- 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-grc2:446-538
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
As Strepsiades shows his absolute determination, Socrates starts testing his natural intellect and memory, leading to various comical misunderstandings before sending the old man into the thinking shop. The poet then addresses the audience directly (parabasis), defending the artistic value of his play and reflecting on his career and the modesty of his comedy.
βδελυρὸς ψευδῶν συγκολλητὴς
A loathsome fabricator of lies,
εὑρησιεπὴς περίτριμμα δικῶν
a smooth-tongued hack of lawsuits,
κύρβις κρόταλον κίναδος τρύμη
a law-tablet, a rattle, a fox, a gimlet,
μάσθλης εἴρων γλοιὸς ἀλαζὼν
a supple strap, a dissembler, a slippery fellow, a boaster,
κέντρων μιαρὸς στρόφις ἀργαλέος
a rogue, a dirty wretch, a wriggler, a troublesome pest,
ματιολοιχός·
a plate-licker!
ταῦτʼ εἴ με καλοῦσʼ ἁπαντῶντες,
If those who meet me call me these things,
δρώντων1 ἀτεχνῶς ὅ τι χρῄζουσιν,
let them do absolutely whatever they want.
κεἰ βούλονται
And if they wish,
νὴ τὴν Δήμητρʼ ἔκ μου χορδὴν
by Demeter, let them make a sausage out of my guts
τοῖς φροντισταῖς παραθέντων.
and serve it to the thinkers.
λῆμα μὲν πάρεστι τῷδέ γʼ
This man indeed possesses a spirit
οὐκ ἄτολμον ἀλλʼ ἕτοιμον. ἴσθι δʼ ὡς
that is not cowardly, but ready. And know that
ταῦτα μαθὼν παρʼ ἐμοῦ κλέος οὐρανόμηκες
having learned these things from me, you shall have a fame reaching heaven
ἐν βροτοῖσιν ἕξεις.
among mortals.
τί πείσομαι;2
What shall I experience?
τὸν πάντα χρόνον μετʼ ἐμοῦζηλωτότατον βίον ἀνθρώπων διάξεις.
For all time with me,
ἆρά γε τοῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἐγώ ποτʼ
you shall lead the most enviable life of men.
ὄψομαι;
Shall I indeed ever
ὥστε γέ σου πολλοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖσι θύραις ἀεὶ καθῆσθαι,
see this? So that indeed many will always sit at your doors,
βουλομένους ἀνακοινοῦσθαί τε καὶ ἐς λόγον ἐλθεῖν
wishing to consult you and come to speech with you
πράγματα κἀντιγραφὰς πολλῶν ταλάντων,
about matters and lawsuits of many talents,
ἄξια σῇ φρενὶ συμβουλευσομένους μετὰ σοῦ.
to consult with you on things worthy of your mind.
ἀλλʼ ἐγχείρει τὸν πρεσβύτην ὅ τι περ μέλλεις προδιδάσκειν,
But begin to teach the old man what you are about to teach first,
καὶ διακίνει τὸν νοῦν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς γνώμης ἀποπειρῶ.
and stir up his mind, and test his judgment.
ἄγε δὴ κάτειπέ μοι σὺ τὸν σαυτοῦ τρόπον,
Come now, tell me your own character,
ἵνʼ αὐτὸν εἰδὼς ὅστις ἐστὶ μηχανὰς
so that knowing what sort of man you are,
ἤδη ʼπὶ τούτοις πρὸς σὲ καινὰς προσφέρω.
I may now bring new devices against you.
τί δέ; τειχομαχεῖν μοι διανοεῖ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν;
What? By the gods, are you planning to wage a siege against me?
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ βραχέα σου πυθέσθαι βούλομαι.
No, but I wish to learn brief things from you.
ἦ μνημονικὸς εἶ;
Are you of a good memory?
δύο τρόπω νὴ τὸν Δία·
In two ways, by Zeus!
ἢν μὲν γὰρ ὀφείληταί τί μοι, μνήμων πάνυ·
For if something is owed to me, I am very mindful;
ἐὰν δʼ ὀφείλω, σχέτλιος, ἐπιλήσμων πάνυ.
but if I owe, wretched me, I am extremely forgetful.
ἔνεστι δῆτα μανθάνειν ἐν τῇ φύσει;
Is there indeed a capacity to learn in your nature?
λέγειν μὲν οὐκ ἔνεστʼ, ἀποστερεῖν δʼ ἔνι.
To speak is not in me, but to defraud is indeed in me.
πῶς οὖν δυνήσει μανθάνειν;
How then will you be able to learn?
ἀμέλει καλῶς.
No worry, beautifully!
ἄγε νυν ὅπως,3 ὅταν τι προβάλλω σοι σοφὸν
Come now, so that whenever I throw some clever thing to you
περὶ τῶν μετεώρων, εὐθέως ὑφαρπάσει.
about heavenly matters, you will snatch it up immediately.
τί δαί; κυνηδὸν τὴν σοφίαν σιτήσομαι;
What? Shall I feed on wisdom like a dog?
ἄνθρωπος ἀμαθὴς οὑτοσὶ καὶ βάρβαρος.
This man is ignorant and barbarian.
δέδοικά σʼ ὦ πρεσβῦτα μὴ πληγῶν δέει.
I fear, old man, lest you have need of blows.
φέρʼ ἴδω τί δρᾷς, ἤν τίς σε τύπτῃ;
Come, let me see, what do you do if someone strikes you?
τύπτομαι,
I am struck,
ἔπειτʼ ἐπισχὼν ὀλίγον ἐπιμαρτύρομαι,
then having waited a little, I call witnesses,
εἶτʼ αὖθις ἀκαρῆ διαλιπὼν δικάζομαι.
then again, after pausing for a moment, I go to law.
ἴθι νυν κατάθου θοἰμάτιον.
Come now, put down your cloak.
ἠδίκηκά τι;
Have I done some wrong?
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ γυμνοὺς εἰσιέναι νομίζεται.
No, but it is customary to enter naked.
ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ φωράσων4 ἔγωγʼ εἰσέρχομαι.
But I am not entering to search for stolen goods!
κατάθου. τί ληρεῖς;
Put it down. Why do you talk nonsense?
εἰπὲ δή νύν μοι·
Tell me now indeed:
τὸ τί;
What?
ἢν ἐπιμελὴς ὦ καὶ προθύμως μανθάνω,
If I am diligent and learn eagerly,
τῷ τῶν μαθητῶν ἐμφερὴς γενήσομαι;
which of your disciples shall I become like?
οὐδὲν διοίσεις Χαιρεφῶντος τὴν φύσιν.
You will differ in no way in nature from Chaerephon.
οἴμοι κακοδαίμων ἡμιθνὴς γενήσομαι.
Alas, wretched me! I shall become half-dead.
οὐ μὴ λαλήσεις,5 ἀλλʼ ἀκολουθήσεις ἐμοὶ
Will you not stop chattering, and follow me
ἀνύσας τι δευρὶ θᾶττον;
quickly and hasten here?
ἐς τὼ χεῖρέ νυν
Then into my hands
δός μοι μελιτοῦτταν πρότερον· ὡς δέδοικʼ ἐγὼ
give me a honey-cake first; for I fear
εἴσω καταβαίνων ὥσπερ ἐς Τροφωνίου.
going down inside as if into the cave of Trophonius.
χώρει· τί κυπτάζεις ἔχων περὶ τὴν θύραν;
Go on; why do you keep lingering around the door?
ἀλλʼ ἴθι χαίρων τῆς ἀνδρείας
Go indeed rejoicing
οὕνεκα ταύτης.
for the sake of this courage.
εὐτυχία γένοιτο τἀνθρώπῳ,
May good fortune happen to the man,
ὅτι προήκων
because, having advanced
ἐς βαθὺ τῆς ἡλικίας
deep into age,
νεωτέροις τὴν φύσιν αὑτοῦ
he colors his nature
πράγμασιν χρωτίζεται
with young activities
καὶ σοφίαν ἐπασκεῖ.
and practices wisdom.
ὦ θεώμενοι κατερῶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλευθέρως
O spectators, I will speak to you freely
τἀληθῆ νὴ τὸν Διόνυσον τὸν ἐκθρέψαντά με.
the truth, by Dionysus who reared me.
οὕτω νικήσαιμί τʼ ἐγὼ καὶ νομιζοίμην σοφός,
So may I conquer and be deemed wise,
ὡς ὑμᾶς ἡγούμενος εἶναι θεατὰς δεξιοὺς
as, holding you to be clever spectators
καὶ ταύτην σοφώτατʼ ἔχειν τῶν ἐμῶν κωμῳδιῶν,
and this to be the wisest of my comedies,
πρώτους ἠξίωσʼ ἀναγεῦσʼ ὑμᾶς, ἣ παρέσχε μοι
I thought you first worthy to taste again this play, which gave me
ἔργον πλεῖστον· εἶτʼ ἀνεχώρουν ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν φορτικῶν
the most labor; then I retired, defeated by vulgar men,
ἡττηθεὶς οὐκ ἄξιος ὤν· ταῦτʼ οὖν ὑμῖν μέμφομαι
although I did not deserve it. These things then I blame you
τοῖς σοφοῖς, ὧν οὕνεκʼ ἐγὼ ταῦτʼ ἐπραγματευόμην.
for, the wise ones, for whose sake I took these pains.
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὣς ὑμῶν ποθʼ ἑκὼν προδώσω τοὺς δεξιούς.
But not even so will I ever willingly betray the clever among you.
ἐξ ὅτου γὰρ ἐνθάδʼ ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν, οἷς ἡδὺ καὶ λέγειν,
For ever since here, by men whom it is a pleasure even to speak of,
ὁ σώφρων τε χὠ καταπύγων ἄριστʼ ἠκουσάτην,
my “Temperate Man” and “Debauchee” were best received,
κἀγώ, παρθένος γὰρ ἔτʼ ἦν, κοὐκ ἐξῆν πώ μοι τεκεῖν,
and I—for I was still a virgin and it was not yet permitted for me to give birth—
ἐξέθηκα, παῖς δʼ ἑτέρα τις λαβοῦσʼ ἀνείλετο,
exposed it, and another girl took it up and carried it off,
ὑμεῖς δʼ ἐξεθρέψατε γενναίως κἀπαιδεύσατε·
and you reared and educated it generously,
ἐκ τούτου μοι πιστὰ παρʼ ὑμῖν γνώμης ἔσθʼ ὅρκια.
from this I have had trustworthy pledges of your judgment.
νῦν οὖν Ἠλέκτραν κατʼ ἐκείνην ἥδʼ ἡ κωμῳδία
Now therefore, like that Electra, this comedy
ζητοῦσʼ ἦλθʼ, ἤν που ʼπιτύχῃ θεαταῖς οὕτω σοφοῖς·
has come seeking if perchance it may meet with such wise spectators;
γνώσεται γάρ, ἤνπερ ἴδῃ, τἀδελφοῦ τὸν βόστρυχον.
for she will recognize, if indeed she sees, her brother’s lock of hair.
ὡς δὲ σώφρων ἐστὶ φύσει σκέψασθʼ· ἥτις πρῶτα μὲν
And see how temperate she is by nature: she who first of all
οὐδὲν ἦλθε ῥαψαμένη σκυτίον καθειμένον
came having sewn on no dangling piece of leather...
- 453δρώντων
Third-person plural present active imperative. The subject is 'people,' expressing Strepsiades's desperate concession or resignation ('let them do'). The verb παραθέντων in §456 is likewise a third-person plural imperative.
- 461πείσομαι
First-person singular future middle indicative of πάσχω (to experience, undergo). Although identical in form to the future middle of πείθω (to obey, believe), here it is used in the sense of 'What will happen to me?' or 'What benefit shall I receive (by following you)?'
- 489ὅπως
An independent colloquial construction where the conjunction ὅπως is followed by the future indicative (ὑφαρπάσει in §490), expressing an urgent command or exhortation ('be sure to snatch it up'). It is understood as having an omitted leading imperative like ὅρα ('see to it that...').
- 499φωράσων
Future active participle of φωράω (to search for stolen goods), expressing purpose. Under Athenian legal procedure, someone entering a house to search for stolen property was required by law to strip naked (or wear minimal clothing) to prevent them from slipping in stolen items to plant as false evidence. Strepsiades humorously assumes Socrates's instruction to strip is based on this regulation.
- 505οὐ μὴ λαλήσεις
The negative combination οὐ μή followed by the second-person future indicative (λαλήσεις and ἀκολουθήσεις). When used with the second person, this construction conveys a vigorous prohibition ('stop chattering!') combined with an urgent positive command ('follow me!').