- 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.tlg003.humanitext-grc2:1197-1278
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Strepsiades refuses to pay his creditor Pasias by using Socrates' new argumentative methods and gender-specific grammar, driving him away. Afterwards, another creditor, Amynias, who has been injured in a chariot accident, appears and is similarly mocked and dismissed.
ἁρχαὶ τὰ πρυτανεῖʼ, ἀλλʼ ἕνῃ τε καὶ νέᾳ;1
Why do the magistrates receive the court deposits, but on the Old-and-New day?
ὅπερ οἱ προτένθαι γὰρ δοκοῦσί μοι ποιεῖν·
For they seem to me to do just what the foretasters do;
ὅπως τάχιστα τὰ πρυτανεῖʼ ὑφελοίατο,
so that they might snatch the court deposits as quickly as possible,
διὰ τοῦτο προὐτένθευσαν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ.
for this reason they taste beforehand by one day.
εὖ γʼ· ὦ κακοδαίμονες, τί κάθησθʼ ἀβέλτεροι,
Well done! O unhappy simpletons, why do you sit here foolishly,
ἡμέτερα κέρδη τῶν σοφῶν ὄντες, λίθοι,
being our gain, we who are wise, you stones,
ἀριθμός, πρόβατʼ ἄλλως, ἀμφορῆς νενησμένοι;
mere numbers, sheep in vain, piled-up amphoras!
ὥστʼ εἰς ἐμαυτὸν καὶ τὸν υἱὸν τουτονὶ
So that I must sing a song of praise to myself
ἐπʼ εὐτυχίαισιν ᾀστέον μοὐγκώμιον.
and to this son of mine for our good fortune.
μάκαρ ὦ Στρεψίαδες,
“O blessed Strepsiades,
αὐτός τʼ ἔφυς ὡς σοφὸς
you yourself were born so wise,
χοἶον τὸν υἱὸν τρέφεις ,
and what a son you are rearing!”
φήσουσι δή μʼ οἱ φίλοι
my friends and
χοἰ δημόται
fellow demesmen will surely say,
ζηλοῦντες ἡνίκʼ ἂν σὺ νικᾷς λέγων τὰς δίκας.
envying me whenever you win your lawsuits by speaking.
ἀλλʼ εἰσάγων σε βούλομαι πρῶτον ἑστιᾶσαι.
But I want to bring you inside and feast you first.
εἶτʼ ἄνδρα τῶν αὑτοῦ τι χρὴ προϊέναι;
Pasias: Then indeed, should a man give up any of his own property?
οὐδέποτέ γʼ, ἀλλὰ κρεῖττον εὐθὺς ἦν τότε
Never, indeed! Rather, it would have been better at that very time
ἀπερυθριᾶσαι μᾶλλον ἢ σχεῖν πράγματα,
to cast off shame immediately, than to have trouble now,
ὅτε τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ γʼ ἕνεκα νυνὶ χρημάτων
when now for the sake of my own money
ἕλκω σε κλητεύσοντα, καὶ γενήσομαι
I drag you to serve as a witness for the summons, and moreover
ἐχθρὸς ἔτι πρὸς τούτοισιν ἀνδρὶ δημότῃ.
I shall become an enemy to a fellow demesman.
ἀτὰρ οὐδέποτέ γε τὴν πατρίδα καταισχυνῶ
But yet I will never disgrace my fatherland while I live,
ζῶν, ἀλλὰ καλοῦμαι Στρεψιάδην —
but I summon Strepsiades—
τίς οὑτοσί;
Strepsiades: Who is this?
ἐς τὴν ἕνην τε καὶ νέαν.
Pasias: —for the Old-and-New.
μαρτύρομαι,
Strepsiades: I call you to witness,
ὅτι ἐς δύʼ εἶπεν ἡμέρας. τοῦ χρήματος;2
that he said “for two days”. For what debt?
τῶν δώδεκα μνῶν, ἃς ἔλαβες ὠνούμενος
Pasias: For the twelve minas which you took
τὸν ψαρὸν ἵππον.
when buying the dapple-grey horse.
ἵππον; οὐκ ἀκούετε;
Strepsiades: A horse? Do you not hear?
ὃν πάντες ὑμεῖς ἴστε μισοῦνθʼ ἱππικήν.
You who all know that I hate horsemanship!
καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἀποδώσειν γʼ ἐπώμνυς τοὺς θεούς.
Pasias: And by Zeus, you swore by the gods that you would pay it back.
μὰ τὸν Δίʼ οὐ γάρ πω τότʼ ἐξηπίστατο
Strepsiades: Indeed by Zeus I didn’t! For at that time
Φειδιππίδης μοι τὸν ἀκατάβλητον λόγον.
Pheidippides did not yet know thoroughly my invincible argument.
νῦν δὲ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἔξαρνος εἶναι διανοεῖ;
Pasias: And now because of this do you intend to deny it?
τί γὰρ ἄλλʼ ἂν ἀπολαύσαιμι τοῦ μαθήματος;
Strepsiades: For what other benefit would I get from his learning?
καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐθελήσεις ἀπομόσαι μοι τοὺς θεοὺς
Pasias: And will you be willing to swear this to me by the gods,
ἵνʼ ἂν κελεύσω ʼγώ σε;
wherever I bid you?
τοὺς ποίους θεούς;
Strepsiades: What sort of gods?
τὸν Δία, τὸν Ἑρμῆν, τὸν Ποσειδῶ.
Pasias: Zeus, Hermes, Poseidon.
νὴ Δία
Strepsiades: By Zeus,
κἂν προσκαταθείην γʼ ὥστʼ ὀμόσαι τριώβολον.
I would even pay an extra three obols just to swear!
ἀπόλοιο τοίνυν ἕνεκʼ ἀναιδείας ἔτι.
Pasias: May you perish then for your impudence!
ἁλσὶν διασμηχθεὶς ὄναιτʼ ἂν3 οὑτοσί.
Strepsiades: This fellow here would benefit from being rubbed down with salt.
οἴμʼ ὡς καταγελᾷς.
Pasias: Oh, how you mock me!
ἓξ χοᾶς χωρήσεται.
Strepsiades: He will hold six choes.
οὔ τοι μὰ τὸν Δία τὸν μέγαν καὶ τοὺς θεοὺς
Pasias: No indeed, by great Zeus and the gods,
ἐμοῦ καταπροίξει.
you shall not laugh at me with impunity!
θαυμασίως ἥσθην θεοῖς,
Strepsiades: I was wonderfully pleased by “the gods”!
καὶ Ζεὺς γέλοιος ὀμνύμενος τοῖς εἰδόσιν.
And Zeus is laughable to swear by to those who know.
ἦ μὴν σὺ τούτων τῷ χρόνῳ δώσεις δίκην.
Pasias: In truth, you shall pay the penalty for this in time.
ἀλλʼ εἴτʼ ἀποδώσεις μοι τὰ χρήματʼ εἴτε μή,
But whether you will pay back my money or not,
ἀπόπεμψον ἀποκρινάμενος.
answer me and let me go.
ἔχε νυν ἥσυχος.
Strepsiades: Hold on now, be quiet.
ἐγὼ γὰρ αὐτίκʼ ἀποκρινοῦμαί σοι σαφῶς.
For I will answer you clearly in a moment.
τί σοι δοκεῖ δράσειν;
Pasias: What do you think he will do?
ἀποδώσειν μοι δοκεῖ.
Witness: I think he will pay back.
ποῦ ʼσθʼ οὗτος ἁπαιτῶν με τἀργύριον; λέγε
Strepsiades: Where is this man who is demanding his money back from me? Tell me,
τουτὶ τί ἔστι;
what is this?
τοῦθʼ ὅ τι ἐστί; κάρδοπος.
Pasias: What is this? A kneading-trough.
ἔπειτʼ ἀπαιτεῖς τἀργύριον τοιοῦτος ὤν;
Strepsiades: Then do you demand your money, being such a person?
οὐκ ἂν ἀποδοίην οὐδʼ ἂν ὀβολὸν οὐδενί,
I would not pay back even an obol to anyone
ὅστις καλέσειε4 κάρδοπον τὴν καρδόπην.
who would call a *kardopē* a *kardopos*.
οὐκ ἄρʼ ἀποδώσεις;
Pasias: Won’t you pay back then?
οὐχ ὅσον γέ μʼ εἰδέναι.
Strepsiades: Not as far as I know, at least.
οὔκουν ἀνύσας τι θᾶττον ἀπολιταργιεῖς
Won’t you then get lost quickly from my door?
ἀπὸ τῆς θύρας;b ἄπειμι, καὶ τοῦτʼ ἴσθʼ ὅτι
Pasias: I am going, and know this, that
θήσω πρυτανεῖʼ ἢ μηκέτι ζῴην ἐγώ.
I will deposit the court fees or may I no longer live!
καὶ προσαπολεῖς ἄρʼ αὐτὰ πρὸς ταῖς δώδεκα.
Strepsiades: And so you will lose them as well, in addition to the twelve minas.
καίτοι σε τοῦτό γʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι παθεῖν,
And yet, I do not wish you to suffer this,
ὁτιὴ ʼκάλεσας εὐηθικῶς τὴν κάρδοπον.
just because you called it *kardopos* so simply.
ἰώ μοί μοι.
Amynias: Ah, woe is me, woe!
ἔα.
Strepsiades: Aha!
τίς οὑτοσί ποτʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ θρηνῶν; οὔτι που
Who is this who is lamenting? Surely it is not
τῶν Καρκίνου τις δαιμόνων ἐφθέγξατο;
one of Carcinus’s deities that spoke?
τί δʼ ὅστις εἰμὶ τοῦτο βούλεσθʼ εἰδέναι;
Amynias: Why do you wish to know who I am?
ἀνὴρ κακοδαίμων.
An unfortunate man.
κατὰ σεαυτόν νυν τρέπου.
Strepsiades: Keep it to yourself then.
ὦ σκληρὲ δαῖμον, ὦ τύχαι θραυσάντυγες
Amynias: O harsh fate, O fortune that broke the chariot-rims
ἵππων ἐμῶν, ὦ Παλλὰς ὥς μʼ ἀπώλεσας.
of my horses! O Pallas, how you have destroyed me!
τί δαί σε Τληπόλεμός ποτʼ εἴργασται κακόν;
Strepsiades: Why indeed, what evil has Tlepolemus ever done to you?
μὴ σκῶπτέ μʼ ὦ τᾶν, ἀλλά μοι τὰ χρήματα
Amynias: Do not mock me, my good sir, but tell your son
τὸν υἱὸν ἀποδοῦναι κέλευσον ἅλαβεν,
to pay back the money which he took,
ἄλλως τε μέντοι καὶ κακῶς πεπραγότι.
especially since I am in a bad way.
τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα χρήμαθʼ;
Strepsiades: What money is this?
ἁδανείσατο.
Amynias: The money he borrowed.
κακῶς ἄρʼ ὄντως εἶχες, ὥς γʼ ἐμοὶ δοκεῖς.
Strepsiades: Then you were indeed in a bad way, as it seems to me.
ἵππους ἐλαύνων ἐξέπεσον νὴ τοὺς θεούς.
Amynias: While driving horses, I fell off, by the gods.
τί δῆτα ληρεῖς ὥσπερ ἀπʼ ὄνου καταπεσών;5
Strepsiades: Why then do you talk nonsense, as if you had fallen off a donkey?
ληρῶ, τὰ χρήματʼ ἀπολαβεῖν εἰ βούλομαι;
Amynias: Am I talking nonsense, if I wish to get my money back?
οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως σύ γʼ αὐτὸς ὑγιαίνεις.
Strepsiades: There is no way you are in your right mind.
τί δαί;
Amynias: What?
τὸν ἐγκέφαλον ὥσπερ σεσεῖσθαί μοι δοκεῖς.
Strepsiades: You seem to me to have had your brain shaken up.
σὺ δὲ νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν προσκεκλήσεσθαί γέ μοι,
Amynias: But by Hermes, you shall be summoned by me,
εἰ μὴ ʼποδώσεις τἀργύριον.
unless you pay back the money.
- 1197ἁρχαὶ τὰ πρυτανεῖʼ, ἀλλʼ ἕνῃ τε καὶ νέᾳ
The verb δέχονται ('they receive') from the preceding sentence (§1196) is understood here. The clause forms a question with ἁρχαί ('magistrates') as the subject and τὰ πρυτανεῖα ('court deposits') as the object.
- 1223τοῦ χρήματος;
A genitive of cause or relation used elliptically in a question: 'On account of what debt?' or 'Concerning what money?'
- 1237ὄναιτʼ ἂν
The second aorist middle optative of ὀνίνημι (ὄναιτο) with the particle ἄν, forming a potential optative. It expresses a mild assertion or possibility: 'This fellow would benefit' or 'would be of use' (if rubbed with salt).
- 1251ὅτις καλέσειε
The relative pronoun ὅστις followed by the optative καλέσειε. This forms a potential or general relative clause representing a hypothetical condition: 'to anyone who would call...'
- 1273ὥσπερ ἀπʼ ὄνου καταπεσών
A comparative clause combining the conjunction ὥσπερ with the participle καταπεσών. It relies on the Greek idiom 'having fallen from a donkey,' meaning to act or speak extremely foolishly. Here it plays double duty by mocking Amynias, who actually fell from a horse (ἵππος), by downgrading it to a donkey (ὄνος).