give you wingsto fly to some less degrading trade.
Πισθέταιρος:φήμʼ ἐγώ.ὑπὸ γὰρ λόγων ὁ νοῦς τε μετεωρίζεταιἐπαίρεταί τʼ ἄνθρωπος. οὕτω καί σʼ ἐγὼἀναπτερώσας βούλομαι χρηστοῖς λόγοιςτρέψαι πρὸς ἔργον νόμιμον.
Informer:But I do not want to.
Συκοφάντης:ἀλλʼ οὐ βούλομαι.
Pisthetaerus:What do you reckon on doing then?
Πισθέταιρος:τί δαὶ ποιήσεις;
Informer:I won't belie my breeding; from generation to generation we have lived by informing. Quick, therefore, give me quickly some light, swift hawk or kestrel wings,so that I may summon the islanders, sustain the accusation here, and haste back there again on flying pinions.
Συκοφάντης:τὸ γένος οὐ καταισχυνῶ.παππῷος ὁ βίος συκοφαντεῖν ἐστί μοι.ἀλλὰ πτέρου με ταχέσι καὶ κούφοις πτεροῖςἱέρακος ἢ κερχνῇδος, ὡς ἂν τοὺς ξένουςκαλεσάμενος κᾆτʼ ἐγκεκληκὼς ἐνθαδὶκατʼ αὖ πέτωμαι πάλιν ἐκεῖσε.
Pisthetaerus:I see. In this way the stranger will be condemned even before he appears.
Πισθέταιρος:μανθάνω.ὡδὶ λέγεις· ὅπως ἂν ὠφλήκῃ δίκηνἐνθάδε πρὶν ἥκειν ὁ ξένος.
Informer:That's just it.
Συκοφάντης:πάνυ μανθάνεις.
Pisthetaerus:And while he is on his way here by sea, you will be flying to the islandsto despoil him of his property.
Πισθέταιρος:κἄπειθʼ ὁ μὲν πλεῖ δεῦρο, σὺ δʼ ἐκεῖσʼ αὖ πέτειἁρπασόμενος τὰ χρήματʼ αὐτοῦ.
Informer:You've hit it, precisely; I must whirl hither and thither like a perfect humming-top.
Συκοφάντης:πάντʼ ἔχεις.βέμβικος οὐδὲν διαφέρειν δεῖ.
Pisthetaerus:I catch the idea. Wait, I've got some fine Corcyraean wings. How do you like them?
Πισθέταιρος:μανθάνωβέμβικα· καὶ μὴν ἔστι μοι νὴ τὸν Δίακάλλιστα Κορκυραῖα τοιαυτὶ πτερά.
Informer:Oh! woe is me! Why, it's a whip!
Συκοφάντης:οἴμοι τάλας μάστιγʼ ἔχεις.
Pisthetaerus:No, no; these are the wings,I tell you, that make the top spin.
Πισθέταιρος:πτερὼ μὲν οὖν,οἷσί σε ποιήσω τήμερον βεμβικιᾶν.
Informer: As Pisthetaerus lashes him.Oh! oh! oh!
Συκοφάντης:οἴμοι τάλας.
Pisthetaerus:Take your flight, clear off, you miserable cur, or you will soon see what comes of quibbling and lying. The Informer flees. To his slaves. Come, let us gather up our wings and withdraw.The baskets are taken away.
Πισθέταιρος:οὐ πτερυγιεῖς ἐντευθενί;οὐκ ἀπολιβάξεις ὦ κάκιστʼ ἀπολούμενος;πικρὰν τάχʼ ὄψει στρεψοδικοπανουργίαν.ἀπίωμεν ἡμεῖς ξυλλαβόντες τὰ πτερά.
Chorus: Singing.In my ethereal flights I have seen many things new and strange and wondrous beyond belief.There is a tree called Cleonymus belonging to an unknown species; it has no heart, is good for nothing and is as tall as it is cowardly. In springtime it shoots forth calumnies instead of buds andin autumn it strews the ground with bucklers in place of leaves.
Χορός:πολλὰ δὴ καὶ καινὰ καὶ θαυμάστʼἐπεπτόμεσθα καὶδεινὰ πράγματʼ εἴδομεν.ἔστι γὰρ δένδρον πεφυκὸςἔκτοπόν τι Καρδίας ἀ-πωτέρω Κλεώνυμος,χρήσιμον μὲν οὐδέν, ἄλλωςδὲ δειλὸν καὶ μέγα.τοῦτο ⟨τοῦ⟩ μὲν ἦρος ἀεὶβλαστάνει καὶ συκοφαντεῖ,τοῦ δὲ χειμῶνος πάλιν τὰςἀσπίδας φυλλορροεῖ.
Chorus:Far away in the regions of darkness, where no ray of light ever enters, there is a country,where men sit at the table of the heroes and dwell with them always —except in the evening.Should any mortal meet the hero Orestes at night, he would soon be stripped and covered with blows from head to foot.
Χορός:ἔστι δʼ αὗ χώρα πρὸς αὐτῷτῷ σκότῳ πόρρω τις ἐντῇ λύχνων ἐρημίᾳ,ἔνθα τοῖς ἥρωσιν ἄνθρωποιξυναριστῶσι καὶ ξύν-εισι πλὴν τῆς ἑσπέρας.τηνικαῦτα δʼ οὐκέτʼ ἦνἀσφαλὲς ξυντυγχάνειν.εἰ γὰρ ἐντύχοι τις ἥρῳτῶν βροτῶν νύκτωρ Ὀρέστῃ,γυμνὸς ἦν πληγεὶς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦπάντα τἀπιδέξια.
Prometheus enters, masked to conceal his identify.Prometheus:Ah! by the gods! if only Zeus does not see me!Where is Pisthetaerus?
Προμηθεύς:οἴμοι τάλας, ὁ Ζεὺς ὅπως μή μʼ ὄψεται.ποῦ Πισθέταιρός ἐστʼ;
Pisthetaerus:Ha! what is this? A masked man!
Πισθέταιρος:ἔα τουτὶ τί ἦν;τίς ὁ συγκαλυμμός;
Prometheus:Can you see any god behind me?
Προμηθεύς:τῶν θεῶν ὁρᾷς τιναἐμοῦ κατόπιν ἐνταῦθα;
Pisthetaerus:No, none. But who are you, pray?
Πισθέταιρος:μὰ Δίʼ ἐγὼ μὲν οὔ.τίς δʼ εἶ σύ;
Prometheus:What's the time, please?
Προμηθεύς:πηνίκʼ ἐστὶν ἄρα τῆς ἡμέρας;
Pisthetaerus:The time? Why, it's past noon.Who are you?
Πισθέταιρος:ὁπηνίκα; σμικρόν τι μετὰ μεσημβρίαν.ἀλλὰ σὺ τίς εἶ;
Prometheus:Is it the fall of day? Is it no later than that?
Προμηθεύς:βουλυτὸς ἢ περαιτέρω;
Pisthetaerus:This is getting dull!
Πισθέταιρος:οἴμʼ ὡς βδελύττομαί σε.
Prometheus:What is Zeus doing? Is he dispersing the clouds or gathering them?
Προμηθεύς:τί γὰρ ὁ Ζεὺς ποιεῖ;ἀπαιθριάζει τὰς νεφέλας ἢ ξυννέφει;
Pisthetaerus:Watch out for yourself!
Πισθέταιρος:οἴμωζε μεγάλʼ.
Prometheus:Come, I will raise my mask.
Προμηθεύς:οὕτω μὲν ἐκκεκαλύψομαι.
Pisthetaerus:Ah! my dear Prometheus!
Πισθέταιρος:ὦ φίλε Προμηθεῦ.
Prometheus:Sh! Sh! speak lower!
Προμηθεύς:παῦε παῦε, μὴ βόα.
Pisthetaerus:Why, what's the matter, Prometheus?
Πισθέταιρος:τί γὰρ ἔστι;
Prometheus:Sh! sh! Don't call me by my name; you will be my ruin, if Zeus should see me here. But, if you want me to tell you how things are going in heaven, take this umbrella and shield me, so that the gods don't see me.
Προμηθεύς:σίγα, μὴ κάλει μου τοὔνομα·ἀπὸ γάρ μʼ ὀλεῖς, εἴ μʼ ἐνθάδʼ ὁ Ζεὺς ὄψεται.ἀλλʼ ἵνα φράσω σοι πάντα τἄνω πράγματα,τουτὶ λαβών μου τὸ σκιάδειον ὑπέρεχεἄνωθεν, ὡς ἂν μή μʼ ὁρῶσιν οἱ θεοί.
Pisthetaerus:I can recognize Prometheus in this cunning trick. Come, quick then, and fear nothing; speak on.
Πισθέταιρος:ἰοὺ ἰού·εὖ γʼ ἐπενόησας αὐτὸ καὶ προμηθικῶς.ὑπόδυθι ταχὺ δὴ κᾆτα θαρρήσας λέγε.
Prometheus:Then listen.
Προμηθεύς:ἄκουε δή νυν.
Pisthetaerus:I am listening, proceed!
Πισθέταιρος:ὡς ἀκούοντος λέγε.
Prometheus:Zeus is done for.
Προμηθεύς:ἀπόλωλεν ὁ Ζεύς.
Pisthetaerus:Ah! and since when, pray?
Πισθέταιρος:πηνίκʼ ἄττʼ ἀπώλετο;
Prometheus:Since you founded this city in the air. There is not a man who now sacrifices to the gods; the smoke of the victims no longer reaches us. Not the smallest offering comes! We fast as though it were the festival of Demeter.The barbarian gods, who are dying of hunger, are bawling like Illyrians and threaten to make an armed descent upon Zeus, if he does not open markets where joints of the victims are sold.
Προμηθεύς:ἐξ οὗπερ ὑμεῖς ᾠκίσατε τὸν ἀέρα.θύει γὰρ οὐδεὶς οὐδὲν ἀνθρώπων ἔτιθεοῖσιν, οὐδὲ κνῖσα μηρίων ἄποἀνῆλθεν ὡς ἡμᾶς ἀπʼ ἐκείνου τοῦ χρόνου,ἀλλʼ ὡσπερεὶ Θεσμοφορίοις νηστεύομενἄνευ θυηλῶν· οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι θεοὶπεινῶντες ὥσπερ Ἰλλυριοὶ κεκριγότεςἐπιστρατεύσειν φάσʼ ἄνωθεν τῷ Διί,εἰ μὴ παρέξει τἀμπόριʼ ἀνεῳγμένα,ἵνʼ εἰσάγοιτο σπλάγχνα κατατετμημένα.
Pisthetaerus:What! there are other gods besides you, barbarian gods who dwell above Olympus?
Πισθέταιρος:εἰσὶν γὰρ ἕτεροι βάρβαροι θεοί τινεςἄνωθεν ὑμῶν;
Prometheus:If there were no barbarian gods, who would be the patron of Execestides?
Προμηθεύς:οὐ γάρ εἰσι βάρβαροι,ὅθεν ὁ πατρῷός ἐστιν Ἐξηκεστίδῃ;
Pisthetaerus:And what is the name of these gods?
Πισθέταιρος:ὄνομα δὲ τούτοις τοῖς θεοῖς τοῖς βαρβάροιςτί ἔστιν;
Prometheus:Their name? Why, the Triballi.
Προμηθεύς:ὅ τι ἔστιν; Τριβαλλοί.
Pisthetaerus:Ah, indeed!'tis from that no doubt that we derive the word ‘tribulation.'
Πισθέταιρος:μανθάνω.ἐντεῦθεν ἆρα τοὐπιτριβείης ἐγένετο;
Prometheus:Most likely. But one thing I can tell you for certain, namely, that Zeus and the celestial Triballi are going to send deputies here to sue for peace. Now don't you treat with them, unlessZeus restores the scepter to the birds and gives you Basileia in marriage.
Προμηθεύς:μάλιστα πάντων. ἓν δέ σοι λέγω σαφές·ἥξουσι πρέσβεις δεῦρο περὶ διαλλαγῶνπαρὰ τοῦ Διὸς καὶ τῶν Τριβαλλῶν τῶν ἄνω·ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ σπένδεσθʼ, ἐὰν μὴ παραδιδῷτὸ σκῆπτρον ὁ Ζεὺς τοῖσιν ὄρνισιν πάλιν,καὶ τὴν Βασίλειάν σοι γυναῖκʼ ἔχειν διδῷ.
Pisthetaerus:Who is this Basileia?
Πισθέταιρος:τίς ἐστιν ἡ Βασίλεια;
Prometheus:A very fine young damsel, who makes the lightning for Zeus; all things come from her,wisdom, good laws, virtue, the fleet, calumnies, the public paymaster and the triobolus.
Προμηθεύς:καλλίστη κόρη,ἥπερ ταμιεύει τὸν κεραυνὸν τοῦ Διὸςκαὶ τἄλλʼ ἁπαξάπαντα, τὴν εὐβουλίαντὴν εὐνομίαν τὴν σωφροσύνην τὰ νεώρια,τὴν λοιδορίαν τὸν κωλακρέτην τὰ τριώβολα.
Pisthetaerus:Ah! then she is a sort of general manageress to the god.
Πισθέταιρος:ἅπαντά γʼ ἆρʼ αὐτῷ ταμιεύει;
Prometheus:Yes, precisely. If he gives you her for your wife, yours will be the almighty power. That is what I have come to tell you;for you know my constant and habitual goodwill towards men.
Προμηθεύς:φήμʼ ἐγώ.ἥν γʼ ἢν σὺ παρʼ ἐκείνου παραλάβῃς, πάντʼ ἔχεις.τούτων ἕνεκα δεῦρʼ ἦλθον, ἵνα φράσαιμί σοι.ἀεί ποτʼ ἀνθρώποις γὰρ εὔνους εἴμʼ ἐγώ.
Pisthetaerus:Oh, yes! it's thanks to you that we roast our meat.
Πισθέταιρος:μόνον θεῶν γὰρ διὰ σʼ ἀπανθρακίζομεν.
Prometheus:I hate the gods, as you know.
Προμηθεύς:μισῶ δʼ ἅπαντας τοὺς θεούς, ὡς οἶσθα σύ.
Pisthetaerus:Aye, by Zeus, you have always detested them.
Πισθέταιρος:νὴ τὸν Δίʼ ἀεὶ δῆτα θεομισὴς ἔφυς.
Prometheus:Towards them I am a veritable Timon; but I must return in all haste,so give me the umbrella; if Zeus should see me from up there, he would think I was escorting one of the Canephori.
Προμηθεύς:Τίμων καθαρός. ἀλλʼ ὡς ἂν ἀποτρέχω πάλιν,φέρε τὸ σκιάδειον, ἵνα με κἂν ὁ Ζεὺς ἴδῃἄνωθεν, ἀκολουθεῖν δοκῶ κανηφόρῳ.
Pisthetaerus:Wait, take this stool as well. Prometheus leaves. Pisthetaerus goes into the thicket.
Πισθέταιρος:καὶ τὸν δίφρον γε διφροφόρει τονδὶ λαβών.
Chorus: Singing.Near by the land of the Sciapodes there is a marsh, from the borders whereof the unwashedSocrates evokes the souls of men. Pisander came one day to see his soul, which he had left there when still alive. He offereda little victim, a camel, slit his throat and, following the example of Odysseus, stepped one pace backwards. Then that bat of a Chaerephon came up from hell to drink the camel's blood.Poseidon enters, accompanied by Heracles and Triballus.
Χορός:πρὸς δὲ τοῖς Σκιάποσιν λίμνητις ἔστʼ ἄλουτος οὗψυχαγωγεῖ Σωκράτης·ἔνθα καὶ Πείσανδρος ἦλθεδεόμενος ψυχὴν ἰδεῖν ἣζῶντʼ ἐκεῖνον προὔλιπε,σφάγιʼ ἔχων κάμηλον ἀμνόντινʼ, ἧς λαιμοὺς τεμὼν ὥσπερ⟨ποθʼ⟩ οὑδυσσεὺς ἀπῆλθε,κᾆτʼ ἀνῆλθʼ αὐτῷ κάτωθενπρὸς τὸ λαῖτμα τῆς καμήλουΧαιρεφῶν ἡ νυκτερίς.
Poseidon:This is the city of Nephelococcygia, to which we come as ambassadors. To Triballus. Hi! what are you up to? you are throwing your cloak over the left shoulder. Come, fling it quick over the right! And why, pray, does it draggle in this fashion? Have you ulcers to hide like Lespodias?Oh! democracy! whither, oh! whither are you leading us? Is it possible that the gods have chosen such an envoy?You are undisturbed?Ugh! you cursed savage! you are by far the most barbarous of all the gods. —Tell me, Heracles, what are we going to do?
Ποσειδῶν:τὸ μὲν πόλισμα τῆς Νεφελοκοκκυγίαςὁρᾶν τοδὶ πάρεστιν, οἷ πρεσβεύομεν.οὗτος τί δρᾷς; ἐπʼ ἀριστέρʼ οὕτως ἀμπέχει;οὐ μεταβαλεῖς θοἰμάτιον ὧδʼ ἐπιδέξια;τί ὦ κακόδαιμον; Λαισποδίας εἶ τὴν φύσιν;ὦ δημοκρατία ποῖ προβιβᾷς ἡμᾶς ποτε,εἰ τουτονί γʼ ἐχειροτόνησαν οἱ θεοί;Τριβαλλός:ἕξεις ἀτρέμας;Ποσειδῶν:οἴμωζε· πολὺ γὰρ δή σʼ ἐγὼἑόρακα πάντων βαρβαρώτατον θεῶν.ἄγε δὴ τί δρῶμεν Ἡράκλεις;
Heracles:I have already told youthat I want to strangle the fellow who dared to wall us out.
Ἡρακλῆς:ἀκήκοαςἐμοῦ γʼ ὅτι τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἄγχειν βούλομαι,ὅστις ποτʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ τοὺς θεοὺς ἀποτειχίσας.
Poseidon:But, my friend, we are envoys of peace.
Ποσειδῶν:ἀλλʼ ὦγάθʼ ᾑρήμεσθα περὶ διαλλαγῶνπρέσβεις.
Heracles:All the more reason why I wish to strangle him.Pisthetaerus comes out of the thicket, followed by slaves, who are carrying various kitchen utensils; one of them sets up a table on which he places poultry dressed for roasting.
Ἡρακλῆς:διπλασίως μᾶλλον ἄγχειν μοι δοκεῖ.
Pisthetaerus:Hand me the cheese-grater; bring me the silphium for sauce;pass me the cheese and watch the coals.Heracles:Mortal! we who greet you are three gods.
Πισθέταιρος:τὴν τυρόκνηστίν τις δότω· φέρε σίλφιον·τυρὸν φερέτω τις· πυρπόλει τοὺς ἄνθρακας.Ποσειδῶν:τὸν ἄνδρα χαίρειν οἱ θεοὶ κελεύομεντρεῖς ὄντες ἡμεῖς.
Pisthetaerus:Wait a bit till I have prepared my silphium pickle.
Πισθέταιρος:ἀλλʼ ἐπικνῶ τὸ σίλφιον.
Heracles:What are these meats?
Ἡρακλῆς:τὰ δὲ κρέα τοῦ ταῦτʼ ἐστίν;
Pisthetaerus:These are birds that have been punished with deathfor attacking the people's friends.
Πισθέταιρος:ὄρνιθές τινεςἐπανιστάμενοι τοῖς δημοτικοῖσιν ὀρνέοιςἔδοξαν ἀδικεῖν.
Heracles:And you are going to season them before answering us?
Ἡρακλῆς:εἶτα δῆτα σίλφιονεἴπικνῇς πρότερον αὐτοῖσιν;
Pisthetaerus: Looking up from his work for the first time.Ah! Heracles! welcome, welcome! What's the matter?
Πισθέταιρος:ὦ χαῖρʼ Ἡράκλεις.τί ἔστι;
Poseidon:The gods have sent us here as ambassadors to treat for peace.
Ποσειδῶν:πρεσβεύοντες ἡμεῖς ἥκομενπαρὰ τῶν θεῶν περὶ πολέμου καταλλαγῆς.
Pisthetaerus: Ignoring this.There's no more oil in the flask.
Πισθέταιρος:ἔλαιον οὐκ ἔνεστιν ἐν τῇ ληκύθῳ.
Heracles:And yet the birds must be thoroughly basted with it.
Ἡρακλῆς:καὶ μὴν τά γʼ ὀρνίθεια λιπάρʼ εἶναι πρέπει.
Poseidon:We have no interest to serve in fighting you; as for you, be friends and we promise that you shall always have rain-water in your pools and the warmest of warm weather.So far as these points go we are plenipotentiaries.
Ποσειδῶν:ἡμεῖς τε γὰρ πολεμοῦντες οὐ κερδαίνομεν,ὑμεῖς τʼ ἂν ἡμῖν τοῖς θεοῖς ὄντες φίλοιὄμβριον ὕδωρ ἂν εἴχετʼ ἐν τοῖς τέλμασιν,ἀλκυονίδας τʼ ἂν ἤγεθʼ ἡμέρας ἀεί.τούτων περὶ πάντων αὐτοκράτορες ἥκομεν.
Pisthetaerus:We have never been the aggressors, and even now we are as well disposed for peace as yourselves, provided you agree to one equitable condition, namely,that Zeus yield his scepter to the birds. If only this is agreed to, I invite the ambassadors to dinner.
Πισθέταιρος:ἀλλʼ οὔτε πρότερον πώποθʼ ἡμεῖς ἤρξαμενπολέμου πρὸς ὑμᾶς, νῦν τʼ ἐθέλομεν, εἰ δοκεῖ,ἐάν τι δίκαιον ἀλλὰ νῦν ἐθέλητε δρᾶν,σπονδὰς ποιεῖσθαι. τὰ δὲ δίκαιʼ ἐστὶν ταδί,τὸ σκῆπτρον ἡμῖν τοῖσιν ὄρνισιν πάλιντὸν Δίʼ ἀποδοῦναι· κἂν διαλλαττώμεθαἐπὶ τοῖσδε, τοὺς πρέσβεις ἐπʼ ἄριστον καλῶ.
Heracles:That's good enough for me. I vote for peace.
Ἡρακλῆς:ἐμοὶ μὲν ἀπόχρη ταῦτα καὶ ψηφίζομαι.
Poseidon:You wretch! you are nothing but a fool and a glutton.Do you want to dethrone your own father?
Ποσειδῶν:τί ὦ κακόδαιμον; ἠλίθιος καὶ γάστρις εἶ.ἀποστερεῖς τὸν πατέρα τῆς τυραννίδος;
Pisthetaerus:What an error. Why, the gods will be much more powerful if the birds govern the earth. At present the mortals are hidden beneath the clouds, escape your observation, and commit perjury in your name;but if you had the birds for your allies, and a man, after having sworn by the crow and Zeus, should fail to keep his oath, the crow would dive down upon him unawares and pluck out his eye.
Πισθέταιρος:ἄληθες; οὐ γὰρ μεῖζον ὑμεῖς οἱ θεοὶἰσχύσετʼ, ἢν ὄρνιθες ἄρξωσιν κάτω;νῦν μέν γʼ ὑπὸ ταῖς νεφέλαισιν ἐγκεκρυμμένοικύψαντες ἐπιορκοῦσιν ὑμᾶς οἱ βροτοί·ἐὰν δὲ τοὺς ὄρνις ἔχητε συμμάχους,ὅταν ὀμνύῃ τις τὸν κόρακα καὶ τὸν Δία,ὁ κόραξ παρελθὼν τοὐπιορκοῦντος λάθρᾳπροσπτόμενος ἐκκόψει τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν θενών.
Poseidon:Well thought of, by Poseidon!
Ποσειδῶν:νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ ταῦτά γέ τοι καλῶς λέγεις.
Heracles:My notion too.
Ἡρακλῆς:κἀμοὶ δοκεῖ.
Pisthetaerus: To Triballus.And you, what's your opinion?
Πισθέταιρος:τί δαὶ σὺ φῄς;
Triballus:Nabasatreu.
Τριβαλλός:ναβαισατρεῦ.
Pisthetaerus:D'you see? he also approves. But listen, here is another thing in which we can serve you. If a man vows to offer a sacrifice to some god, and then procrastinates,pretending that the gods can wait, and thus does not keep his word, we shall punish his stinginess.
Πισθέταιρος:ὁρᾷς; ἐπαινεῖ χοὖτος. ἕτερόν νυν ἔτιἀκούσαθʼ ὅσον ὑμᾶς ἀγαθὸν ποιήσομεν.ἐάν τις ἀνθρώπων ἱερεῖόν τῳ θεῶνεὐξάμενος εἶτα διασοφίζηται λέγων,μενετοὶ θεοί, καὶ μἀποδιδῷ μισητίᾳ,ἀναπράξομεν καὶ ταῦτα.
Poseidon:Ah! and how?
Ποσειδῶν:φέρʼ ἴδω τῷ τρόπῳ;
Pisthetaerus:While he is counting his money or is in the bath, a kite will relieve him, before he knows it, either in coin or in clothes,of the value of a couple of sheep, and carry it to the god.
Πισθέταιρος:ὅταν διαριθμῶν ἀργυρίδιον τύχῃἅνθρωπος οὗτος, ἢ καθῆται λούμενος,καταπτόμενος ἰκτῖνος ἁρπάσας λάθρᾳπροβάτοιν δυοῖν τιμὴν ἀνοίσει τῷ θεῷ.
Heracles:I vote for restoring them the scepter.
Ἡρακλῆς:τὸ σκῆπτρον ἀποδοῦναι πάλιν ψηφίζομαιτούτοις ἐγώ.
Poseidon:Ask Triballus.
Ποσειδῶν:καὶ τὸν Τριβαλλόν νυν ἐροῦ.
Heracles:Hi! Triballus, do you want a thrashing?
Ἡρακλῆς:ὁ Τριβαλλός, οἰμώζειν δοκεῖ σοι;
Triballus:Sure, bashum head withum stick.
Τριβαλλός:σαυνάκαβακταρικροῦσα.
Heracles:He says, “Right willingly.”
Ἡρακλῆς:φησί μʼ εὖ λέγειν πάνυ.
Poseidon:If that be the opinion of both of you, why, I consent too.
Ποσειδῶν:εἴ τοι δοκεῖ σφῷν ταῦτα, κἀμοὶ συνδοκεῖ.
Heracles:Very well! we accord you the scepter.
Ἡρακλῆς:οὗτος, δοκεῖ δρᾶν ταῦτα τοῦ σκήπτρου πέρι.
Pisthetaerus:Ah! I was nearly forgetting another condition. I will leave Here to Zeus, but only if the young Basileiais given me in marriage.
Πισθέταιρος:καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἕτερόν γʼ ἐστὶν οὗ ʼμνήσθην ἐγώ.τὴν μὲν γὰρ Ἥραν παραδίδωμι τῷ Διί,τὴν δὲ Βασίλειαν τὴν κόρην γυναῖκʼ ἐμοὶἐκδοτέον ἐστίν.
Poseidon:Then you don't want peace. Let us withdraw.
Ποσειδῶν:οὐ διαλλαγῶν ἐρᾷς.ἀπίωμεν οἴκαδʼ αὖθις.
Pisthetaerus:It matters mighty little to me. Cook, look to the gravy.
Πισθέταιρος:ὀλίγον μοι μέλει.μάγειρε τὸ κατάχυσμα χρὴ ποιεῖν γλυκύ.
Heracles:What an odd fellow this Poseidon is! Where are you off to? Are we going to war about a woman?
Ἡρακλῆς:ὦ δαιμόνιʼ ἀνθρώπων Πόσειδον ποῖ φέρει;ἡμεῖς περὶ γυναικὸς μιᾶς πολεμήσομεν;
Poseidon:What else is there to do?
Ποσειδῶν:τί δαὶ ποιῶμεν;
Heracles:What else? Why, conclude peace.
Ἡρακλῆς:ὅ τι; διαλλαττώμεθα.
Poseidon:Oh! you blockhead! do you always want to be fooled? Why, you are seeking your own downfall. If Zeus were to die, after having yielded them the sovereignty, you would be ruined, for you are the heir ofall the wealth he will leave behind.
Ποσειδῶν:τί δʼ ᾠζύρʼ; οὐκ οἶσθʼ ἐξαπατώμενος πάλαι;βλάπτεις δέ τοι σὺ σαυτόν. ἢν γὰρ ἀποθάνῃὁ Ζεὺς παραδοὺς τούτοισι τὴν τυραννίδα,πένης ἔσει σύ. σοῦ γὰρ ἅπαντα γίγνεταιτὰ χρήμαθʼ, ὅσʼ ἂν ὁ Ζεὺς ἀποθνῄσκων καταλίπῃ.
Pisthetaerus:Oh! by the gods! how he is cajoling you. Step aside, that I may have a word with you. Your uncle is getting the better of you, my poor friend.The law will not allow you an obolus of the paternal property, for you are a bastard and not a legitimate child.
Πισθέταιρος:οἴμοι τάλας οἷόν σε περισοφίζεται.δεῦρʼ ὡς ἔμʼ ἀποχώρησον, ἵνα τί σοι φράσω.διαβάλλεταί σʼ ὁ θεῖος ὦ πόνηρε σύ.τῶν γὰρ πατρῴων οὐδʼ ἀκαρῆ μέτεστί σοικατὰ τοὺς νόμους· νόθος γὰρ εἶ κοὐ γνήσιος.
Heracles:I a bastard! What's that you tell me?
Ἡρακλῆς:ἐγὼ νόθος; τί λέγεις;
Pisthetaerus:Why, certainly; are you not born of a stranger woman? Besides, is not Athena recognized as Zeus' sole heiress? And no daughter would be that, if she had a legitimate brother.
Πισθέταιρος:σὺ μέντοι νὴ Δίαὤν γε ξένης γυναικός. ἢ πῶς ἄν ποτεἐπίκληρον εἶναι τὴν Ἀθηναίαν δοκεῖς,οὖσαν θυγατέρʼ, ὄντων ἀδελφῶν γνησίων;
Heracles:But what if my father wished to give me his property on his death-bed, even though I be a bastard?
Ἡρακλῆς:τί δʼ ἢν ὁ πατὴρ ἐμοὶ διδῷ τὰ χρήματανοθεἶ ἀποθνῄσκων;
Pisthetaerus:The law forbids it, and this same Poseidon would be the first to lay claim to his wealth, in virtue of being his legitimate brother. Listen;thus runs Solon's law: “A bastard shall not inherit, if there are”“legitimate children; and if there are no legitimate children, the property shall pass to the nearest kin.”
Πισθέταιρος:ὁ νόμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐᾷ.οὗτος ὁ Ποσειδῶν πρῶτος, ὃς ἐπαίρει σε νῦν,ἀνθέξεταί σου τῶν πατρῴων χρημάτωνφάσκων ἀδελφὸς αὐτὸς εἶναι γνήσιος.ἐρῶ δὲ δὴ καὶ τὸν Σόλωνός σοι νόμον·νόθῳ δὲ μὴ εἶναι ἀγχιστείαν παίδων ὄντωνγνησίων. ἐὰν δὲ παῖδες μὴ ὦσι γνήσιοι, τοῖςἐγγυτάτω γένους μετεῖναι τῶν χρημάτων.
Heracles:And I get nothing whatever of the paternal property?
Ἡρακλῆς:ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄρʼ οὐδὲν τῶν πατρῴων χρημάτωνμέτεστιν;
Pisthetaerus:Absolutely nothing. But tell me, has your father had you entered on the registers of his phratry?
Πισθέταιρος:οὐ μέντοι μὰ Δία. λέξον δέ μοι,ἤδη σʼ ὁ πατὴρ εἰσήγαγʼ ἐς τοὺς φράτερας;
Heracles:No, and I have long been surprised at the omission.
Ἡρακλῆς:οὐ δῆτʼ ἐμέ γε. καὶ δῆτʼ ἐθαύμαζον πάλαι.
Pisthetaerus:Why do you shake your fist at heaven? Do you want to fight? Why, be on my side, I will make you a king and will feed you on bird's milk and honey.
Πισθέταιρος:τί δῆτʼ ἄνω κέχηνας αἴκειαν βλέπων;ἀλλʼ ἢν μεθʼ ἡμῶν ᾖς, καταστήσας σʼ ἐγὼτύραννον ὀρνίθων παρέξω σοι γάλα.
Heracles:Your further condition seems fair to me.I cede you the young damsel.
Ἡρακλῆς:δίκαιʼ ἔμοιγε καὶ πάλαι δοκεῖς λέγεινπερὶ τῆς κόρης, κἄγωγε παραδίδωμί σοι.Πισθέταιρος:τί δαὶ σὺ φῄς;
Poseidon:But I, I vote against this opinion.
Ποσειδῶν:τἀναντία ψηφίζομαι.
Pisthetaerus:Then it all depends on the Triballus. To the Triballus. What do you say?
Πισθέταιρος:ἐν τῷ Τριβαλλῷ πᾶν τὸ πρᾶγμα. τί σὺ λέγεις;
Triballus:Givum bird pretty gel bigum queen.
Τριβαλλός:καλάνι κόραυνα καὶ μεγάλα βασιλιναῦὄρνιτο παραδίδωμι.
Heracles:He says give her.
Ἡρακλῆς:παραδοῦναι λέγει.
Poseidon:Why no, he does not say anything of the sort, or else, like the swallows he does not know how to walk.
Ποσειδῶν:μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὐχ οὗτός γε παραδοῦναι λέγει,εἰ μὴ † βαδίζειν † ωἅσπερ αἱ χελιδόσιν λέγει.
Pisthetaerus:Exactly so. Does he not say she must be given to the swallows?
Πισθέταιρος:οὐκοῦν παραδοῦναι ταῖς χελιδόσιν λέγει.
Poseidon: Resignedly.All right, you two arrange the matter; make peace, since you wish it so; I'll hold my tongue.
Ποσειδῶν:σφὼ νῦν διαλλάττεσθε καὶ ξυμβαίνετε·ἐγὼ δʼ, ἐπειδὴ σφῷν δοκεῖ, σιγήσομαι.
Heracles:We are of a mind to grant you all that you ask. But come up there with us to receive Basileia and the celestial bounty.
Ἡρακλῆς:ἡμῖν ἃ λέγεις σὺ πάντα συγχωρεῖν δοκεῖ.ἀλλʼ ἴθι μεθʼ ἡμῶν αὐτὸς ἐς τὸν οὐρανόν,ἵνα τὴν Βασίλειαν καὶ τὰ πάντʼ ἐκεῖ λάβῃς.
Pisthetaerus:Here are birds already dressed, and very suitable for a nuptial feast.
Πισθέταιρος:ἐς καιρὸν ἆρα κατεκόπησαν οὑτοιὶἐς τοὺς γάμους.
Heracles:You go and, if you like, I will stay here to roast them.Pisthetaerus:You to roast them? you are too much the glutton; come along with us.
Ἡρακλῆς:βούλεσθε δῆτʼ ἐγὼ τέωςὀπτῶ τὰ κρέα ταυτὶ μένων; ὑμεῖς δʼ ἴτε.Ποσειδῶν:ὀπτᾷς τὰ κρέα; πολλήν γε τενθείαν λέγεις.οὐκ εἶ μεθʼ ἡμῶν;
Heracles:Ah! how well I would have treated myself!
Ἡρακλῆς:εὖ γε μέντἂν διετέθην.
Pisthetaerus:Let some one bring me a beautiful and magnificent tunic for the wedding.The tunic is brought. Pisthetaerus and the three gods depart.
Πισθέταιρος:ἀλλὰ γαμικὴν χλανίδα δότω τις δεῦρό μοι.
Chorus: Singing.At Phanae, near theClepsydra, there dwells a people who have neither faith nor law, the Englottogastors, who reap, sow, pluck the vines and the figs with their tongues;they belong to a barbaric race, and among them the Philippi and the Gorgiases are to be found; 'tis these Englottogastorian Philippi who introduced the custom all over Atticaof cutting out the tongue separately at sacrifices.
Χορός:ἔστι δʼ ἐν Φαναῖσι πρὸς τῇΚλεψύδρᾳ πανοῦργον ἐγ-γλωττογαστόρων γένος,οἳ θερίζουσίν τε καὶ σπείρουσικαὶ τρυγῶσι ταῖς γλώτταισισυκάζουσί τε·βάρβαροι δʼ εἰσὶν γένος,Γοργίαι τε καὶ Φίλιπποι.κἀπὸ τῶν ἐγγλωττογαστόρωνἐκείνων τῶν Φιλίππωνπανταχοῦ τῆς Ἀττικῆς ἡγλῶττα χωρὶς τέμνεται.
A Messenger enters.Messenger: In tragic style.Oh, you, whose unbounded happiness I cannot express in words, thrice happy race of airy birds, receive your king in your fortunate dwellings. More brilliant than the brighteststar that illumes the earth, he is approaching his glittering golden palace; the sun itself does not shine with more dazzling glory. He is entering with his bride at his side, whose beauty no human tongue can express; in his hand he brandishes the lightning, the winged shaft of Zeus;perfumes of unspeakable sweetness pervade the ethereal realms. 'Tis a glorious spectacle to see the clouds of incense wafting in light whirlwinds before the breath of the zephyr! But here he is himself. Divine Muse! let thy sacred lips begin with songs of happy omen.
Ἄγγελος:ὦ πάντʼ ἀγαθὰ πράττοντες, ὦ μείζω λόγου,ὦ τρισμακάριον πτηνὸν ὀρνίθων γένος,δέχεσθε τὸν τύραννον ὀλβίοις δόμοις.προσέρχεται γὰρ οἷς οὔτε παμφαὴςἀστὴρ ἰδεῖν ἔλαμψε χρυσαυγεῖ δόμῳ,οὔθʼ ἡλίου τηλαυγὲς ἀκτίνων σέλαςτοιοῦτον ἐξέλαμψεν, οἶον ἔρχεταιἔχων γυναικὸς κάλλος οὐ φατὸν λέγειν,πάλλων κεραυνόν, πτεροφόρον Διὸς βέλος·ὀσμὴ δʼ ἀνωνόμαστος ἐς βάθος κύκλουχωρεῖ, καλὸν θέαμα· θυμιαμάτων δʼαὖραι διαψαίρουσι πλεκτάνην καπνοῦ.ὁδὶ δὲ καὐτός ἐστιν. ἀλλὰ χρὴ θεᾶςΜούσης ἀνοίγειν ἱερὸν εὔφημον στόμα.
Pisthetaerus enters, with a crown on his head; he is accompanied by Basileia.Chorus: Singing.Fall back! to the right! to the left! advance! Fly around this happy mortal, whom Fortune loads with her blessings. Oh! oh! what grace! what beauty!Oh, marriage so auspicious for our city!Chorus:All honor to this man! 'tis through him that the birds are called to such glorious destinies. Let your nuptial hymns, your nuptial songs, greethim and his Basileia!
Χορός:ἄναγε δίεχε πάραγε πάρεχε.περιπέτεσθετὸν μάκαρα μάκαρι σὺν τύχᾳ.ὦ φεῦ φεῦ τῆς ὥρας τοῦ κάλλους.ὦ μακαριστὸν σὺ γάμον τῇδε πόλει γημας.Χορός:μεγάλαι μεγάλαι κατέχουσι τύχαιγένος ὀρνίθωνδιὰ τόνδε τὸν ἄνδρʼ. ἀλλʼ ὑμεναίοιςκαὶ νυμφιδίοισι δέχεσθʼ ᾠδαῖςαὐτὸν καὶ τὴν Βασίλειαν.
Chorus:'Twas that the Fates formerly united Olympian Hera to the King who governs the gods from the summit of his inaccessible thronein the midst of such festivities. Oh! Hymen! oh! Hymenaeus!
Χορός:Ἥρᾳ ποτʼ Ὀλυμπίᾳτῶν ἠλιβάτων θρόνωνἄρχοντα θεοῖς μέγανΜοῖραι ξυνεκοίμισανἐν τοιῷδʼ ὑμεναίῳ.Ὑμὴν ὦ Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ,⟨Ὑμὴν ὦ Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ.⟩
Chorus:Rosy Eros with the golden wings held the reins and guided the chariot; 'twas he, who presided overthe union of Zeus and the fortunate Hera. Oh! Hymen! oh! Hymenaeus!
Χορός:ὁ δʼ ἀμφιθαλὴς Ἔρωςχρυσόπτερος ἡνίαςηὔθυνε παλιντόνους,Ζηνὸς πάροχος γάμωντῆς τʼ εὐδαίμονος Ἥρας.Ὑμὴν ὦ Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ,Ὑμὴν ὦ Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ.
Pisthetaerus:I am delighted with your songs, I applaud your verses. Now celebratethe thunder that shakes the earth, the flaming lightning of Zeus and the terrible flashing thunderbolt.Chorus: Singing.Oh, thou golden flash of the lightning! oh, ye divine shafts of flame, that Zeus has hitherto shot forth!Oh, ye rolling thunders, that bring down the rain! 'Tis by the order of our king that ye shall now stagger the earth! Oh, Hymen! 'tis through thee that he commands the universe and that he makes Basileia, whom he has robbed from Zeus, take her seat at his side. Oh! Hymen! oh! Hymenaeus!Pisthetaerus: Singing.Let all the winged tribes of our fellow-citizens follow the bridal couple to the palace of Zeus and to the nuptial couch! Stretch forth yourhands, my dear wife! Take hold of me by my wings and let us dance; I am going to lift you up and carry you through the air.Pisthetaerus and Basileia leave dancing; the Chorus follows them.Chorus: SingingAlalalai ie Paian! Tenella kallinikos!Loftiest art thou of gods!
Πισθέταιρος:ἐχάρην ὕμνοις, ἐχάρην ᾠδαῖς·ἄγαμαι δὲ λόγων. ἄγε νυν αὐτοῦκαὶ τὰς χθονίας κλῄσατε βροντὰςτάς τε πυρώδεις Διὸς ἀστεροπὰςδεινόν τʼ ἀργῆτα κεραυνόν.Χορός:ὦ μέγα χρύσεον ἀστεροπῆς φάος,ὦ Διὸς ἄμβροτον ἔγχος πυρφόρον,ὦ χθόνιαι βαρυαχέεςὀμβροφόροι θʼ ἅμα βρονταί,αἷς ὅδε νῦν χθόνα σείει.διὰ σὲ τὰ πάντα κρατήσαςκαὶ πάρεδρον Βασίλειαν ἔχει Διός.Ὑμὴν ὦ Ὑμέναιʼ ὦ.Πισθέταιρος:ἔπεσθε νῦν γάμοισιν ὦφῦλα πάντα συννόμωνπτεροφόρʼ ἐπὶ δάπεδον Διὸςκαὶ λέχος γαμήλιον.ὄρεξον ὦ μάκαιρα σὴνχεῖρα καὶ πτερῶν ἐμῶνλαβοῦσα συγχόρευσον· αἴρωνδὲ κουφιῶ σʼ ἐγώ.Χορός:ἀλαλαλαὶ ἰὴ παιών,τήνελλα καλλίνικος, ὦδαιμόνων ὑπέρτατε.