The Nature of the Clouds and the Reign of the Vortex — Aristophanes, Clouds, lines 327–384, Greek & English

327

νῦν γέ τοι ἤδη καθορᾷς αὐτάς, εἰ μὴ λημᾷς κολοκύνταις.¹

At any rate, now you see them, unless your eyes are run with pumpkins.

νὴ Δίʼ ἔγωγʼ, ὦ πολυτίμητοι· πάντα γὰρ ἤδη κατέχουσιν.

Yes, by Zeus, I do, O highly honored ones! For they already occupy everything.

ταύτας μέντοι σὺ θεὰς οὔσας οὐκ ᾔδησθʼ οὐδʼ ἐνόμιζες;

Did you not know indeed that these were goddesses, nor believe it?

330

μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ὁμίχλην καὶ δρόσον αὐτὰς ἡγούμην καὶ καπνὸν εἶναι.

No, by Zeus, but I thought they were mist, dew, and smoke.

οὐ γὰρ μὰ Δίʼ οἶσθʼ ὁτιὴ πλείστους αὗται βόσκουσι σοφιστάς,

For indeed, by Zeus, you do not know that these nurture a vast number of sophists,

Θουριομάντεις ἰατροτέχνας σφραγιδονυχαργοκομήτας,

Thurian prophets, medical charlatans, ring-wearing, lazy, long-haired fellows,

κυκλίων τε χορῶν ᾀσματοκάμπτας ἄνδρας μετεωροφένακας,

and song-twisters of cyclic choruses, and meteorological tricksters,

οὐδὲν δρῶντας βόσκουσʼ ἀργούς, ὅτι ταύτας μουσοποιοῦσιν.²

they nurture these idle people who do nothing, because they celebrate these in song.

335

ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἐποίουν ὑγρᾶν Νεφελᾶν στρεπταιγλᾶν δάιον ὁρμάν,

So that was why they wrote of “the violent onslaught of wet, light-twisting Clouds,”

πλοκάμους θʼ ἑκατογκεφάλα Τυφῶ πρημαινούσας τε θυέλλας,

and “the tresses of hundred-headed Typhon,” and “raging tempests,”

εἶτʼ ἀερίας διεράς, γαμψοὺς οἰωνοὺς ἀερονηχεῖς,

then “moist aerial ones,” “crooked-clawed birds swimming in the air,”

ὄμβρους θʼ ὑδάτων δροσερᾶν Νεφελᾶν· εἶτʼ ἀντʼ αὐτῶν κατέπινον

and “showers of waters of dewy Clouds.” And then, in return for these, they would gulp down

κεστρᾶν τεμάχη μεγαλᾶν ἀγαθᾶν κρέα τʼ ὀρνίθεια κιχηλᾶν.

slices of large, excellent mullets, and the meat of thrush-birds.

340

διὰ μέντοι τάσδʼ οὐχὶ δικαίως;

But is it not justly so, on account of these?

λέξον δή μοι, τί παθοῦσαι,³

Tell me then, what has happened to them that,

εἴπερ νεφέλαι γʼ εἰσὶν ἀληθῶς, θνηταῖς εἴξασι γυναιξίν;

if indeed they are truly clouds, they resemble mortal women?

οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖναί γʼ εἰσὶ τοιαῦται.

For those clouds are not like that.

φέρε ποῖαι γάρ τινές εἰσιν;

Come, what are they like then?

οὐκ οἶδα σαφῶς· εἴξασιν γοῦν ἐρίοισιν πεπταμένοισιν,

I don’t know clearly; at any rate, they resemble spread-out wool,

κοὐχὶ γυναιξὶν μὰ Δίʼ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν· αὗται δὲ ῥῖνας ἔχουσιν.

and not to women, by Zeus, not in the least; but these ones have noses.

345

ἀπόκριναί νυν ἅττʼ ἂν ἔρωμαι.

Answer then whatever I may ask.

λέγε νυν ταχέως ὅ τι βούλει.

Speak then quickly whatever you want.

ἤδη ποτʼ ἀναβλέψας εἶδες νεφέλην κενταύρῳ ὁμοίαν,

Have you ever looked up and seen a cloud resembling a centaur,

ἢ παρδάλει ἢ λύκῳ ἢ ταύρῳ;

or a leopard, or a wolf, or a bull?

νὴ Δίʼ ἔγωγʼ. εἶτα τί τοῦτο;

Yes, by Zeus, I have. Then what of it?

γίγνονται πάνθʼ ὅ τι βούλονται· κᾆτʼ ἢν μὲν ἴδωσι κομήτην

They become everything they want. And so, if they see a long-haired,

ἄγριόν τινα τῶν λασίων τούτων, οἷόνπερ τὸν Ξενοφάντου,

wild fellow among these shaggy ones, such as the son of Xenophantus,

350

σκώπτουσαι τὴν μανίαν αὐτοῦ κενταύροις ᾔκασαν αὑτάς.

mocking his madness, they liken themselves to centaurs.

τί γὰρ ἢν ἅρπαγα τῶν δημοσίων κατίδωσι Σίμωνα, τί δρῶσιν;

What then if they spot Simon, the plunderer of public property, what do they do?

ἀποφαίνουσαι τὴν φύσιν αὐτοῦ λύκοι ἐξαίφνης ἐγένοντο.

Revealing his nature, they suddenly become wolves.

ταῦτʼ ἄρα ταῦτα Κλεώνυμον αὗται τὸν ῥίψασπιν χθὲς ἰδοῦσαι,

For this very reason, having seen Cleonymus yesterday, the shield-dropper,

ὅτι δειλότατον τοῦτον ἑώρων, ἔλαφοι διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγένοντο.

because they saw he was the most cowardly of men, they became deer for this reason.

355

καὶ νῦν γʼ ὅτι Κλεισθένη εἶδον, ὁρᾷς, διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγένοντο γυναῖκες.

And now indeed, because they saw Cleisthenes, you see, they became women for this reason.

χαίρετε τοίνυν ὦ δέσποιναι· καὶ νῦν, εἴπερ τινὶ κἄλλῳ,

Hail then, O mistresses! And now, if indeed to anyone else,

οὐρανομήκη ῥήξατε κἀμοὶ φωνήν, ὦ παμβασίλειαι.

burst forth for me too a voice that reaches heaven, O all-sovereign queens.

χαῖρʼ ὦ πρεσβῦτα παλαιογενὲς θηρατὰ λόγων φιλομούσων,

Hail, O elder of ancient race, hunter of muse-loving words,

σύ τε λεπτοτάτων λήρων ἱερεῦ, φράζε πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὅ τι χρῄζεις·

and you, priest of subtlest trifles, tell us what you desire;

360

οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἄλλῳ γʼ ὑπακούσαιμεν τῶν νῦν μετεωροσοφιστῶν

for we would not listen to any other of the current meteorological sophists

πλὴν ἢ Προδίκῳ, τῷ μὲν σοφίας καὶ γνώμης οὕνεκα, σοὶ δέ,

except Prodicus—to him on account of his wisdom and judgment, but to you

ὅτι βρενθύει⁴ τʼ ἐν ταῖσιν ὁδοῖς καὶ τὠφθαλμὼ παραβάλλεις,

because you strut in the streets and cast your eyes askance,

κἀνυπόδητος κακὰ πόλλʼ ἀνέχει κἀφʼ ἡμῖν σεμνοπροσωπεῖς.

and go barefoot, enduring many hardships, and put on a solemn face depending on us.

ὦ γῆ τοῦ φθέγματος, ὡς ἱερὸν καὶ σεμνὸν καὶ τερατῶδες.

O Earth, what a voice! How sacred and solemn and wondrous!

365

αὗται γάρ τοι μόναι εἰσὶ θεαί, τἄλλα δὲ πάντʼ ἐστὶ φλύαρος.

For indeed, these alone are goddesses; all other things are nonsense.

ὁ Ζεὺς δʼ ἡμῖν, φέρε πρὸς τῆς γῆς, οὑλύμπιος οὐ θεός ἐστιν;

But Zeus, come, by the Earth, Olympian Zeus, is he not a god for us?

ποῖος Ζεύς; οὐ μὴ ληρήσεις·⁵ οὐδʼ ἔστι Ζεύς.

What Zeus? Don’t talk nonsense! There is not even a Zeus.

τί λέγεις σύ;

What are you saying?

ἀλλὰ τίς ὕει; τουτὶ γὰρ ἔμοιγʼ ἀπόφηναι πρῶτον ἁπάντων.

Then who rains? Explain this to me first of all.

αὗται δήπου· μεγάλοις δέ σʼ ἐγὼ σημείοις αὐτὸ διδάξω.

These, of course! And I will teach you this by great proofs.

370

φέρε ποῦ γὰρ πώποτʼ ἄνευ Νεφελῶν ὕοντʼ ἤδη τεθέασαι;

Come, where have you ever seen it raining without Clouds?

καίτοι χρῆν αἰθρίας ὕειν αὐτόν, ταύτας δʼ ἀποδημεῖν.

And yet, he ought to rain in a clear sky, while these were away.

νὴ τὸν Ἀπόλλω τοῦτό γέ τοι δὴ τῷ νῦν λόγῳ εὖ προσέφυσας·

By Apollo, you have fitted this indeed very well to the present argument!

καίτοι πρότερον τὸν Δίʼ ἀληθῶς ᾤμην διὰ κοσκίνου οὐρεῖν.

And yet, previously I truly thought Zeus urinated through a sieve.

ἀλλʼ ὅστις ὁ βροντῶν ἐστι φράσον· τοῦτό με ποιεῖ τετρεμαίνειν.

But tell me who it is that thunders; that is what makes me tremble.

375

αὗται βροντῶσι κυλινδόμεναι.

These thunder, by rolling.

τῷ τρόπῳ ὦ πάντα σὺ τολμῶν;

In what way, O you who dare anything?

ὅταν ἐμπλησθῶσʼ ὕδατος πολλοῦ κἀναγκασθῶσι φέρεσθαι,

When they are filled with much water and are forced to move,

κατακρημνάμεναι πλήρεις ὄμβρου διʼ ἀνάγκην, εἶτα βαρεῖαι

hanging down full of rain by necessity, and then, being heavy,

εἰς ἀλλήλας ἐμπίπτουσαι ῥήγνυνται καὶ παταγοῦσιν.

colliding with one another, they burst and make a crashing sound.

ὁ δʼ ἀναγκάζων ἐστὶ τίς αὐτάς, οὐχ ὁ Ζεύς, ὥστε φέρεσθαι;

But who is it that forces them to move? Is it not Zeus?

380

ἥκιστʼ ἀλλʼ αἰθέριος Δῖνος.

Not in the least, but the ethereal Vortex.

Δῖνος; τουτί μʼ ἐλελήθειν,

Vortex? This had escaped me:

ὁ Ζεὺς οὐκ ὤν, ἀλλʼ ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ Δῖνος νυνὶ βασιλεύων.

Zeus not existing, but instead of him Vortex now reigning.

ἀτὰρ οὐδέν πω περὶ τοῦ πατάγου καὶ τῆς βροντῆς μʼ ἐδίδαξας.

But you have taught me nothing yet about the crashing and the thunder.

οὐκ ἤκουσάς μου τὰς Νεφέλας ὕδατος μεστὰς ὅτι φημὶ

Did you not hear me say that the Clouds, being full of water,

ἐμπιπτούσας εἰς ἀλλήλας παταγεῖν διὰ τὴν πυκνότητα;

colliding with one another, make a crash because of their density?

Syntax notes5 items

327λημᾷς κολοκύνταις
A humorous expression utilizing the dative of means or cause κολοκύνταις (pumpkins, used metaphorically for large eye-gum) indicating that Strepsiades' eyes are blinded.
334ὅτι ταύτας μουσοποιοῦσιν
The conjunction ὅτι introduces a causal clause. ταύτας is the direct object of the verb μουσοποιοῦσιν (to make into poetry or celebrate as Muses).
340bτί παθοῦσαι
The feminine plural participle παθοῦσαι (from πάσχω) combined with τί forms a common classical Greek idiom expressing surprise or bewilderment, meaning 'what happened to them that...' or 'under what influence did they...'.
361τῷ μὲν σοφίας καὶ γνώμης οὕνεκα, σοὶ δέ, ὅτι βρενθύει
An asymmetrical antithesis τῷ μὲν ... σοὶ δέ. The reason for the former (referring to Prodicus) is expressed by a prepositional phrase with οὕνεκα, whereas the reason for the latter (Socrates) is introduced by the causal ὅτι clause.
367οὐ μὴ ληρήσεις
The construction of οὐ μή with the future indicative ληρήσεις expresses a highly emphatic prohibition ('You shall not talk nonsense!' or 'Don't fool around!').

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg003.humanitext-grc2:327-384