---
title: "Clouds · Νεφέλαι"
author: "Aristophanes"
translator: "William James Hickie"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-clouds/
cite: "Aristophanes, tr. William James Hickie, Clouds · Νεφέλαι. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-clouds/"
---

# Clouds · Νεφέλαι

*Aristophanes, tr. William James Hickie*

A debtor enrols in Socrates’ Thinkery to learn how to talk his way out of paying.

> Greek: ed. F. W. Hall, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0019.tlg003, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: William James Hickie, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0019.tlg003.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.

## Contents

1. [Lines 1–485](https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-clouds/1.md)
2. [Lines 486–1001](https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-clouds/2.md)
3. [Lines 1002–1511](https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-clouds/3.md)

## 1. Lines 1–485

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-clouds/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-clouds/1/#p-N

[¶0] Scene: The interior of a sleeping-apartment: Strepsiades, Phidippides, and two servants are in their beds; a small house is seen at a distance. Time: midnight.
Strepsiades.: (sitting up in his bed).
Ah me! Ah me! O King Jupiter, of what a terrible length the nights are! Will it never be day? And yet long since I heard the cock.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἰοὺ ἰού·
ὦ Ζεῦ βασιλεῦ τὸ χρῆμα τῶν νυκτῶν ὅσον·
ἀπέραντον. οὐδέποθʼ ἡμέρα γενήσεται;
καὶ μὴν πάλαι γʼ ἀλεκτρυόνος ἤκουσʼ ἐγώ·

[¶1] My domestics are snoring; but they would not have done so heretofore! May you perish then, O war! For many reasons; because I may not even punish my domestics. Neither does this excellent youth awake through the night; but takes his ease,
wrapped up in five blankets. Well, if it is the fashion, let us snore wrapped up.
Lies down, and then almost immediately starts up again.

> Greek: οἱ δʼ οἰκέται ῥέγκουσιν· ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἂν πρὸ τοῦ.
ἀπόλοιο δῆτʼ ὦ πόλεμε πολλῶν οὕνεκα,
ὅτʼ οὐδὲ κολάσʼ ἔξεστί μοι τοὺς οἰκέτας.
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὁ χρηστὸς οὑτοσὶ νεανίας
ἐγείρεται τῆς νυκτός, ἀλλὰ πέρδεται
ἐν πέντε σισύραις ἐγκεκορδυλημένος.
ἀλλʼ εἰ δοκεῖ ῥέγκωμεν ἐγκεκαλυμμένοι.

[¶2] But I am not able, miserable man, to sleep, being tormented by my expenses, and my stud of horses, and my debts, through this son of mine. He with his long hair,
is riding horses and driving curricles, and dreaming of horses; while I am driven to distraction, as I see the moon bringing on the twentieths; for the interest is running on. Boy! Light a lamp, and bring forth my tablets, that I may take them and read
to how many I am indebted, and calculate the interest. Enter boy with a light and tablets. Come, let me see; what do I owe? Twelve minae to Pasias. Why twelve minae to Pasias? Why did I borrow them? When I bought the blood-horse. Ah me, unhappy! Would that it had had its eye knocked out with a stone first!
Phidippides.: (talking in his sleep).

> Greek: ἀλλʼ οὐ δύναμαι δείλαιος εὕδειν δακνόμενος
ὑπὸ τῆς δαπάνης καὶ τῆς φάτνης καὶ τῶν χρεῶν
διὰ τουτονὶ τὸν υἱόν. ὁ δὲ κόμην ἔχων
ἱππάζεταί τε καὶ ξυνωρικεύεται
ὀνειροπολεῖ θʼ ἵππους· ἐγὼ δʼ ἀπόλλυμαι
ὁρῶν ἄγουσαν τὴν σελήνην εἰκάδας·
οἱ γὰρ τόκοι χωροῦσιν. ἅπτε παῖ λύχνον,
κἄκφερε τὸ γραμματεῖον, ἵνʼ ἀναγνῶ λαβὼν
ὁπόσοις ὀφείλω καὶ λογίσωμαι τοὺς τόκους.
φέρʼ ἴδω τί ὀφείλω; δώδεκα μνᾶς Πασίᾳ.
τοῦ δώδεκα μνᾶς Πασίᾳ; τί ἐχρησάμην;
ὅτʼ ἐπριάμην τὸν κοππατίαν. οἴμοι τάλας,
εἴθʼ ἐξεκόπην πρότερον τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν λίθῳ.

[¶3] You are acting unfairly, Philo! Drive on your own course.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
Φίλων ἀδικεῖς· ἔλαυνε τὸν σαυτοῦ δρόμον.

[¶4] Strepsiades.:
This is the bane that has destroyed me; for even in his sleep he dreams about horsemanship.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τοῦτʼ ἔστι τουτὶ τὸ κακὸν ὅ μʼ ἀπολώλεκεν·
ὀνειροπολεῖ γὰρ καὶ καθεύδων ἱππικήν.

[¶5] Phidippides.:
How many courses will the war-chariots run?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
πόσους δρόμους ἐλᾷ τὰ πολεμιστήρια;

[¶6] Strepsiades.:
Many courses do you drive me, your father. But what debt came upon me after Pasias? Three minae to Amynias for a little chariot and pair of wheels.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἐμὲ μὲν σὺ πολλοὺς τὸν πατέρʼ ἐλαύνεις δρόμους.
ἀτὰρ τί χρέος ἔβα με μετὰ τὸν Πασίαν;
τρεῖς μναῖ διφρίσκου καὶ τροχοῖν Ἀμυνίᾳ.

[¶7] Phidippides.:
Lead the horse home, after having given him a good rolling.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἄπαγε τὸν ἵππον ἐξαλίσας οἴκαδε.

[¶8] Strepsiades.:
O foolish youth, you have rolled me out of my possessions; since I have been cast in suits, and others say that they will have surety given them for the interest.
Phidippides.: (awakening).
Pray, father, why are you peevish, and toss about the whole night?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ ὦ μέλʼ ἐξήλικας ἐμέ γʼ ἐκ τῶν ἐμῶν,
ὅτε καὶ δίκας ὤφληκα χἄτεροι τόκου
ἐνεχυράσεσθαί φασιν.
Φειδιππίδης:
ἐτεὸν ὦ πάτερ
τί δυσκολαίνεις καὶ στρέφει τὴν νύχθʼ ὅλην;

[¶9] Strepsiades.:
A bailiff out of the bedclothes is biting me.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
δάκνει μὲ δήμαρχός τις ἐκ τῶν στρωμάτων.

[¶10] Phidippides.:
Suffer me, good sir, to sleep a little.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἔασον ὦ δαιμόνιε καταδαρθεῖν τί με.

[¶11] Strepsiades.:
Then, do you sleep on; but know that all these debts will turn on your head. Phidippides falls asleep again. Alas! Would that the match-maker had perished miserably, who induced me to marry your mother. For a country life used to be most agreeable to me, dirty, untrimmed, reclining at random,
abounding in bees, and sheep, and oil-cake. Then I, a rustic, married a niece of Megacles, the son of Megacles, from the city, haughty, luxurious, and Coesyrafied. When I married her, I lay with her
redolent of new wine, of the cheese-crate, and abundance of wool; but she, on the contrary, of ointment, saffron, wanton-kisses, extravagance, gluttony, and of Colias and Genetyllis. I will not indeed say that she was idle; but she wove. And I used to show her this cloak
by way of a pretext and say “Wife, you weave at a great rate.”
Servant re-enters.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
σὺ δʼ οὖν κάθευδε· τὰ δὲ χρέα ταῦτʼ ἴσθʼ ὅτι
ἐς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἅπαντα τὴν σὴν τρέψεται.
φεῦ.
εἴθʼ ὤφελʼ ἡ προμνήστριʼ ἀπολέσθαι κακῶς,
ἥτις με γῆμʼ ἐπῆρε τὴν σὴν μητέρα·
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἦν ἄγροικος ἥδιστος βίος
εὐρωτιῶν, ἀκόρητος, εἰκῇ κείμενος,
βρύων μελίτταις καὶ προβάτοις καὶ στεμφύλοις.
ἔπειτʼ ἔγημα Μεγακλέους τοῦ Μεγακλέους
ἀδελφιδῆν ἄγροικος ὢν ἐξ ἄστεως,
σεμνὴν τρυφῶσαν ἐγκεκοισυρωμένην.
ταύτην ὅτʼ ἐγάμουν, συγκατεκλινόμην ἐγὼ
ὄζων τρυγὸς τρασιᾶς ἐρίων περιουσίας,
ἡ δʼ αὖ μύρου κρόκου καταγλωττισμάτων,
δαπάνης λαφυγμοῦ Κωλιάδος Γενετυλλίδος.
οὐ μὴν ἐρῶ γʼ ὡς ἀργὸς ἦν, ἀλλʼ ἐσπάθα.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἂν αὐτῇ θοἰμάτιον δεικνὺς τοδὶ
πρόφασιν ἔφασκον, ὦ γύναι λίαν σπαθᾷς.

[¶12] Servant.:
We have no oil in the lamp.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἔλαιον ἡμῖν οὐκ ἔνεστʼ ἐν τῷ λύχνῳ.

[¶13] Strepsiades.:
Ah me! Why did you light the thirsty lamp? Come hither that you may weep!
Servant.:
For what, pray, shall I weep?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οἴμοι· τί γάρ μοι τὸν πότην ἧπτες λύχνον;
δεῦρʼ ἔλθʼ ἵνα κλάῃς.
Θεράπων:
διὰ τί δῆτα κλαύσομαι;

[¶14] Strepsiades.:
Because you put in one of the thick wicks.
Servant runs out.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὅτι τῶν παχειῶν ἐνετίθεις θρυαλλίδων.

[¶15] After this, when this son was born to us, to me, forsooth, and to my excellent wife, we squabbled then about the name: for she was for adding hippos to the name, Xanthippus, or Charippus, or Callipides;
but I was for giving him the name of his grandfather, Phidonides. For a time therefore we disputed; and then at length we agreed, and called him Phidippides. She used to take this son and fondle him, saying, “When you, being grown up, shall drive your chariot to the city,”
“like Megacles, with a xystis.” But I used to say, “Nay, rather, when dressed in a leathern jerkin, you shall drive goats from Phelleus, like your father.” He paid no attention to my words, but poured a horse-fever over my property.

> Greek: μετὰ ταῦθʼ, ὅπως νῷν ἐγένεθʼ υἱὸς οὑτοσί,
ἐμοί τε δὴ καὶ τῇ γυναικὶ τἀγαθῇ,
περὶ τοὐνόματος δὴ ʼντεῦθεν ἐλοιδορούμεθα·
ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἵππον προσετίθει πρὸς τοὔνομα,
Ξάνθιππον ἤ Χαριππον ἢ Καλλιππίδην,
ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦ πάππου ʼτιθέμην Φειδωνίδην.
τέως μὲν οὖν ἐκρινόμεθʼ· εἶτα τῷ χρόνῳ
κοινῇ ξυνέβημεν κἀθέμεθα Φειδιππίδην.
τοῦτον τὸν υἱὸν λαμβάνουσʼ ἐκορίζετο,
ὅταν σὺ μέγας ὢν ἅρμʼ ἐλαύνῃς πρὸς πόλιν,
ὥσπερ Μεγακλέης, ξυστίδʼ ἔχων. ἐγὼ δʼ ἔφην,
ὅταν μὲν οὖν τὰς αἶγας ἐκ τοῦ φελλέως,
ὥσπερ ὁ πατήρ σου, διφθέραν ἐνημμένος.
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐπίθετο τοῖς ἐμοῖς οὐδὲν λόγοις,
ἀλλʼ ἵππερόν μου κατέχεεν τῶν χρημάτων.

[¶16] Now, therefore, by meditating the whole night, I have discovered one path for my course extraordinarily excellent; to which if I persuade this youth I shall be saved. But first I wish to awake him. How then can I awake him in the most agreeable manner? How?

> Greek: νῦν οὖν ὅλην τὴν νύκτα φροντίζων ὁδοῦ
μίαν ηὗρον ἀτραπὸν δαιμονίως ὑπερφυᾶ,
ἣν ἢν ἀναπείσω τουτονί, σωθήσομαι.
ἀλλʼ ἐξεγεῖραι πρῶτον αὐτὸν βούλομαι.
πῶς δῆτʼ ἂν ἥδιστʼ αὐτὸν ἐπεγείραιμι; πῶς;

[¶17] Phidippides, my little Phidippides?
Phidippides.:
What, father?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδη Φειδιππίδιον.
Φειδιππίδης:
τί ὦ πάτερ;

[¶18] Strepsiades.:
Kiss me, and give me your right hand!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
κύσον με καὶ τὴν χεῖρα δὸς τὴν δεξιάν.

[¶19] Phidippides.:
There. What’s the matter?
Strepsiades.:
Tell me, do you love me?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἰδού. τί ἔστιν;
Στρεψιάδης:
εἰπέ μοι, φιλεῖς ἐμέ;

[¶20] Phidippides.:
Yes, by this Equestrian Neptune.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ τουτονὶ τὸν ἵππιον.

[¶21] Strepsiades.:
Nay, do not by any means mention this Equestrian to me, for this god is the author of my misfortunes. But, if you really love me from your heart, my son, obey me.
Phidippides.:
In what then, pray, shall I obey you?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
μὴ ʼμοί γε τοῦτον μηδαμῶς τὸν ἵππιον·
οὗτος γὰρ ὁ θεὸς αἴτιός μοι τῶν κακῶν.
ἀλλʼ εἴπερ ἐκ τῆς καρδίας μʼ ὄντως φιλεῖς,
ὦ παῖ πιθοῦ.
Φειδιππίδης:
τί οὖν πίθωμαι δῆτά σοι;

[¶22] Strepsiades.:
Reform your habits as quickly as possible, and go and learn what I advise.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἔκστρεψον ὡς τάχιστα τοὺς σαυτοῦ τρόπους,
καὶ μάνθανʼ ἐλθὼν ἃν ἐγὼ παραινέσω.

[¶23] Phidippides.:
Tell me now, what do you prescribe?
Strepsiades.:
And will you obey me at all?
Phidippides.:
By Bacchus, I will obey you.
Strepsiades.:
Look this way then! Do you see this little door and little house?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
λέγε δή, τί κελεύεις;
Στρεψιάδης:
καί τι πείσει;
Φειδιππίδης:
πείσομαι
νὴ τὸν Διόνυσον.
Στρεψιάδης:
δεῦρό νυν ἀπόβλεπε.
ὁρᾷς τὸ θύριον τοῦτο καὶ τᾠκίδιον;

[¶24] Phidippides.:
I see it. What then, pray, is this, father?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ὁρῶ. τί οὖν τοῦτʼ ἐστὶν ἐτεὸν ὦ πάτερ;

[¶25] Strepsiades.:
This is a thinking-shop of wise spirits.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ψυχῶν σοφῶν τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ φροντιστήριον.

[¶26] There dwell men who in speaking of the heavens persuade people that it is an oven, and that it encompasses us, and that we are the embers. These men teach, if one give them money, to conquer in speaking, right or wrong.

> Greek: ἐνταῦθʼ ἐνοικοῦσʼ ἄνδρες, οἳ τὸν οὐρανὸν
λέγοντες ἀναπείθουσιν ὡς ἔστιν πνιγεύς,
κἄστιν περὶ ἡμᾶς οὗτος, ἡμεῖς δʼ ἄνθρακες.
οὗτοι διδάσκουσʼ, ἀργύριον ἤν τις διδῷ,
λέγοντα νικᾶν καὶ δίκαια κἄδικα.

[¶27] Phidippides.:
Who are they?
Strepsiades.:
I do not know the name accurately. They are minute philosophers, noble and excellent.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
εἰσὶν δὲ τίνες;
Στρεψιάδης:
οὐκ οἶδʼ ἀκριβῶς τοὔνομα·
μεριμνοφροντισταὶ καλοί τε κἀγαθοί.

[¶28] Phidippides.:
Bah! They are rogues; I know them. You mean the quacks, the pale-faced wretches, the bare-footed fellows, of whose numbers are the miserable Socrates and Chaerephon.
Strepsiades.:
Hold! Hold! Be silent! Do not say anything foolish. But, if you have any concern for your father’s patrimony, become one of them, having given up your horsemanship.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
αἰβοῖ πονηροί γʼ, οἶδα. τοὺς ἀλαζόνας
τοὺς ὠχριῶντας τοὺς ἀνυποδήτους λέγεις,
ὧν ὁ κακοδαίμων Σωκράτης καὶ Χαιρεφῶν.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἢ ἢ σιώπα· μηδὲν εἴπῃς νήπιον.
ἀλλʼ εἴ τι κήδει τῶν πατρῴων ἀλφίτων,
τούτων γενοῦ μοι σχασάμενος τὴν ἱππικήν.

[¶29] Phidippides.:
I would not, by Bacchus, even if you were to give me the pheasants which Leogoras rears!

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
οὐκ ἂν μὰ τὸν Διόνυσον, εἰ δοίης γέ μοι
τοὺς φασιανοὺς οὓς τρέφει Λεωγόρας.

[¶30] Strepsiades.:
Go, I entreat you, dearest of men, go and be taught.
Phidippides.:
Why, what shall I learn?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἴθʼ ἀντιβολῶ σʼ ὦ φίλτατʼ ἀνθρώπων ἐμοὶ
ἐλθὼν διδάσκου.
Φειδιππίδης:
καὶ τί σοι μαθήσομαι;

[¶31] Strepsiades.:
They say that among them are both the two causes—the better cause, whichever that is, and the worse: they say that the one of these two causes, the worse, prevails,
though it speaks on the unjust side. If, therefore you learn for me this unjust cause, I would not pay any one, not even an obolus of these debts, which I owe at present on your account.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
εἶναι παρʼ αὐτοῖς φασιν ἄμφω τὼ λόγω,
τὸν κρείττονʼ, ὅστις ἐστί, καὶ τὸν ἥττονα.
τούτοιν τὸν ἕτερον τοῖν λόγοιν, τὸν ἥττονα,
νικᾶν λέγοντά φασι τἀδικώτερα.
ἢν οὖν μάθῃς μοι τὸν ἄδικον τοῦτον λόγον,
ἃ νῦν ὀφείλω διὰ σέ, τούτων τῶν χρεῶν
οὐκ ἂν ἀποδοίην οὐδʼ ἂν ὀβολὸν οὐδενί.

[¶32] Phidippides.:
I can not comply; for I should not dare to look upon the knights, having lost all my colour.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
οὐκ ἂν πιθοίμην· οὐ γὰρ ἂν τλαίην ἰδεῖν
τοὺς ἱππέας τὸ χρῶμα διακεκναισμένος.

[¶33] Strepsiades.:
Then, by Ceres, you shall not eat any of my good! Neither you, nor your blood-horse; but I will drive you out of my house to the crows.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὐκ ἄρα μὰ τὴν Δήμητρα τῶν γʼ ἐμῶν ἔδει,
οὔτʼ αὐτὸς οὔθʼ ὁ ζύγιος οὔθʼ ὁ σαμφόρας·
ἀλλʼ ἐξελῶ σʼ ἐς κόρακας ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας.

[¶34] Phidippides.:
My uncle Megacles will not permit me to be without a horse. But I’ll go in, and pay no heed to you.
Exit Phidippides.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἀλλʼ οὐ περιόψεταί μʼ ὁ θεῖος Μεγακλέης
ἄνιππον. ἀλλʼ εἴσειμι, σοῦ δʼ οὐ φροντιῶ.

[¶35] Strepsiades.:
Though fallen, still I will not lie prostrate: but having prayed to the gods, I will go myself to the thinking-shop and get taught. How, then, being an old man,
shall I learn the subtleties of refined disquisitions? I must go. Why thus do I loiter and not knock at the door? Knocks at the door. Boy! Little boy!
Disciple.: (from within).

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἐγὼ μέντοι πεσών γε κείσομαι,
ἀλλʼ εὐξάμενος τοῖσιν θεοῖς διδάξομαι
αὐτὸς βαδίζων ἐς τὸ φροντιστήριον.
πῶς οὖν γέρων ὢν κἀπιλήσμων καὶ βραδὺς
λόγων ἀκριβῶν σχινδαλάμους μαθήσομαι;
ἰτητέον. τί ταῦτʼ ἔχων στραγγεύομαι,
ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ κόπτω τὴν θύραν; παῖ παιδίον.

[¶36] Go to the devil! Who it is that knocked at the door?

> Greek: Μαθητής:
βάλλʼ ἐς κόρακας· τίς ἐσθʼ ὁ κόψας τὴν θύραν;

[¶37] Strepsiades.:
Strepsiades, the son of Phidon, of Cicynna.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
Φείδωνος υἱὸς Στρεψιάδης Κικυννόθεν.

[¶38] Disciple.:
You are a stupid fellow, by Jove! who have kicked against the door so very carelessly, and have caused the miscarriage of an idea which I had conceived.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ἀμαθής γε νὴ Δίʼ ὅστις οὑτωσὶ σφόδρα
ἀπεριμερίμνως τὴν θύραν λελάκτικας
καὶ φροντίδʼ ἐξήμβλωκας ἐξηυρημένην.

[¶39] Strepsiades.:
Pardon me; for I dwell afar in the country. But tell me the thing which has been made to miscarry.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
σύγγνωθί μοι· τηλοῦ γὰρ οἰκῶ τῶν ἀγρῶν.
ἀλλʼ εἰπέ μοι τὸ πρᾶγμα τοὐξημβλωμένον.

[¶40] Disciple.:
It is not lawful to mention it, except to disciples.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ἀλλʼ οὐ θέμις πλὴν τοῖς μαθηταῖσιν λέγειν.

[¶41] Strepsiades.:
Tell it, then, to me without fear; for I here am come as a disciple to the thinking-shop.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
λέγε νυν ἐμοὶ θαρρῶν· ἐγὼ γὰρ οὑτοσὶ
ἥκω μαθητὴς ἐς τὸ φροντιστήριον.

[¶42] Disciple.:
I will tell you; but you must regard these as mysteries. Socrates lately asked Chaerephon about a flea, how many of its own feet it jumped; for after having bit the eyebrow of Chaerephon, it leaped away onto the head of Socrates.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
λέξω. νομίσαι δὲ ταῦτα χρὴ μυστήρια.
ἀνήρετʼ ἄρτι Χαιρεφῶντα Σωκράτης
ψύλλαν ὁπόσους ἅλλοιτο τοὺς αὑτῆς πόδας·
δακοῦσα γὰρ τοῦ Χαιρεφῶντος τὴν ὀφρῦν
ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τὴν Σωκράτους ἀφήλατο.

[¶43] Strepsiades.:
How then did he measure this?
Disciple.:
Most cleverly. He melted some wax; and then took the flea
and dipped its feet in the wax; and then a pair of Persian slippers stuck to it when cooled. Having gently loosened these, he measured back the distance.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
πῶς δῆτα διεμέτρησε;
Μαθητής:
δεξιώτατα.
κηρὸν διατήξας, εἶτα τὴν ψύλλαν λαβὼν
ἐνέβαψεν ἐς τὸν κηρὸν αὐτῆς τὼ πόδε,
κᾆτα ψυχείσῃ περιέφυσαν Περσικαί.
ταύτας ὑπολύσας ἀνεμέτρει τὸ χωρίον.

[¶44] Strepsiades.:
O King Jupiter! What subtlety of thought!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὦ Ζεῦ βασιλεῦ τῆς λεπτότητος τῶν φρενῶν.

[¶45] Disciple.:
What then would you say if you heard another contrivance of Socrates?
Strepsiades.:
Of what kind? Tell me, I beseech you!

> Greek: Μαθητής:
τί δῆτʼ ἂν ἕτερον εἰ πύθοιο Σωκράτους
φρόντισμα;
Στρεψιάδης:
ποῖον; ἀντιβολῶ κάτειπέ μοι.

[¶46] Disciple.:
Chaerephon the Sphettian asked him whether he thought gnats buzzed through the mouth or the breech.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ἀνήρετʼ αὐτὸν Χαιρεφῶν ὁ Σφήττιος
ὁπότερα τὴν γνώμην ἔχοι, τὰς ἐμπίδας
κατὰ τὸ στόμʼ ᾄδειν ἢ κατὰ τοὐρροπύγιον.

[¶47] Strepsiades.:
What, then, did he say about the gnat?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί δῆτʼ ἐκεῖνος εἶπε περὶ τῆς ἐμπίδος;

[¶48] Disciple.:
He said the intestine of the gnat was narrow and that the wind went forcibly through it, being slender, straight to the breech; and then that the rump, being hollow where it is adjacent to the narrow part, resounded through the violence of the wind.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ἔφασκεν εἶναι τοὔντερον τῆς ἐμπίδος
στενόν· διὰ λεπτοῦ δʼ ὄντος αὐτοῦ τὴν πνοὴν
βίᾳ βαδίζειν εὐθὺ τοὐρροπυγίου·
ἔπειτα κοῖλον πρὸς στενῷ προσκείμενον
τὸν πρωκτὸν ἠχεῖν ὑπὸ βίας τοῦ πνεύματος.

[¶49] Strepsiades.:
The rump of the gnats then is a trumpet! Oh, thrice happy he for his sharp-sightedness! Surely a defendant might easily get acquitted who understands the intestine of the gnat.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
σάλπιγξ ὁ πρωκτός ἐστιν ἄρα τῶν ἐμπίδων.
ὦ τρισμακάριος τοῦ διεντερεύματος.
ἦ ῥᾳδίως φεύγων ἂν ἀποφύγοι δίκην
ὅστις δίοιδε τοὔντερον τῆς ἐμπίδος.

[¶50] Disciple.:
But he was lately deprived of a great idea by a lizard.
Strepsiades.:
In what way? Tell me.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
πρώην δέ γε γνώμην μεγάλην ἀφῃρέθη
ὑπʼ ἀσκαλαβώτου.
Στρεψιάδης:
τίνα τρόπον; κάτειπέ μοι.

[¶51] Disciple.:
As he was investigating the courses of the moon and her revolutions, then as he was gaping upward a lizard in the darkness dropped upon him from the roof.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ζητοῦντος αὐτοῦ τῆς σελήνης τὰς ὁδοὺς
καὶ τὰς περιφορὰς εἶτʼ ἄνω κεχηνότος
ἀπὸ τῆς ὀροφῆς νύκτωρ γαλεώτης κατέχεσεν.

[¶52] Strepsiades.:
I am amused at a lizard’s having dropped on Socrates.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἥσθην γαλεώτῃ καταχέσαντι Σωκράτους.

[¶53] Disciple.:
Yesterday evening there was no supper for us.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ἐχθὲς δέ γʼ ἡμῖν δεῖπνον οὐκ ἦν ἑσπέρας.

[¶54] Strepsiades.:
Well. What then did he contrive for provisions?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
εἶεν· τί οὖν πρὸς τἄλφιτʼ ἐπαλαμήσατο;

[¶55] Disciple.:
He sprinkled fine ashes on the table, and bent a little spit, and then took it as a pair of compasses and filched a cloak from the Palaestra.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
κατὰ τῆς τραπέζης καταπάσας λεπτὴν τέφραν
κάμψας ὀβελίσκον εἶτα διαβήτην λαβὼν
ἐκ τῆς παλαίστρας θοἰμάτιον ὑφείλετο.

[¶56] Strepsiades.:
Why then do we admire Thales? Open open quickly the thinking-shop, and show to me Socrates as quickly as possible. For I desire to be a disciple. Come, open the door. The door of the thinking-shop opens and the pupils of Socrates are seen all with their heads fixed on the ground, while Socrates himself is seen suspended in the air in a basket. O Hercules, from what country are these wild beasts?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί δῆτʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν Θαλῆν θαυμάζομεν;
ἄνοιγʼ ἄνοιγʼ ἀνύσας τὸ φροντιστήριον,
καὶ δεῖξον ὡς τάχιστά μοι τὸν Σωκράτη.
μαθητιῶ γάρ· ἀλλʼ ἄνοιγε τὴν θύραν.
ὦ Ἡράκλεις ταυτὶ ποδαπὰ τὰ θηρία;

[¶57] Disciple.:
What do you wonder at? To what do they seem to you to be like?

> Greek: Μαθητής:
τί ἐθαύμασας; τῷ σοι δοκοῦσιν εἰκέναι;

[¶58] Strepsiades.:
To the Spartans who were taken at Pylos. But why in the world do these look upon the ground?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τοῖς ἐκ Πύλου ληφθεῖσι τοῖς Λακωνικοῖς.
ἀτὰρ τί ποτʼ ἐς τὴν γῆν βλέπουσιν οὑτοιί;

[¶59] Disciple.:
They are in search of the things below the earth.
Strepsiades.:
Then they are searching for roots. Do not, then, trouble yourselves about this;

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ζητοῦσιν οὗτοι τὰ κατὰ γῆς.
Στρεψιάδης:
βολβοὺς ἄρα
ζητοῦσι. μή νυν τουτογὶ φροντίζετε·

[¶60] for I know where there are large and fine ones. Why, what are these doing, who are bent down so much?

> Greek: ἐγὼ γὰρ οἶδʼ ἵνʼ εἰσὶ μεγάλοι καὶ καλοί.
τί γὰρ οἵδε δρῶσιν οἱ σφόδρʼ ἐγκεκυφότες;

[¶61] Disciple.:
These are groping about in darkness under Tartarus.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
οὗτοι δʼ ἐρεβοδιφῶσιν ὑπὸ τὸν Τάρταρον.

[¶62] Strepsiades.:
Why then does their rump look toward heaven?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί δῆθʼ ὁ πρωκτὸς ἐς τὸν οὐρανὸν βλέπει;

[¶63] Disciple.:
It is getting taught astronomy alone by itself. Turning to the pupils. But go in, lest he meet with us.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
αὐτὸς καθʼ αὑτὸν ἀστρονομεῖν διδάσκεται.
ἀλλʼ εἴσιθʼ, ἵνα μὴ ʼκεῖνος ὑμῖν ἐπιτύχῃ.

[¶64] Strepsiades.:
Not yet, not yet; but let them remain, that I may communicate to them a little matter of my own.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
μήπω γε μήπω γʼ· ἀλλʼ ἐπιμεινάντων, ἵνα
αὐτοῖσι κοινώσω τι πραγμάτιον ἐμόν.

[¶65] Disciple.:
It is not permitted to them to remain without in the open air for a very long time.
The pupils retire.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ἀλλʼ οὐχ οἷόν τʼ αὐτοῖσι πρὸς τὸν ἀέρα
ἔξω διατρίβειν πολὺν ἄγαν ἐστὶν χρόνον.

[¶66] Strepsiades.:
(discovering a variety of mathematical instruments). Why, what is this, in the name of heaven? Tell me.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
πρὸς τῶν θεῶν τί γὰρ τάδʼ ἐστίν; εἰπέ μοι.

[¶67] Disciple.:
This is Astronomy.
Strepsiades.:
But what is this?

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ἀστρονομία μὲν αὑτηί.
Στρεψιάδης:
τουτὶ δὲ τί;

[¶68] Disciple.:
Geometry.
Strepsiades.:
What then is the use of this?

> Greek: Μαθητής:
γεωμετρία.
Στρεψιάδης:
τοῦτʼ οὖν τί ἐστι χρήσιμον;

[¶69] Disciple.:
To measure out the land.
Strepsiades.:
What belongs to an allotment?

> Greek: Μαθητής:
γῆν ἀναμετρῆσαι.
Στρεψιάδης:
πότερα τὴν κληρουχικήν;

[¶70] Disciple.:
No, but the whole earth.
Strepsiades.:
You tell me a clever notion; for the contrivance is democratic and useful.
Disciple.: (pointing to a map).

> Greek: Μαθητής:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ τὴν σύμπασαν.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἀστεῖον λέγεις.
τὸ γὰρ σόφισμα δημοτικὸν καὶ χρήσιμον.

[¶71] See, here’s a map of the whole earth. Do you see? This is Athens.
Strepsiades.:
What say you? I don’t believe you; for I do not see the Dicasts sitting.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
αὕτη δέ σοι γῆς περίοδος πάσης. ὁρᾷς;
αἵδε μὲν Ἀθῆναι.
Στρεψιάδης:
τί σὺ λέγεις; οὐ πείθομαι,
ἐπεὶ δικαστὰς οὐχ ὁρῶ καθημένους.

[¶72] Disciple.:
Be assured that this is truly the Attic territory.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ὡς τοῦτʼ ἀληθῶς Ἀττικὸν τὸ χωρίον.

[¶73] Strepsiades.:
Why, where are my fellow-tribesmen of Cicynna?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
καὶ ποῦ Κικυννῆς εἰσὶν οὑμοὶ δημόται;

[¶74] Disciple.:
Here they are. And Euboea here, as you see, is stretched out a long way by the side of it to a great distance.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ἐνταῦθʼ ἔνεισιν. ἡ δέ γʼ Εὔβοἰ, ὡς ὁρᾷς,
ἡδὶ παρατέταται μακρὰ πόρρω πάνυ.

[¶75] Strepsiades.:
I know that; for it was stretched by us and Pericles. But where is Lacedaemon?
Disciple.:
Where is it? Here it is.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οἶδʼ· ὑπὸ γὰρ ἡμῶν παρετάθη καὶ Περικλέους.
ἀλλʼ ἡ Λακεδαίμων ποῦ ʼσθʼ;
Μαθητής:
ὅπου ʼστίν; αὑτηί.

[¶76] Strepsiades.:
How near it is to us! Pay great attention to this, to remove it very far from us.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὡς ἐγγὺς ἡμῶν. τοῦτο πάνυ φροντίζετε,
ταύτην ἀφʼ ἡμῶν ἀπαγαγεῖν πόρρω πάνυ.

[¶77] Disciple.:
By Jupiter, it is not possible.
Strepsiades.:
Then you will weep for it. Looking up and discovering Socrates. Come, who is this man who is in the basket?

> Greek: Μαθητής:
ἀλλʼ οὐχ οἷόν τε.
Στρεψιάδης:
νὴ Δίʼ οἰμώξεσθʼ ἄρα.
φέρε τίς γὰρ οὗτος οὑπὶ τῆς κρεμάθρας ἀνήρ;

[¶78] Disciple.:
Himself.
Strepsiades.:
Who’s “Himself”?
Disciple.:
Socrates.
Strepsiades.:
O Socrates! Come, you sir, call upon him loudly for me.
Disciple.:
Nay, rather, call him yourself; for I have no leisure.
Exit Disciple.

> Greek: Μαθητής:
αὐτός.
Στρεψιάδης:
τίς αὐτός;
Μαθητής:
Σωκράτης.
Στρεψιάδης:
ὦ Σώκρατες.
ἴθʼ οὗτος, ἀναβόησον αὐτόν μοι μέγα.
Μαθητής:
αὐτὸς μὲν οὖν σὺ κάλεσον· οὐ γάρ μοι σχολή.

[¶79] Strepsiades.:
Socrates! My little Socrates!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὦ Σώκρατες,
ὦ Σωκρατίδιον.

[¶80] Socrates.:
Why callest thou me, thou creature of a day?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
τί με καλεῖς ὦφήμερε;

[¶81] Strepsiades.:
First tell me, I beseech you, what are you doing.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
πρῶτον μὲν ὅ τι δρᾷς ἀντιβολῶ κάτειπέ μοι.

[¶82] Socrates.:
I am walking in the air, and speculating about the sun.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἀεροβατῶ καὶ περιφρονῶ τὸν ἥλιον.

[¶83] Strepsiades.:
And so you look down upon the gods from your basket, and not from the earth?
Socrates.:
For I should not have rightly discovered things celestial if I had not suspended the intellect, and
mixed the thought in a subtle form with its kindred air. But if, being on the ground, I speculated from below on things above, I should never have discovered them. For the earth forcibly attracts to itself the meditative moisture. Water-cresses also suffer the very same thing.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἔπειτʼ ἀπὸ ταρροῦ τοὺς θεοὺς ὑπερφρονεῖς,
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, εἴπερ;
Σωκράτης:
οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτε
ἐξηῦρον ὀρθῶς τὰ μετέωρα πράγματα,
εἰ μὴ κρεμάσας τὸ νόημα καὶ τὴν φροντίδα
λεπτὴν καταμείξας ἐς τὸν ὅμοιον ἀέρα.
εἰ δʼ ὢν χαμαὶ τἄνω κάτωθεν ἐσκόπουν,
οὐκ ἄν ποθʼ ηὗρον· οὐ γὰρ ἀλλʼ ἡ γῆ βίᾳ
ἕλκει πρὸς αὑτὴν τὴν ἰκμάδα τῆς φροντίδος.
πάσχει δὲ ταὐτὸ τοῦτο καὶ τὰ κάρδαμα.

[¶84] Strepsiades.:
What do you say? Does meditation attract the moisture to the water-cresses? Come then, my little Socrates, descend to me, that you may teach me those things, for the sake of which I have come.
Socrates lowers himself and gets out of the basket.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί φῄς;
ἡ φροντὶς ἕλκει τὴν ἰκμάδʼ ἐς τὰ κάρδαμα;
ἴθι νυν κατάβηθʼ ὦ Σωκρατίδιον ὡς ἐμέ,
ἵνα με διδάξῃς ὧνπερ οὕνεκʼ ἐλήλυθα.

[¶85] Socrates.:
And for what did you come?
Strepsiades.:
Wishing to learn to speak; for by reason of usury, and most ill-natured creditors, I am pillaged and plundered, and have my goods seized for debt.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἦλθες δὲ κατὰ τί;
Στρεψιάδης:
βουλόμενος μαθεῖν λέγειν.
ὑπὸ γὰρ τόκων χρήστων τε δυσκολωτάτων
ἄγομαι φέρομαι, τὰ χρήματʼ ἐνεχυράζομαι.

[¶86] Socrates.:
How did you get in debt without observing it?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
πόθεν δʼ ὑπόχρεως σαυτὸν ἔλαθες γενόμενος;

[¶87] Strepsiades.:
A horse-disease consumed me--terrible at eating. But teach me the other one of your two causes, that which pays nothing; and I will swear by the gods, I will pay down to you whatever reward you exact of me.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
νόσος μʼ ἐπέτριψεν ἱππικὴ δεινὴ φαγεῖν.
ἀλλά με δίδαξον τὸν ἕτερον τοῖν σοῖν λόγοιν,
τὸν μηδὲν ἀποδιδόντα. μισθὸν δʼ ὅντινʼ ἂν
πράττῃ μʼ ὀμοῦμαί σοι καταθήσειν τοὺς θεούς.

[¶88] Socrates.:
By what gods will you swear? For, in the first place, gods are not a current coin with us.
Strepsiades.:
By what do you swear? By iron money, as in Byzantium?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ποίους θεοὺς ὀμεῖ σύ; πρῶτον γὰρ θεοὶ
ἡμῖν νόμισμʼ οὐκ ἔστι.
Στρεψιάδης:
τῷ γὰρ ὄμνυτʼ; ἢ
σιδαρέοισιν ὥσπερ ἐν Βυζαντίῳ;

[¶89] Socrates.:
Do you wish to know clearly celestial matters, what they rightly are?
Strepsiades.:
Yes, by Jupiter, if it be possible!

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
βούλει τὰ θεῖα πράγματʼ εἰδέναι σαφῶς
ἅττʼ ἐστὶν ὀρθῶς;
Στρεψιάδης:
νὴ Δίʼ εἴπερ ἔστι γε.

[¶90] Socrates.:
And to hold converse with the Clouds, our divinities?
Strepsiades.:
By all means.
Socrates.: (with great solemnity).

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
καὶ ξυγγενέσθαι ταῖς Νεφέλαισιν ἐς λόγους,
ταῖς ἡμετέραισι δαίμοσιν;
Στρεψιάδης:
μάλιστά γε.

[¶91] Seat yourself, then, upon the sacred couch.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
κάθιζε τοίνυν ἐπὶ τὸν ἱερὸν σκίμποδα.

[¶92] Strepsiades.:
Well, I am seated!
Socrates.:
Take, then, this chaplet.
Strepsiades.:
For what purpose a chaplet? Ah me! Socrates, see that you do not sacrifice me like Athamas!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἰδοὺ κάθημαι.
Σωκράτης:
τουτονὶ τοίνυν λαβὲ
τὸν στέφανον.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἐπὶ τί στέφανον; οἴμοι Σώκρατες
ὥσπερ με τὸν Ἀθάμανθʼ ὅπως μὴ θύσετε.

[¶93] Socrates.:
No; we do all these to those who get initiated.
Strepsiades.:
Then what shall I gain, pray?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα τοὺς τελουμένους
ἡμεῖς ποιοῦμεν.
Στρεψιάδης:
εἶτα δὴ τί κερδανῶ;

[¶94] Socrates.:
You shall become in oratory a tricky knave, a thorough rattle, a subtle speaker. But keep quiet.
Strepsiades.:
By Jupiter! You will not deceive me; for if I am besprinkled, I shall become fine flour.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
λέγειν γενήσει τρῖμμα κρόταλον παιπάλη.
ἀλλʼ ἔχʼ ἀτρεμί.
Στρεψιάδης:
μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὐ ψεύσει γέ με·
καταπαττόμενος γὰρ παιπάλη γενήσομαι.

[¶95] Socrates.:
It becomes the old man to speak words of good omen, and to hearken to my prayer. O sovereign King, immeasurable Air, who keepest the earth suspended, and through bright Aether, and ye august goddesses, the Clouds, sending thunder and lightning, arise, appear in the air, O mistresses, to your deep thinker!

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
εὐφημεῖν χρὴ τὸν πρεσβύτην καὶ τῆς εὐχῆς ἐπακούειν.
ὦ δέσποτʼ ἄναξ ἀμέτρητʼ Ἀήρ, ὃς ἔχεις τὴν γῆν μετέωρον,
λαμπρός τʼ Αἰθὴρ σεμναί τε θεαὶ Νεφέλαι βροντησικέραυνοι,
ἄρθητε φάνητʼ ὦ δέσποιναι τῷ φροντιστῇ μετέωροι.

[¶96] Strepsiades.:
Not yet, not yet, till I wrap this around me lest I be wet through. To think of my having come from home without even a cap, unlucky man!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
μήπω μήπω γε πρὶν ἂν τουτὶ πτύξωμαι, μὴ καταβρεχθῶ.
τὸ δὲ μηδὲ κυνῆν οἴκοθεν ἐλθεῖν ἐμὲ τὸν κακοδαίμονʼ ἔχοντα.

[¶97] Socrates.:
Come then, ye highly honoured Clouds, for a display to this man.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἔλθετε δῆτʼ ὦ πολυτίμητοι Νεφέλαι τῷδʼ εἰς ἐπίδειξιν·

[¶98] Whether ye are sitting upon the sacred snow-covered summits of Olympus, or in the gardens of Father Ocean form a sacred dance with the Nymphs, or draw in golden pitchers the streams of the waters of the Nile, or inhabit the Maeotic lake, or the snowy rock of Mimas, hearken to our prayer, and receive the sacrifice, and be propitious to the sacred rites.
The following song is heard at a distance, accompanied by loud claps of thunder.

> Greek: εἴτʼ ἐπʼ Ὀλύμπου κορυφαῖς ἱεραῖς χιονοβλήτοισι κάθησθε,
εἴτʼ Ὠκεανοῦ πατρὸς ἐν κήποις ἱερὸν χορὸν ἵστατε Νύμφαις,
εἴτʼ ἄρα Νείλου προχοαῖς ὑδάτων χρυσέαις ἀρύτεσθε πρόχοισιν,
ἢ Μαιῶτιν λίμνην ἔχετʼ ἢ σκόπελον νιφόεντα Μίμαντος·
ὑπακούσατε δεξάμεναι θυσίαν καὶ τοῖς ἱεροῖσι χαρεῖσαι.

[¶99] Chorus.:
Eternal Clouds! Let us arise to view with our dewy, clear-bright nature, from loud-sounding Father Ocean to the wood-crowned summits of the lofty mountains,
in order that we may behold clearly the far-seen watch-towers, and the fruits, and the fostering, sacred earth, and the rushing sounds of the divine rivers, and the roaring, loud-sounding sea;

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀέναοι Νεφέλαι
ἀρθῶμεν φανεραὶ δροσερὰν φύσιν εὐάγητον,
πατρὸς ἀπʼ Ὠκεανοῦ βαρυαχέος
ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων κορυφὰς ἐπὶ
δενδροκόμους, ἵνα
τηλεφανεῖς σκοπιὰς ἀφορώμεθα,
καρπούς τʼ ἀρδομέναν ἱερὰν χθόνα,
καὶ ποταμῶν ζαθέων κελαδήματα,
καὶ πόντον κελάδοντα βαρύβρομον·

[¶100] for the unwearied eye of Aether sparkles with glittering rays. Come, let us shake off the watery cloud from our immortal forms and survey
the earth with far-seeing eye.

> Greek: ὄμμα γὰρ αἰθέρος ἀκάματον σελαγεῖται
μαρμαρέαις ἐν αὐγαῖς.
ἀλλʼ ἀποσεισάμεναι νέφος ὄμβριον
ἀθανάτας ἰδέας ἐπιδώμεθα
τηλεσκόπῳ ὄμματι γαῖαν.

[¶101] Socrates.:
O ye greatly venerable Clouds, ye have clearly heard me when I called. Turning to Strepsiades. Did you hear the voice, and the thunder which bellowed at the same time, feared as a god?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ὦ μέγα σεμναὶ Νεφέλαι φανερῶς ἠκούσατέ μου καλέσαντος.
ᾔσθου φωνῆς ἅμα καὶ βροντῆς μυκησαμένης θεοσέπτου;

[¶102] Strepsiades.:
I too worship you, O ye highly honoured, and am inclined to reply to the thundering, so much do I tremble at them and am alarmed. And whether it be lawful, or be not lawful, I have a desire just now to ease myself.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
καὶ σέβομαί γʼ ὦ πολυτίμητοι καὶ βούλομαι ἀνταποπαρδεῖν
πρὸς τὰς βροντάς· οὕτως αὐτὰς τετρεμαίνω καὶ πεφόβημαι·
κεἰ θέμις ἐστίν, νυνί γʼ ἤδη, κεἰ μὴ θέμις ἐστί, χεσείω.

[¶103] Socrates.:
Don’t scoff, nor do what these poor-devil-poets do, but use words of good omen, for a great swarm of goddesses is in motion with their songs.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐ μὴ σκώψει μηδὲ ποιήσεις ἅπερ οἱ τρυγοδαίμονες οὗτοι,
ἀλλʼ εὐφήμει· μέγα γάρ τι θεῶν κινεῖται σμῆνος ἀοιδαῖς.

[¶104] Chorus.:
Ye rain-bringing virgins,
let us come to the fruitful land of Pallas, to view the much-loved country of Cecrops, abounding in brave men; where is reverence for sacred rites not to be divulged; where the house that receives the initiated is thrown open in holy mystic rites;
and gifts to the celestial gods; and high-roofed temples, and statues; and most sacred processions in honour of the blessed gods; and well-crowned sacrifices to the gods,
and feasts, at all seasons; and with the approach of spring the Bacchic festivity, and the rousings of melodious choruses, and the loud-sounding music of flutes.

> Greek: Χορός:
παρθένοι ὀμβροφόροι
ἔλθωμεν λιπαρὰν χθόνα Παλλάδος, εὔανδρον γᾶν
Κέκροπος ὀψόμεναι πολυήρατον·
οὗ σέβας ἀρρήτων ἱερῶν, ἵνα
μυστοδόκος δόμος
ἐν τελεταῖς ἁγίαις ἀναδείκνυται,
οὐρανίοις τε θεοῖς δωρήματα,
ναοί θʼ ὑψερεφεῖς καὶ ἀγάλματα,
καὶ πρόσοδοι μακάρων ἱερώταται,
εὐστέφανοί τε θεῶν θυσίαι θαλίαι τε,
παντοδαπαῖς ἐν ὥραις,
ἦρί τʼ ἐπερχομένῳ Βρομία χάρις,
εὐκελάδων τε χορῶν ἐρεθίσματα,
καὶ μοῦσα βαρύβρομος αὐλῶν.

[¶105] Strepsiades.:
Tell me, O Socrates, I beseech you, by Jupiter, who are these that have uttered this grand song? Are they some heroines?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
πρὸς τοῦ Διὸς ἀντιβολῶ σε φράσον, τίνες εἴσʼ ὦ Σώκρατες αὗται
αἱ φθεγξάμεναι τοῦτο τὸ σεμνόν; μῶν ἡρῷναί τινές εἰσιν;

[¶106] Socrates.:
By no means; but heavenly Clouds, great divinities to idle men; who supply us with thought and argument, and intelligence and humbug, and circumlocution, and ability to hoax, and comprehension.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἥκιστʼ ἀλλʼ οὐράνιαι Νεφέλαι μεγάλαι θεαὶ ἀνδράσιν ἀργοῖς·
αἵπερ γνώμην καὶ διάλεξιν καὶ νοῦν ἡμῖν παρέχουσιν
καὶ τερατείαν καὶ περίλεξιν καὶ κροῦσιν καὶ κατάληψιν.

[¶107] Strepsiades.:
On this account therefore my soul, having heard their voice, flutters, and already seeks to discourse subtilely, and to quibble about smoke, and having pricked a maxim with a little notion, to refute the opposite argument. So that now I eagerly desire, if by any means it be possible, to see them palpably.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἀκούσασʼ αὐτῶν τὸ φθέγμʼ ἡ ψυχή μου πεπότηται,
καὶ λεπτολογεῖν ἤδη ζητεῖ καὶ περὶ καπνοῦ στενολεσχεῖν,
καὶ γνωμιδίῳ γνώμην νύξασʼ ἑτέρῳ λόγῳ ἀντιλογῆσαι·
ὥστʼ εἴ πως ἔστιν ἰδεῖν αὐτὰς ἤδη φανερῶς ἐπιθυμῶ.

[¶108] Socrates.:
Look, then, hither, toward Mount Parnes; for now I behold them descending gently.
Strepsiades.:
Pray where? Show me.
Socrates.:
See! There they come in great numbers through the hollows and thickets; there, obliquely.
Strepsiades.:
What’s the matter? For I can’t see them.
Socrates.:
By the entrance.
Enter Chorus.
Strepsiades.:
Now at length with difficulty I just see them.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
βλέπε νυν δευρὶ πρὸς τὴν Πάρνηθʼ· ἤδη γὰρ ὁρῶ κατιούσας
ἡσυχῇ αὐτάς.
Στρεψιάδης:
φέρε ποῦ; δεῖξον.
Σωκράτης:
χωροῦσʼ αὗται πάνυ πολλαὶ
διὰ τῶν κοίλων καὶ τῶν δασέων, αὗται πλάγιαι.
Στρεψιάδης:
τί τὸ χρῆμα;
ὡς οὐ καθορῶ.
Σωκράτης:
παρὰ τὴν εἴσοδον.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἤδη νυνὶ μόλις οὕτως.

[¶109] Socrates.:
Now at length you assuredly see them, unless you have your eyes running pumpkins.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
νῦν γέ τοι ἤδη καθορᾷς αὐτάς, εἰ μὴ λημᾷς κολοκύνταις.

[¶110] Strepsiades.:
Yes, by Jupiter! O highly honoured Clouds, for now they cover all things.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
νὴ Δίʼ ἔγωγʼ, ὦ πολυτίμητοι· πάντα γὰρ ἤδη κατέχουσιν.

[¶111] Socrates.:
Did you not, however, know, nor yet consider, these to be goddesses?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ταύτας μέντοι σὺ θεὰς οὔσας οὐκ ᾔδησθʼ οὐδʼ ἐνόμιζες;

[¶112] Strepsiades.:
No, by Jupiter! But I thought them to be mist, and dew, and smoke.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ὁμίχλην καὶ δρόσον αὐτὰς ἡγούμην καὶ καπνὸν εἶναι.

[¶113] Socrates.:
For you do not know, by Jupiter! that these feed very many sophists, Thurian soothsayers, practisers of medicine, lazy-long-haired-onyx-ring-wearers, song-twisters for the cyclic dances, and meteorological quacks. They feed idle people who do nothing, because such men celebrate them in verse.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐ γὰρ μὰ Δίʼ οἶσθʼ ὁτιὴ πλείστους αὗται βόσκουσι σοφιστάς,
Θουριομάντεις ἰατροτέχνας σφραγιδονυχαργοκομήτας,
κυκλίων τε χορῶν ᾀσματοκάμπτας ἄνδρας μετεωροφένακας,
οὐδὲν δρῶντας βόσκουσʼ ἀργούς, ὅτι ταύτας μουσοποιοῦσιν.

[¶114] Strepsiades.:
For this reason, then, they introduced into their verses “the dreadful impetuosity of the moist, whirling-bright clouds”; and the “curls of hundred-headed Typho”; and the “hard-blowing tempests”; and then “aerial, moist”; “crooked-clawed birds, floating in air” and “the showers of rain from dewy Clouds.” And then, in return for these, they swallow “slices of great, fine mullets, and bird’s-flesh of thrushes.”

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἐποίουν ὑγρᾶν Νεφελᾶν στρεπταιγλᾶν δάιον ὁρμάν,
πλοκάμους θʼ ἑκατογκεφάλα Τυφῶ πρημαινούσας τε θυέλλας,
εἶτʼ ἀερίας διεράς, γαμψοὺς οἰωνοὺς ἀερονηχεῖς,
ὄμβρους θʼ ὑδάτων δροσερᾶν Νεφελᾶν· εἶτʼ ἀντʼ αὐτῶν κατέπινον
κεστρᾶν τεμάχη μεγαλᾶν ἀγαθᾶν κρέα τʼ ὀρνίθεια κιχηλᾶν.

[¶115] Socrates.:
Is it not just, however, that they should have their reward, on account of these?
Strepsiades.:
Tell me, pray, if they are really clouds, what ails them, that they resemble mortal women? For they are not such.
Socrates.:
Pray, of what nature are they?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
διὰ μέντοι τάσδʼ οὐχὶ δικαίως;
Στρεψιάδης:
λέξον δή μοι, τί παθοῦσαι,
εἴπερ νεφέλαι γʼ εἰσὶν ἀληθῶς, θνηταῖς εἴξασι γυναιξίν;
οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖναί γʼ εἰσὶ τοιαῦται.
Σωκράτης:
φέρε ποῖαι γάρ τινές εἰσιν;

[¶116] Strepsiades.:
I do not clearly know: at any rate they resemble spread-out fleeces, and not women, by Jupiter! Not a bit; for these have noses.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὐκ οἶδα σαφῶς· εἴξασιν γοῦν ἐρίοισιν πεπταμένοισιν,
κοὐχὶ γυναιξὶν μὰ Δίʼ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν· αὗται δὲ ῥῖνας ἔχουσιν.

[¶117] Socrates.:
Answer, then, whatever I ask you.
Strepsiades.:
Then say quickly what you wish.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἀπόκριναί νυν ἅττʼ ἂν ἔρωμαι.
Στρεψιάδης:
λέγε νυν ταχέως ὅ τι βούλει.

[¶118] Socrates.:
Have you ever, when you; looked up, seen a cloud like to a centaur, or a panther, or a wolf, or a bull?
Strepsiades.:
By Jupiter, have I! But what of that?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἤδη ποτʼ ἀναβλέψας εἶδες νεφέλην κενταύρῳ ὁμοίαν,
ἢ παρδάλει ἢ λύκῳ ἢ ταύρῳ;
Στρεψιάδης:
νὴ Δίʼ ἔγωγʼ. εἶτα τί τοῦτο;

[¶119] Socrates.:
They become all things, whatever they please. And then if they see a person with long hair, a wild one of these hairy fellows, like the son of Xenophantes, in derision of his folly, they liken themselves to centaurs.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
γίγνονται πάνθʼ ὅ τι βούλονται· κᾆτʼ ἢν μὲν ἴδωσι κομήτην
ἄγριόν τινα τῶν λασίων τούτων, οἷόνπερ τὸν Ξενοφάντου,
σκώπτουσαι τὴν μανίαν αὐτοῦ κενταύροις ᾔκασαν αὑτάς.

[¶120] Strepsiades.:
Why, what, if they should see Simon, a plunderer of the public property, what do they do?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί γὰρ ἢν ἅρπαγα τῶν δημοσίων κατίδωσι Σίμωνα, τί δρῶσιν;

[¶121] Socrates.:
They suddenly become wolves, showing up his disposition.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἀποφαίνουσαι τὴν φύσιν αὐτοῦ λύκοι ἐξαίφνης ἐγένοντο.

[¶122] Strepsiades.:
For this reason, then, for this reason, when they yesterday saw Cleonymus the recreant, on this account they became stags, because they saw this most cowardly fellow.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ταῦτʼ ἄρα ταῦτα Κλεώνυμον αὗται τὸν ῥίψασπιν χθὲς ἰδοῦσαι,
ὅτι δειλότατον τοῦτον ἑώρων, ἔλαφοι διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγένοντο.

[¶123] Socrates.:
And now too, because they saw Clisthenes, you observe, on this account they became women.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
καὶ νῦν γʼ ὅτι Κλεισθένη εἶδον, ὁρᾷς, διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγένοντο γυναῖκες.

[¶124] Strepsiades.:
Hail therefore, O mistresses! And now, if ever ye did to any other, to me also utter a voice reaching to heaven, O all-powerful queens.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
χαίρετε τοίνυν ὦ δέσποιναι· καὶ νῦν, εἴπερ τινὶ κἄλλῳ,
οὐρανομήκη ῥήξατε κἀμοὶ φωνήν, ὦ παμβασίλειαι.

[¶125] Chorus.:
Hail, O ancient veteran, hunter after learned speeches! And thou, O priest of most subtle trifles! Tell us what you require?

> Greek: Χορός:
χαῖρʼ ὦ πρεσβῦτα παλαιογενὲς θηρατὰ λόγων φιλομούσων,
σύ τε λεπτοτάτων λήρων ἱερεῦ, φράζε πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὅ τι χρῄζεις·

[¶126] For we would not hearken to any other of the recent meteorological sophists, except to Prodicus; to him, on account of his wisdom and intelligence; and to you, because you walk proudly in the streets, and cast your eyes askance, and endure many hardships with bare feet, and in reliance upon us lookest supercilious.

> Greek: οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἄλλῳ γʼ ὑπακούσαιμεν τῶν νῦν μετεωροσοφιστῶν
πλὴν ἢ Προδίκῳ, τῷ μὲν σοφίας καὶ γνώμης οὕνεκα, σοὶ δέ,
ὅτι βρενθύει τʼ ἐν ταῖσιν ὁδοῖς καὶ τὠφθαλμὼ παραβάλλεις,
κἀνυπόδητος κακὰ πόλλʼ ἀνέχει κἀφʼ ἡμῖν σεμνοπροσωπεῖς.

[¶127] Strepsiades.:
O Earth, what a voice! How holy and dignified and wondrous!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὦ γῆ τοῦ φθέγματος, ὡς ἱερὸν καὶ σεμνὸν καὶ τερατῶδες.

[¶128] Socrates.:
For, in fact, these alone are goddesses; and all the rest is nonsense.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
αὗται γάρ τοι μόναι εἰσὶ θεαί, τἄλλα δὲ πάντʼ ἐστὶ φλύαρος.

[¶129] Strepsiades.:
But come, by the Earth, is not Jupiter, the Olympian, a god?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὁ Ζεὺς δʼ ἡμῖν, φέρε πρὸς τῆς γῆς, οὑλύμπιος οὐ θεός ἐστιν;

[¶130] Socrates.:
What Jupiter? Do not trifle. There is no Jupiter.
Strepsiades.:
What do you say? Who rains then? For first of all explain this to me.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ποῖος Ζεύς; οὐ μὴ ληρήσεις· οὐδʼ ἔστι Ζεύς.
Στρεψιάδης:
τί λέγεις σύ;
ἀλλὰ τίς ὕει; τουτὶ γὰρ ἔμοιγʼ ἀπόφηναι πρῶτον ἁπάντων.

[¶131] Socrates.:
These to be sure. I will teach you it by powerful evidence. Come, where have you ever seen him raining at any time without Clouds? And yet he ought to rain in fine weather, and these be absent.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
αὗται δήπου· μεγάλοις δέ σʼ ἐγὼ σημείοις αὐτὸ διδάξω.
φέρε ποῦ γὰρ πώποτʼ ἄνευ Νεφελῶν ὕοντʼ ἤδη τεθέασαι;
καίτοι χρῆν αἰθρίας ὕειν αὐτόν, ταύτας δʼ ἀποδημεῖν.

[¶132] Strepsiades.:
By Apollo, of a truth you have rightly confirmed this by your present argument. And yet, before this, I really thought that Jupiter caused the rain. But tell me who is it that thunders. This makes me tremble.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
νὴ τὸν Ἀπόλλω τοῦτό γέ τοι δὴ τῷ νῦν λόγῳ εὖ προσέφυσας·
καίτοι πρότερον τὸν Δίʼ ἀληθῶς ᾤμην διὰ κοσκίνου οὐρεῖν.
ἀλλʼ ὅστις ὁ βροντῶν ἐστι φράσον· τοῦτό με ποιεῖ τετρεμαίνειν.

[¶133] Socrates.:
These, as they roll, thunder.
Strepsiades.:
In what way? you all-daring man!

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
αὗται βροντῶσι κυλινδόμεναι.
Στρεψιάδης:
τῷ τρόπῳ ὦ πάντα σὺ τολμῶν;

[¶134] Socrates.:
When they are full of much water, and are compelled to be borne along, being necessarily precipitated when full of rain, then they fall heavily upon each other and burst and clap.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ὅταν ἐμπλησθῶσʼ ὕδατος πολλοῦ κἀναγκασθῶσι φέρεσθαι,
κατακρημνάμεναι πλήρεις ὄμβρου διʼ ἀνάγκην, εἶτα βαρεῖαι
εἰς ἀλλήλας ἐμπίπτουσαι ῥήγνυνται καὶ παταγοῦσιν.

[¶135] Strepsiades.:
Who is it that compels them to borne along? Is it not Jupiter?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὁ δʼ ἀναγκάζων ἐστὶ τίς αὐτάς, οὐχ ὁ Ζεύς, ὥστε φέρεσθαι;

[¶136] Socrates.:
By no means, but aethereal Vortex.
Strepsiades.:
Vortex? It had escaped my notice that Jupiter did not exist, and that Vortex now reigned in his stead. But you have taught me nothing as yet concerning the clap and the thunder.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἥκιστʼ ἀλλʼ αἰθέριος Δῖνος.
Στρεψιάδης:
Δῖνος; τουτί μʼ ἐλελήθειν,
ὁ Ζεὺς οὐκ ὤν, ἀλλʼ ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ Δῖνος νυνὶ βασιλεύων.
ἀτὰρ οὐδέν πω περὶ τοῦ πατάγου καὶ τῆς βροντῆς μʼ ἐδίδαξας.

[¶137] Socrates.:
Have you not heard me, that I said that the Clouds, when full of moisture, dash against each other and clap by reason of their density?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐκ ἤκουσάς μου τὰς Νεφέλας ὕδατος μεστὰς ὅτι φημὶ
ἐμπιπτούσας εἰς ἀλλήλας παταγεῖν διὰ τὴν πυκνότητα;

[¶138] Strepsiades.:
Come, how am I to believe this?
Socrates.:
I’ll teach you from your own case. Were you ever, after being stuffed with broth at the Panathenaic festival, then disturbed in your belly, and did a tumult suddenly rumble through it?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
φέρε τουτὶ τῷ χρὴ πιστεύειν;
Σωκράτης:
ἀπὸ σαυτοῦ ʼγώ σε διδάξω.
ἤδη ζωμοῦ Παναθηναίοις ἐμπλησθεὶς εἶτʼ ἐταράχθης
τὴν γαστέρα, καὶ κλόνος ἐξαίφνης αὐτὴν διεκορκορύγησεν;

[¶139] Strepsiades.:
Yes, by Apollo! And immediately the little broth plays the mischief with me, and is disturbed and rumbles like thunder, and grumbles dreadfully:

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
νὴ τὸν Ἀπόλλω καὶ δεινὰ ποιεῖ γʼ εὐθύς μοι, καὶ τετάρακται
χὤσπερ βροντὴ τὸ ζωμίδιον παταγεῖ καὶ δεινὰ κέκραγεν·

[¶140] at first gently pappax, pappax; and then it adds papa-pappax; and finally, it thunders downright papapappax, as they do.

> Greek: ἀτρέμας πρῶτον παππὰξ παππάξ, κἄπειτʼ ἐπάγει παπαπαππάξ,
χὤταν χέζω, κομιδῇ βροντᾷ παπαπαππὰξ ὥσπερ ἐκεῖναι.

[¶141] Socrates.:
Consider, therefore, how you have trumpeted from a little belly so small; and how is it not probable that this air, being boundless, should thunder so loudly?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
σκέψαι τοίνυν ἀπὸ γαστριδίου τυννουτουὶ οἷα πέπορδας·
τὸν δʼ Ἀέρα τόνδʼ ὄντʼ ἀπέραντον πῶς οὐκ εἰκὸς μέγα βροντᾶν;

[¶142] Strepsiades.:
For this reason, therefore, the two names also Trump and Thunder, are similar to each other. But teach me this, whence comes the thunderbolt blazing with fire, and burns us to ashes when it smites us, and singes those who survive. For indeed Jupiter evidently hurls this at the perjured.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ταῦτʼ ἄρα καὶ τὠνόματʼ ἀλλήλοιν βροντὴ καὶ πορδὴ ὁμοίω.
ἀλλʼ ὁ κεραυνὸς πόθεν αὖ φέρεται λάμπων πυρί, τοῦτο δίδαξον,
καὶ καταφρύγει βάλλων ἡμᾶς, τοὺς δὲ ζῶντας περιφλύει;
τοῦτον γὰρ δὴ φανερῶς ὁ Ζεὺς ἵησʼ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐπιόρκους.

[¶143] Socrates.:
Why, how then, you foolish person, and savouring of the dark ages and antediluvian, if his manner is to smite the perjured, does he not blast Simon,
and Cleonymus, and Theorus? And yet they are very perjured. But he smites his own temple, and Sunium the promontory of Athens, and the tall oaks. Wherefore, for indeed an oak does not commit perjury.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
καὶ πῶς ὦ μῶρε σὺ καὶ Κρονίων ὄζων καὶ βεκκεσέληνε,
εἴπερ βάλλει τοὺς ἐπιόρκους, δῆτʼ οὐχὶ Σίμωνʼ ἐνέπρησεν
οὐδὲ Κλεώνυμον οὐδὲ Θέωρον; καίτοι σφόδρα γʼ εἴσʼ ἐπίορκοι·
ἀλλὰ τὸν αὑτοῦ γε νεὼν βάλλει καὶ Σούνιον ἄκρον Ἀθηνέων
καὶ τὰς δρῦς τὰς μεγάλας· τί μαθών; οὐ γὰρ δὴ δρῦς γʼ ἐπιορκεῖ.

[¶144] Strepsiades.:
I do not know; but you seem to speak well. For what, pray, is the thunderbolt?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀτὰρ εὖ σὺ λέγειν φαίνει. τί γάρ ἐστιν δῆθʼ ὁ κεραυνός;

[¶145] Socrates.:
When a dry wind, having been raised aloft, is inclosed in these Clouds, it inflates them within, like a bladder; and then, of necessity, having burst them, it rushes out with vehemence by reason of its density, setting fire to itself through its rushing and impetuosity.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ὅταν ἐς ταύτας ἄνεμος ξηρὸς μετεωρισθεὶς κατακλῃσθῇ,
ἔνδοθεν αὐτὰς ὥσπερ κύστιν φυσᾷ, κἄπειθʼ ὑπʼ ἀνάγκης
ῥήξας αὐτὰς ἔξω φέρεται σοβαρὸς διὰ τὴν πυκνότητα,
ὑπὸ τοῦ ῥοίβδου καὶ τῆς ῥύμης αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν κατακάων.

[¶146] Strepsiades.:
By Jupiter, of a truth I once experienced this exactly at the Diasian festival! I was roasting a haggis for my kinsfolk, and through neglect I did not cut it open; but it became inflated and then suddenly bursting, befouled my eyes and burned my face.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
νὴ Δίʼ ἐγὼ γοῦν ἀτεχνῶς ἔπαθον τουτί ποτε Διασίοισιν
ὀπτῶν γαστέρα τοῖς συγγενέσιν, κᾆτʼ οὐκ ἔσχων ἀμελήσας·
ἡ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐφυσᾶτʼ, εἶτʼ ἐξαίφνης διαλακήσασα πρὸς αὐτὼ
τὠφθαλμώ μου προσετίλησεν καὶ κατέκαυσεν τὸ πρόσωπον.

[¶147] Chorus.:
O mortal, who hast desired great wisdom from us! How happy will you become among the Athenians and among the Greeks, if you be possessed of a good memory, and be a deep thinker, and endurance of labour be implanted
in your soul, and you be not wearied either by standing or walking, nor be exceedingly vexed at shivering with cold, nor long to break your fast, and you refrain from wine, and gymnastics, and the other follies, and consider this the highest excellence, as is proper a clever man should, to conquer by action and counsel, and by battling with your tongue.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ τῆς μεγάλης ἐπιθυμήσας σοφίας ἄνθρωπε παρʼ ἡμῶν,
ὡς εὐδαίμων ἐν Ἀθηναίοις καὶ τοῖς Ἕλλησι γενήσει,
εἰ μνήμων εἶ καὶ φροντιστὴς καὶ τὸ ταλαίπωρον ἔνεστιν
ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ μὴ κάμνεις μήθʼ ἑστὼς μήτε βαδίζων,
μήτε ῥιγῶν ἄχθει λίαν μήτʼ ἀριστᾶν ἐπιθυμεῖς,
οἴνου τʼ ἀπέχει καὶ γυμνασίων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀνοήτων,
καὶ βέλτιστον τοῦτο νομίζεις, ὅπερ εἰκὸς δεξιὸν ἄνδρα,
νικᾶν πράττων καὶ βουλεύων καὶ τῇ γλώττῃ πολεμίζων.

[¶148] Strepsiades.:
As far as regards a sturdy spirit, and care that makes one’s bed uneasy, and a frugal spirit and hard-living and savory-eating belly, be of good courage and don’t trouble yourself; I would offer myself to hammer on, for that matter.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ οὕνεκά γε ψυχῆς στερρᾶς δυσκολοκοίτου τε μερίμνης
καὶ φειδωλοῦ καὶ τρυσιβίου γαστρὸς καὶ θυμβρεπιδείπνου,
ἀμέλει θαρρῶν οὕνεκα τούτων ἐπιχαλκεύειν παρέχοιμʼ ἄν.

[¶149] Socrates.:
Will you not, pray, now believe in no god, except what we believe in--this Chaos, and the Clouds, and the Tongue--these three?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἄλλο τι δῆτʼ οὖν νομιεῖς ἤδη θεὸν οὐδένα πλὴν ἅπερ ἡμεῖς,
τὸ Χάος τουτὶ καὶ τὰς Νεφέλας καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν, τρία ταυτί;

[¶150] Strepsiades.:
Absolutely I would not even converse with the others, not even if I met them; nor would I sacrifice to them, nor make libations, nor offer frankincense.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὐδʼ ἂν διαλεχθείην γʼ ἀτεχνῶς τοῖς ἄλλοις οὐδʼ ἂν ἀπαντῶν·
οὐδʼ ἂν θύσαιμʼ, οὐδʼ ἂν σπείσαιμʼ, οὐδʼ ἐπιθείην λιβανωτόν.

[¶151] Chorus.:
Tell us then boldly, what we must do for you? For you shall not fail in getting it, if you honour and admire us, and seek to become clever.

> Greek: Χορός:
λέγε νυν ἡμῖν ὅ τι σοι δρῶμεν θαρρῶν, ὡς οὐκ ἀτυχήσεις
ἡμᾶς τιμῶν καὶ θαυμάζων καὶ ζητῶν δεξιὸς εἶναι.

[¶152] Strepsiades.:
O mistresses, I request of you then this very small favour, that I be the best of the Greeks in speaking by a hundred stadia.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὦ δέσποιναι δέομαι τοίνυν ὑμῶν τουτὶ πάνυ μικρόν,
τῶν Ἑλλήνων εἶναί με λέγειν ἑκατὸν σταδίοισιν ἄριστον.

[¶153] Chorus.:
Well, you shall have this from us, so that hence-forward from this time no one shall get more opinions passed in the public assemblies than you.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ἔσται σοι τοῦτο παρʼ ἡμῶν· ὥστε τὸ λοιπόν γʼ ἀπὸ τουδὶ
ἐν τῷ δήμῳ γνώμας οὐδεὶς νικήσει πλείονας ἢ σύ.

[¶154] Strepsiades.:
Grant me not to deliver important opinions; for I do not desire these, but only to pervert the right for my own advantage, and to evade my creditors.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
μὴ ʼμοί γε λέγειν γνώμας μεγάλας· οὐ γὰρ τούτων ἐπιθυμῶ,
ἀλλʼ ὅσʼ ἐμαυτῷ στρεψοδικῆσαι καὶ τοὺς χρήστας διολισθεῖν.

[¶155] Chorus.:
Then you shall obtain what you desire; for you do not covet great things. But commit yourself without fear to our ministers.

> Greek: Χορός:
τεύξει τοίνυν ὧν ἱμείρεις· οὐ γὰρ μεγάλων ἐπιθυμεῖς.
ἀλλὰ σεαυτὸν θαρρῶν παράδος τοῖς ἡμετέροις προπόλοισιν.

[¶156] Strepsiades.:
I will do so in reliance upon you, for necessity oppresses me, on account of the blood-horses, and the marriage that ruined me. Now, therefore, let them use me as they please.
I give up this body to them to be beaten, to be hungered, to be troubled with thirst, to be squalid, to shiver with cold, to flay into a leathern bottle,
if I shall escape clear from my debts, and appear to men to be bold, glib of tongue, audacious, impudent, shameless, a fabricator of falsehoods, inventive of words, a practiced knave in lawsuits, a law-tablet, a thorough rattle, a fox, a sharper, a slippery knave, a dissembler, a slippery fellow, an impostor,
a gallows-bird, a blackguard, a twister, a troublesome fellow, a licker-up of hashes. If they call me this, when they meet me, let them do to me absolutely what they please. And if they like,
by Ceres, let them serve up a sausage out of me to the deep thinkers.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
δράσω ταῦθʼ ὑμῖν πιστεύσας· ἡ γὰρ ἀνάγκη με πιέζει
διὰ τοὺς ἵππους τοὺς κοππατίας καὶ τὸν γάμον ὅς μʼ ἐπέτριψεν.
νῦν οὖν ἀτεχνῶς ὅ τι βούλονται
τουτὶ τοὐμὸν σῶμʼ αὐτοῖσιν
παρέχω, τύπτειν πεινῆν διψῆν
αὐχμεῖν ῥιγῶν ἀσκὸν δείρειν,
εἴπερ τὰ χρέα διαφευξοῦμαι,
τοῖς τʼ ἀνθρώποις εἶναι δόξω
θρασὺς εὔγλωττος τολμηρὸς ἴτης
βδελυρὸς ψευδῶν συγκολλητὴς
εὑρησιεπὴς περίτριμμα δικῶν
κύρβις κρόταλον κίναδος τρύμη
μάσθλης εἴρων γλοιὸς ἀλαζὼν
κέντρων μιαρὸς στρόφις ἀργαλέος
ματιολοιχός·
ταῦτʼ εἴ με καλοῦσʼ ἁπαντῶντες,
δρώντων ἀτεχνῶς ὅ τι χρῄζουσιν,
κεἰ βούλονται
νὴ τὴν Δήμητρʼ ἔκ μου χορδὴν
τοῖς φροντισταῖς παραθέντων.

[¶157] Chorus.:
This man has a spirit not void of courage, but prompt. Know, that if you learn these matters from me, you will possess among mortals a glory as high as heaven.

> Greek: Χορός:
λῆμα μὲν πάρεστι τῷδέ γʼ
οὐκ ἄτολμον ἀλλʼ ἕτοιμον. ἴσθι δʼ ὡς
ταῦτα μαθὼν παρʼ ἐμοῦ κλέος οὐρανόμηκες
ἐν βροτοῖσιν ἕξεις.

[¶158] Strepsiades.:
What shall I experience?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί πείσομαι;

[¶159] Chorus.:
You shall pass with me the most enviable of mortal lives the whole time.

> Greek: Χορός:
τὸν πάντα χρόνον μετʼ ἐμοῦ
ζηλωτότατον βίον ἀνθρώπων διάξεις.

[¶160] Strepsiades.:
Shall I then ever see this?
Chorus.:
Yea, so that many be always seated at your gates, wishing to communicate with you and come to a conference with you, to consult with you as to actions and affidavits of many talents, as is worthy of your abilities.
To Socrates.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἆρά γε τοῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἐγώ ποτʼ
ὄψομαι;
Χορός:
ὥστε γέ σου πολλοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖσι θύραις ἀεὶ καθῆσθαι,
βουλομένους ἀνακοινοῦσθαί τε καὶ ἐς λόγον ἐλθεῖν
πράγματα κἀντιγραφὰς πολλῶν ταλάντων,
ἄξια σῇ φρενὶ συμβουλευσομένους μετὰ σοῦ.

[¶161] Chorus.:
But attempt to teach the old man by degrees whatever you purpose, and scrutinize his intellect, and make trial of his mind.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ἐγχείρει τὸν πρεσβύτην ὅ τι περ μέλλεις προδιδάσκειν,
καὶ διακίνει τὸν νοῦν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς γνώμης ἀποπειρῶ.

[¶162] Socrates.:
Come now, tell me your own turn of mind; in order that, when I know of what sort it is, I may now, after this, apply to you new engines.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἄγε δὴ κάτειπέ μοι σὺ τὸν σαυτοῦ τρόπον,
ἵνʼ αὐτὸν εἰδὼς ὅστις ἐστὶ μηχανὰς
ἤδη ʼπὶ τούτοις πρὸς σὲ καινὰς προσφέρω.

[¶163] Strepsiades.:
What? By the gods, do you purpose to besiege me?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί δέ; τειχομαχεῖν μοι διανοεῖ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν;

[¶164] Socrates.:
No; I wish to briefly learn from you if you are possessed of a good memory.
Strepsiades.:
In two ways, by Jove! If anything be owing to me, I have a very good memory; but if I owe unhappy man, I am very forgetful.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ βραχέα σου πυθέσθαι βούλομαι.
ἦ μνημονικὸς εἶ;
Στρεψιάδης:
δύο τρόπω νὴ τὸν Δία·
ἢν μὲν γὰρ ὀφείληταί τί μοι, μνήμων πάνυ·
ἐὰν δʼ ὀφείλω, σχέτλιος, ἐπιλήσμων πάνυ.

## 2. Lines 486–1001

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-clouds/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/aristophanes-clouds/2/#p-N

[¶0] Socrates.:
Is the power of speaking, pray, implanted in your nature?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἔνεστι δῆτα μανθάνειν ἐν τῇ φύσει;

[¶1] Strepsiades.:
Speaking is not in me, but cheating is.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
λέγειν μὲν οὐκ ἔνεστʼ, ἀποστερεῖν δʼ ἔνι.

[¶2] Socrates.:
How, then, will you be able to learn?
Strepsiades.:
Excellently, of course.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
πῶς οὖν δυνήσει μανθάνειν;
Στρεψιάδης:
ἀμέλει καλῶς.

[¶3] Socrates.:
Come, then, take care that, whenever I propound any clever dogma about abstruse matters, you catch it up immediately.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἄγε νυν ὅπως, ὅταν τι προβάλλω σοι σοφὸν
περὶ τῶν μετεώρων, εὐθέως ὑφαρπάσει.

[¶4] Strepsiades.:
What then? Am I to feed upon wisdom like a dog?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί δαί; κυνηδὸν τὴν σοφίαν σιτήσομαι;

[¶5] Socrates.:
This man is ignorant and brutish--I fear, old man, lest you will need blows. Come, let me see; what do you do if any one beat you?
Strepsiades.:
I take the beating; and then, when I have waited a little while, I call witnesses to prove it; then again, after a short interval, I go to law.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἄνθρωπος ἀμαθὴς οὑτοσὶ καὶ βάρβαρος.
δέδοικά σʼ ὦ πρεσβῦτα μὴ πληγῶν δέει.
φέρʼ ἴδω τί δρᾷς, ἤν τίς σε τύπτῃ;
Στρεψιάδης:
τύπτομαι,
ἔπειτʼ ἐπισχὼν ὀλίγον ἐπιμαρτύρομαι,
εἶτʼ αὖθις ἀκαρῆ διαλιπὼν δικάζομαι.

[¶6] Socrates.:
Come, then, lay down your cloak.
Strepsiades.:
Have I done any wrong?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἴθι νυν κατάθου θοἰμάτιον.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἠδίκηκά τι;

[¶7] Socrates.:
No; but it is the rule to enter naked.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ γυμνοὺς εἰσιέναι νομίζεται.

[¶8] Strepsiades.:
But I do not enter to search for stolen goods.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ φωράσων ἔγωγʼ εἰσέρχομαι.

[¶9] Socrates.:
Lay it down. Why do you talk nonsense?
Strepsiades.:
Now tell me this, pray.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
κατάθου. τί ληρεῖς;
Στρεψιάδης:
εἰπὲ δή νύν μοι·
Σωκράτης:
τὸ τί;

[¶10] If I be diligent and learn zealously, to which of your disciples shall I become like?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἢν ἐπιμελὴς ὦ καὶ προθύμως μανθάνω,
τῷ τῶν μαθητῶν ἐμφερὴς γενήσομαι;

[¶11] Socrates.:
You will no way differ from Chaerephon in intellect.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐδὲν διοίσεις Χαιρεφῶντος τὴν φύσιν.

[¶12] Strepsiades.:
Ah me, unhappy! I shall become half-dead.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οἴμοι κακοδαίμων ἡμιθνὴς γενήσομαι.

[¶13] Socrates.:
Don’t chatter; but quickly follow me hither with smartness.
Strepsiades.:
Then give me first into my hands a honeyed cake; for I am afraid of descending within, as if into the cave of Trophonius.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐ μὴ λαλήσεις, ἀλλʼ ἀκολουθήσεις ἐμοὶ
ἀνύσας τι δευρὶ θᾶττον;
Στρεψιάδης:
ἐς τὼ χεῖρέ νυν
δός μοι μελιτοῦτταν πρότερον· ὡς δέδοικʼ ἐγὼ
εἴσω καταβαίνων ὥσπερ ἐς Τροφωνίου.

[¶14] Socrates.:
Proceed; why do you keep poking about the door?
Exeunt Socrates and Strepsiades.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
χώρει· τί κυπτάζεις ἔχων περὶ τὴν θύραν;

[¶15] Chorus.:
Well, go in peace, for the sake of this your valour. May prosperity attend the man, because, being advanced into the vale of years,
he imbues his intellect with modern subjects, and cultivates wisdom!
Turning to the audience.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ἴθι χαίρων τῆς ἀνδρείας
οὕνεκα ταύτης.
εὐτυχία γένοιτο τἀνθρώπῳ,
ὅτι προήκων
ἐς βαθὺ τῆς ἡλικίας
νεωτέροις τὴν φύσιν αὑτοῦ
πράγμασιν χρωτίζεται
καὶ σοφίαν ἐπασκεῖ.

[¶16] Chorus.:
Spectators, I will freely declare to you the truth, by Bacchus, who nurtured me!

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ θεώμενοι κατερῶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλευθέρως
τἀληθῆ νὴ τὸν Διόνυσον τὸν ἐκθρέψαντά με.

[¶17] So may I conquer, and be accounted skillful, as that, deeming you to be clever spectators, and this to be the cleverest of my comedies, I thought proper to let you first taste that comedy, which gave me the greatest labour. And then I retired from the contest defeated by vulgar fellows,
though I did not deserve it. These things, therefore, I object to you, a learned audience, for whose sake I was expending this labour. But not even thus will I ever willingly desert the discerning portion of you. For since what time my Modest Man and my Rake were very highly praised here by an audience, with whom it is a pleasure even to hold converse, and I (for I was still a virgin, and it was not lawful for me as yet to have children)
exposed my offspring, and another girl took it up, and owned it, and you generously reared and educated it, from this time I have had sure pledges of your good will toward me. Now, therefore, like that well-known Electra, has this comedy come seeking,
if haply it meet with an audience so clever, for it will recognize, if it should see, the lock of its brother. But see how modest she is by nature, who, in the first place, has come, having stitched to her no leathern phallus hanging down, red at the top, and thick, to set the boys a laughing;

> Greek: οὕτω νικήσαιμί τʼ ἐγὼ καὶ νομιζοίμην σοφός,
ὡς ὑμᾶς ἡγούμενος εἶναι θεατὰς δεξιοὺς
καὶ ταύτην σοφώτατʼ ἔχειν τῶν ἐμῶν κωμῳδιῶν,
πρώτους ἠξίωσʼ ἀναγεῦσʼ ὑμᾶς, ἣ παρέσχε μοι
ἔργον πλεῖστον· εἶτʼ ἀνεχώρουν ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν φορτικῶν
ἡττηθεὶς οὐκ ἄξιος ὤν· ταῦτʼ οὖν ὑμῖν μέμφομαι
τοῖς σοφοῖς, ὧν οὕνεκʼ ἐγὼ ταῦτʼ ἐπραγματευόμην.
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὣς ὑμῶν ποθʼ ἑκὼν προδώσω τοὺς δεξιούς.
ἐξ ὅτου γὰρ ἐνθάδʼ ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν, οἷς ἡδὺ καὶ λέγειν,
ὁ σώφρων τε χὠ καταπύγων ἄριστʼ ἠκουσάτην,
κἀγώ, παρθένος γὰρ ἔτʼ ἦν, κοὐκ ἐξῆν πώ μοι τεκεῖν,
ἐξέθηκα, παῖς δʼ ἑτέρα τις λαβοῦσʼ ἀνείλετο,
ὑμεῖς δʼ ἐξεθρέψατε γενναίως κἀπαιδεύσατε·
ἐκ τούτου μοι πιστὰ παρʼ ὑμῖν γνώμης ἔσθʼ ὅρκια.
νῦν οὖν Ἠλέκτραν κατʼ ἐκείνην ἥδʼ ἡ κωμῳδία
ζητοῦσʼ ἦλθʼ, ἤν που ʼπιτύχῃ θεαταῖς οὕτω σοφοῖς·
γνώσεται γάρ, ἤνπερ ἴδῃ, τἀδελφοῦ τὸν βόστρυχον.
ὡς δὲ σώφρων ἐστὶ φύσει σκέψασθʼ· ἥτις πρῶτα μὲν
οὐδὲν ἦλθε ῥαψαμένη σκυτίον καθειμένον
ἐρυθρὸν ἐξ ἄκρου παχύ, τοῖς παιδίοις ἵνʼ ᾖ γέλως·

[¶18] nor yet jeered the bald-headed, nor danced the cordax; nor does the old man who speaks the verses beat the person near him with his staff, keeping out of sight wretched ribaldry; nor has she rushed in with torches, nor does she shout iou, iou; but has come relying on herself and her verses.

> Greek: οὐδʼ ἔσκωψε τοὺς φαλακρούς, οὐδὲ κόρδαχʼ εἵλκυσεν,
οὐδὲ πρεσβύτης ὁ λέγων τἄπη τῇ βακτηρίᾳ
τύπτει τὸν παρόντʼ ἀφανίζων πονηρὰ σκώμματα,
οὐδʼ εἰσῇξε δᾷδας ἔχουσʼ, οὐδʼ ἰοὺ ἰοὺ βοᾷ,
ἀλλʼ αὑτῇ καὶ τοῖς ἔπεσιν πιστεύουσʼ ἐλήλυθεν.

[¶19] And I, although so excellent a poet, do not give myself airs, nor do I seek to deceive you by twice and thrice bringing forward the same pieces; but I am always clever at introducing new fashions, not at all resembling each other, and all of them clever; who struck Cleon in the belly when at the height of his power,
and could not bear to attack him afterward when he was down. But these scribblers, when once Hyperbolus has given them a handle, keep ever trampling on this wretched man and his mother. Eupolis, indeed, first of all craftily introduced his Maricas, having basely, base fellow, spoiled by altering my play of the Knights,
having added to it, for the sake of the cordax, a drunken old woman, whom Phrynichus long ago poetized, whom the whale was for devouring. Then again Hermippus made verses on Hyperbolus; and now all others press hard upon Hyperbolus, imitating my simile of the eels.

> Greek: κἀγὼ μὲν τοιοῦτος ἀνὴρ ὢν ποιητὴς οὐ κομῶ,
οὐδʼ ὑμᾶς ζητῶ ʼξαπατᾶν δὶς καὶ τρὶς ταὔτʼ εἰσάγων,
ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ καινὰς ἰδέας ἐσφέρων σοφίζομαι,
οὐδὲν ἀλλήλαισιν ὁμοίας καὶ πάσας δεξιάς·
ὃς μέγιστον ὄντα Κλέωνʼ ἔπαισʼ ἐς τὴν γαστέρα,
κοὐκ ἐτόλμησʼ αὖθις ἐπεμπηδῆσʼ αὐτῷ κειμένῳ.
οὗτοι δʼ, ὡς ἅπαξ παρέδωκεν λαβὴν Ὑπέρβολος,
τοῦτον δείλαιον κολετρῶσʼ ἀεὶ καὶ τὴν μητέρα.
Εὔπολις μὲν τὸν Μαρικᾶν πρώτιστον παρείλκυσεν
ἐκστρέψας τοὺς ἡμετέρους Ἱππέας κακὸς κακῶς,
προσθεὶς αὐτῷ γραῦν μεθύσην τοῦ κόρδακος οὕνεχʼ, ἣν
Φρύνιχος πάλαι πεποίηχʼ, ἣν τὸ κῆτος ἤσθιεν.
εἶθʼ Ἕρμιππος αὖθις ἐποίησεν εἰς Ὑπέρβολον,
ἄλλοι τʼ ἤδη πάντες ἐρείδουσιν εἰς Ὑπέρβολον,
τὰς εἰκοὺς τῶν ἐγχέλεων τὰς ἐμὰς μιμούμενοι.

[¶20] Whoever, therefore, laughs at these, let him not take pleasure in my attempts; but if you are delighted with me and my inventions, in times to come you will seem to be wise.

> Greek: ὅστις οὖν τούτοισι γελᾷ, τοῖς ἐμοῖς μὴ χαιρέτω·
ἢν δʼ ἐμοὶ καὶ τοῖσιν ἐμοῖς εὐφραίνησθʼ εὑρήμασιν,
ἐς τὰς ὥρας τὰς ἑτέρας εὖ φρονεῖν δοκήσετε.

[¶21] Chorus.:
I first invoke, to join our choral band, the mighty Jupiter, ruling on high,
the monarch of gods; and the potent master of the trident, the fierce upheaver of earth and briny sea; and our father of great renown,
most august Aether, life-supporter of all; and the horse-guider, who fills the plain of the earth with exceeding bright beams, a mighty deity among gods and mortals.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὑψιμέδοντα μὲν θεῶν
Ζῆνα τύραννον ἐς χορὸν
πρῶτα μέγαν κικλήσκω·
τόν τε μεγασθενῆ τριαίνης ταμίαν,
γῆς τε καὶ ἁλμυρᾶς θαλάσσης ἄγριον μοχλευτήν·
καὶ μεγαλώνυμον ἡμέτερον πατέρʼ
Αἰθέρα σεμνότατον βιοθρέμμονα πάντων·
τόν θʼ ἱππονώμαν, ὃς ὑπερλάμπροις
ἀκτῖσιν κατέχει
γῆς πέδον μέγας ἐν θεοῖς
ἐν θνητοῖσί τε δαίμων.

[¶22] Chorus.:
Most clever spectators, come, give us your attention; for having been injured, we blame you to your faces. For though we benefit the state most of all the gods, to us alone of the deities you do not offer sacrifice nor yet pour libations, who watch over you. For if there should be any expedition
without prudence, then we either thunder or drizzle small rain. And then, when you were for choosing as your general the Paphlagonian tanner, hateful to the gods, we contracted our brows and were enraged; and thunder burst through the lightning; and the Moon forsook her usual paths; and the Sun
immediately drew in his wick to himself, and declared he would not give you light, if Cleon should be your general. Nevertheless you chose him. For they say that ill counsel is in this city; that the gods, however, turn all these your mismanagements to a prosperous issue.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ σοφώτατοι θεαταὶ δεῦρο τὸν νοῦν προσέχετε.
ἠδικημέναι γὰρ ὑμῖν μεμφόμεσθʼ ἐναντίον·
πλεῖστα γὰρ θεῶν ἁπάντων ὠφελούσαις τὴν πόλιν,
δαιμόνων ἡμῖν μόναις οὐ θύετʼ οὐδὲ σπένδετε,
αἵτινες τηροῦμεν ὑμᾶς. ἢν γὰρ ᾖ τις ἔξοδος
μηδενὶ ξὺν νῷ, τότʼ ἢ βροντῶμεν ἢ ψακάζομεν.
εἶτα τὸν θεοῖσιν ἐχθρὸν βυρσοδέψην Παφλαγόνα
ἡνίχʼ ᾑρεῖσθε στρατηγόν, τὰς ὀφρῦς συνήγομεν
κἀποιοῦμεν δεινά, βροντὴ δʼ ἐρράγη διʼ ἀστραπῆς·
ἡ σελήνη δʼ ἐξέλειπε τὰς ὁδούς, ὁ δʼ ἥλιος
τὴν θρυαλλίδʼ εἰς ἑαυτὸν εὐθέως ξυνελκύσας
οὐ φανεῖν ἔφασκεν ὑμῖν, εἰ στρατηγήσει Κλέων.
ἀλλʼ ὅμως εἵλεσθε τοῦτον. φασὶ γὰρ δυσβουλίαν
τῇδε τῇ πόλει προσεῖναι, ταῦτα μέντοι τοὺς θεοὺς
ἅττʼ ἂν ὑμεῖς ἐξαμάρτητʼ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον τρέπειν.

[¶23] And how this also shall be advantageous, we will easily teach you. If you should convict the cormorant Cleon of bribery and embezzlement, and then make fast his neck in the stocks, the affair will turn out for the state to the ancient form again, if you have mismanaged in any way, and to a prosperous issue.

> Greek: ὡς δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ξυνοίσει ῥᾳδίως διδάξομεν·
ἢν Κλέωνα τὸν λάρον δώρων ἑλόντες καὶ κλοπῆς
εἶτα φιμώσητε τούτου τῷ ξύλῳ τὸν αὐχένα,
αὖθις ἐς τἀρχαῖον ὑμῖν, εἴ τι κἀξημάρτετε,
ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον τὸ πρᾶγμα τῇ πόλει συνοίσεται.

[¶24] Chorus.:
Hear me again, King Phoebus, Delian Apollo, who inhabitest the high-peaked Cynthian rock! And thou, blessed goddess, who inhabitest the all-golden house of Ephesus,
in which Lydian damsels greatly reverence thee; and thou, our national goddess, swayer of the aegis, Minerva, guardian of the city! And thou, reveler Bacchus, who, inhabiting the Parnassian rock, sparklest with torches,
conspicuous among the Delphic Bacchanals!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀμφί μοι αὖτε Φοῖβʼ ἄναξ
Δήλιε Κυνθίαν ἔχων
ὑψικέρατα πέτραν,
ἥ τʼ Ἐφέσου μάκαιρα πάγχρυσον ἔχεις
οἶκον ἐν ᾧ κόραι σε Λυδῶν μεγάλως σέβουσιν,
ἥ τʼ ἐπιχώριος ἡμετέρα θεὸς
αἰγίδος ἡνίοχος πολιοῦχος Ἀθάνα,
Παρνασσίαν θʼ ὃς κατέχων
πέτραν σὺν πεύκαις σελαγεῖ
Βάκχαις Δελφίσιν ἐμπρέπων,
κωμαστὴς Διόνυσος.

[¶25] Chorus.:
When we had got ready to set out hither, the Moon met us, and commanded us first to greet the Athenians and their allies;

> Greek: Χορός:
ἡνίχʼ ἡμεῖς δεῦρʼ ἀφορμᾶσθαι παρεσκευάσμεθα,
ἡ σελήνη συντυχοῦσʼ ἡμῖν ἐπέστειλεν φράσαι,
πρῶτα μὲν χαίρειν Ἀθηναίοισι καὶ τοῖς ξυμμάχοις·

[¶26] and then declared that she was angry, for that she had suffered dreadful things, though she benefits you all, not in words, but openly. In the first place, not less than a drachma every month for torches; so that also all, when they went out of an evening, were wont to say, “Boy, don’t buy a torch, for the moonlight is beautiful.”

> Greek: εἶτα θυμαίνειν ἔφασκε· δεινὰ γὰρ πεπονθέναι
ὠφελοῦσʼ ὑμᾶς ἅπαντας οὐ λόγοις ἀλλʼ ἐμφανῶς.
πρῶτα μὲν τοῦ μηνὸς ἐς δᾷδʼ οὐκ ἔλαττον ἢ δραχμήν,
ὥστε καὶ λέγειν ἅπαντας ἐξιόντας ἑσπέρας,
μὴ πρίῃ παῖ δᾷδʼ, ἐπειδὴ φῶς σεληναίας καλόν.

[¶27] And she says she confers other benefits on you, but that you do not observe the days at all correctly, but confuse them up and down; so that she says the gods are constantly threatening her, when they are defrauded of their dinner, and depart home, not having met with the regular feast according to the number of the days.

> Greek: ἄλλα τʼ εὖ δρᾶν φησιν, ὑμᾶς δʼ οὐκ ἄγειν τὰς ἡμέρας
οὐδὲν ὀρθῶς, ἀλλʼ ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω κυδοιδοπᾶν·
ὥστʼ ἀπειλεῖν φησιν αὐτῇ τοὺς θεοὺς ἑκάστοτε
ἡνίκʼ ἂν ψευσθῶσι δείπνου κἀπίωσιν οἴκαδε,
τῆς ἑορτῆς μὴ τυχόντες κατὰ λόγον τῶν ἡμερῶν.

[¶28] And then, when you ought to be sacrificing, you are inflicting tortures and litigating. And often, while we gods are observing a fast, when we mourn for Memnon or Sarpedon, you are pouring libations and laughing. For which reason Hyperbolus, having obtained the lot this year to be Hieromnemon, was afterward deprived by us gods
of his crown; for thus he will know better that he ought to spend the days of his life according to the Moon.
Enter Socrates.

> Greek: κᾆθʼ ὅταν θύειν δέῃ, στρεβλοῦτε καὶ δικάζετε·
πολλάκις δʼ ἡμῶν ἀγόντων τῶν θεῶν ἀπαστίαν,
ἡνίκʼ ἂν πενθῶμεν ἢ τὸν Μέμνονʼ ἢ Σαρπηδόνα,
σπένδεθʼ ὑμεῖς καὶ γελᾶτʼ· ἀνθʼ ὧν λαχὼν Ὑπέρβολος
τῆτες ἱερομνημονεῖν, κἄπειθʼ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν τῶν θεῶν
τὸν στέφανον ἀφῃρέθη· μᾶλλον γὰρ οὕτως εἴσεται
κατὰ σελήνην ὡς ἄγειν χρὴ τοῦ βίου τὰς ἡμέρας.

[¶29] Socrates.:
By Respiration, and Chaos, and Air, I have not seen any man so boorish, nor so impracticable, nor so stupid, nor so forgetful;

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
μὰ τὴν Ἀναπνοὴν μὰ τὸ Χάος μὰ τὸν Ἀέρα
οὐκ εἶδον οὕτως ἄνδρʼ ἄγροικον οὐδένα
οὐδʼ ἄπορον οὐδὲ σκαιὸν οὐδʼ ἐπιλήσμονα·

[¶30] who, while learning some little petty quibbles, forgets them before he has learned them. Nevertheless I will certainly call him out here to the light. Where is Strepsiades? Come forth with your couch.

> Greek: ὅστις σκαλαθυρμάτιʼ ἄττα μικρὰ μανθάνων
ταῦτʼ ἐπιλέλησται πρὶν μαθεῖν· ὅμως γε μὴν
αὐτὸν καλῶ θύραζε δευρὶ πρὸς τὸ φῶς.
ποῦ Στρεψιάδης; ἔξει τὸν ἀσκάντην λαβών;

[¶31] Strepsiades.:
(from within). The bugs do not permit me to bring it forth.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐῶσί μʼ ἐξενεγκεῖν οἱ κόρεις.

[¶32] Socrates.:
Make haste and lay it down; and give me your attention.
Enter Strepsiades.
Strepsiades.:
Very well.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἀνύσας τι κατάθου καὶ πρόσεχε τὸν νοῦν.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἰδού.

[¶33] Socrates.:
Come now; what do you now wish to learn first of those things in none of which you have ever been instructed? Tell me. About measures, or rhythms, or verses?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἄγε δὴ τί βούλει πρῶτα νυνὶ μανθάνειν
ὧν οὐκ ἐδιδάχθης πώποτʼ οὐδέν; εἰπέ μοι.
πότερα περὶ μέτρων ἢ περὶ ἐπῶν ἢ ῥυθμῶν;

[¶34] Strepsiades.:
I should prefer to learn about measures; for it is but lately I was cheated out of two choenices by a meal-huckster.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
περὶ τῶν μέτρων ἔγωγʼ· ἔναγχος γάρ ποτε
ὑπʼ ἀλφιταμοιβοῦ παρεκόπην διχοινίκῳ.

[¶35] Socrates.:
I do not ask you this, but which you account the most beautiful measure; the trimetre or the tetrameter?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐ τοῦτʼ ἐρωτῶ σʼ, ἀλλʼ ὅ τι κάλλιστον μέτρον
ἡγεῖ· πότερα τὸ τρίμετρον ἢ τὸ τετράμετρον;

[¶36] Strepsiades.:
I think nothing superior to the semisextarius.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδὲν πρότερον ἡμιεκτέου.

[¶37] Socrates.:
You talk nonsense, man.
Strepsiades.:
Make a wager then with me, if the semisextarius be not a tetrameter.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐδὲν λέγεις ὦνθρωπε.
Στρεψιάδης:
περίδου νυν ἐμοί,
εἰ μὴ τετράμετρόν ἐστιν ἡμιεκτέον.

[¶38] Socrates.:
Go to the devil! How boorish you are and dull of learning. Perhaps you may be able to learn about rhythms.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἐς κόρακας, ὡς ἄγροικος εἶ καὶ δυσμαθής.
ταχύ γʼ ἂν δύναιο μανθάνειν περὶ ῥυθμῶν.

[¶39] Strepsiades.:
But what good will rhythms do me for a living?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί δέ μʼ ὠφελήσουσʼ οἱ ῥυθμοὶ πρὸς τἄλφιτα;

[¶40] Socrates.:
In the first place, to be clever at an entertainment, understanding what rhythm is for the war-dance, and what, again, according to the dactyle.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
πρῶτον μὲν εἶναι κομψὸν ἐν συνουσίᾳ,
ἐπαΐονθʼ ὁποῖός ἐστι τῶν ῥυθμῶν
κατʼ ἐνόπλιον, χὠποῖος αὖ κατὰ δάκτυλον.

[¶41] Strepsiades.:
According to the dactyle? By Jove, but I know it!
Socrates.:
Tell me, pray.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
κατὰ δάκτυλον; νὴ τὸν Δίʼ, ἀλλʼ οἶδʼ.
Σωκράτης:
εἰπὲ δή.

[¶42] Strepsiades.:
What else but this finger? Formerly, indeed, when I was yet a boy, this here!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τίς ἄλλος ἀντὶ τουτουὶ τοῦ δακτύλου;
πρὸ τοῦ μέν, ἔτʼ ἐμοῦ παιδὸς ὄντος, οὑτοσί.

[¶43] Socrates.:
You are boorish and stupid.
Strepsiades.:
For I do not desire, you wretch, to learn any of these things.
Socrates.:
What then?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἀγρεῖος εἶ καὶ σκαιός.
Στρεψιάδης:
οὐ γὰρ ᾠζυρὲ
τούτων ἐπιθυμῶ μανθάνειν οὐδέν.
Σωκράτης:
τί δαί;

[¶44] Strepsiades.:
That, that, the most unjust cause.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἐκεῖνʼ ἐκεῖνο, τὸν ἀδικώτατον λόγον.

[¶45] Socrates.:
But you must learn other things before these; namely, what quadrupeds are properly masculine.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἀλλʼ ἕτερα δεῖ σε πρότερα τούτου μανθάνειν,
τῶν τετραπόδων ἅττʼ ἐστὶν ὀρθῶς ἄρρενα.

[¶46] Strepsiades.:
I know the males, if I am not mad:—κριὸς, τράγος, ταῦρος, κύων, ἀλεκτρυών.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ οἶδʼ ἔγωγε τἄρρενʼ, εἰ μὴ μαίνομαι·
κριὸς τράγος ταῦρος κύων ἀλεκτρυών.

[¶47] Socrates.:
Do you see what you are doing? You are calling both the female and the male ἀλεκτρυὼν in the same way.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ὁρᾷς ὃ πάσχεις; τήν τε θήλειαν καλεῖς
ἀλεκτρυόνα κατὰ ταὐτὸ καὶ τὸν ἄρρενα.

[¶48] Strepsiades.:
How, pray? Come, tell me.
Socrates.:
How? The one with you is ἀλεκτρὺων, and the other is ἀλεκτρὺων also.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
πῶς δὴ φέρʼ;
Σωκράτης:
ὅπως; ἀλεκτρυὼν κἀλεκτρυών.

[¶49] Strepsiades.:
Yea, by Neptune! How now ought I to call them?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ. νῦν δὲ πῶς με χρὴ καλεῖν;

[¶50] Socrates.:
The one ἀλεκτρύαινα and the other ἀλέκτωρ.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἀλεκτρύαιναν, τὸν δʼ ἕτερον ἀλέκτορα.

[¶51] Strepsiades.:
Ἀλεκτρύαινα? Capital, by the Air! So that, in return for this lesson alone, I will fill your kardopos full of barley-meal on all sides.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλεκτρύαιναν; εὖ γε νὴ τὸν Ἀέρα·
ὥστʼ ἀντὶ τούτου τοῦ διδάγματος μόνου
διαλφιτώσω σου κύκλῳ τὴν κάρδοπον.

[¶52] Socrates.:
See! See! There again is another blunder! You make κάρδοπος, which is feminine, to be masculine.
Strepsiades.:
In what way do I make κάρδοπος masculine?
Socrates.:
Most assuredly; just as if you were to say Κλεώνυμος.
Strepsiades.:
How pray? Tell me.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἰδοὺ μάλʼ αὖθις τοῦθʼ ἕτερον· τὴν κάρδοπον
ἄρρενα καλεῖς θήλειαν οὖσαν.
Στρεψιάδης:
τῷ τρόπῳ
ἄρρενα καλῶ ʼγὼ κάρδοπον;
Σωκράτης:
μάλιστά γε,
ὥσπερ γε καὶ Κλεώνυμον.
Στρεψιάδης:
πῶς δή; φράσον.

[¶53] Socrates.:
Κάρδοπος with you is tantamount to Κλεώνυμος.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ταὐτὸν δύναταί σοι κάρδοπος Κλεωνύμῳ.

[¶54] Strepsiades.:
Good sir, Cleonymus had no kneading-trough, but kneaded his bread in a round mortar. How ought I to call it henceforth?
Socrates.:
How? Call it καρδόπη, as you call Σωστράτη.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ ὦγάθʼ οὐδʼ ἦν κάρδοπος Κλεωνύμῳ,
ἀλλʼ ἐν θυείᾳ στρογγύλῃ γʼ ἂν ἐμάττετο.
ἀτὰρ τὸ λοιπὸν πῶς με χρὴ καλεῖν;
Σωκράτης:
ὅπως;
τὴν καρδόπην, ὥσπερ καλεῖς τὴν Σωστράτην.

[¶55] Strepsiades.:
Καρδόπη in the feminine?
Socrates.:
For so you speak it rightly.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τὴν καρδόπην θήλειαν;
Σωκράτης:
ὀρθῶς γὰρ λέγεις.

[¶56] Strepsiades.:
But that would make it καρδόπη, Κλεωνύμη.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἐκεῖνο δʼ ἦν ἄν, καρδόπη, Κλεωνύμη.

[¶57] Socrates.:
You must learn one thing more about names, what are masculine and what of them are feminine.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἔτι δή γε περὶ τῶν ὀνομάτων μαθεῖν σε δεῖ,
ἅττʼ ἄρρενʼ ἐστίν, ἅττα δʼ αὐτῶν θήλεα.

[¶58] Strepsiades.:
I know what are female.
Socrates.:
Tell me, pray.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ οἶδʼ ἔγωγʼ ἃ θήλεʼ ἐστίν.
Σωκράτης:
εἰπὲ δή.

[¶59] Strepsiades.:
Lysilla, Philinna, Clitagora, Demetria.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
Λύσιλλα Φίλιννα Κλειταγόρα Δημητρία.

[¶60] Socrates.:
What names are masculine?
Strepsiades.:
Thousands; Philoxenus, Melesias, Amynias.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἄρρενα δὲ ποῖα τῶν ὀνομάτων;
Στρεψιάδης:
μυρία.
Φιλόξενος Μελησίας Ἀμυνίας.

[¶61] Socrates.:
But, you wretch! These are not masculine.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἀλλʼ ὦ πόνηρε ταῦτά γʼ ἐστʼ οὐκ ἄρρενα.

[¶62] Strepsiades.:
Are they not males with you?
Socrates.:
By no means; for how would you call Amynias, if you met him?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὐκ ἄρρενʼ ὑμῖν ἐστιν;
Σωκράτης:
οὐδαμῶς γʼ, ἐπεὶ
πῶς ἂν καλέσειας ἐντυχὼν Ἀμυνίᾳ;

[¶63] Strepsiades.:
How would I call? Thus: “Come hither, come hither Amynia!”

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὅπως ἄν; ὡδί, δεῦρο δεῦρʼ Ἀμυνία.

[¶64] Socrates.:
Do you see? You call Amynias a woman.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ὁρᾷς; γυναῖκα τὴν Ἀμυνίαν καλεῖς.

[¶65] Strepsiades.:
Is it not then with justice, who does not serve in the army? But why should I learn these things, that we all know?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὔκουν δικαίως ἥτις οὐ στρατεύεται;
ἀτὰρ τί ταῦθʼ ἃ πάντες ἴσμεν μανθάνω;

[¶66] Socrates.:
It is no use, by Jupiter! Having reclined yourself down here-
Strepsiades.:
What must I do?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐδὲν μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλὰ κατακλινεὶς δευρὶ —
Στρεψιάδης:
τί δρῶ;

[¶67] Socrates.:
Think out some of your own affairs.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἐκφρόντισόν τι τῶν σεαυτοῦ πραγμάτων.

[¶68] Strepsiades.:
Not here, pray, I beseech you; but, if I must, suffer me to excogitate these very things on the ground.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
μὴ δῆθʼ ἱκετεύω σʼ ἐνγεταῦθʼ· ἀλλʼ εἴ γε χρή,
χαμαί μʼ ἔασον αὐτὰ ταῦτʼ ἐκφροντίσαι.

[¶69] Socrates.:
There is no other way.
Exit Socrates.
Strepsiades.:
Unfortunate man that I am! What a penalty shall I this day pay to the bugs!

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐκ ἔστι παρὰ ταῦτʼ ἄλλα.
Στρεψιάδης:
κακοδαίμων ἐγώ,
οἵαν δίκην τοῖς κόρεσι δώσω τήμερον.

[¶70] Chorus.:
Now meditate and examine closely; and roll yourself about in every way, having wrapped yourself up; and quickly, when you fall into a difficulty, spring to another
mental contrivance. But let delightful sleep be absent from your eyes.
Strepsiades.:
Attatai! Attatai!

> Greek: Χορός:
φρόντιζε δὴ καὶ διάθρει πάντα τρόπον τε σαυτὸν
στρόβει πυκνώσας.
ταχὺς δʼ, ὅταν εἰς ἄπορον πέσῃς,
ἐπʼ ἄλλο πήδα
νόημα φρενός· ὕπνος δʼ ἀπέστω γλυκύθυμος ὀμμάτων.
…
Στρεψιάδης:
ἀτταταῖ ἀτταταῖ.

[¶71] Chorus.:
What ails you? Why are you distressed?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί πάσχεις; τί κάμνεις;

[¶72] Strepsiades.:
Wretched man, I am perishing! The Corinthians, coming out from the bed, are biting me, and devouring my sides, and drinking up my life-blood, and tearing away my flesh, and digging through my vitals, and will annihilate me.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀπόλλυμαι δείλαιος· ἐκ τοῦ σκίμποδος
δάκνουσί μʼ ἐξέρποντες οἱ Κορίνθιοι,
καὶ τὰς πλευρὰς δαρδάπτουσιν
καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκπίνουσιν
καὶ τοὺς ὄρχεις ἐξέλκουσιν
καὶ τὸν πρωκτὸν διορύττουσιν,
καί μʼ ἀπολοῦσιν.

[¶73] Chorus.:
Do not now be very grievously distressed.

> Greek: Χορός:
μή νυν βαρέως ἄλγει λίαν.

[¶74] Strepsiades.:
Why, how, when my money is gone, my complexion gone, my life gone, and my slipper gone?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
καὶ πῶς; ὅτε μου
φροῦδα τὰ χρήματα, φρούδη χροιά,
φρούδη ψυχή, φρούδη δʼ ἐμβάς·

[¶75] And furthermore in addition to these evils, with singing the night-watches, I am almost gone myself.
Re-enter Socrates.

> Greek: καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἔτι τοῖσι κακοῖς
φρουρᾶς ᾄδων
ὀλίγου φροῦδος γεγένημαι.

[¶76] Socrates.:
Ho you! What are you about? Are you not meditating?
Strepsiades.:
I? Yea, by Neptune!
Socrates.:
And what, pray, have you thought?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὗτος τί ποιεῖς; οὐχὶ φροντίζεις;
Στρεψιάδης:
ἐγώ;
νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ.
Σωκράτης:
καὶ τί δῆτʼ ἐφρόντισας;

[¶77] Strepsiades.:
Whether any bit of me will be left by the bugs.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὑπὸ τῶν κόρεων εἴ μού τι περιλειφθήσεται.

[¶78] Socrates.:
You will perish most wretchedly.
Strepsiades.:
But, my good friend, I have already perished.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἀπολεῖ κάκιστʼ.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ ὦγάθʼ ἀπόλωλʼ ἀρτίως.

[¶79] Socrates.:
You must not give in, but must wrap yourself up; for you have to discover a device for abstracting, and a means of cheating.
Walks up and down while Strepsiades wraps himself up in the blankets.
Strepsiades.:
Ah me! Would, pray, some one would throw over me a swindling contrivance from the sheep-skins.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐ μαλθακιστέʼ ἀλλὰ περικαλυπτέα.
ἐξευρετέος γὰρ νοῦς ἀποστερητικὸς
κἀπαιόλημʼ.
Στρεψιάδης:
οἴμοι τίς ἂν δῆτʼ ἐπιβάλοι
ἐξ ἀρνακίδων γνώμην ἀποστερητρίδα;

[¶80] Socrates.:
Come now; I will first see this fellow, what he is about. Ho you! Are you asleep?
Strepsiades.:
No, by Apollo, I am not!

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
φέρε νυν ἀθρήσω πρῶτον ὅ τι δρᾷ τουτονί.
οὗτος καθεύδεις;
Στρεψιάδης:
μὰ τὸν Ἀπόλλω ʼγὼ μὲν οὔ.

[¶81] Socrates.:
Have you got anything?
Strepsiades.:
No; by Jupiter, certainly not!
Socrates.:
Nothing at all?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἔχεις τι;
Στρεψιάδης:
μὰ Δίʼ οὐ δῆτʼ ἔγωγʼ.
Σωκράτης:
οὐδὲν πάνυ;

[¶82] Strepsiades.:
Nothing, except what I have in my right hand.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὐδέν γε πλὴν ἢ τὸ πέος ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ.

[¶83] Socrates.:
Will you not quickly cover yourself up and think of something?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐκ ἐγκαλυψάμενος ταχέως τι φροντιεῖς;

[¶84] Strepsiades.:
About what? For do you tell me this, O Socrates!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
περὶ τοῦ; σὺ γάρ μοι τοῦτο φράσον ὦ Σώκρατες.

[¶85] Socrates.:
Do you, yourself, first find out and state what you wish.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
αὐτὸς ὅ τι βούλει πρῶτος ἐξευρὼν λέγε.

[¶86] Strepsiades.:
You have heard a thousand times what I wish. About the interest; so that I may pay no one.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀκήκοας μυριάκις ἁγὼ βούλομαι,
περὶ τῶν τόκων, ὅπως ἂν ἀποδῶ μηδενί.

[¶87] Socrates.:
Come then, wrap yourself up, and having given your mind play with subtilty, revolve your affairs by little and little, rightly distinguishing and examining.
Strepsiades.:
Ah me, unhappy man!

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἴθι νῦν καλύπτου καὶ σχάσας τὴν φροντίδα
λεπτὴν κατὰ μικρὸν περιφρόνει τὰ πράγματα,
ὀρθῶς διαιρῶν καὶ σκοπῶν.
Στρεψιάδης:
οἴμοι τάλας.

[¶88] Socrates.:
Keep quiet; and if you be puzzled in any one of your conceptions, leave it and go; and then set your mind in motion again, and lock it up.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἔχʼ ἀτρέμα· κἂν ἀπορῇς τι τῶν νοημάτων,
ἀφεὶς ἄπελθε, [καὶ] κατὰ τὴν γνώμην πάλιν
κίνησον αὖθις αὐτὸ καὶ ζυγώθρισον.

[¶89] Strepsiades.:
(in great glee). O dearest little Socrates!
Socrates.:
What, old man?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὦ Σωκρατίδιον φίλτατον.
Σωκράτης:
τί ὦ γέρον;

[¶90] Strepsiades.:
I have got a device for cheating them of the interest.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἔχω τόκου γνώμην ἀποστερητικήν.

[¶91] Socrates.:
Exhibit it.
Strepsiades.:
Now tell me this—
Socrates.:
Pray?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἐπίδειξον αὐτήν.
Στρεψιάδης:
εἰπὲ δή νύν μοι —
Σωκράτης:
τὸ τί;

[¶92] Strepsiades.:
If I were to purchase a Thessalian witch,
and draw down the moon by night, and then shut it up, as if it were a mirror, in a round crest-case, and then carefully keep it—
Socrates.:
What good, pray, would this do you?
Strepsiades.:
What? If the moon were to rise no longer anywhere, I should not pay the interest.
Socrates.:
Why so, pray?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
γυναῖκα φαρμακίδʼ εἰ πριάμενος Θετταλὴν
καθέλοιμι νύκτωρ τὴν σελήνην, εἶτα δὴ
αὐτὴν καθείρξαιμʼ ἐς λοφεῖον στρογγύλον,
ὥσπερ κάτοπτρον, κᾆτα τηροίην ἔχων —
Σωκράτης:
τί δῆτα τοῦτʼ ἂν ὠφελήσειέν σʼ;
Στρεψιάδης:
ὅ τι;
εἰ μηκέτʼ ἀνατέλλοι σελήνη μηδαμοῦ,
οὐκ ἂν ἀποδοίην τοὺς τόκους.
Σωκράτης:
ὁτιὴ τί δή;

[¶93] Strepsiades.:
Because the money is lent out by the month.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὁτιὴ κατὰ μῆνα τἀγύριον δανείζεται.

[¶94] Socrates.:
Capital! But I will again propose to you another clever question. If a suit of five talents should be entered against you, tell me how you would obliterate it.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
εὖ γʼ· ἀλλʼ ἕτερον αὖ σοι προβαλῶ τι δεξιόν.
εἴ σοι γράφοιτο πεντετάλαντός τις δίκη,
ὅπως ἂν αὐτὴν ἀφανίσειας εἰπέ μοι.

[¶95] Strepsiades.:
How? How? I do not know but I must seek.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὅπως; ὅπως; οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀτὰρ ζητητέον.

[¶96] Socrates.:
Do not then always revolve your thoughts about yourself; but slack away your mind into the air, like a cock-chafer tied with a thread by the foot.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
μή νυν περὶ σαυτὸν εἶλλε τὴν γνώμην ἀεί,
ἀλλʼ ἀποχάλα τὴν φροντίδʼ ἐς τὸν ἀέρα
λινόδετον ὥσπερ μηλολόνθην τοῦ ποδός.

[¶97] Strepsiades.:
I have found a very clever method of getting rid of my suit, so that you yourself would acknowledge it.
Socrates.:
Of what description?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ηὕρηκʼ ἀφάνισιν τῆς δίκης σοφωτάτην,
ὥστʼ αὐτὸν ὁμολογεῖν σʼ ἐμοί.
Σωκράτης:
ποίαν τινά;

[¶98] Strepsiades.:
Have you ever seen this stone in the chemist’s shops, the beautiful and transparent one, from which they kindle fire?
Socrates.:
Do you mean the burning-glass?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἤδη παρὰ τοῖσι φαρμακοπώλαις τὴν λίθον
ταύτην ἑόρακας τὴν καλήν, τὴν διαφανῆ,
ἀφʼ ἧς τὸ πῦρ ἅπτουσι;
Σωκράτης:
τὴν ὕαλον λέγεις;

[¶99] Strepsiades.:
I do. Come what would you say, pray, if I were to take this, when the clerk was entering the suit, and were to stand at a distance, in the direction of the sun, thus, and melt out the letters of my suit?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἔγωγε. φέρε τί δῆτʼ ἄν, εἰ ταύτην λαβών,
ὁπότε γράφοιτο τὴν δίκην ὁ γραμματεύς,
ἀπωτέρω στὰς ὧδε πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον
τὰ γράμματʼ ἐκτήξαιμι τῆς ἐμῆς δίκης;

[¶100] Socrates.:
Cleverly done, by the Graces!
Strepsiades.:
Oh! How I am delighted, that a suit of five talents has been cancelled!

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
σοφῶς γε νὴ τὰς Χάριτας.
Στρεψιάδης:
οἴμʼ ὡς ἥδομαι
ὅτι πεντετάλαντος διαγέγραπταί μοι δίκη.

[¶101] Socrates.:
Come now, quickly seize upon this.
Strepsiades.:
What?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἄγε δὴ ταχέως τουτὶ ξυνάρπασον.
Στρεψιάδης:
τὸ τί;

[¶102] Socrates.:
How, when engaged in a lawsuit, you could overturn the suit, when you were about to be cast, because you had no witnesses.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ὅπως ἀποστρέψαιʼ ἂν ἀντιδικῶν δίκην
μέλλων ὀφλήσειν μὴ παρόντων μαρτύρων.

[¶103] Strepsiades.:
Most readily and easily.
Socrates.:
Tell me, pray.
Strepsiades.:
Well now, I’ll tell you. If, while one suit was still pending, before mine was called on, I were to run away and hang myself.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
φαυλότατα καὶ ῥᾷστʼ.
Σωκράτης:
εἰπὲ δή.
Στρεψιάδης:
καὶ δὴ λέγω.
εἰ πρόσθεν ἔτι μιᾶς ἐνεστώσης δίκης,
πρὶν τὴν ἐμὴν καλεῖσθʼ, ἀπαγξαίμην τρέχων.

[¶104] Socrates.:
You talk nonsense.
Strepsiades.:
By the gods, would I! For no one will bring action against me when I am dead.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὐδὲν λέγεις.
Στρεψιάδης:
νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς ἔγωγʼ, ἐπεὶ
οὐδεὶς κατʼ ἐμοῦ τεθνεῶτος εἰσάξει δίκην.

[¶105] Socrates.:
You talk nonsense. Begone; I can’t teach you any longer.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ὑθλεῖς· ἄπερρʼ, οὐκ ἂν διδάξαιμʼ ἄν σʼ ἔτι.

[¶106] Strepsiades.:
Why so? Yea, by the gods, O Socrates!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὁτιὴ τί; ναὶ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν ὦ Σώκρατες.

[¶107] Socrates.:
You straightaway forget whatever you learn. For what now was the first thing you were taught? Tell me.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἀλλʼ εὐθὺς ἐπιλήθει σύ γʼ ἅττʼ ἂν καὶ μάθῃς·
ἐπεὶ τί νυνὶ πρῶτον ἐδιδάχθης; λέγε.

[¶108] Strepsiades.:
Come, let me see: nay, what was the first? What was the fist? Nay, what was the thing in which we knead our flour? Ah me! What was it?
Socrates.:
Will you not pack off to the devil, you most forgetful and most stupid old man?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
φέρʼ ἴδω τί μέντοι πρῶτον ἦν; τί πρῶτον ἦν;
τίς ἦν ἐν ᾗ ʼματτόμεθα μέντοι τἄλφιτα;
οἴμοι τίς ἦν;
Σωκράτης:
οὐκ ἐς κόρακας ἀποφθερεῖ,
ἐπιλησμότατον καὶ σκαιότατον γερόντιον;

[¶109] Strepsiades.:
Ah me, what then, pray will become of me, wretched man? For I shall be utterly undone, if I do not learn to ply the tongue. Come, O ye Clouds, give me some good advice.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οἴμοι τί οὖν δῆθʼ ὁ κακοδαίμων πείσομαι;
ἀπὸ γὰρ ὀλοῦμαι μὴ μαθὼν γλωττοστροφεῖν.
ἀλλʼ ὦ Νεφέλαι χρηστόν τι συμβουλεύσατε.

[¶110] Chorus.:
We, old man, advise you, if you have a son grown up, to send him to learn in your stead.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἡμεῖς μὲν ὦ πρεσβῦτα συμβουλεύομεν,
εἴ σοί τις υἱός ἐστιν ἐκτεθραμμένος,
πέμπειν ἐκεῖνον ἀντὶ σαυτοῦ μανθάνειν.

[¶111] Strepsiades.:
Well, I have a fine, handsome son, but he is not willing to learn. What must I do?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ ἔστʼ ἔμοιγʼ υἱὸς καλός τε κἀγαθός·
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐθέλει γὰρ μανθάνειν. τί ἐγὼ πάθω;

[¶112] Chorus.:
But do you permit him?
Strepsiades.:
Yes, for he is robust in body, and in good health, and is come of the high-plumed dames of Coesyra. I will go for him, and if he be not willing, I will certainly drive him from my house. To Socrates. Go in and wait for me a short time.
Exit.

> Greek: Χορός:
σὺ δʼ ἐπιτρέπεις;
Στρεψιάδης:
εὐσωματεῖ γὰρ καὶ σφριγᾷ,
κἄστʼ ἐκ γυναικῶν εὐπτέρων τῶν Κοισύρας.
ἀτὰρ μέτειμί γʼ αὐτόν· ἢν δὲ μὴ ʼθέλῃ,
οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως οὐκ ἐξελῶ κʼ τῆς οἰκίας.
ἀλλʼ ἐπανάμεινόν μʼ ὀλίγον εἰσελθὼν χρόνον.

[¶113] Chorus.:
Do you perceive that you are soon to obtain the greatest benefits through us alone of the gods? For this man is ready to do everything that you bid him.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἆρʼ αἰσθάνει πλεῖστα διʼ ἡμᾶς ἀγάθʼ αὐτίχʼ ἕξων
μόνας θεῶν; ὡς
ἕτοιμος ὅδʼ ἐστὶν ἅπαντα δρᾶν
ὅσʼ ἂν κελεύῃς.

[¶114] But you, while the man is astounded and evidently elated, having perceived it, will quickly fleece him to the best of your power. Exit Socrates. For matters of this sort are somehow accustomed to turn the other way.
Enter Strepsiades and Phidippides.

> Greek: σὺ δʼ ἀνδρὸς ἐκπεπληγμένου καὶ φανερῶς ἐπηρμένου
γνοὺς ἀπολάψεις ὅ τι πλεῖστον δύνασαι,
ταχέως· φιλεῖ γάρ πως τὰ τοιαῦθʼ ἑτέρᾳ τρέπεσθαι.

[¶115] Strepsiades.:
By Mist, you certainly shall not stay here any longer! But go and gnaw the columns of Megacles.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὔτοι μὰ τὴν Ὁμίχλην ἔτʼ ἐνταυθοῖ μενεῖς·
ἀλλʼ ἔσθιʼ ἐλθὼν τοὺς Μεγακλέους κίονας.

[¶116] Phidippides.:
My good sir, what is the matter with you, O father? You are not in your senses, by Olympian Jupiter!

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ὦ δαιμόνιε, τί χρῆμα πάσχεις ὦ πάτερ;
οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖς μὰ τὸν Δία τὸν Ὀλύμπιον.

[¶117] Strepsiades.:
See, see, “Olympian Jupiter!” What folly! To think of your believing in Jupiter, as old as you are!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἰδού γʼ ἰδού, Δίʼ Ὀλύμπιον· τῆς μωρίας,
τὸν Δία νομίζειν ὄντα τηλικουτονί.

[¶118] Phidippides.:
Why, pray, did you laugh at this?
Strepsiades.:
Reflecting that you are a child, and have antiquated notions. Yet, however, approach, that you may know more; and I will tell you a thing, by learning which you will be a man. But see that you do not teach this to any one.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
τί δὲ τοῦτʼ ἐγέλασας ἐτεόν;
Στρεψιάδης:
ἐνθυμούμενος
ὅτι παιδάριον εἶ καὶ φρονεῖς ἀρχαιϊκά.
ὅμως γε μὴν πρόσελθʼ, ἵνʼ εἰδῇς πλείονα,
καί σοι φράσω τι πρᾶγμʼ ὃ μαθὼν ἀνὴρ ἔσει.
ὅπως δὲ τοῦτο μὴ διδάξεις μηδένα.

[¶119] Phidippides.:
Well, what is it?
Strepsiades.:
You swore now by Jupiter.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἰδού· τί ἔστιν;
Στρεψιάδης:
ὤμοσας νυνὶ Δία.

[¶120] Phidippides.:
I did.
Strepsiades.:
Seest thou, then, how good a thing is learning? There is no Jupiter, O Phidippides!
Phidippides.:
Who then?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἔγωγʼ.
Στρεψιάδης:
ὁρᾷς οὖν ὡς ἀγαθὸν τὸ μανθάνειν;
οὐκ ἔστιν ὦ Φειδιππίδη Ζεύς.
Φειδιππίδης:
ἀλλὰ τίς;

[¶121] Strepsiades.:
Vortex reigns, having expelled Jupiter.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
Δῖνος βασιλεύει τὸν Δίʼ ἐξεληλακώς.

[¶122] Phidippides.:
Bah! Why do you talk foolishly?
Strepsiades.:
Be assured that it is so.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
αἰβοῖ τί ληρεῖς;
Στρεψιάδης:
ἴσθι τοῦθʼ οὕτως ἔχον.

[¶123] Phidippides.:
Who says this?
Strepsiades.:
Socrates the Melian, and Chaerephon, who knows the footmarks of fleas.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
τίς φησι ταῦτα;
Στρεψιάδης:
Σωκράτης ὁ Μήλιος
καὶ Χαιρεφῶν, ὃς οἶδε τὰ ψυλλῶν ἴχνη.

[¶124] Phidippides.:
Have you arrived at such a pitch of frenzy that you believe madmen?
Strepsiades.:
Speak words of good omen, and say nothing bad of clever men
and wise; of whom, through frugality, none ever shaved or anointed himself, or went to a bath to wash himself; while you squander my property in bathing, as if I were already dead. But go as quickly as possible and learn instead of me.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
σὺ δʼ ἐς τοσοῦτον τῶν μανιῶν ἐλήλυθας
ὥστʼ ἀνδράσιν πείθει χολῶσιν;
Στρεψιάδης:
εὐστόμει
καὶ μηδὲν εἴπῃς φλαῦρον ἄνδρας δεξιοὺς
καὶ νοῦν ἔχοντας· ὧν ὑπὸ τῆς φειδωλίας
ἀπεκείρατʼ οὐδεὶς πώποτʼ οὐδʼ ἠλείψατο,
οὐδʼ ἐς βαλανεῖον ἦλθε λουσόμενος· σὺ δὲ
ὥσπερ τεθνεῶτος καταλόει μου τὸν βίον.
ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστʼ ἐλθὼν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ μάνθανε.

[¶125] Phidippides.:
What good could any one learn from them?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
τί δʼ ἂν παρʼ ἐκείνων καὶ μάθοι χρηστόν τις ἄν;

[¶126] Strepsiades.:
What, really? Whatever wisdom there is among men. And you will know yourself, how ignorant and stupid you are. But wait for me here a short time.
Runs off.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἄληθες; ὅσαπερ ἔστʼ ἐν ἀνθρώποις σοφά·
γνώσει δὲ σαυτὸν ὡς ἀμαθὴς εἶ καὶ παχύς.
ἀλλʼ ἐπανάμεινόν μʼ ὀλίγον ἐνταυθοῖ χρόνον.

[¶127] Phidippides.:
Ah me! What shall I do, my father being crazed? Shall I bring him into court and convict him of lunacy, or shall I give information of his madness to the coffin-makers?
Re-enter Strepsiades with a cock under one arm and a hen under the other.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
οἴμοι τί δράσω παραφρονοῦντος τοῦ πατρός;
πότερον παρανοίας αὐτὸν εἰσαγαγὼν ἕλω,
ἢ τοῖς σοροπηγοῖς τὴν μανίαν αὐτοῦ φράσω;

[¶128] Strepsiades.:
Come, let me see; what do you consider this to be? Tell me.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
φέρʼ ἴδω, σὺ τοῦτον τί ὀνομάζεις; εἰπέ μοι.

[¶129] Phidippides.:
Alectryon.
Strepsiades.:
Right. And what this?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἀλεκτρυόνα.
Στρεψιάδης:
καλῶς γε. ταυτηνὶ δὲ τί;

[¶130] Phidippides.:
Alectryon.
Strepsiades.:
Both the same? You are very ridiculous. Do not do so, then, for the future; but call this ἀλεκτρύαινα, and this one ἀλέκτωρ.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἀλεκτρυόνʼ.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἄμφω ταὐτό; καταγέλαστος εἶ.
μή νυν τὸ λοιπόν, ἀλλὰ τήνδε μὲν καλεῖν
ἀλεκτρύαιναν τουτονὶ δʼ ἀλέκτορα.

[¶131] Phidippides.:
Ἀλεκτρύαινα! Did you learn these clever things by going in just now to the Titans?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἀλεκτρύαιναν; ταῦτʼ ἔμαθες τὰ δεξιὰ
εἴσω παρελθὼν ἄρτι παρὰ τοὺς γηγενεῖς;

[¶132] Strepsiades.:
And many others too; but whatever I learned on each occasion I used to forget immediately, through length of years.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
χἄτερά γε πόλλʼ· ἀλλʼ ὅ τι μάθοιμʼ ἑκάστοτε,
ἐπελανθανόμην ἂν εὐθὺς ὑπὸ πλήθους ἐτῶν.

[¶133] Phidippides.:
Is it for this reason, pray, that you have also lost your cloak?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
διὰ ταῦτα δὴ καὶ θοἰμάτιον ἀπώλεσας;

[¶134] Strepsiades.:
I have not lost it; but have studied it away.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀπολώλεκʼ, ἀλλὰ καταπεφρόντικα.

[¶135] Phidippides.:
What have you made of your slippers, you foolish man?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
τὰς δʼ ἐμβάδας ποῖ τέτροφας ὦνόητε σύ;

[¶136] Strepsiades.:
I have expended them, like Pericles, for needful purposes.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὥσπερ Περικλέης ἐς τὸ δέον ἀπώλεσα.

[¶137] Come, move, let us go. And then if you obey your father, go wrong if you like. I also know that I formerly obeyed you, a lisping child of six years old, and bought you a go-cart at the Diasia, with the first obolus I received from the Heliaea.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἴθι βάδιζʼ, ἴωμεν· εἶτα τῷ πατρὶ
πιθόμενος ἐξάμαρτε· κἀγώ τοί ποτε,
οἶδʼ, ἑξέτει σοι τραυλίσαντι πιθόμενος,
ὃν πρῶτον ὀβολὸν ἔλαβον ἡλιαστικόν,
τούτου ʼπριάμην σοι Διασίοις ἁμαξίδα.

[¶138] Phidippides.:
You will assuredly some time at length be grieved at this.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἦ μὴν σὺ τούτοις τῷ χρόνῳ ποτʼ ἀχθέσει.

[¶139] Strepsiades.:
It is well done of you that you obeyed. Come hither, come hither O Socrates! Come forth, for I bring to you this son of mine, having persuaded him against his will.
Enter Socrates.
Socrates.:
For he is still childish, and not used to the baskets here.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
εὖ γʼ ὅτι ἐπείσθης. δεῦρο δεῦρʼ ὦ Σώκρατες,
ἔξελθʼ· ἄγω γάρ σοι τὸν υἱὸν τουτονὶ
ἄκοντʼ ἀναπείσας.
Σωκράτης:
νηπύτιος γάρ ἐστʼ ἔτι,
καὶ τῶν κρεμαθρῶν οὔπω τρίβων τῶν ἐνθάδε.

[¶140] Phidippides.:
You would yourself be used to them if you were hanged.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
αὐτὸς τρίβων εἴης ἄν, εἰ κρέμαιό γε.

[¶141] Strepsiades.:
A mischief take you! Do you abuse your teacher?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὐκ ἐς κόρακας; καταρᾷ σὺ τῷ διδασκάλῳ;

[¶142] Socrates.:
“Were hanged” quoth’a! How sillily he pronounced it, and with lips wide apart! How can this youth ever learn an acquittal from a trial
or a legal summons, or persuasive refutation? And yet Hyperbolus learned this at the cost of a talent.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἰδοὺ κρέμαιʼ, ὡς ἠλίθιον ἐφθέγξατο
καὶ τοῖσι χείλεσιν διερρυηκόσιν.
πῶς ἂν μάθοι ποθʼ οὗτος ἀπόφυξιν δίκης
ἢ κλῆσιν ἢ χαύνωσιν ἀναπειστηρίαν;
καίτοι γε ταλάντου τοῦτʼ ἔμαθεν Ὑπέρβολος.

[¶143] Strepsiades.:
Never mind; teach him. He is clever by nature. Indeed, from his earliest years, when he was a little fellow only so big, he was wont to form houses and carve ships within-doors,
and make little wagons of leather, and make frogs out of pomegranate-rinds, you can’t think how cleverly. But see that he learns those two causes; the better, whatever it may be; and the worse, which, by maintaining what is unjust, overturns the better.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀμέλει δίδασκε· θυμόσοφός ἐστιν φύσει·
εὐθύς γέ τοι παιδάριον ὄν τυννουτονὶ
ἔπλαττεν ἔνδον οἰκίας ναῦς τʼ ἔγλυφεν,
ἁμαξίδας τε σκυτίνας ἠργάζετο,
κἀκ τῶν σιδίων βατράχους ἐποίει πῶς δοκεῖς.
ὅπως δʼ ἐκείνω τὼ λόγω μαθήσεται,
τὸν κρείττονʼ ὅστις ἐστὶ καὶ τὸν ἥττονα,
ὃς τἄδικα λέγων ἀνατρέπει τὸν κρείττονα·

[¶144] If not both, at any rate the unjust one by all means.

> Greek: ἐὰν δὲ μή, τὸν γοῦν ἄδικον πάσῃ τέχνῃ.

[¶145] Socrates.:
He shall learn it himself from the two causes in person.
Exit Socrates.
Strepsiades.:
I will take my departure. Remember this now, that he is to be able to reply to all just arguments.
Exit Strepsiades and enter Just Cause and Unjust Cause.
Just Cause.:
Come hither! Show yourself to the spectators, although being audacious.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
αὐτὸς μαθήσεται παρʼ αὐτοῖν τοῖν λόγοιν.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἀπέσομαι.
Στρεψιάδης:
τοῦτό νυν μέμνησʼ, ὅπως
πρὸς πάντα τὰ δίκαιʼ ἀντιλέγειν δυνήσεται.
Χορός:
…
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
χώρει δευρί, δεῖξον σαυτὸν
τοῖσι θεαταῖς, καίπερ θρασὺς ὤν.

[¶146] Unjust Cause.:
Go whither you please; for I shall far rather do for you, if I speak before a crowd.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
ἴθʼ ὅποι χρῄζεις. πολὺ γὰρ μᾶλλόν ʼς
ἐν τοῖς πολλοῖσι λέγων ἀπολῶ.

[¶147] Just Cause.:
You destroy me? Who are you?
Unjust Cause.:
A cause.
Just Cause.:
Ay, the worse.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ἀπολεῖς σύ; τίς ὤν;
Ἄδικος Λόγος:
λόγος.
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ἥττων γʼ ὤν.

[¶148] Unjust Cause.:
But I conquer you, who say that you are better than I.
Just Cause.:
By doing what clever trick?

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
ἀλλά σε νικῶ τὸν ἐμοῦ κρείττω
φάσκοντʼ εἶναι.
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
τί σοφὸν ποιῶν;

[¶149] Unjust Cause.:
By discovering new contrivances.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
γνώμας καινὰς ἐξευρίσκων.

[¶150] Just Cause.:
For these innovations flourish by the favour of these silly persons.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ταῦτα γὰρ ἀνθεῖ διὰ τουτουσὶ
τοὺς ἀνοήτους.

[¶151] Unjust Cause.:
No; but wise persons.
Just Cause.:
I will destroy you miserably.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ σοφούς.
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ἀπολῶ σε κακῶς.

[¶152] Unjust Cause.:
Tell me, by doing what?
Just Cause.:
By speaking what is just.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
εἰπὲ τί ποιῶν;
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
τὰ δίκαια λέγων.

[¶153] Unjust Cause.:
But I will overturn them by contradicting them; for I deny that justice even exists at all.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
ἀλλʼ ἀνατρέψω γʼ αὔτʼ ἀντιλέγων·
οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶναι πάνυ φημὶ δίκην.

[¶154] Just Cause.:
Do you deny that it exists?
Unjust Cause.:
For come, where is it?

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
οὐκ εἶναι φῄς;
Ἄδικος Λόγος:
φέρε γὰρ ποῦ ʼστιν;

[¶155] Just Cause.:
With the gods.
Unjust Cause.:
How, then, if justice exists, has Jupiter not perished, who bound his own father?
Just Cause.:
Bah! This profanity now is spreading! Give me a basin.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
παρὰ τοῖσι θεοῖς.
Ἄδικος Λόγος:
πῶς δῆτα δίκης οὔσης ὁ Ζεὺς
οὐκ ἀπόλωλεν τὸν πατέρʼ αὑτοῦ
δήσας;
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
αἰβοῖ τουτὶ καὶ δὴ
χωρεῖ τὸ κακόν· δότε μοι λεκάνην.

[¶156] Unjust Cause.:
You are a dotard and absurd.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
τυφογέρων εἶ κἀνάρμοστος.

[¶157] Just Cause.:
You are debauched and shameless.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
καταπύγων εἶ κἀναίσχυντος.

[¶158] Unjust Cause.:
You have spoken roses of me.
Just Cause.:
And a dirty lickspittle.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
ῥόδα μʼ εἴρηκας.
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
καὶ βωμολόχος.

[¶159] Unjust Cause.:
You crown me with lilies.
Just Cause.:
And a parricide.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
κρίνεσι στεφανοῖς.
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
καὶ πατραλοίας.

[¶160] Unjust Cause.:
You don’t know that you are sprinkling me with gold.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
χρυσῷ πάττων μʼ οὐ γιγνώσκεις.

[¶161] Just Cause.:
Certainly not so formerly, but with lead.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
οὐ δῆτα πρὸ τοῦ γʼ, ἀλλὰ μολύβδῳ.

[¶162] Unjust Cause.:
But now this is an ornament to me.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
νῦν δέ γε κόσμος τοῦτʼ ἐστὶν ἐμοί.

[¶163] Just Cause.:
You are very impudent.
Unjust Cause.:
And you are antiquated.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
θρασὺς εἶ πολλοῦ.
Ἄδικος Λόγος:
σὺ δέ γʼ ἀρχαῖος.

[¶164] Just Cause.:
And through you, no one of our youths is willing to go to school; and you will be found out some time or other by the Athenians, what sort of doctrines you teach the simple-minded.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
διὰ σὲ δὲ φοιτᾶν
οὐδεὶς ἐθέλει τῶν μειρακίων·
καὶ γνωσθήσει ποτʼ Ἀθηναίοις
οἶα διδάσκεις τοὺς ἀνοήτους.

[¶165] Unjust Cause.:
You are shamefully squalid.
Just Cause.:
And you are prosperous. And yet formerly you were a beggar saying that you were the Mysian Telephus, and gnawing the maxims of Pandeletus out of your little wallet.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
αὐχμεῖς αἰσχρῶς.
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
σὺ δέ γʼ εὖ πράττεις.
καίτοι πρότερόν γʼ ἐπτώχευες,
Τήλεφος εἶναι Μυσὸς φάσκων,
ἐκ πηριδίου
γνώμας τρώγων Πανδελετείους.

[¶166] Unjust Cause.:
Oh, the wisdom—
Just Cause.:
Oh, the madness—
Unjust Cause.:
Which you have mentioned.
Just Cause.:
And of your city, which supports you who ruin her youths.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
ὤμοι σοφίας —
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ὤμοι μανίας —
Ἄδικος Λόγος:
ἧς ἐμνήσθης —
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
τῆς σῆς, πόλεώς θʼ ἥτις σε τρέφει
λυμαινόμενον τοῖς μειρακίοις.

[¶167] Unjust Cause.:
You shan’t teach this youth, you old dotard.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
οὐχὶ διδάξεις τοῦτον Κρόνος ὤν.

[¶168] Just Cause.:
Yes, if he is to be saved, and not merely to practise loquacity.
Unjust Cause.: (to Phidippides).

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
εἴπερ γʼ αὐτὸν σωθῆναι χρὴ
καὶ μὴ λαλιὰν μόνον ἀσκῆσαι.

[¶169] Come hither, and leave him to rave.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
δεῦρʼ ἴθι, τοῦτον δʼ ἔα μαίνεσθαι.

[¶170] Just Cause.:
You shall howl, if you lay your hand on him.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
κλαύσει, τὴν χεῖρʼ ἢν ἐπιβάλλῃς.

[¶171] Chorus.:
Cease from contention and railing.

> Greek: Χορός:
παύσασθε μάχης καὶ λοιδορίας.

[¶172] But show to us, you, what you used to teach the men of former times, and you, the new system of education; in order that, having heard you disputing, he may decide and go to the school of one or the other.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἐπίδειξαι σύ τε τοὺς προτέρους
ἅττʼ ἐδίδασκες, σύ τε τὴν καινὴν
παίδευσιν, ὅπως ἂν ἀκούσας σφῷν
ἀντιλεγόντοιν κρίνας φοιτᾷ.

[¶173] Just Cause.:
I am willing to do so.
Unjust Cause.:
I also am willing.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
δρᾶν ταῦτʼ ἐθέλω.
Ἄδικος Λόγος:
κἄγωγʼ ἐθέλω.

[¶174] Chorus.:
Come now, which of the two shall speak first?

> Greek: Χορός:
φέρε δὴ πότερος λέξει πρότερος;

[¶175] Unjust Cause.:
I will give him the precedence; and then, from these things which he adduces, I will shoot him dead with new words and thoughts.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
τούτῳ δώσω·
κᾆτʼ ἐκ τούτων ὧν ἂν λέξῃ
ῥηματίοισιν καινοῖς αὐτὸν
καὶ διανοίαις κατατοξεύσω.

[¶176] And at last, if he mutter, he shall be destroyed, being stung in his whole face and his two eyes by my maxims, as if by bees.

> Greek: τὸ τελευταῖον δʼ, ἢν ἀναγρύζῃ,
τὸ πρόσωπον ἅπαν καὶ τὠφθαλμὼ
κεντούμενος ὥσπερ ὑπʼ ἀνθρηνῶν
ὑπὸ τῶν γνωμῶν ἀπολεῖται.

[¶177] Chorus.:
Now the two, relying on very dexterous arguments and thoughts, and sententious maxims, will show which of them shall appear superior in argument.

> Greek: Χορός:
νῦν δείξετον τὼ πισύνω τοῖς περιδεξίοισι
λόγοισι καὶ φροντίσι καὶ γνωμοτύποις μερίμναις,
ὁπότερος αὐτοῖν λέγων ἀμείνων φανήσεται.

[¶178] For now the whole crisis of wisdom is here laid before them; about which my friends have a very great contest.

> Greek: νῦν γὰρ ἅπας ἐνθάδε κίνδυνος ἀνεῖται σοφίας,
ἧς πέρι τοῖς ἐμοῖς φίλοις ἐστὶν ἀγὼν μέγιστος.

[¶179] Chorus.:
But do you, who adorned our elders with many virtuous manners, utter the voice in which you rejoice, and declare your nature.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ὦ πολλοῖς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ἤθεσι χρηστοῖς στεφανώσας,
ῥῆξον φωνὴν ᾗτινι χαίρεις, καὶ τὴν σαυτοῦ φύσιν εἰπέ.

[¶180] Just Cause.:
I will, therefore, describe the ancient system of education, how it was ordered, when I flourished in the advocacy of justice, and temperance was the fashion. In the first place it was incumbent that no one should hear the voice of a boy uttering a syllable; and next, that those from the same quarter of the town should march in good order through the streets to the school of the harp-master,
naked, and in a body, even if it were to snow as thick as meal. Then again, their master would teach them, not sitting cross-legged, to learn by rote a song, either “Παλλάδα περσέπολιν δεινὰν” or “τηλέπορόν τι βόαμα” raising to a higher pitch the harmony which our fathers transmitted to us. But if any of them were to play the buffoon, or to turn any quavers,
like these difficult turns the present artists make after the manner of Phrynis, he used to be thrashed, being beaten with many blows, as banishing the Muses. And it behooved the boys, while sitting in the school of the Gymnastic-master, to cover the thigh, so that they might exhibit nothing indecent to those outside;

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
λέξω τοίνυν τὴν ἀρχαίαν παιδείαν ὡς διέκειτο,
ὅτʼ ἐγὼ τὰ δίκαια λέγων ἤνθουν καὶ σωφροσύνη ʼνενόμιστο.
πρῶτον μὲν ἔδει παιδὸς φωνὴν γρύξαντος μηδὲν ἀκοῦσαι·
εἶτα βαδίζειν ἐν ταῖσιν ὁδοῖς εὐτάκτως ἐς κιθαριστοῦ
τοὺς κωμήτας γυμνοὺς ἁθρόους, κεἰ κριμνώδη κατανείφοι.
εἶτʼ αὖ προμαθεῖν ᾆσμʼ ἐδίδασκεν τὼ μηρὼ μὴ ξυνέχοντας,
ἢ Παλλάδα περσέπολιν δεινὰν ἢ τηλέπορόν τι βόαμα,
ἐντειναμένους τὴν ἁρμονίαν, ἣν οἱ πατέρες παρέδωκαν.
εἰ δέ τις αὐτῶν βωμολοχεύσαιτʼ ἢ κάμψειέν τινα καμπήν,
οἵας οἱ νῦν τὰς κατὰ Φρῦνιν ταύτας τὰς δυσκολοκάμπτους,
ἐπετρίβετο τυπτόμενος πολλὰς ὡς τὰς Μούσας ἀφανίζων.
ἐν παιδοτρίβου δὲ καθίζοντας τὸν μηρὸν ἔδει προβαλέσθαι
τοὺς παῖδας, ὅπως τοῖς ἔξωθεν μηδὲν δείξειαν ἀπηνές·

[¶181] then again, after rising from the ground, to sweep the sand together, and to take care not to leave an impression of the person for their lovers. And no boy used in those days to anoint himself below the navel; so that their bodies wore the appearance of blooming health. Nor used he to go to his lover, having made up his voice in an effeminate tone,
prostituting himself with his eyes. Nor used it to be allowed when one was dining to take the head of the radish, or to snatch from their seniors dill or parsley, or to eat fish, or to giggle, or to keep the legs crossed.

> Greek: εἶτʼ αὖ πάλιν αὖθις ἀνιστάμενον συμψῆσαι, καὶ προνοεῖσθαι
εἴδωλον τοῖσιν ἐρασταῖσιν τῆς ἥβης μὴ καταλείπειν.
ἠλείψατο δʼ ἂν τοὐμφαλοῦ οὐδεὶς παῖς ὑπένερθεν τότʼ ἄν, ὥστε
τοῖς αἰδοίοισι δρόσος καὶ χνοῦς ὥσπερ μήλοισιν ἐπήνθει·
οὐδʼ ἂν μαλακὴν φυρασάμενος τὴν φωνὴν πρὸς τὸν ἐραστὴν
αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν προαγωγεύων τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐβάδιζεν,
οὐδʼ ἀνελέσθαι δειπνοῦντʼ ἐξῆν καὶ κεφάλαιον ῥαφανῖδος,
οὐδʼ ἄννηθον τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἁρπάζειν οὐδὲ σέλινον,
οὐδʼ ὀψοφαγεῖν οὐδὲ κιχλίζειν οὐδʼ ἴσχειν τὼ πόδʼ ἐναλλάξ.

[¶182] Unjust Cause.:
Aye, antiquated and dipolia-like and full of grasshoppers, and of Cecydes, and of the Buphonian festival!
Just Cause.:
Yet certainly these are those principles by which my system of education nurtured the men who fought at Marathon. But you teach the men of the present day, so that I am choked, when at the Panathenaia a fellow, holding his shield before his person, neglects Tritogenia, when they ought to dance.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
ἀρχαῖά γε καὶ Διιπολιώδη καὶ τεττίγων ἀνάμεστα
καὶ Κηκείδου καὶ Βουφονίων.
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ἀλλʼ οὖν ταῦτʼ ἐστὶν ἐκεῖνα,
ἐξ ὧν ἄνδρας Μαραθωνομάχας ἡμὴ παίδευσις ἔθρεψεν.
σὺ δὲ τοὺς νῦν εὐθὺς ἐν ἱματίοισι διδάσκεις ἐντετυλίχθαι·
ὥστε μʼ ἀπάγχεσθʼ, ὅταν ὀρχεῖσθαι Παναθηναίοις δέον αὐτοὺς
τὴν ἀσπίδα τῆς κωλῆς προέχων ἀμελῇ τῆς Τριτογενείας.

[¶183] Wherefore, O youth, choose with confidence, me, the better cause, and you will learn to hate the Agora, and to refrain from baths, and to be ashamed of what is disgraceful, and to be enraged if any one jeer you, and to rise up from seats before your seniors when they approach, and not to behave ill toward your parents, and to do nothing else
that is base, because you are to form in your mind an image of Modesty: and not to dart into the house of a dancing-woman, lest, while gaping after these things, being struck with an apple by a wanton, you should be damaged in your reputation: and not to contradict your father in anything; nor by calling him Iapetus, to reproach him with the ills of age, by which you were reared in your infancy.

> Greek: πρὸς ταῦτʼ ὦ μειράκιον θαρρῶν ἐμὲ τὸν κρείττω λόγον αἱροῦ·
κἀπιστήσει μισεῖν ἀγορὰν καὶ βαλανείων ἀπέχεσθαι,
καὶ τοῖς αἰσχροῖς αἰσχύνεσθαι, κἂν σκώπτῃ τίς σε φλέγεσθαι·
καὶ τῶν θάκων τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις ὑπανίστασθαι προσιοῦσιν,
καὶ μὴ περὶ τοὺς σαυτοῦ γονέας σκαιουργεῖν, ἄλλο τε μηδὲν
αἰσχρὸν ποιεῖν, ὅτι τῆς αἰδοῦς μέλλεις τἄγαλμʼ ἀναπλάττειν·
μηδʼ εἰς ὀρχηστρίδος εἰσᾴττειν, ἵνα μὴ πρὸς ταῦτα κεχηνὼς
μήλῳ βληθεὶς ὑπὸ πορνιδίου τῆς εὐκλείας ἀποθραυσθῇς·
μηδʼ ἀντειπεῖν τῷ πατρὶ μηδέν, μηδʼ Ἰαπετὸν καλέσαντα
μνησικακῆσαι τὴν ἡλικίαν ἐξ ἧς ἐνεοττοτροφήθης.

[¶184] Unjust Cause.:
If you shall believe him in this, O youth, by Bacchus, you will be like the sons of Hippocrates, and they will call you a booby.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
εἰ ταῦτʼ ὦ μειράκιον πείσει τούτῳ, νὴ τὸν Διόνυσον
τοῖς Ἱπποκράτους υἱέσιν εἴξεις καὶ σε καλοῦσι βλιτομάμμαν.

## 3. Lines 1002–1511

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

[¶0] Just Cause.:
Yet certainly shall you spend your time in the gymnastic schools, sleek and blooming; not chattering in the market-place rude jests, like the youths of the present day; nor dragged into court for a petty suit, greedy, pettifogging, knavish;

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ἀλλʼ οὖν λιπαρός γε καὶ εὐανθὴς ἐν γυμνασίοις διατρίψεις,
οὐ στωμύλλων κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν τριβολεκτράπελʼ οἷάπερ οἱ νῦν,
οὐδʼ ἑλκόμενος περὶ πραγματίου γλισχραντιλογεξεπιτρίπτου·

[¶1] but you shall descend to the Academy and run races beneath the sacred olives along with some modest compeer, crowned with white reeds, redolent of yew, and careless ease, of leaf-shedding white poplar, rejoicing in the season of spring, when the plane-tree whispers to the elm.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ εἰς Ἀκαδήμειαν κατιὼν ὑπὸ ταῖς μορίαις ἀποθρέξει
στεφανωσάμενος καλάμῳ λευκῷ μετὰ σώφρονος ἡλικιώτου,
μίλακος ὄζων καὶ ἀπραγμοσύνης καὶ λεύκης φυλλοβολούσης,
ἦρος ἐν ὥρᾳ χαίρων, ὁπόταν πλάτανος πτελέᾳ ψιθυρίζῃ.

[¶2] Just Cause.:
If you do these things which I say, and apply your mind to these, you will ever have a stout chest, a clear complexion, broad shoulders, a little tongue, large hips, little lewdness.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ἢν ταῦτα ποιῇς ἁγὼ φράζω,
καὶ πρὸς τούτοις προσέχῃς τὸν νοῦν,
ἕξεις ἀεὶ
στῆθος λιπαρόν, χροιὰν λαμπράν,
ὤμους μεγάλους, γλῶτταν βαιάν,
πυγὴν μεγάλην, πόσθην μικράν.

[¶3] But if you practise what the youths of the present day do, you will have in the first place, a pallid complexion, small shoulders, a narrow chest, a large tongue, little hips, great lewdness,
a long psephism; and this deceiver will persuade you to consider everything that is base to be honourable, and what is honourable to be base; and in addition to this, he will fill you with the lewdness of Antimachus.

> Greek: ἢν δʼ ἅπερ οἱ νῦν ἐπιτηδεύῃς,
πρῶτα μὲν ἕξεις
χροιὰν ὠχράν, ὤμους μικρούς,
στῆθος λεπτόν, γλῶτταν μεγάλην,
πυγὴν μικράν, κωλῆν μεγάλην,
ψήφισμα μακρόν, καὶ σʼ ἀναπείσει
τὸ μὲν αἰσχρὸν ἅπαν καλὸν ἡγεῖσθαι,
τὸ καλὸν δʼ αἰσχρόν·
καὶ πρὸς τούτοις τῆς Ἀντιμάχου
καταπυγοσύνης ἀναπλήσει.

[¶4] Chorus.:
O thou that practisest most renowned high-towering wisdom! How sweetly does a modest grace attend your words! Happy, therefore, were they who lived in those days, in the times
of former men! In reply, then, to these, O thou that hast a dainty-seeming Muse, it behooveth thee to say something new; since the man has gained renown.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ καλλίπυργον σοφίαν κλεινοτάτην ἐπασκῶν,
ὡς ἡδύ σου τοῖσι λόγοις σῶφρον ἔπεστιν ἄνθος.
†εὐδαίμονες δʼ ἦσαν ἄρʼ οἱ ζῶντες τότʼ ἐπὶ
τῶν προτέρων†· πρὸς τάδε σʼ ὦ κομψοπρεπῆ μοῦσαν ἔχων,
δεῖ σε λέγειν τι καινόν, ὡς ηὐδοκίμηκεν ἁνήρ.

[¶5] Chorus.:
And it appears you have need of powerful arguments against him, if you are to conquer the man and not incur laughter.

> Greek: Χορός:
δεινῶν δέ σοι βουλευμάτων ἔοικε δεῖν πρὸς αὐτόν,
εἴπερ τὸν ἄνδρʼ ὑπερβαλεῖ καὶ μὴ γέλωτʼ ὀφλήσεις.

[¶6] Unjust Cause.:
And yet I was choking in my heart, and was longing to confound all these with contrary maxims. For I have been called among the deep thinkers the “worse cause” on this very account, that I first contrived how
to speak against both law and justice; and this art is worth more than ten thousand staters, that one should choose the worse cause, and nevertheless be victorious. But mark how I will confute the system of education on which he relies, who says, in the first place, that he will not permit you to be washed with warm water.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
καὶ μὴν πάλαι γʼ ἐπνιγόμην τὰ σπλάγχνα κἀπεθύμουν
ἅπαντα ταῦτʼ ἐναντίαις γνώμαισι συνταράξαι.
ἐγὼ γὰρ ἥττων μὲν λόγος διʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ἐκλήθην
ἐν τοῖσι φροντισταῖσιν, ὅτι πρώτιστος ἐπενόησα
τοῖσιν νόμοις καὶ ταῖς δίκαις τἀναντίʼ ἀντιλέξαι.
καὶ τοῦτο πλεῖν ἢ μυρίων ἔστʼ ἄξιον στατήρων,
αἱρούμενον τοὺς ἥττονας λόγους ἔπειτα νικᾶν.
σκέψαι δὲ τὴν παίδευσιν ᾗ πέποιθεν ὡς ἐλέγξω,
ὅστις σε θερμῷ φησι λοῦσθαι πρῶτον οὐκ ἐάσειν.

[¶7] And yet, on what principle do you blame the warm baths?

> Greek: καίτοι τίνα γνώμην ἔχων ψέγεις τὰ θερμὰ λουτρά;

[¶8] Just Cause.:
Because it is most vile, and makes a man cowardly.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ὁτιὴ κάκιστόν ἐστι καὶ δειλὸν ποιεῖ τὸν ἄνδρα.

[¶9] Unjust Cause.:
Stop! For immediately I seize and hold you by the waist without escape. Come, tell me, which of the sons of Jupiter do you deem to have been the bravest in soul, and to have undergone most labours?

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
ἐπίσχες· εὐθὺς γάρ σʼ ἔχω μέσον λαβὼν ἄφυκτον.
καί μοι φράσον, τῶν τοῦ Διὸς παίδων τίνʼ ἄνδρʼ ἄριστον
ψυχὴν νομίζεις, εἰπέ, καὶ πλείστους πόνους πονῆσαι.

[¶10] Just Cause.:
I consider no man superior to Hercules.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδένʼ Ἡρακλέους βελτίονʼ ἄνδρα κρίνω.

[¶11] Unjust Cause.:
Where, pray, did you ever see cold Herculean baths? And yet, who was more valiant than he?
Just Cause.:
These are the very things which make the bath full of youths always chattering all day long, but the palaestras empty.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
ποῦ ψυχρὰ δῆτα πώποτʼ εἶδες Ἡράκλεια λουτρά;
καίτοι τίς ἀνδρειότερος ἦν;
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ταῦτʼ ἐστὶ ταῦτʼ ἐκεῖνα,
ἃ τῶν νεανίσκων ἀεὶ διʼ ἡμέρας λαλούντων
πλῆρες τὸ βαλανεῖον ποιεῖ, κενὰς δὲ τὰς παλαίστρας.

[¶12] Unjust Cause.:
You next find fault with their living in the market-place; but I commend it. For if it had been bad, Homer would never have been for representing Nestor as an orator; nor all the other wise men. I will return, then, from thence to the tongue, which this fellow says our youths ought not to exercise, while I maintain they should.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
εἶτʼ ἐν ἀγορᾷ τὴν διατριβὴν ψέγεις· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐπαινῶ.
εἰ γὰρ πονηρὸν ἦν, Ὅμηρος οὐδέποτʼ ἂν ἐποίει
τὸν Νέστορʼ ἀγορητὴν ἂν οὐδὲ τοὺς σοφοὺς ἅπαντας.
ἄνειμι δῆτʼ ἐντεῦθεν ἐς τὴν γλῶτταν, ἣν ὁδὶ μὲν
οὔ φησι χρῆναι τοὺς νέους ἀσκεῖν, ἐγὼ δέ φημι.

[¶13] And again, he says they ought to be modest: two very great evils. For tell me to whom you have ever seen any good accrue through modesty and confute me by your words.

> Greek: καὶ σωφρονεῖν αὖ φησι χρῆναι· δύο κακὼ μεγίστω.
ἐπεὶ σὺ διὰ τὸ σωφρονεῖν τῷ πώποτʼ εἶδες ἤδη
ἀγαθάν τι γενόμενον, φράσον, καί μʼ ἐξέλεγξον εἰπών.

[¶14] Just Cause.:
To many. Peleus, at any rate, received his sword on account of it.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
πολλοῖς. ὁ γοῦν Πηλεὺς ἔλαβε διὰ τοῦτο τὴν μάχαιραν.

[¶15] Unjust Cause.:
A sword? Marry, he got a pretty piece of luck, the poor wretch! While Hyperbolus, he of the lamps, got more than many talents by his villainy, but by Jupiter, no sword!

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
μάχαιραν; ἀστεῖόν γε κέρδος ἔλαβεν ὁ κακοδαίμων.
Ὑπέρβολος δʼ οὑκ τῶν λύχνων πλεῖν ἢ τάλαντα πολλὰ
εἴληφε διὰ πονηρίαν, ἀλλʼ οὐ μὰ Δίʼ οὐ μάχαιραν.

[¶16] Just Cause.:
And Peleus married Thetis, too, through his modesty.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
καὶ τὴν Θέτιν γʼ ἔγημε διὰ τὸ σωφρονεῖν ὁ Πηλεύς.

[¶17] Unjust Cause.:
And then she went off and left him; for he was not lustful, nor an agreeable bedfellow to spend the night with.

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
κᾆτʼ ἀπολιποῦσά γʼ αὐτὸν ᾤχετʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἦν ὑβριστὴς
οὐδʼ ἡδὺς ἐν τοῖς στρώμασιν τὴν νύκτα παννυχίζειν·

[¶18] Now a woman delights in being wantonly treated. But you are an old dotard. For (to Phidippides). consider, O youth, all that attaches to modesty, and of how many pleasures you are about to be deprived—of women, of games at cottabus, of dainties, of drinking-bouts, of giggling. And yet, what is life worth to you if you be deprived of these enjoyments?

> Greek: γυνὴ δὲ σιναμωρουμένη χαίρει· σὺ δʼ εἶ Κρόνιππος.
σκέψαι γὰρ ὦ μειράκιον ἐν τῷ σωφρονεῖν ἅπαντα
ἅνεστιν, ἡδονῶν θʼ ὅσων μέλλεις ἀποστερεῖσθαι,
παίδων γυναικῶν κοττάβων ὄψων πότων κιχλισμῶν.
καίτοι τί σοι ζῆν ἄξιον, τούτων ἐὰν στερηθῇς;

[¶19] Well, I will pass from thence to the necessities of our nature. You have gone astray, you have fallen in love, you have been guilty of some adultery, and then have been caught. You are undone, for you are unable to speak. But if you associate with me, indulge your inclination, dance, laugh, and think nothing disgraceful. For if you should happen to be detected as an adulterer, you will make this reply to him,
“that you have done him no injury”: and then refer him to Jupiter, how even he is overcome by love and women. And yet, how could you, who are a mortal, have greater power than a god?

> Greek: εἶεν. πάρειμʼ ἐντεῦθεν ἐς τὰς τῆς φύσεως ἀνάγκας.
ἥμαρτες, ἠράσθης, ἐμοίχευσάς τι, κᾆτʼ ἐλήφθης·
ἀπόλωλας· ἀδύνατος γὰρ εἶ λέγειν. ἐμοὶ δʼ ὁμιλῶν
χρῶ τῇ φύσει, σκίρτα, γέλα, νόμιζε μηδὲν αἰσχρόν.
μοιχὸς γὰρ ἢν τύχῃς ἁλούς, τάδʼ ἀντερεῖς πρὸς αὐτόν,
ὡς οὐδὲν ἠδίκηκας· εἶτʼ ἐς τὸν Δίʼ ἐπανενεγκεῖν,
κἀκεῖνος ὡς ἥττων ἔρωτός ἐστι καὶ γυναικῶν·
καίτοι σὺ θνητὸς ὢν θεοῦ πῶς μεῖζον ἂν δύναιο;

[¶20] Just Cause.:
But what if he should suffer the radish through obeying you, and be depillated with hot ashes? What argument will he be able to state, to prove that he is not a blackguard?

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
τί δʼ ἢν ῥαφανιδωθῇ πιθόμενός σοι τέφρᾳ τε τιλθῇ,
ἕξει τινὰ γνώμην λέγειν τὸ μὴ εὐρύπρωκτος εἶναι;

[¶21] Unjust Cause.:
And if he be a blackguard, what harm will he suffer?

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
ἢν δʼ εὐρύπρωκτος ᾖ, τί πείσεται κακόν;

[¶22] Just Cause.:
Nay, what could he ever suffer still greater than this?

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
τί μὲν οὖν ἂν ἔτι μεῖζον πάθοι τούτου ποτέ;

[¶23] Unjust Cause.:
What then will you say if you be conquered by me in this?

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
τί δῆτʼ ἐρεῖς, ἢν τοῦτο νικηθῇς ἐμοῦ;

[¶24] Just Cause.:
I will be silent: what else can I do?
Unjust Cause.:
Come, now, tell me; from what class do the advocates come?

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
σιγήσομαι. τί δʼ ἄλλο;
Ἄδικος Λόγος:
φέρε δή μοι φράσον·
συνηγοροῦσιν ἐκ τίνων;

[¶25] Just Cause.:
From the blackguards.
Unjust Cause.:
I believe you. What then? From what class do tragedians come?

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ἐξ εὐρυπρώκτων.
Ἄδικος Λόγος:
πείθομαι.
τί δαί; τραγῳδοῦσʼ ἐκ τίνων;

[¶26] Just Cause.:
From the blackguards.
Unjust Cause.:
You say well. But from what class do the public orators come?

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ἐξ εὐρυπρώκτων.
Ἄδικος Λόγος:
εὖ λέγεις.
δημηγοροῦσι δʼ ἐκ τίνων;

[¶27] Just Cause.:
From the blackguards.
Unjust Cause.:
Then have you perceived that you say nothing to the purpose? And look which class among the audience is the more numerous.
Just Cause.:
Well now, I’m looking.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ἐξ εὐρυπρώκτων.
Ἄδικος Λόγος:
ἆρα δῆτʼ
ἔγνωκας ὡς οὐδὲν λέγεις;
καὶ τῶν θεατῶν ὁπότεροι
πλείους σκόπει.
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
καὶ δὴ σκοπῶ.

[¶28] Unjust Cause.:
What, then, do you see?
Just Cause.:
By the gods, the blackguards to be far more numerous. This fellow, at any rate, I know; and him yonder; and this fellow with the long hair.
Unjust Cause.:
What, then, will you say?

> Greek: Ἄδικος Λόγος:
τί δῆθʼ ὁρᾷς;
Δίκαιος Λόγος:
πολὺ πλείονας νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς
τοὺς εὐρυπρώκτους· τουτονὶ
γοῦν οἶδʼ ἐγὼ κἀκεινονὶ
καὶ τὸν κομήτην τουτονί.
Ἄδικος Λόγος:
τί δῆτʼ ἐρεῖς;

[¶29] Just Cause.:
We are conquered. Ye blackguards, by the gods, receive my cloak, for I desert to you.
Exeunt the Two Causes, and re-enter Socrates and Strepsiades.

> Greek: Δίκαιος Λόγος:
ἡττήμεθʼ· ὦ κινούμενοι
πρὸς τῶν θεῶν δέξασθέ μου
θοἰμάτιον, ὡς
ἐξαυτομολῶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς.

[¶30] Socrates.:
What then? whether do you wish to take and lead away this your son, or shall I teach him to speak?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
τί δῆτα; πότερα τοῦτον ἀπάγεσθαι λαβὼν
βούλει τὸν υἱόν, ἢ διδάσκω σοι λέγειν;

[¶31] Strepsiades.:
Teach him, and chastise him: and remember that you train him properly; on the one side able for petty suits; but train his other jaw able for the more important causes.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
δίδασκε καὶ κόλαζε καὶ μέμνησʼ ὅπως
εὖ μοι στομώσεις αὐτόν, ἐπὶ μὲν θάτερα
οἷον δικιδίοις, τὴν δʼ ἑτέραν αὐτοῦ γνάθον
στόμωσον οἵαν ἐς τὰ μείζω πράγματα.

[¶32] Socrates.:
Make yourself easy; you shall receive him back a clever sophist.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἀμέλει κομιεῖ τοῦτον σοφιστὴν δεξιόν.

[¶33] Strepsiades.:
Nay, rather, pale and wretched.
Exeunt Socrates, Strepsiades, and Phidippides.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ὠχρὸν μὲν οὖν οἶμαί γε καὶ κακοδαίμονα.

[¶34] Chorus.:
Go ye, then: but I think that you will repent of these proceedings.

> Greek: Χορός:
χωρεῖτέ νυν. οἶμαι δέ σοι ταῦτα μεταμελήσειν.

[¶35] Chorus.:
We wish to speak about the judges, what they will gain, if at all they justly assist this Chorus. For in the first place, if you wish to plough up your fields in spring, we will rain for you first; but for the others afterward. And then we will protect the fruits, and the vines,
so that neither drought afflict them, nor excessive wet weather. But if any mortal dishonour us who are goddesses, let him consider what evils he will suffer at our hands, obtaining neither wine nor anything else from his farm. For when his olives and vines sprout, they shall be cut down; with such slings
will we smite them. And if we see him making brick, we will rain; and we will smash the tiles of his roof with round hailstones. And if he himself, or any one of his kindred or friends, at any time marry, we will rain the whole night; so he will probably wish rather to have been
even in Egypt than to have judged badly.
Enter Strepsiades with a meal-sack on his shoulder.

> Greek: Χορός:
τοὺς κριτὰς ἃ κερδανοῦσιν, ἤν τι τόνδε τὸν χορὸν
ὠφελῶσʼ ἐκ τῶν δικαίων, βουλόμεσθʼ ἡμεῖς φράσαι.
πρῶτα μὲν γάρ, ἢν νεᾶν βούλησθʼ ἐν ὥρᾳ τοὺς ἀγρούς,
ὕσομεν πρώτοισιν ὑμῖν, τοῖσι δʼ ἄλλοις ὕστερον.
εἶτα τὸν καρπὸν τεκούσας ἀμπέλους φυλάξομεν,
ὥστε μήτʼ αὐχμὸν πιέζειν μήτʼ ἄγαν ἐπομβρίαν.
ἢν δʼ ἀτιμάσῃ τις ἡμᾶς θνητὸς ὢν οὔσας θεάς,
προσεχέτω τὸν νοῦν, πρὸς ἡμῶν οἷα πείσεται κακά,
λαμβάνων οὔτʼ οἶνον οὔτʼ ἄλλʼ οὐδὲν ἐκ τοῦ χωρίου.
ἡνίκʼ ἂν γὰρ αἵ τʼ ἐλαῖαι βλαστάνωσʼ αἵ τʼ ἄμπελοι,
ἀποκεκόψονται· τοιαύταις σφενδόναις παιήσομεν.
ἢν δὲ πλινθεύοντʼ ἴδωμεν, ὕσομεν καὶ τοῦ τέγους
τὸν κέραμον αὐτοῦ χαλάζαις στρογγύλαις συντρίψομεν.
κἂν γαμῇ ποτʼ αὐτὸς ἢ τῶν ξυγγενῶν ἢ τῶν φίλων,
ὕσομεν τὴν νύκτα πᾶσαν· ὥστʼ ἴσως βουλήσεται
κἂν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τυχεῖν ὢν μᾶλλον ἢ κρῖναι κακῶς.

[¶36] Strepsiades.:
The fifth, the fourth, the third, after this the second; and then, of all the days I most fear, and dread, and abominate, immediately after this there is the Old and New.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
πέμπτη, τετράς, τρίτη, μετὰ ταύτην δευτέρα,
εἶθʼ ἣν ἐγὼ μάλιστα πασῶν ἡμερῶν
δέδοικα καὶ πέφρικα καὶ βδελύττομαι,
εὐθὺς μετὰ ταύτην ἔσθʼ ἕνη τε καὶ νέα.

[¶37] For every one to whom I happen to be indebted, swears, and says he will ruin and destroy me, having made his deposits against me; though I only ask what is moderate and just—“My good sir, one part don’t take just now; the other part put off I pray; and the other part remit”; they say that thus
they will never get back their money, but abuse me, as I am unjust, and say they will go to law with me. Now therefore let them go to law, for it little concerns me, if Phidippides has learned to speak well. I shall soon know by knocking at the thinking-shop.
Knocks at the door.

> Greek: πᾶς γάρ τις ὀμνὺς οἷς ὀφείλων τυγχάνω,
θείς μοι πρυτανεῖʼ ἀπολεῖν μέ φησι κἀξολεῖν,
κἀμοῦ μέτριά τε καὶ δίκαιʼ αἰτουμένου,
ὦ δαιμόνιε τὸ μέν τι νυνὶ μὴ λάβῃς,
τὸ δʼ ἀναβαλοῦ μοι, τὸ δʼ ἄφες, οὔ φασίν ποτε
οὕτως ἀπολήψεσθʼ, ἀλλὰ λοιδοροῦσί με
ὡς ἄδικός εἰμι, καὶ δικάσεσθαί φασί μοι.
νῦν οὖν δικαζέσθων· ὀλίγον γάρ μοι μέλει,
εἴπερ μεμάθηκεν εὖ λέγειν Φειδιππίδης.
τάχα δʼ εἴσομαι κόψας τὸ φροντιστήριον.

[¶38] Boy, I say! Boy, boy!
Enter Socrates.
Socrates.:
Good morning, Strepsiades.

> Greek: παῖ, ἠμί, παῖ παῖ.
Σωκράτης:
Στρεψιάδην ἀσπάζομαι.

[¶39] Strepsiades.:
The same to you. But first accept this present; for one ought to compliment the teacher with a fee. And tell me about my son, if he has learned that cause, which you just now brought forward.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
κἄγωγέ σʼ· ἀλλὰ τουτονὶ πρῶτον λαβέ·
χρὴ γὰρ ἐπιθαυμάζειν τι τὸν διδάσκαλον.
καί μοι τὸν υἱὸν εἰ μεμάθηκε τὸν λόγον
ἐκεῖνον εἴφʼ ὃν ἀρτίως εἰσήγαγες.

[¶40] Socrates.:
He has learned it.
Strepsiades.:
Well done, O Fraud, all-powerful queen!

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
μεμάθηκεν.
Στρεψιάδης:
εὖ γʼ ὦ παμβασίλειʼ Ἀπαιόλη.

[¶41] Socrates.:
So that you can get clear off from whatever suit you please.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ὥστʼ ἀποφύγοις ἂν ἥντινʼ ἂν βούλῃ δίκην.

[¶42] Strepsiades.:
Even if witnesses were present when I borrowed the money?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
κεἰ μάρτυρες παρῆσαν, ὅτʼ ἐδανειζόμην;

[¶43] Socrates.:
Yea, much more! Even if a thousand be present.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
πολλῷ γε μᾶλλον, κἂν παρῶσι χίλιοι.

[¶44] Strepsiades.:
Then I will shout with a very loud
shout: Ho! Weep, you petty-usurers, both you and your principals, and your compound interests! For you can no longer do me any harm, because such a son is being reared for me in this house,
shining with a double-edged tongue, for my guardian, the preserver of my house, a mischief to my enemies, ending the sadness of the great woes of his father. Him do thou run and summon from within to me.
Socrates goes into the house.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
βοάσομαί τἄρα τὰν ὑπέρτονον
βοάν. ἰὼ κλάετʼ ὦ ʼβολοστάται
αὐτοί τε καὶ τἀρχαῖα καὶ τόκοι τόκων·
οὐδὲν γὰρ ἄν με φλαῦρον ἐργάσαισθʼ ἔτι,
οἷος ἐμοὶ τρέφεται
τοῖσδʼ ἐνὶ δώμασι παῖς,
ἀμφήκει γλώττῃ λάμπων,
πρόβολος ἐμός, σωτὴρ δόμοις, ἐχθροῖς βλάβη,
λυσανίας πατρῴων μεγάλων κακῶν·
ὃν κάλεσον τρέχων ἔνδοθεν ὡς ἐμέ.

[¶45] Socrates.:
O child! O son! Come forth from the house! Hear your father! Re-enter Socrates leading in Phidippides. Lo, here is the man!

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ὦ τέκνον ὦ παῖ ἔξελθʼ οἴκων,
ἄιε σοῦ πατρός.
ὅδʼ ἐκεῖνος ἀνήρ.

[¶46] Strepsiades.:
O my dear, my dear!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὦ φίλος ὦ φίλος.

[¶47] Socrates.:
Take your son and depart.
Exit Socrates.

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
ἄπιθι συλλαβών.

[¶48] Strepsiades.:
Oh, oh, my child! Huzza! Huzza! How I am delighted at the first sight of your complexion! Now, indeed, you are, in the first place, negative and disputatious to look at, and this fashion native to the place plainly appears, the “what do you say?” and the seeming
to be injured when, I well know, you are injuring and inflicting a wrong; and in your countenance there is the Attic look. Now, therefore, see that you save me, since you have also ruined me.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἰὼ ἰὼ τέκνον, ἰὼ ἰοῦ ἰοῦ.
ὡς ἥδομαί σου πρῶτα τὴν χρόαν ἰδών.
νῦν μέν γʼ ἰδεῖν εἶ πρῶτον ἐξαρνητικὸς
κἀντιλογικός, καὶ τοῦτο τοὐπιχώριον
ἀτεχνῶς ἐπανθεῖ, τὸ τί λέγεις σύ; καὶ δοκεῖν
ἀδικοῦντʼ ἀδικεῖσθαι καὶ κακουργοῦντʼ οἶδʼ ὅτι·
ἐπὶ τοῦ προσώπου τʼ ἐστὶν Ἀττικὸν βλέπος.
νῦν οὖν ὅπως σώσεις μʼ, ἐπεὶ κἀπώλεσας.

[¶49] Phidippides.:
What, pray, do you fear?
Strepsiades.:
The Old and New.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
φοβεῖ δὲ δὴ τί;
Στρεψιάδης:
τὴν ἕνην τε καὶ νέαν.

[¶50] Phidippides.:
Why, is any day old and new?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἕνη γάρ ἐστι καὶ νέα τις ἡμέρα;

[¶51] Strepsiades.:
Yes; on which they say that they will make their deposits against me.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
εἰς ἥν γε θήσειν τὰ πρυτανεῖά φασί μοι.

[¶52] Phidippides.:
Then those that have made them will lose them; for it is not possible that two days can be one day.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἀπολοῦσʼ ἄρʼ αὔθʼ οἱ θέντες· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅπως
μίʼ ἡμέρα γένοιτʼ ἂν ἡμέρα δύο.

[¶53] Strepsiades.:
Can not it?
Phidippides.:
Certainly not; unless the same woman can be both old and young at the same time.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο;
Φειδιππίδης:
πῶς γάρ; εἰ μή πέρ γʼ ἅμα
αὑτὴ γένοιτʼ ἂν γραῦς τε καὶ νέα γυνή.

[¶54] Strepsiades.:
And yet it is the law.
Phidippides.:
For they do not, I think, rightly understand what the law means.
Strepsiades.:
And what does it mean?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
καὶ μὴν νενόμισταί γʼ.
Φειδιππίδης:
οὐ γάρ, οἶμαι, τὸν νόμον
ἴσασιν ὀρθῶς ὅ τι νοεῖ.
Στρεψιάδης:
νοεῖ δὲ τί;

[¶55] Phidippides.:
The ancient Solon was by nature the commons’ friend.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ὁ Σόλων ὁ παλαιὸς ἦν φιλόδημος τὴν φύσιν.

[¶56] Strepsiades.:
This surely is nothing whatever to the Old and New.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τουτὶ μὲν οὐδέν πω πρὸς ἕνην τε καὶ νέαν.

[¶57] Phidippides.:
He therefore made the summons for two days, for the Old and New, that the deposits might be made on the first of the month.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἐκεῖνος οὖν τὴν κλῆσιν ἐς δύʼ ἡμέρας
ἔθηκεν, ἔς γε τὴν ἕνην τε καὶ νέαν,
ἵνʼ αἱ θέσεις γίγνοιντο τῇ νουμηνίᾳ.

[¶58] Strepsiades.:
Why, pray, did he add the old day?
Phidippides.:
In order, my good sir, that the defendants, being present a day before, might compromise the matter of their own accord; but if not,
that they might be worried on the morning of the new moon.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἵνα δὴ τί τὴν ἕνην προσέθηχʼ;
Φειδιππίδης:
ἵνʼ ὦ μέλε
παρόντες οἱ φεύγοντες ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ
πρότερον ἀπαλλάττοινθʼ ἑκόντες, εἰ δὲ μή,
ἕωθεν ὑπανιῷντο τῇ νουμηνία.

[¶59] Strepsiades.:
Why, then, do the magistrates not receive the deposits on the new moon, but on the Old and New?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
πῶς οὐ δέχονται δῆτα τῇ νουμηνίᾳ
ἁρχαὶ τὰ πρυτανεῖʼ, ἀλλʼ ἕνῃ τε καὶ νέᾳ;

[¶60] Phidippides.:
They seem to me to do what the forestallers do: in order that they may appreciate the deposits as soon as possible, on this account they have the first pick by one day.
Strepsiades.: (turning to the audience).

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ὅπερ οἱ προτένθαι γὰρ δοκοῦσί μοι ποιεῖν·
ὅπως τάχιστα τὰ πρυτανεῖʼ ὑφελοίατο,
διὰ τοῦτο προὐτένθευσαν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ.

[¶61] Bravo! Ye wretches, why do you sit senseless, the gain of us wise men, being blocks, ciphers, mere sheep, jars heaped together, wherefore I must sing an encomium upon myself and this my son,
on account of our good fortune.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
εὖ γʼ· ὦ κακοδαίμονες, τί κάθησθʼ ἀβέλτεροι,
ἡμέτερα κέρδη τῶν σοφῶν ὄντες, λίθοι,
ἀριθμός, πρόβατʼ ἄλλως, ἀμφορῆς νενησμένοι;
ὥστʼ εἰς ἐμαυτὸν καὶ τὸν υἱὸν τουτονὶ
ἐπʼ εὐτυχίαισιν ᾀστέον μοὐγκώμιον.

[¶62] Strepsiades.:
O happy Strepsiades! How wise you are yourself, and how excellent is the son whom you are rearing!" My friends
and fellow-tribesmen will say of me, envying me, when you prove victorious in arguing causes. But first I wish to lead you in and entertain you.
Exeunt Strepsiades and Phidippides.
Pasias.: (entering with his summons-witness).

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
μάκαρ ὦ Στρεψίαδες,
αὐτός τʼ ἔφυς ὡς σοφὸς
χοἶον τὸν υἱὸν τρέφεις,
φήσουσι δή μʼ οἱ φίλοι
χοἰ δημόται
ζηλοῦντες ἡνίκʼ ἂν σὺ νικᾷς λέγων τὰς δίκας.
ἀλλʼ εἰσάγων σε βούλομαι πρῶτον ἑστιᾶσαι.

[¶63] Then, ought a man to throw away any part of his own property?

> Greek: Πασίας:
εἶτʼ ἄνδρα τῶν αὑτοῦ τι χρὴ προϊέναι;

[¶64] Never! But it were better then at once to put away blushes, rather than now to have trouble; since I am now dragging you to be a witness, for the sake of my own money; and further, in addition to this, I shall become an enemy to my fellow-tribesman.

> Greek: οὐδέποτέ γʼ, ἀλλὰ κρεῖττον εὐθὺς ἦν τότε
ἀπερυθριᾶσαι μᾶλλον ἢ σχεῖν πράγματα,
ὅτε τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ γʼ ἕνεκα νυνὶ χρημάτων
ἕλκω σε κλητεύσοντα, καὶ γενήσομαι
ἐχθρὸς ἔτι πρὸς τούτοισιν ἀνδρὶ δημότῃ.

[¶65] But never, while I live, will I disgrace my country, but will summon Strepsiades.
Strepsiades.: (from within).
Who’s there?

> Greek: ἀτὰρ οὐδέποτέ γε τὴν πατρίδα καταισχυνῶ
ζῶν, ἀλλὰ καλοῦμαι Στρεψιάδην —
Στρεψιάδης:
τίς οὑτοσί;

[¶66] Pasias.:
For the Old and New.
Strepsiades.:
I call you to witness, that he has named it for two days. For what matter do you summon me?

> Greek: Πασίας:
ἐς τὴν ἕνην τε καὶ νέαν.
Στρεψιάδης:
μαρτύρομαι,
ὅτι ἐς δύʼ εἶπεν ἡμέρας. τοῦ χρήματος;

[¶67] Pasias.:
For the twelve minae, which you received when you were buying the dapple-gray horse.
Strepsiades.:
A horse? Do you not hear? I, whom you all know to hate horsemanship!

> Greek: Πασίας:
τῶν δώδεκα μνῶν, ἃς ἔλαβες ὠνούμενος
τὸν ψαρὸν ἵππον.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἵππον; οὐκ ἀκούετε;
ὃν πάντες ὑμεῖς ἴστε μισοῦνθʼ ἱππικήν.

[¶68] Pasias.:
And, by Jupiter! You swore by the gods too, that you would repay it.

> Greek: Πασίας:
καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἀποδώσειν γʼ ἐπώμνυς τοὺς θεούς.

[¶69] Strepsiades.:
Ay, by Jove! For then my Phidippides did not yet know the irrefragable argument.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὐ γάρ πω τότʼ ἐξηπίστατο
Φειδιππίδης μοι τὸν ἀκατάβλητον λόγον.

[¶70] Pasias.:
And do you now intend, on this account, to deny the debt?

> Greek: Πασίας:
νῦν δὲ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἔξαρνος εἶναι διανοεῖ;

[¶71] Strepsiades.:
Why, what good should I get else from his instruction?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί γὰρ ἄλλʼ ἂν ἀπολαύσαιμι τοῦ μαθήματος;

[¶72] Pasias.:
And will you be willing to deny these upon oath of the gods?
Strepsiades.:
What gods?

> Greek: Πασίας:
καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐθελήσεις ἀπομόσαι μοι τοὺς θεοὺς
ἵνʼ ἂν κελεύσω ʼγώ σε;
Στρεψιάδης:
τοὺς ποίους θεούς;

[¶73] Pasias.:
Jupiter, Mercury, and Neptune.
Strepsiades.:
Yes, by Jupiter! And would pay down, too, a three-obol piece besides to swear.

> Greek: Πασίας:
τὸν Δία, τὸν Ἑρμῆν, τὸν Ποσειδῶ.
Στρεψιάδης:
νὴ Δία
κἂν προσκαταθείην γʼ ὥστʼ ὀμόσαι τριώβολον.

[¶74] Pasias.:
Then may you perish some day for your impudence!

> Greek: Πασίας:
ἀπόλοιο τοίνυν ἕνεκʼ ἀναιδείας ἔτι.

[¶75] Strepsiades.:
This man would be the better for it if he were cleansed by rubbing with salt.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἁλσὶν διασμηχθεὶς ὄναιτʼ ἂν οὑτοσί.

[¶76] Pasias.:
Ah me, how you deride me!
Strepsiades.:
He will contain six choae.

> Greek: Πασίας:
οἴμʼ ὡς καταγελᾷς.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἓξ χοᾶς χωρήσεται.

[¶77] Pasias.:
By great Jupiter and the gods, you certainly shall not do this to me with impunity!
Strepsiades.:
I like your gods amazingly; and Jupiter, sworn by, is ridiculous to the knowing ones.

> Greek: Πασίας:
οὔ τοι μὰ τὸν Δία τὸν μέγαν καὶ τοὺς θεοὺς
ἐμοῦ καταπροίξει.
Στρεψιάδης:
θαυμασίως ἥσθην θεοῖς,
καὶ Ζεὺς γέλοιος ὀμνύμενος τοῖς εἰδόσιν.

[¶78] Pasias.:
You will assuredly suffer punishment, some time or other, for this. But answer and dismiss me, whether you are going to repay me my money or not.
Strepsiades.:
Keep quiet now, for I will presently answer you distinctly.
Runs into the house.

> Greek: Πασίας:
ἦ μὴν σὺ τούτων τῷ χρόνῳ δώσεις δίκην.
ἀλλʼ εἴτʼ ἀποδώσεις μοι τὰ χρήματʼ εἴτε μή,
ἀπόπεμψον ἀποκρινάμενος.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἔχε νυν ἥσυχος.
ἐγὼ γὰρ αὐτίκʼ ἀποκρινοῦμαί σοι σαφῶς.

[¶79] Pasias.:
(to his summons-witness). What do you think he will do?
Witness.:
I think he will pay you.
Re-enter Strepsiades with a kneading-trough.

> Greek: Πασίας:
τί σοι δοκεῖ δράσειν;
Μάρτυς:
ἀποδώσειν μοι δοκεῖ.

[¶80] Strepsiades.:
Where is this man who asks me for his money? Tell me what is this?
Pasias.:
What is this? A κάρδοπος.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ποῦ ʼσθʼ οὗτος ἁπαιτῶν με τἀργύριον; λέγε
τουτὶ τί ἔστι;
Πασίας:
τοῦθʼ ὅ τι ἐστί; κάρδοπος.

[¶81] Strepsiades.:
And do you then ask me for your money, being such an ignorant person? I would not pay, not even an obolus, to any one who called the καρδόπη κάρδοπος.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἔπειτʼ ἀπαιτεῖς τἀργύριον τοιοῦτος ὤν;
οὐκ ἂν ἀποδοίην οὐδʼ ἂν ὀβολὸν οὐδενί,
ὅστις καλέσειε κάρδοπον τὴν καρδόπην.

[¶82] Pasias.:
Then won’t you pay me?
Strepsiades.:
Not, as far as I know. Will you not then pack off as fast as possible from my door?
Pasias.:
I will depart; and be assured of this, that I will make deposit against you, or may I live no longer!

> Greek: Πασίας:
οὐκ ἄρʼ ἀποδώσεις;
Στρεψιάδης:
οὐχ ὅσον γέ μʼ εἰδέναι.
οὔκουν ἀνύσας τι θᾶττον ἀπολιταργιεῖς
ἀπὸ τῆς θύρας;
Πασίας:
ἄπειμι, καὶ τοῦτʼ ἴσθʼ ὅτι
θήσω πρυτανεῖʼ ἢ μηκέτι ζῴην ἐγώ.

[¶83] Strepsiades.:
Then you will lose it besides, in addition to your twelve minae. And yet I do not wish you to suffer this, because you named the kardopos floolishly.
Exeunt Pasias and Witness, and enter Amynias.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
καὶ προσαπολεῖς ἄρʼ αὐτὰ πρὸς ταῖς δώδεκα.
καίτοι σε τοῦτό γʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι παθεῖν,
ὁτιὴ ʼκάλεσας εὐηθικῶς τὴν κάρδοπον.

[¶84] Amynias.:
Ah me! Ah me!

> Greek: Αμυνίας:
ἰώ μοί μοι.

[¶85] Strepsiades.:
Ha! Whoever is this, who is lamenting? Surely it was not one of Carcinus’ deities that spoke.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἔα.
τίς οὑτοσί ποτʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ θρηνῶν; οὔτι που
τῶν Καρκίνου τις δαιμόνων ἐφθέγξατο;

[¶86] Amynias.:
But why do you wish to know this, who I am?-A miserable man.
Strepsiades.:
Then follow your own path.

> Greek: Αμυνίας:
τί δʼ ὅστις εἰμὶ τοῦτο βούλεσθʼ εἰδέναι;
ἀνὴρ κακοδαίμων.
Στρεψιάδης:
κατὰ σεαυτόν νυν τρέπου.

[¶87] Amynias.:
O harsh fortune! O Fates, breaking the wheels of my horses! O Pallas, how you have destroyed me!

> Greek: Αμυνίας:
ὦ σκληρὲ δαῖμον, ὦ τύχαι θραυσάντυγες
ἵππων ἐμῶν, ὦ Παλλὰς ὥς μʼ ἀπώλεσας.

[¶88] Strepsiades.:
What evil, pray, has Tlepolemus ever done you?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί δαί σε Τληπόλεμός ποτʼ εἴργασται κακόν;

[¶89] Amynias.:
Do not jeer me, my friend; but order your son to pay me the money which he received; especially as I have been unfortunate.

> Greek: Αμυνίας:
μὴ σκῶπτέ μʼ ὦ τᾶν, ἀλλά μοι τὰ χρήματα
τὸν υἱὸν ἀποδοῦναι κέλευσον ἅλαβεν,
ἄλλως τε μέντοι καὶ κακῶς πεπραγότι.

[¶90] Strepsiades.:
What money is this?
Amynias.:
That which he borrowed.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα χρήμαθʼ;
Αμυνίας:
ἁδανείσατο.

[¶91] Strepsiades.:
Then you were really unlucky, as I think.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
κακῶς ἄρʼ ὄντως εἶχες, ὥς γʼ ἐμοὶ δοκεῖς.

[¶92] Amynias.:
By the gods, I fell while driving my horses.

> Greek: Αμυνίας:
ἵππους ἐλαύνων ἐξέπεσον νὴ τοὺς θεούς.

[¶93] Strepsiades.:
Why, pray, do you talk nonsense, as if you had fallen from an ass?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί δῆτα ληρεῖς ὥσπερ ἀπʼ ὄνου καταπεσών;

[¶94] Amynias.:
Do I talk nonsense if I wish to recover my money?

> Greek: Αμυνίας:
ληρῶ, τὰ χρήματʼ ἀπολαβεῖν εἰ βούλομαι;

[¶95] Strepsiades.:
You can’t be in your senses yourself.
Amynias.:
Why, pray?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως σύ γʼ αὐτὸς ὑγιαίνεις.
Αμυνίας:
τί δαί;

[¶96] Strepsiades.:
You appear to me to have had your brains shaken as it were.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τὸν ἐγκέφαλον ὥσπερ σεσεῖσθαί μοι δοκεῖς.

[¶97] Amynias.:
And you appear to me, by Hermes, to be going to be summoned, if you will not pay me the money?
Strepsiades.:
Tell me now, whether you think that Jupiter
always rains fresh rain on each occasion, or that the sun draws from below the same water back again?

> Greek: Αμυνίας:
σὺ δὲ νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν προσκεκλήσεσθαί γέ μοι,
εἰ μὴ ʼποδώσεις τἀργύριον.
Στρεψιάδης:
κάτειπέ νυν,
πότερα νομίζεις καινὸν ἀεὶ τὸν Δία
ὕειν ὕδωρ ἑκάστοτʼ, ἢ τὸν ἥλιον
ἕλκειν κάτωθεν ταὐτὸ τοῦθʼ ὕδωρ πάλιν;

[¶98] Amynias.:
I know not which; nor do I care.

> Greek: Αμυνίας:
οὐκ οἶδʼ ἔγωγʼ ὁπότερον, οὐδέ μοι μέλει.

[¶99] Strepsiades.:
How then is it just that you should recover your money, if you know nothing of meteorological matters?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
πῶς οὖν ἀπολαβεῖν τἀργύριον δίκαιος εἶ,
εἰ μηδὲν οἶσθα τῶν μετεώρων πραγμάτων;

[¶100] Amynias.:
Well, if you are in want, pay me the interest of my money.
Strepsiades.:
What sort of animal is this interest?

> Greek: Αμυνίας:
ἀλλʼ εἰ σπανίζεις, τἀργυρίου μοι τὸν τόκον
ἀπόδοτε·
Στρεψιάδης:
τοῦτο δʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ τόκος τί θηρίον;

[¶101] Amynias.:
Most assuredly the money is always becoming more and more every month and every day as the time slips away.
Strepsiades.:
You say well. What then? Is it possible that you consider the sea to be greater now than formerly?
Amynias.:
No, by Jupiter, but equal; for it is not fitting that it should be greater.
Strepsiades.:
And how then, you wretch does this become no way greater, though the rivers flow into it, while you
seek to increase your money? Will you not take yourself off from my house? Bring me the goad.
Enter Servant with a goad.
Amynias.:
I call you to witness these things.
Strepsiades.: (beating him).

> Greek: Αμυνίας:
τί δʼ ἄλλο γʼ ἢ κατὰ μῆνα καὶ καθʼ ἡμέραν
πλέον πλέον τἀργύριον ἀεὶ γίγνεται
ὑπορρέοντος τοῦ χρόνου;
Στρεψιάδης:
καλῶς λέγεις.
τί δῆτα; τὴν θάλατταν ἔσθʼ ὅτι πλείονα
νυνὶ νομίζεις ἢ πρὸ τοῦ;
Αμυνίας:
μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ἴσην.
οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον πλείονʼ εἶναι.
Στρεψιάδης:
κᾆτα πῶς
αὕτη μὲν ὦ κακόδαιμον οὐδὲν γίγνεται
ἐπιρρεόντων τῶν ποταμῶν πλείων, σὺ δὲ
ζητεῖς ποιῆσαι τἀργύριον πλεῖον τὸ σόν;
οὐκ ἀποδιώξει σαυτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκίας;
φέρε μοι τὸ κέντρον.
Αμυνίας:
ταῦτʼ ἐγὼ μαρτύρομαι.

[¶102] Go! Why do you delay? Won’t you march, Mr. Blood-horse?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὕπαγε. τί μέλλεις; οὐκ ἐλᾷς ὦ σαμφόρα;

[¶103] Amynias.:
Is not this an insult, pray?
Strepsiades.:
Will you move quickly? Pricks him behind with the goad. I’ll lay on you, goading you behind, you outrigger? Do you fly? Amynias runs off. I thought I should stir you, together with your wheels and your two-horse chariots.
Exit Strepsiades.

> Greek: Αμυνίας:
ταῦτʼ οὐχ ὕβρις δῆτʼ ἐστίν;
Στρεψιάδης:
ᾄξεις; ἐπιαλῶ
κεντῶν ὑπὸ τὸν πρωκτόν σε τὸν σειραφόρον.
φεύγεις; ἔμελλόν σʼ ἆρα κινήσειν ἐγὼ
αὐτοῖς τροχοῖς τοῖς σοῖσι καὶ ξυνωρίσιν.

[¶104] Chorus.:
What a thing it is to love evil courses! For this old man, having loved them,
wishes to withhold the money that he borrowed. And he will certainly meet with something today, which will perhaps cause this sophist
to suddenly receive some misfortune, in return for the knaveries he has begun.

> Greek: Χορός:
οἷον τὸ πραγμάτων ἐρᾶν φλαύρων· ὁ γὰρ
γέρων ὅδʼ ἐρασθεὶς
ἀποστερῆσαι βούλεται
τὰ χρήμαθʼ ἁδανείσατο·
κοὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως οὐ τήμερον
λήψεταί τι πρᾶγμʼ, ὃ τοῦτον
ποιήσει τὸν σοφιστὴν [ἴσως,]
ἀνθʼ ὧν πανουργεῖν ἤρξατʼ, ἐξαίφνης λαβεῖν κακόν τι.

[¶105] Chorus.:
For I think that he will presently find what has been long boiling up, that his son is skilful to speak opinions
opposed to justice, so as to overcome all with whomsoever he holds converse, even if he advance most villainous doctrines;

> Greek: Χορός:
οἶμαι γὰρ αὐτὸν αὐτίχʼ εὑρήσειν ὅπερ
πάλαι ποτʼ †ἐπεζήτει†
εἶναι τὸν υἱὸν δεινόν οἱ
γνώμας ἐναντίας λέγειν
τοῖσιν δικαίοις, ὥστε νικᾶν
ἅπαντας οἷσπερ ἂν
ξυγγένηται, κἂν λέγῃ παμπόνηρʼ.

[¶106] and perhaps, perhaps his father will wish that he were even speechless.

> Greek: ἴσως δʼ ἴσως βουλήσεται κἄφωνον αὐτὸν εἶναι.

[¶107] Strepsiades.:
(running out of the house pursued by his son). Hollo! Hollo! O neighbours, and kinsfolk, and fellow-tribesmen, defend me, by all means, who am being beaten! Ah me, unhappy man, for my head and jaw! Wretch! Do you beat your father?
Phidippides.:
Yes, father.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἰοὺ ἰού.
ὦ γείτονες καὶ ξυγγενεῖς καὶ δημόται,
ἀμυνάθετέ μοι τυπτομένῳ πάσῃ τέχνῃ.
οἴμοι κακοδαίμων τῆς κεφαλῆς καὶ τῆς γνάθου.
ὦ μιαρὲ τύπτεις τὸν πατέρα;
Φειδιππίδης:
φήμʼ ὦ πάτερ.

[¶108] Strepsiades.:
You see him owning that he beats me.
Phidippides.:
Certainly.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὁρᾶθʼ ὁμολογοῦνθʼ ὅτι με τύπτει.
Φειδιππίδης:
καὶ μάλα.

[¶109] Strepsiades.:
O wretch, and parricide, and house-breaker!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὦ μιαρὲ καὶ πατραλοῖα καὶ τοιχωρύχε.

[¶110] Phidippides.:
Say the same things of me again, and more. Do you know that I take pleasure in being much abused?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
αὖθίς με ταὐτὰ ταῦτα καὶ πλείω λέγε.
ἆρʼ οἶσθʼ ὅτι χαίρω πόλλʼ ἀκούων καὶ κακά;

[¶111] Strepsiades.:
You blackguard!
Phidippides.:
Sprinkle me with roses in abundance.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὦ λακκόπρωκτε.
Φειδιππίδης:
πάττε πολλοῖς τοῖς ῥόδοις.

[¶112] Strepsiades.:
Do you beat your father?
Phidippides.:
And will prove too, by Jupiter! that I beat you with justice.
Strepsiades.:
O thou most rascally! Why, how can it be just to beat a father?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τὸν πατέρα τύπτεις;
Φειδιππίδης:
κἀποφανῶ γε νὴ Δία
ὡς ἐν δίκῃ σʼ ἔτυπτον.
Στρεψιάδης:
ὦ μιαρώτατε,
καὶ πῶς γένοιτʼ ἂν πατέρα τύπτειν ἐν δίκῃ;

[¶113] Phidippides.:
I will demonstrate it, and will overcome you in argument.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἔγωγʼ ἀποδείξω καί σε νικήσω λέγων.

[¶114] Strepsiades.:
Will you overcome me in this?
Phidippides.:
Yea, by much and easily. But choose which of the two Causes you wish to speak.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τουτὶ σὺ νικήσεις;
Φειδιππίδης:
πολύ γε καὶ ῥᾳδίως.
ἑλοῦ δʼ ὁπότερον τοῖν λόγοιν βούλει λέγειν.

[¶115] Strepsiades.:
Of what two Causes?
Phidippides.:
The better, or the worse?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ποίοιν λόγοιν;
Φειδιππίδης:
τὸν κρείττονʼ ἢ τὸν ἥττονα.

[¶116] Strepsiades.:
Marry, I did get you taught to speak against justice, by Jupiter, my friend, if you are
going to persuade me of this, that it is just and honourable for a father to be beaten by his sons!

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἐδιδαξάμην μέντοι σε νὴ Δίʼ ὦ μέλε
τοῖσιν δικαίοις ἀντιλέγειν, εἰ ταῦτά γε
μέλλεις ἀναπείσειν, ὡς δίκαιον καὶ καλὸν
τὸν πατέρα τύπτεσθʼ ἐστὶν ὑπὸ τῶν υἱέων.

[¶117] Phidippides.:
I think I shall certainly persuade you; so that, when you have heard, not even you yourself will say anything against it.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἀλλʼ οἴομαι μέντοι σʼ ἀναπείσειν, ὥστε γε
οὐδʼ αὐτὸς ἀκροασάμενος οὐδὲν ἀντερεῖς.

[¶118] Strepsiades.:
Well, now, I am willing to hear what you have to say.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
καὶ μὴν ὅ τι καὶ λέξεις ἀκοῦσαι βούλομαι.

[¶119] Chorus.:
It is your business, old man, to consider in what way you shall conquer the man; for if he were not relying upon something, he would not be so licentious. But he is emboldened by something; the boldness of the man
is evident.

> Greek: Χορός:
σὸν ἔργον ὦ πρεσβῦτα φροντίζειν ὅπῃ
τὸν ἄνδρα κρατήσεις,
ὡς οὗτος, εἰ μή τῳ ʼπεποίθειν, οὐκ ἂν ἦν
οὕτως ἀκόλαστος.
ἀλλʼ ἔσθʼ ὅτῳ θρασύνεται· δῆλόν γε τἀνθρώπου
ʼσʼτὶ τὸ λῆμα.

[¶120] Chorus.:
Now you ought to tell to the Chorus from what the contention first arose. And this you must do by all means.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ἐξ ὅτου τὸ πρῶτον ἤρξαθʼ ἡ μάχη γενέσθαι,
ἤδη λέγειν χρὴ πρὸς χορόν· πάντως δὲ τοῦτο δράσεις.

[¶121] Strepsiades.:
Well, now, I will tell you from what we first began to rail at one another. After we had feasted, as you know,
I first bade him take a lyre, and sing a song of Simonides, The Shearing of the Ram. But he immediately said it was old-fashioned to play on the lyre and sing while drinking, like a woman grinding parched barley.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
καὶ μὴν ὅθεν γε πρῶτον ἠρξάμεσθα λοιδορεῖσθαι
ἐγὼ φράσω· ʼπειδὴ γὰρ εἱστιώμεθʼ, ὥσπερ ἴστε,
πρῶτον μὲν αὐτὸν τὴν λύραν λαβόντʼ ἐγὼ ʼκέλευσα
ᾆσαι Σιμωνίδου μέλος, τὸν Κριὸν ὡς ἐπέχθη.
ὁ δʼ εὐθέως ἀρχαῖον εἶνʼ ἔφασκε τὸ κιθαρίζειν
ᾄδειν τε πίνονθʼ ὡσπερεὶ κάχρυς γυναῖκʼ ἀλοῦσαν.

[¶122] Phidippides.:
For ought you not then immediately to be beaten and trampled on, bidding me sing, just as if you were entertaining cicadae?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
οὐ γὰρ τότʼ εὐθὺς χρῆν σʼ ἄρα τύπτεσθαί τε καὶ πατεῖσθαι,
ᾄδειν κελεύονθʼ ὡσπερεὶ τέττιγας ἑστιῶντα;

[¶123] Strepsiades.:
He expressed, however, such opinions then too within, as he does now; and he asserted that Simonides was a bad poet. I bore it at first, with difficulty indeed, yet nevertheless I bore it. And then I bade him at least take a myrtle-wreath
and recite to me some portion of Aeschylus; and then he immediately said, “Shall I consider Aeschylus the first among the poets, full of empty sound, unpolished, bombastic, using rugged words?” And hereupon you can’t think how my heart panted. But, nevertheless, I restrained my passion, and said, “At least recite some passage ”
“of the more modern poets, of whatever kind these clever things be.” And he immediately sang a passage of Euripides, how a brother, O averter of ill! Debauched his uterine sister. And I bore it no longer, but immediately assailed him with many abusive reproaches. And then, after that, as was natural,
we hurled word upon word. Then he springs upon me; and then he was wounding me, and beating me, and throttling me.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τοιαῦτα μέντοι καὶ τότʼ ἔλεγεν ἔνδον οἷάπερ νῦν,
καὶ τὸν Σιμωνίδην ἔφασκʼ εἶναι κακὸν ποιητήν.
κἀγὼ μόλις μὲν ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἠνεσχόμην τὸ πρῶτον·
ἔπειτα δʼ ἐκέλευσʼ αὐτὸν ἀλλὰ μυρρίνην λαβόντα
τῶν Αἰσχύλου λέξαι τί μοι· κᾆθʼ οὗτος εὐθὺς εἶπεν·
ἐγὼ γὰρ Αἰσχύλον νομίζω πρῶτον ἐν ποιηταῖς,
ψόφου πλέων ἀξύστατον στόμφακα κρημνοποιόν;
κἀνταῦθα πῶς οἴεσθέ μου τὴν καρδίαν ὀρεχθεῖν;
ὅμως δὲ τὸν θυμὸν δακὼν ἔφην, σὺ δʼ ἀλλὰ τούτων
λέξον τι τῶν νεωτέρων, ἅττʼ ἐστὶ τὰ σοφὰ ταῦτα.
ὁ δʼ εὐθὺς ᾖσʼ Εὐριπίδου ῥῆσίν τινʼ, ὡς ἐκίνει
ἀδελφὸς ὦλεξίκακε τὴν ὁμομητρίαν ἀδελφήν.
κἀγὼ οὐκέτʼ ἐξηνεσχόμην, ἀλλʼ εὐθέως ἀράττω
πολλοῖς κακοῖς καἰσχροῖσι· κᾆτʼ ἐντεῦθεν, οἷον εἰκός,
ἔπος πρὸς ἔπος ἠρειδόμεσθʼ· εἶθʼ οὗτος ἐπαναπηδᾶ,
κἄπειτʼ ἔφλα με κἀσπόδει κἄπνιγε κἀπέθλιβεν.

[¶124] Phidippides.:
Were you not therefore justly beaten, who do not praise Euripides, the wisest of poets?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
οὔκουν δικαίως, ὅστις οὐκ Εὐριπίδην ἐπαινεῖς
σοφώτατον;

[¶125] Strepsiades.:
He the wisest! Oh, what shall I call you? But I shall be beaten again.
Phidippides.:
Yes, by Jupiter, with justice.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
σοφώτατόν γʼ ἐκεῖνον·ὦ — τί σʼ εἴπω;
ἀλλʼ αὖθις αὖ τυπτήσομαι.
Φειδιππίδης:
νὴ τὸν Δίʼ ἐν δίκῃ γʼ ἄν.

[¶126] Strepsiades.:
Why, how with justice? Who, O shameless fellow, reared you, understanding all your wishes, when you lisped what you meant? If you said bryn, I, understanding it, used to give you to drink. And when you asked for mamman, I used to come to you with bread. And you used no sooner to say caccan, than I used to take and
carry you out of doors, and hold you before me.
Strepsiades.:
But you now, throttling me who was bawling and crying out because I wanted to ease myself, had not the heart to carry me forth out of doors, you wretch; but I did it there while I was being throttled.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
καὶ πῶς δικαίως; ὅστις ὦ ʼναίσχυντέ σʼ ἐξέθρεψα,
αἰσθανόμενός σου πάντα τραυλίζοντος, ὅ τι νοοίης.
εἰ μέν γε βρῦν εἴποις, ἐγὼ γνοὺς ἂν πιεῖν ἐπέσχον·
μαμμᾶν δʼ ἂν αἰτήσαντος ἧκόν σοι φέρων ἂν ἄρτον·
κακκᾶν δʼ ἂν οὐκ ἔφθης φράσας, κἀγὼ λαβὼν θύραζε
ἐξέφερον ἂν καὶ προὐσχόμην σε· σὺ δʼ ἐμὲ νῦν ἀπάγχων
Στρεψιάδης:
βοῶντα καὶ κεκραγόθʼ ὅτι
χεζητιῴην, οὐκ ἔτλης
ἔξω ʼξενεγκεῖν ὦ μιαρὲ
θύραζέ μʼ, ἀλλὰ πνιγόμενος
αὐτοῦ ʼποίησα κακκᾶν.

[¶127] Chorus.:
I fancy the hearts of the youths are panting to hear what he will say. For if, after having done such things, he shall persuade him by speaking,
I would not take the hide of the old folks, even at the price of a chick-pea.

> Greek: Χορός:
οἶμαί γε τῶν νεωτέρων τὰς καρδίας
πηδᾶν ὅ τι λέξει.
εἰ γὰρ τοιαῦτά γʼ οὗτος ἐξειργασμένος
λαλῶν ἀναπείσει,
τὸ δέρμα τῶν γεραιτέρων λάβοιμεν ἂν
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἐρεβίνθου.

[¶128] Chorus.:
It is thy business, thou author and upheaver of new words, to seek some means of persuasion, so that you shall seem to speak justly.

> Greek: Χορός:
σὸν ἔργον ὦ καινῶν ἐπῶν κινητὰ καὶ μοχλευτὰ
πειθώ τινα ζητεῖν, ὅπως δόξεις λέγειν δίκαια.

[¶129] Phidippides.:
How pleasant it is to be acquainted with new and clever things,
and to be able to despise the established laws! For I, when I applied my mind to horsemanship alone, used not to be able to utter three words before I made a mistake; but now, since he himself has made me cease from these pursuits, and I am acquainted with subtle thoughts, and arguments, and speculations,
I think I shall demonstrate that it is just to chastise one’s father.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ὡς ἡδὺ καινοῖς πράγμασιν καὶ δεξιοῖς ὁμιλεῖν,
καὶ τῶν καθεστώτων νόμων ὑπερφρονεῖν δύνασθαι.
ἐγὼ γὰρ ὅτε μὲν ἱππικῇ τὸν νοῦν μόνῃ προσεῖχον,
οὐδʼ ἂν τρίʼ εἰπεῖν ῥήμαθʼ οἷός τʼ ἦν πρὶν ἐξαμαρτεῖν·
νυνὶ δʼ ἐπειδή μʼ οὑτοσὶ τούτων ἔπαυσεν αὐτός,
γνώμαις δὲ λεπταῖς καὶ λόγοις ξύνειμι καὶ μερίμναις,
οἶμαι διδάξειν ὡς δίκαιον τὸν πατέρα κολάζειν.

[¶130] Strepsiades.:
Ride, then, by Jupiter! Since it is better for me to keep a team of four horses than to be killed with a beating.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἵππευε τοίνυν νὴ Δίʼ, ὡς ἔμοιγε κρεῖττόν ἐστιν
ἵππων τρέφειν τέθριππον ἢ τυπτόμενον ἐπιτριβῆναι.

[¶131] Phidippides.:
I will pass over to that part of my discourse where you interrupted me; and first I will ask you this: Did you beat me when I was a boy?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἐκεῖσε δʼ ὅθεν ἀπέσχισάς με τοῦ λόγου μέτειμι,
καὶ πρῶτʼ ἐρήσομαί σε τουτί· παῖδά μʼ ὄντʼ ἔτυπτες;

[¶132] Strepsiades.:
I did, through good-will and concern for you.
Phidippides.:
Pray tell me, is it not just that I also should be well inclined toward you in the same way, and beat you, since this is to be well inclined-to give a beating? For why ought your body to be exempt from blows and mine not? And yet I too was born free.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἔγωγέ σʼ εὐνοῶν τε καὶ κηδόμενος.
Φειδιππίδης:
εἰπὲ δή μοι,
οὐ κἀμέ σοι δίκαιόν ἐστιν εὐνοεῖν ὁμοίως
τύπτειν τʼ, ἐπειδήπερ γε τοῦτʼ ἐστʼ εὐνοεῖν τὸ τύπτειν;
πῶς γὰρ τὸ μὲν σὸν σῶμα χρὴ πληγῶν ἀθῷον εἶναι,
τοὐμὸν δὲ μή; καὶ μὴν ἔφυν ἐλεύθερός γε κἀγώ.

[¶133] The boys weep, and do you not think it is right that a father should weep? You will say that it is ordained by law that this should be the lot of boys. But I would reply, that old men are boys twice over, and that it is the more reasonable that the old should weep than the young, inasmuch as it is less just that they should err.

> Greek: κλάουσι παῖδες, πατέρα δʼ οὐ κλάειν δοκεῖς; …
φήσεις νομίζεσθαι σὺ παιδὸς τοῦτο τοὔργον εἶναι·
ἐγὼ δέ γʼ ἀντείποιμʼ ἂν ὡς δὶς παῖδες οἱ γέροντες·
εἰκὸς δὲ μᾶλλον τοὺς γέροντας ἢ νέους τι κλάειν,
ὅσῳπερ ἐξαμαρτάνειν ἧττον δίκαιον αὐτούς.

[¶134] Strepsiades.:
It is nowhere ordained by law that a father should suffer this.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀλλʼ οὐδαμοῦ νομίζεται τὸν πατέρα τοῦτο πάσχειν.

[¶135] Phidippides.:
Was it not then a man like you and me, who first proposed this law, and by speaking persuaded the ancients? Why then is it less lawful for me also in turn to propose henceforth a new law for the sons, that they should beat their fathers in turn?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
οὔκουν ἀνὴρ ὁ τὸν νόμον θεὶς τοῦτον ἦν τὸ πρῶτον
ὥσπερ σὺ κἀγώ, καὶ λέγων ἔπειθε τοὺς παλαιούς;
ἧττόν τι δῆτʼ ἔξεστι κἀμοὶ καινὸν αὖ τὸ λοιπὸν
θεῖναι νόμον τοῖς υἱέσιν, τοὺς πατέρας ἀντιτύπτειν;

[¶136] But as many blows as we received before the law was made, we remit: and we concede to them our having been thrashed without return. Observe the cocks and these other animals, how they punish their fathers; and yet, in what do they differ from us, except that they do not write decrees?

> Greek: ὅσας δὲ πληγὰς εἴχομεν πρὶν τὸν νόμον τεθῆναι,
ἀφίεμεν, καὶ δίδομεν αὐτοῖς προῖκα συγκεκόφθαι.
σκέψαι δὲ τοὺς ἀλεκτρυόνας καὶ τἄλλα τὰ βοτὰ ταυτί,
ὡς τοὺς πατέρας ἀμύνεται· καίτοι τί διαφέρουσιν
ἡμῶν ἐκεῖνοι, πλήν γʼ ὅτι ψηφίσματʼ οὐ γράφουσιν;

[¶137] Strepsiades.:
Why then, since you imitate the cocks in all things, do you not both eat dung and sleep on a perch?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί δῆτʼ, ἐπειδὴ τοὺς ἀλεκτρυόνας ἅπαντα μιμεῖ,
οὐκ ἐσθίεις καὶ τὴν κόπρον κἀπὶ ξύλου καθεύδεις;

[¶138] Phidippides.:
It is not the same thing, my friend; nor would it appear so to Socrates.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
οὐ ταὐτὸν ὦ τᾶν ἐστίν, οὐδʼ ἂν Σωκράτει δοκοίη.

[¶139] Strepsiades.:
Therefore do not beat me; otherwise you will one day blame yourself.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
πρὸς ταῦτα μὴ τύπτʼ· εἰ δὲ μή, σαυτόν ποτʼ αἰτιάσει.

[¶140] Phidippides.:
Why, how?
Strepsiades.:
Since I am justly entitled to chastise you; and you to chastise your son, if you should have one.
Phidippides.:
But if I should not have one, I shall have wept for nothing, and you will die laughing at me.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
καὶ πῶς;
Στρεψιάδης:
ἐπεὶ σὲ μὲν δίκαιός εἰμʼ ἐγὼ κολάζειν,
σὺ δʼ, ἢν γένηταί σοι, τὸν υἱόν.
Φειδιππίδης:
ἢν δὲ μὴ γένηται,
μάτην ἐμοὶ κεκλαύσεται, σὺ δʼ ἐγχανὼν τεθνήξεις.

[¶141] Strepsiades.:
To me, indeed, O comrades, he seems to speak justly; and I think we ought to concede to them what is fitting. For it is proper that we should weep, if we do not act justly.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἐμοὶ μὲν ὦνδρες ἥλικες δοκεῖ λέγειν δίκαια·
κἄμοιγε συγχωρεῖν δοκεῖ τούτοισι τἀπιεικῆ.
κλάειν γὰρ ἡμᾶς εἰκός ἐστʼ, ἢν μὴ δίκαια δρῶμεν.

[¶142] Phidippides.:
Consider still another maxim.
Strepsiades.:
No; for I shall perish if I do.
Phidippides.:
And yet perhaps you will not be vexed at suffering what you now suffer.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
σκέψαι δὲ χἀτέραν ἔτι γνώμην.
Στρεψιάδης:
ἀπὸ γὰρ
Φειδιππίδης:
καὶ μὴν ἴσως γʼ οὐκ ἀχθέσει παθὼν ἃ νῦν πέπονθας.

[¶143] Strepsiades.:
How, pray? For inform me what good you will do me by this.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
πῶς δή; δίδαξον γὰρ τί μʼ ἐκ τούτων ἐπωφελήσεις.

[¶144] Phidippides.:
I will beat my mother, just as I have you.
Strepsiades.:
What do you say? What do you say? This other, again, is a greater wickedness.
Phidippides.:
But what if, having the worst Cause,
Phidippides.:
I shall conquer you in arguing, proving that it is right to beat one’s mother?

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
τὴν μητέρʼ ὥσπερ καὶ σὲ τυπτήσω.
Στρεψιάδης:
τί φῄς, τί φῂς σύ;
τοῦθʼ ἕτερον αὖ μεῖζον κακόν.
Φειδιππίδης:
τί δʼ ἢν ἔχων τὸν ἥττω
Φειδιππίδης:
λόγον σε νικήσω λέγων
τὴν μητέρʼ ὡς τύπτειν χρεών;

[¶145] Strepsiades.:
Most assuredly, if you do this, nothing will hinder you from casting yourself
and your Worse Cause into the pit along with Socrates.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί δʼ ἄλλο γʼ ἢν ταυτὶ ποιῇς,
οὐδέν σε κωλύσει σεαυτὸν
ἐμβαλεῖν ἐς τὸ βάραθρον
μετὰ Σωκράτους
καὶ τὸν λόγον τὸν ἥττω.

[¶146] Strepsiades.:
These evils have I suffered through you, O Clouds! Having intrusted all my affairs to you.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ταυτὶ διʼ ὑμᾶς ὦ Νεθέλαι πέπονθʼ ἐγώ,
ὑμῖν ἀναθεὶς ἅπαντα τἀμὰ πράγματα.

[¶147] Chorus.:
Nay, rather, you are yourself the cause of these things, having turned yourself to wicked courses.

> Greek: Χορός:
αὐτὸς μὲν οὖν σαυτῷ σὺ τούτων αἴτιος,
στρέψας σεαυτὸν ἐς πονηρὰ πράγματα.

[¶148] Strepsiades.:
Why, pray, did you not tell me this, then, but excited with hopes a rustic and aged man?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί δῆτα ταῦτʼ οὔ μοι τότʼ ἠγορεύετε,
ἀλλʼ ἄνδρʼ ἄγροικον καὶ γέροντʼ ἐπῄρετε;

[¶149] Chorus.:
We always do this to him whom we perceive to be a lover of wicked courses,
until we precipitate him into misfortune, so that he may learn to fear the gods.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἡμεῖς ποιοῦμεν ταῦθʼ ἑκάστοθʼ ὅταν τινὰ
γνῶμεν πονηρῶν ὄντʼ ἐραστὴν πραγμάτων,
ἕως ἂν αὐτὸν ἐμβάλωμεν ἐς κακόν,
ὅπως ἂν εἰδῇ τοὺς θεοὺς δεδοικέναι.

[¶150] Strepsiades.:
Ah me! it is severe, O Clouds! But it is just; for I ought not to have withheld the money which I borrowed. Now, therefore, come with me, my dearest son,
that you may destroy the blackguard Chaerephon and Socrates, who deceived you and me.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ὤμοι πονηρά γʼ ὦ Νεφέλαι, δίκαια δέ.
οὐ γάρ μʼ ἐχρῆν τὰ χρήμαθʼ ἁδανεισάμην
ἀποστερεῖν. νῦν οὖν ὅπως ὦ φίλτατε
τὸν Χαιρεφῶντα τὸν μιαρὸν καὶ Σωκράτη
ἀπολεῖς μετʼ ἐμοῦ ʼλθών, οἳ σὲ κἄμʼ ἐξηπάτων.

[¶151] Phidippides.:
I will not injure my teachers.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἂν ἀδικήσαιμι τοὺς διδασκάλους.

[¶152] Strepsiades.:
Yes, yes, reverence Paternal Jove.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ναὶ ναὶ καταιδέσθητι πατρῷον Δία.

[¶153] Phidippides.:
“Paternal Jove” quoth’a! How antiquated you are! Why, is there any Jove?
Strepsiades.:
There is.
Phidippides.:
There is not, no; for Vortex reigns having expelled Jupiter.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἰδού γε Δία πατρῷον· ὡς ἀρχαῖος εἶ.
Ζεὺς γάρ τις ἔστιν;
Στρεψιάδης:
ἔστιν.
Φειδιππίδης:
οὐκ ἔστʼ, οὔκ, ἐπεὶ
Δῖνος βασιλεύει τὸν Δίʼ ἐξεληλακώς.

[¶154] Strepsiades.:
He has not expelled him; but I fancied this, on account of this Vortex here. Ah me, unhappy man! When I even took you who are of earthenware for a god.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οὐκ ἐξελήλακʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ τοῦτʼ ᾠόμην
διὰ τουτονὶ τὸν δῖνον. οἴμοι δείλαιος
ὅτε καὶ σὲ χυτρεοῦν ὄντα θεὸν ἡγησάμην.

[¶155] Phidippides.:
Here rave and babble to yourself.
Exit Phidippides.

> Greek: Φειδιππίδης:
ἐνταῦθα σαυτῷ παραφρόνει καὶ φληνάφα.

[¶156] Strepsiades.:
Ah me, what madness! How mad, then, I was when I ejected the gods on account of Socrates! But O dear Hermes, by no means be wroth with me, nor destroy me; but pardon me,
since I have gone crazy through prating. And become my adviser, whether I shall bring an action and prosecute them, or whatever you think. You advise me rightly, not permitting me to get up a lawsuit, but as soon as possible to set fire to the house
of the prating fellows. Come hither, come hither, Xanthias! Come forth with a ladder and with a mattock and then mount upon the thinking-shop and dig down the roof, if you love your master, until you tumble the house upon them.
Xanthias mounts upon the roof.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
οἴμοι παρανοίας· ὡς ἐμαινόμην ἄρα,
ὅτʼ ἐξέβαλλον τοὺς θεοὺς διὰ Σωκράτη.
ἀλλʼ ὦ φίλʼ Ἑρμῆ μηδαμῶς θύμαινέ μοι
μηδέ μʼ ἐπιτρίψῃς, ἀλλὰ συγγνώμην ἔχε
ἐμοῦ παρανοήσαντος ἀδολεσχίᾳ·
καί μοι γενοῦ ξύμβουλος, εἴτʼ αὐτοὺς γραφὴν
διωκάθω γραψάμενος εἴθʼ ὅ τι σοι δοκεῖ.
ὀρθῶς παραινεῖς οὐκ ἐῶν δικορραφεῖν,
ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστʼ ἐμπιμπράναι τὴν οἰκίαν
τῶν ἀδολεσχῶν. δεῦρο δεῦρʼ ὦ Ξανθία,
κλίμακα λαβὼν ἔξελθε καὶ σμινύην φέρων,
κἄπειτʼ ἐπαναβὰς ἐπὶ τὸ φροντιστήριον
τὸ τέγος κατάσκαπτʼ, εἰ φιλεῖς τὸν δεσπότην,
ἕως ἂν αὐτοῖς ἐμβάλῃς τὴν οἰκίαν·

[¶157] But let some one bring me a lighted torch and I’ll make some of them this day suffer punishment, even if they be ever so much impostors.

> Greek: ἐμοὶ δὲ δᾷδʼ ἐνεγκάτω τις ἡμμένην,
κἀγώ τινʼ αὐτῶν τήμερον δοῦναι δίκην
ἐμοὶ ποιήσω, κεἰ σφόδρʼ εἴσʼ ἀλαζόνες.

[¶158] 1st Disciple.:
(from within). Hollo! Hollo!

> Greek: Μαθητὴς Α:
ἰοὺ ἰού.

[¶159] Strepsiades.:
It is your business, O torch, to send forth abundant flame.
Mounts upon the roof.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
σὸν ἔργον ὦ δᾲς ἱέναι πολλὴν φλόγα.

[¶160] 1st Disciple.:
What are you doing, fellow?
Strepsiades.:
What am I doing? Why, what else, than chopping logic with the beams of your house?
Sets the house on fire.

> Greek: Μαθητὴς Α:
ἄνθρωπε, τί ποιεῖς;
Στρεψιάδης:
ὅ τι ποιῶ; τί δʼ ἄλλο γʼ ἢ
διαλεπτολογοῦμαι ταῖς δοκοῖς τῆς οἰκίας;

[¶161] 2nd Disciple.:
(from within). Ah me! Who is setting fire to our house?

> Greek: Μαθητὴς Β:
οἴμοι τίς ἡμῶν πυρπολεῖ τὴν οἰκίαν;

[¶162] Strepsiades.:
The man whose cloak you have taken.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἐκεῖνος οὗπερ θοἰμάτιον εἰλήφατε.

[¶163] 2nd Disciple.:
(from within). You will destroy us! You will destroy us!
Strepsiades.:
For I also wish this very thing;
unless my mattock deceive my hopes, or I should somehow fall first and break my neck.

> Greek: Μαθητὴς Γ:
ἀπολεῖς ἀπολεῖς.
Στρεψιάδης:
τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ γὰρ καὶ βούλομαι,
ἢν ἡ σμινύη μοι μὴ προδῷ τὰς ἐλπίδας,
ἢ ʼγὼ πρότερόν πως ἐκτραχηλισθῶ πεσών.

[¶164] Socrates.:
(from within). Hollo you! What are you doing, pray, you fellow on the roof?

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οὗτος τί ποιεῖς ἐτεὸν οὑπὶ τοῦ τέγους;

[¶165] Strepsiades.:
I am walking on air, and speculating about the sun.

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
ἀεροβατῶ καὶ περιφρονῶ τὸν ἥλιον.

[¶166] Socrates.:
Ah me, unhappy! I shall be suffocated, wretched man!

> Greek: Σωκράτης:
οἴμοι τάλας δείλαιος ἀποπνιγήσομαι.

[¶167] Chaerephon.:
And I, miserable man, shall be burnt to death!

> Greek: Χαιρεφῶν:
ἐγὼ δὲ κακοδαίμων γε κατακαυθήσομαι.

[¶168] Strepsiades.:
For what has come into your heads that you acted insolently toward the gods, and pried into the seat of the moon?

> Greek: Στρεψιάδης:
τί γὰρ μαθόντες τοὺς θεοὺς ὑβρίζετε,
καὶ τῆς σελήνης ἐσκοπεῖσθε τὴν ἕδραν;

[¶169] Hermes:
Chase, pelt, smite them, for many reasons, but especially because you know that they offended against the gods!
The thinking shop is burned down.

> Greek: Ερμῆς:
δίωκε βάλλε παῖε, πολλῶν οὕνεκα,
μάλιστα δʼ εἰδὼς τοὺς θεοὺς ὡς ἠδίκουν.

[¶170] Chorus.:
Lead the way out; for we have sufficiently acted as chorus for today.
Exeunt omnes.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἡγεῖσθʼ ἔξω· κεχόρευται γὰρ
μετρίως τό γε τήμερον ἡμῖν.