- Source
- Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 1. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:320-401
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-26
The slanging match between Cleon and the Sausage-seller intensifies as they contest who should speak first. Both boast of their dishonesty and shamelessness, while the Chorus of Knights encourages the Sausage-seller.
πάμπολυν τοῖς δημόταισι καὶ φίλοις παρασχεθεῖν·1
to offer a huge laughing-stock to my fellow demesmen and friends.
πρὶν γὰρ εἶναι Περγασῆσιν ἔνεον ἐν ταῖς ἐμβάσιν.
For before reaching Pergasai, I was swimming in my shoes.
ἆρα δῆτʼ οὐκ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ἐδήλους ἀναίδειαν,
Did you not then from the very beginning show that impudence,
ἥπερ μόνη προστατεῖ ῥητόρων;
which alone protects the orators?
ᾗ σὺ πιστεύων ἀμέλγεις τῶν ξένων τοὺς καρπίμους,
Trusting in which, you milk the fruitful ones among the foreigners,
πρῶτος ὤν· ὁ δʼ Ἱπποδάμου λείβεται θεώμενος.
being the foremost; while the son of Hippodamus melts away in tears as he watches.
ἀλλʼ ἐφάνη γὰρ ἀνὴρ ἕτερος πολὺ
But indeed another man has appeared, far
σοῦ μιαρώτερος, ὥστε με χαίρειν,
more disgusting than you, so that I rejoice,
ὅς σε παύσει καὶ πάρεισι, δῆλός ἐστιν αὐτόθεν,
who will stop you and surpass you; it is clear from this very spot,
πανουργίᾳ τε καὶ θράσει
both in villainy and in boldness
καὶ κοβαλικεύμασιν.
and in knavish tricks.
ἀλλʼ ὦ τραφεὶς ὅθενπέρ εἰσιν ἄνδρες οἵπερ εἰσίν,2
But, o you who were bred from where those very men come from,
νῦν δεῖξον ὡς οὐδὲν λέγει τὸ σωφρόνως τραφῆναι.
now show that to be bred soberly is to speak nonsense.
καὶ μὴν ἀκούσαθʼ οἷός ἐστιν οὑτοσὶ πολίτης.
And indeed, hear what kind of citizen this fellow is.
οὐκ αὖ μʼ ἐάσεις;
Cleon: Will you not let me speak again?
μὰ Δίʼ ἐπεὶ κἀγὼ πονηρός εἰμι.
Sausage-Seller: By Zeus, no, since I too am a rascal.
ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ταύτῃ γʼ ὑπείκῃ, λέγʼ ὅτι κἀκ πονηρῶν.
Chorus: And if he does not give way in this, say that you are also from rascals.
οὐκ αὖ μʼ ἐάσεις;
Cleon: Will you not let me speak again?
μὰ Δία.
Sausage-Seller: By Zeus, no.
ναὶ μὰ Δία.
Cleon: Yes, by Zeus, I will!
μὰ τὸν Ποσειδῶ.
Sausage-Seller: By Poseidon, no.
ἀλλʼ αὐτὸ περὶ τοῦ πρότερος εἰπεῖν πρῶτα διαμαχοῦμαι.
But on this very point of who speaks first, I will first fight to the end.
οἴμοι διαρραγήσομαι.
Cleon: Alas, I shall burst!
καὶ μὴν ἐγὼ οὐ παρήσω.
Sausage-Seller: And yet, I will not let you.
πάρες πάρες πρὸς τῶν θεῶν αὐτῷ διαρραγῆναι.
Chorus: Let him, let him burst, by the gods!
τῷ καὶ πεποιθὼς ἀξιοῖς ἐμοῦ λέγειν ἔναντα;
Cleon: Trusting in what do you claim the right to speak in my presence?
ὁτιὴ λέγειν οἷός τε κἀγὼ καὶ καρυκοποιεῖν.
Sausage-Seller: Because I too am able to speak, and to make rich sauces.
ἰδοὺ λέγειν.3 καλῶς γʼ ἂν οὖν σὺ πρᾶγμα προσπεσόν σοι
Cleon: Look at that, ‘speak’! Fine indeed then you would handle a matter that fell upon you,
ὠμοσπάρακτον παραλαβὼν μεταχειρίσαιο χρηστῶς.
taking it raw and torn to pieces, and managing it well.
ἀλλʼ οἶσθʼ ὅπερ πεπονθέναι δοκεῖς; ὅπερ τὸ πλῆθος.
But do you know what you seem to have suffered? Just what the crowd suffers.
εἴ που δικίδιον εἶπας εὖ κατὰ ξένου μετοίκου,
If perchance you argued a petty lawsuit well against some resident alien,
τὴν νύκτα θρυλῶν καὶ λαλῶν ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς σεαυτῷ,
mumbling through the night and chattering to yourself in the streets,
ὕδωρ τε πίνων κἀπιδεικνὺς τοὺς φίλους τʼ ἀνιῶν,
and drinking water and showing off, annoying your friends,
ᾤου δυνατὸς εἶναι λέγειν. ὦ μῶρε τῆς ἀνοίας.
you thought you were able to speak. O you fool, what folly!
τί δαὶ σὺ πίνων τὴν πόλιν πεποίηκας, ὥστε νυνὶ
Sausage-Seller: And what pray have you drunk to make the city, so that now,
ὑπὸ σοῦ μονωτάτου κατεγλωττισμένην σιωπᾶν;
tongue-lashed by you alone, it keeps silence?
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἀντέθηκας ἀνθρώπων τίνʼ; ὅστις εὐθὺς
Cleon: For whom among men have you set against me? One who straightway,
θύννεια θερμὰ καταφαγών, κᾆτʼ ἐπιπιὼν ἀκράτου
having devoured hot tunny-fish, and then washed it down with a pitcher
οἴνου χοᾶ κασαλβάσω τοὺς ἐν Πύλῳ στρατηγούς.
of unmixed wine, will slander the generals at Pylos.
ἐγὼ δέ γʼ ἤνυστρον βοὸς καὶ κοιλίαν ὑείαν
Sausage-Seller: And I indeed, having gobbled up a cow’s abomasum and a sow’s belly,
καταβροχθίσας κᾆτʼ ἐπιπιὼν τὸν ζωμὸν ἀναπόνιπτος
and then drunk up the broth, without washing my hands,
λαρυγγιῶ τοὺς ῥήτορας καὶ Νικίαν ταράξω.
will shout down the orators and throw Nicias into confusion.
τὰ μὲν ἄλλα μʼ ἤρεσας λέγων·. ἓν δʼ οὐ προσίεταί με,
Chorus: In other things you pleased me by your words; but one thing does not satisfy me,
τῶν πραγμάτων ὁτιὴ μόνος τὸν ζωμὸν ἐκροφήσει.
that you will slurp up the broth of our affairs all by yourself.
ἀλλʼ οὐ λάβρακας καταφαγὼν Μιλησίους κλονήσεις.
Cleon: But you shall not throw the Milesians into confusion by devouring sea-bass.
ἀλλὰ σχελίδας ἐδηδοκὼς ὠνήσομαι μέταλλα.
Sausage-Seller: Indeed, having eaten beef-ribs, I will buy up the mines.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἐπεσπηδῶν γε τὴν βουλὴν βίᾳ κυκήσω.
Cleon: And I, leaping into the Council, will confound it by force.
ἐγὼ δὲ κινήσω γέ σου τὸν πρωκτὸν ἀντὶ φύσκης.
Sausage-Seller: And I will shake your rump instead of a sausage-skin.
ἐγὼ δέ γʼ ἐξέλξω σε τῆς πυγῆς θύραζε κύβδα.
Cleon: And I indeed will drag you out of doors by your buttocks, bent double.
νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ κἀμέ τἄρʼ, ἤνπερ γε τοῦτον ἕλκῃς.
Sausage-Seller: By Poseidon, me too then, if you drag this fellow.
οἷόν σε δήσω ʼνʼ τῷ ξύλῳ.
Cleon: How I will bind you in the wooden stock!
διώξομαί σε δειλίας.
Sausage-Seller: I will prosecute you for cowardice.
ἡ βύρσα σου θρανεύσεται.
Cleon: Your hide shall be stretched on the tanner’s bench.
δερῶ σε θύλακον κλοπῆς.
Sausage-Seller: I will flay you into a thief’s bag.
διαπατταλευθήσει χαμαί.
Cleon: You shall be pegged out on the ground.
περικόμματʼ ἔκ σου σκευάσω.
Sausage-Seller: I will make mincemeat out of you.
τὰς βλεφαρίδας σου παρατιλῶ.
Cleon: I will pluck out your eyelashes.
τὸν πρηγορεῶνά σοὐκτεμῶ.
Sausage-Seller: I will cut out your crop.
καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἐμβαλόντες αὐτῷ
Chorus: And by Zeus, having thrust into him
πάτταλον μαγειρικῶς
a peg in the cook’s fashion
ἐς τὸ στόμʼ, εἶτα δʼ ἔνδοθεν
into the mouth, and then from within
τὴν γλῶτταν ἐξείραντες αὐτοῦ
pulling out his tongue
σκεψόμεσθʼ εὖ κἀνδρικῶς
we will inspect well and manfully
κεχηνότος
as he gapes,
τὸν πρωκτὸν εἰ χαλαζᾷ.
his rump, to see if it has measles.
ἦν ἄρα4 πυρός γʼ ἕτερα θερμότερα καὶ λόγων
There were then indeed other things hotter than fire, and in words,
ἐν πόλει τῶν ἀναιδῶν ἀναιδέστεροι· καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ
those in the city more impudent than the impudent ones. And this business
ἦν ἄρʼ οὐ φαῦλον ὧδʼ ἀλλʼ ἔπιθι καὶ στρόβει,
was then no trifling matter here; but go on and whirl him,
μηδὲν ὀλίγον ποίει. νῦν γὰρ ἔχεται μέσος·
do nothing small. For now he is held by the waist;
ὡς ἐὰν νυνὶ μαλάξῃς αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ προσβολῇ,
since if you soften him now in your assault,
δειλὸν εὑρήσεις· ἐγὼ γὰρ τοὺς τρόπους ἐπίσταμαι.
you will find him a coward; for I know his character.
ἀλλʼ ὅμως οὗτος τοιοῦτος ὢν ἅπαντα τὸν βίον,
Sausage-Seller: But nevertheless, though this fellow has been such all his life,
κᾆτʼ ἀνὴρ ἔδοξεν εἶναι, τἀλλότριον ἀμῶν θέρος.
and yet he was thought to be a man, by reaping another’s harvest.
νῦν δὲ τοὺς στάχυς ἐκείνους, οὓς ἐκεῖθεν ἤγαγεν,
And now those ears of corn, which he brought from there,
ἐν ξύλῳ δήσας ἀφαύει κἀποδόσθαι βούλεται.
he has bound in the stock to dry them and wants to sell them.
οὐ δέδοιχʼ ὑμᾶς, ἕως ἂν ζῇ τὸ βουλευτήριον
Cleon: I do not fear you, as long as the Council lives
καὶ τὸ τοῦ δήμου πρόσωπον μακκοᾷ καθήμενον.
and the face of the People sits gaping like a fool.
ὡς δὲ πρὸς πᾶν ἀναιδεύεται κοὐ μεθίστησι
Chorus: How impudent he is against everything, and does not change
τοῦ χρώματος τοῦ παρεστηκότος.
his present color.
εἴ σε μὴ μισῶ, γενοίμην ἐν Κρατίνου κῴδιον,
Sausage-Seller: If I do not hate you, may I become a sheepskin of Cratinus,
καὶ διδασκοίμην προσᾴδειν Μορσίμου τραγῳδίᾳ.
and be taught to sing along in a tragedy of Morsimus.
- 320παρασχεθεῖν
Infinitive governed by the consecutive conjunction ὥστε (which appears in §319), showing syntactic continuity from the end of the previous chunk.
- 333ὦ τραφεὶς ὅθενπέρ εἰσιν ἄνδρες οἵπερ εἰσίν
A construction where the antecedent of the relative adverb ὅθενπερ ("from where") is omitted. The phrase οἵπερ εἰσίν ("the very ones who they are") is a tautological and euphemistic expression referring to people of a certain (notorious) character.
- 344ἰδοὺ λέγειν
An idiomatic expression where ἰδοὺ ("look!") is followed by an infinitive, used to quote and mock the interlocutor's words.
- 384ἦν ἄρα
The imperfect ἦν combined with the particle ἄρα denotes the sudden discovery of a pre-existing fact ("it was, after all, ...").