- 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-grc2:1278b-1361
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Strepsiades drives away the creditor Amynias using natural-philosophical quibbles, but is immediately beaten by his son Pheidippides, which triggers a debate on the justice of beating one's father.
κάτειπέ νυν,
Tell me now,
πότερα νομίζεις καινὸν ἀεὶ τὸν Δία
whether you think that Zeus always
ὕειν ὕδωρ ἑκάστοτʼ, ἢ τὸν ἥλιον
rains new water each time, or that the sun
ἕλκειν κάτωθεν ταὐτὸ τοῦθʼ ὕδωρ πάλιν;
draws this same water back up from below again?
οὐκ οἶδʼ ἔγωγʼ ὁπότερον, οὐδέ μοι μέλει.
Amynias: I don’t know which, nor do I care.
πῶς οὖν ἀπολαβεῖν τἀργύριον δίκαιος εἶ,1
Strepsiades: How then are you right to get your money back,
εἰ μηδὲν οἶσθα τῶν μετεώρων πραγμάτων;
if you know nothing of meteorological phenomena?
ἀλλʼ εἰ σπανίζεις, τἀργυρίου μοι τὸν τόκον
Amynias: But if you are short of money, at least the interest on the money to me
ἀπόδοτε·
pay back.
τοῦτο δʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ τόκος τί θηρίον;2
Strepsiades: And this “interest” (tokos), what sort of beast is that?
τί δʼ ἄλλο γʼ ἢ κατὰ μῆνα καὶ καθʼ ἡμέραν
Amynias: What else indeed, than that month by month and day by day
πλέον πλέον τἀργύριον ἀεὶ γίγνεται
the money always becomes more and more
ὑπορρέοντος τοῦ χρόνου;
as time flows along?
καλῶς λέγεις.
Strepsiades: Well said.
τί δῆτα; τὴν θάλατταν ἔσθʼ ὅτι πλείονα
What then? Is there any way you think the sea is fuller
νυνὶ νομίζεις ἢ πρὸ τοῦ;
now than before?
μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ἴσην.
Amynias: By Zeus, no, but equal.
οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον πλείονʼ εἶναι.
For it is not right for it to be fuller.
κᾆτα πῶς
Strepsiades: And then how,
αὕτη μὲν ὦ κακόδαιμον οὐδὲν γίγνεται
does this [sea], you miserable wretch, become not at all
ἐπιρρεόντων τῶν ποταμῶν πλείων, σὺ δὲ
fuller, though rivers flow into it, while you
ζητεῖς ποιῆσαι τἀργύριον πλεῖον τὸ σόν;
seek to make your money more?
οὐκ ἀποδιώξει σαυτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκίας;
Won’t you chase yourself away from the house?
φέρε μοι τὸ κέντρον.
Bring me the goad.
ταῦτʼ ἐγὼ μαρτύρομαι.
Amynias: I call these things to witness.
ὕπαγε. τί μέλλεις; οὐκ ἐλᾷς ὦ σαμφόρα;
Strepsiades: Go on. Why do you delay? Won’t you drive on, you brand-marked horse?
ταῦτʼ οὐχ ὕβρις δῆτʼ ἐστίν;
Amynias: Is this not indeed outrage?
ᾄξεις; ἐπιαλῶ
Strepsiades: Will you run? I will lay on,
κεντῶν ὑπὸ τὸν πρωκτόν σε τὸν σειραφόρον.
goading you under the rump, you trace-horse!
φεύγεις; ἔμελλόν σʼ ἆρα κινήσειν ἐγὼ
Are you fleeing? I was indeed going to move you
αὐτοῖς τροχοῖς τοῖς σοῖσι καὶ ξυνωρίσιν.
with your very wheels and pairs of horses.
οἷον τὸ πραγμάτων ἐρᾶν φλαύρων· ὁ γὰρ
Chorus: What a thing it is to be in love with bad affairs! For
γέρων ὅδʼ ἐρασθεὶς
this old man, having fallen in love,
ἀποστερῆσαι βούλεται
wishes to withhold
τὰ χρήμαθʼ ἁδανείσατο·
the money which he borrowed;
κοὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως οὐ3 τήμερον
and there is no way that today he will not
λήψεταί τι πρᾶγμʼ, ὃ τοῦτον
receive some trouble, which will make this
ποιήσει τὸν σοφιστὴν
sophist
ἀνθʼ ὧν πανουργεῖν ἤρξατʼ, ἐξαίφνης λαβεῖν κακόν τι.
receive some evil suddenly, in return for the knaveries he began.
οἶμαι γὰρ αὐτὸν αὐτίχʼ εὑρήσειν ὅπερ
For I think he will soon find what
πάλαι ποτʼ †ἐπεζήτει†
he has long been seeking,
εἶναι τὸν υἱὸν δεινόν οἱ
that his son is clever for him
γνώμας ἐναντίας λέγειν
in speaking opinions contrary
τοῖσιν δικαίοις, ὥστε νικᾶν
to justice, so as to conquer
ἅπαντας οἷσπερ ἂν
everyone with whomsoever
ξυγγένηται, κἂν λέγῃ παμπόνηρʼ.
he associates, even if he speaks utter villainy.
ἴσως δʼ ἴσως βουλήσεται κἄφωνον αὐτὸν εἶναι.
And perhaps, perhaps he will wish him to be even voiceless.
ἰοὺ ἰού.
Strepsiades: Oh! Oh!
ὦ γείτονες καὶ ξυγγενεῖς καὶ δημόται,
O neighbors and kinsmen and fellow demesmen,
ἀμυνάθετέ μοι τυπτομένῳ πάσῃ τέχνῃ.
help me who am being beaten, with all your might!
οἴμοι κακοδαίμων τῆς κεφαλῆς καὶ τῆς γνάθου.
Alas, miserable me, for my head and my jaw!
ὦ μιαρὲ τύπτεις τὸν πατέρα;
O monster, are you beating your father?
φήμʼ ὦ πάτερ.
Pheidippides: I admit it, father.
ὁρᾶθʼ ὁμολογοῦνθʼ ὅτι με τύπτει.
Strepsiades: You see him admitting that he beats me.
καὶ μάλα.
Pheidippides: Very much so.
ὦ μιαρὲ καὶ πατραλοῖα καὶ τοιχωρύχε.
Strepsiades: O scoundrel, and father-beater, and housebreaker!
αὖθίς με ταὐτὰ ταῦτα καὶ πλείω λέγε.
Pheidippides: Say these same things to me again, and more.
ἆρʼ οἶσθʼ ὅτι χαίρω πόλλʼ ἀκούων καὶ κακά;
Do you know that I enjoy hearing many bad names?
ὦ λακκόπρωκτε.
Strepsiades: O wide-arse!
πάττε πολλοῖς τοῖς ῥόδοις.
Pheidippides: Sprinkle me with many roses!
τὸν πατέρα τύπτεις;
Strepsiades: Do you beat your father?
κἀποφανῶ γε νὴ Δία
Pheidippides: Yes, and by Zeus, I will show
ὡς ἐν δίκῃ σʼ ἔτυπτον.
that I was beating you justly.
ὦ μιαρώτατε,
Strepsiades: O most filthy wretch,
καὶ πῶς γένοιτʼ ἂν πατέρα τύπτειν ἐν δίκῃ;
how indeed could it be just to beat a father?
ἔγωγʼ ἀποδείξω καί σε νικήσω λέγων.
Pheidippides: I will demonstrate it and defeat you in speaking.
τουτὶ σὺ νικήσεις;
Strepsiades: You will win in this?
πολύ γε καὶ ῥᾳδίως.
Pheidippides: By far, and easily.
ἑλοῦ δʼ ὁπότερον τοῖν λόγοιν βούλει λέγειν.
Choose which of the two arguments you want to speak.
ποίοιν λόγοιν;
Strepsiades: Which two arguments?
τὸν κρείττονʼ ἢ τὸν ἥττονα.
Pheidippides: The Stronger or the Weaker.
ἐδιδαξάμην4 μέντοι σε νὴ Δίʼ ὦ μέλε
Strepsiades: I did indeed have you taught, by Zeus, my dear fellow,
τοῖσιν δικαίοις ἀντιλέγειν, εἰ ταῦτά γε
to speak against justice, if indeed you
μέλλεις ἀναπείσειν, ὡς δίκαιον καὶ καλὸν
are going to persuade us that it is just and honorable
τὸν πατέρα τύπτεσθʼ ἐστὶν ὑπὸ τῶν υἱέων.
for a father to be beaten by his sons.
ἀλλʼ οἴομαι μέντοι σʼ ἀναπείσειν, ὥστε γε
Pheidippides: But I think indeed I shall persuade you, so that
οὐδʼ αὐτὸς ἀκροασάμενος οὐδὲν ἀντερεῖς.
even you yourself, having listened, will not say anything in opposition.
καὶ μὴν ὅ τι καὶ λέξεις ἀκοῦσαι βούλομαι.
Strepsiades: And indeed, I want to hear what you will say.
σὸν ἔργον ὦ πρεσβῦτα φροντίζειν ὅπῃ
Chorus: It is your task, old man, to consider how
τὸν ἄνδρα κρατήσεις,
you will master this man,
ὡς οὗτος, εἰ μή τῳ ʼπεποίθειν,5 οὐκ ἂν ἦν
since he, unless he was relying on something, would not be
οὕτως ἀκόλαστος.
so insolent.
ἀλλʼ ἔσθʼ ὅτῳ θρασύνεται· δῆλόν γε τἀνθρώπου
But there is something with which he is bold; the man’s
ʼσʼτὶ τὸ λῆμα.
temper is clear.
ἀλλʼ ἐξ ὅτου τὸ πρῶτον ἤρξαθʼ ἡ μάχη γενέσθαι,
But from where the battle first began to arise,
ἤδη λέγειν χρὴ πρὸς χορόν· πάντως δὲ τοῦτο δράσεις.
you must now tell the chorus; in any case, you will do this.
καὶ μὴν ὅθεν γε πρῶτον ἠρξάμεσθα λοιδορεῖσθαι
Strepsiades: Indeed, from where we first began to abuse each other,
ἐγὼ φράσω· ʼπειδὴ γὰρ εἱστιώμεθʼ, ὥσπερ ἴστε,
I will tell. For when we were feasting, as you know,
πρῶτον μὲν αὐτὸν τὴν λύραν λαβόντʼ ἐγὼ ʼκέλευσα
first of all, I bid him take the lyre
ᾆσαι Σιμωνίδου μέλος, τὸν Κριὸν ὡς ἐπέχθη.
to sing a song of Simonides, how the Ram was shorn.
ὁ δʼ εὐθέως ἀρχαῖον εἶνʼ ἔφασκε τὸ κιθαρίζειν
But he straightway said that playing the lyre
ᾄδειν τε πίνονθʼ ὡσπερεὶ κάχρυς γυναῖκʼ ἀλοῦσαν.
and singing while drinking was old-fashioned, like a woman grinding parched barley.
οὐ γὰρ τότʼ εὐθὺς χρῆν σʼ ἄρα τύπτεσθαί τε καὶ πατεῖσθαι,
Pheidippides: For shouldn’t you then straightway have been beaten and trampled upon,
ᾄδειν κελεύονθʼ ὡσπερεὶ τέττιγας ἑστιῶντα;
bidding me to sing as if you were entertaining cicadas?
τοιαῦτα μέντοι καὶ τότʼ ἔλεγεν ἔνδον οἷάπερ νῦν,
Strepsiades: Such things indeed he was saying inside even then, just as now,
- 1283δίκαιος εἶ
A construction meaning "you are right to..." or "it is just that you...". The adjective δίκαιος agrees in the nominative with the subject (here 2nd person singular) and takes an infinitive (ἀπολαβεῖν), which is a characteristic Attic usage equivalent to the impersonal δίκαιόν ἐστι followed by an accusative and infinitive.
- 1286bτοῦτο δʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ τόκος τί θηρίον;
A passage where Strepsiades misunderstands "interest" (τόκος) in its other sense of "offspring" or "childbirth", earnestly asking "what kind of beast is this 'interest'?". It presents a mixed double question.
- 1307κοὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως οὐ
A strong assertion by double negation. The formula οὐκ ἔστιν ὅπως οὐ with the future indicative (λήψεταί) means "it is impossible that he will not..." or "he will surely receive...".
- 1338ἐδιδαξάμην
The indirect middle voice of the verb διδάσκω (to teach). While the active voice means to teach directly, the middle voice expresses the causative sense of "to have someone taught" or "to get education for someone".
- 1347εἰ μή τῳ ʼπεποίθειν
The pluperfect ἐπεποίθειν (pluperfect of πέποιθα "I trust/rely on") introduced by the conditional conjunction εἰ forms the protasis of a past contrary-to-fact conditional sentence. It corresponds to the apodosis οὐκ ἂν ἦν (imperfect indicative with ἄν).