- 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-grc2:539-620
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Aristophanes boasts of the originality and modesty of his comedy while criticizing rival poets for their plagiarism and vulgarity. The Chorus of Clouds then prays to the gods, criticizes the Athenians' foolish political decision to elect Cleon, and delivers a message from the Moon complaining about the Athenians' messed-up calendar.
ἐρυθρὸν ἐξ ἄκρου παχύ,1 τοῖς παιδίοις ἵνʼ ᾖ γέλως·
[nor one] red at the tip and thick, so that there might be laughter for the children.
οὐδʼ ἔσκωψε τοὺς φαλακρούς, οὐδὲ κόρδαχʼ εἵλκυσεν,
Neither did she mock the bald-headed, nor did she drag in the kordax,
οὐδὲ πρεσβύτης ὁ λέγων τἄπη τῇ βακτηρίᾳ
nor does the old man who speaks the verses with his staff
τύπτει τὸν παρόντʼ ἀφανίζων πονηρὰ σκώμματα,
strike the one present, trying to conceal poor jokes,
οὐδʼ εἰσῇξε δᾷδας ἔχουσʼ, οὐδʼ ἰοὺ ἰοὺ βοᾷ,
nor did she rush in holding torches, nor does she cry “Io, Io!”
ἀλλʼ αὑτῇ καὶ τοῖς ἔπεσιν πιστεύουσʼ ἐλήλυθεν.
but she has come trusting in herself and her verses.
κἀγὼ μὲν τοιοῦτος ἀνὴρ ὢν ποιητὴς οὐ κομῶ,
And I, being such a man and poet, do not pride myself,
οὐδʼ ὑμᾶς ζητῶ ʼξαπατᾶν δὶς καὶ τρὶς ταὔτʼ εἰσάγων,
nor do I seek to deceive you by bringing in the same things twice and thrice,
ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ καινὰς ἰδέας ἐσφέρων σοφίζομαι,
but I always play the scholar by bringing in new ideas,
οὐδὲν ἀλλήλαισιν ὁμοίας καὶ πάσας δεξιάς·
in no way resembling each other, and all of them clever.
ὃς μέγιστον ὄντα Κλέωνʼ ἔπαισʼ ἐς τὴν γαστέρα,2
I who struck Cleon, who was at his greatest, in the belly,
κοὐκ ἐτόλμησʼ αὖθις ἐπεμπηδῆσʼ αὐτῷ κειμένῳ.
and did not dare to jump upon him again once he was down.
οὗτοι δʼ, ὡς ἅπαξ παρέδωκεν λαβὴν Ὑπέρβολος,
But these fellows, once Hyperbolus gave them a hold,
τοῦτον δείλαιον κολετρῶσʼ ἀεὶ καὶ τὴν μητέρα.
always trample upon this wretched man and his mother.
Εὔπολις μὲν τὸν Μαρικᾶν πρώτιστον παρείλκυσεν
Eupolis indeed first of all dragged in his “Marikas,”
ἐκστρέψας τοὺς ἡμετέρους Ἱππέας κακὸς κακῶς,
having twisted our “Knights” basely and in a base manner,
προσθεὶς αὐτῷ γραῦν μεθύσην τοῦ κόρδακος οὕνεχʼ, ἣν
adding to it a drunken old woman for the sake of the kordax, whom
Φρύνιχος πάλαι πεποίηχʼ, ἣν τὸ κῆτος ἤσθιεν.3
Phrynichus had long ago created, whom the sea-monster was going to eat.
εἶθʼ Ἕρμιππος αὖθις ἐποίησεν εἰς Ὑπέρβολον,
Then Hermippus again wrote against Hyperbolus,
ἄλλοι τʼ ἤδη πάντες ἐρείδουσιν εἰς Ὑπέρβολον,
and now all the others press hard against Hyperbolus,
τὰς εἰκοὺς τῶν ἐγχέλεων τὰς ἐμὰς μιμούμενοι.
imitating my comparison of the eels.
ὅστις οὖν τούτοισι γελᾷ, τοῖς ἐμοῖς μὴ χαιρέτω·
Whoever therefore laughs at these men, let him not delight in mine;
ἢν δʼ ἐμοὶ καὶ τοῖσιν ἐμοῖς εὐφραίνησθʼ εὑρήμασιν,
but if you are pleased with me and my discoveries,
ἐς τὰς ὥρας τὰς ἑτέρας εὖ φρονεῖν δοκήσετε.
you will be thought to be wise in future times.
ὑψιμέδοντα μὲν θεῶν
First, the high-ruling among gods,
Ζῆνα τύραννον ἐς χορὸν
ruler Zeus, to our grand chorus
πρῶτα μέγαν κικλήσκω·
I call first;
τόν τε μεγασθενῆ τριαίνης ταμίαν,
and the mighty lord of the trident,
γῆς τε καὶ ἁλμυρᾶς θαλάσσης ἄγριον μοχλευτήν·
the fierce upheaver of the earth and the salty sea;
καὶ μεγαλώνυμον ἡμέτερον πατέρʼ
and our great-named father,
Αἰθέρα σεμνότατον βιοθρέμμονα πάντων·
most august Aether, the nurturer of life for all;
τόν θʼ ἱππονώμαν, ὃς ὑπερλάμπροις
and the horse-driver, who with radiant
ἀκτῖσιν κατέχει
beams holds
γῆς πέδον μέγας ἐν θεοῖς
the plain of the earth, a great deity among gods
ἐν θνητοῖσί τε δαίμων.
and among mortals.
ὦ σοφώτατοι θεαταὶ δεῦρο τὸν νοῦν προσέχετε.
O most wise spectators, turn your mind hither.
ἠδικημέναι γὰρ ὑμῖν μεμφόμεσθʼ ἐναντίον·4
For having been wronged, we blame you to your face;
πλεῖστα γὰρ θεῶν ἁπάντων ὠφελούσαις τὴν πόλιν,
though we of all gods benefit the city the most,
δαιμόνων ἡμῖν μόναις οὐ θύετʼ οὐδὲ σπένδετε,
to us alone of the deities you do not sacrifice nor pour libations,
αἵτινες τηροῦμεν ὑμᾶς. ἢν γὰρ ᾖ τις ἔξοδος
who keep watch over you. For if there is any expedition
μηδενὶ ξὺν νῷ, τότʼ ἢ βροντῶμεν ἢ ψακάζομεν.
with no sense, then we either thunder or drizzle.
εἶτα τὸν θεοῖσιν ἐχθρὸν βυρσοδέψην Παφλαγόνα
Then when you were choosing the god-hated tanner, the Paphlagonian,
ἡνίχʼ ᾑρεῖσθε στρατηγόν, τὰς ὀφρῦς συνήγομεν
as general, we knitted our brows
κἀποιοῦμεν δεινά, βροντὴ δʼ ἐρράγη διʼ ἀστραπῆς·
and did terrible things, and thunder broke out through lightning;
ἡ σελήνη δʼ ἐξέλειπε τὰς ὁδούς, ὁ δʼ ἥλιος
and the moon left her paths, and the sun,
τὴν θρυαλλίδʼ εἰς ἑαυτὸν εὐθέως ξυνελκύσας
drawing his wick into himself immediately,
οὐ φανεῖν ἔφασκεν ὑμῖν, εἰ στρατηγήσει Κλέων.
declared he would not shine for you, if Cleon should be general.
ἀλλʼ ὅμως εἵλεσθε τοῦτον. φασὶ γὰρ δυσβουλίαν
But nevertheless you chose him. For they say that bad counsel
τῇδε τῇ πόλει προσεῖναι, ταῦτα μέντοι τοὺς θεοὺς
attends this city, yet that the gods turn
ἅττʼ ἂν ὑμεῖς ἐξαμάρτητʼ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον τρέπειν.
whatever errors you commit to the better.
ὡς δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ξυνοίσει ῥᾳδίως διδάξομεν·
And how this also will be beneficial, we will easily teach:
ἢν Κλέωνα τὸν λάρον δώρων ἑλόντες καὶ κλοπῆς
if, having convicted Cleon the gull of bribery and theft,
εἶτα φιμώσητε τούτου τῷ ξύλῳ τὸν αὐχένα,
you then muzzle his neck in the wooden collar,
αὖθις ἐς τἀρχαῖον ὑμῖν, εἴ τι κἀξημάρτετε,
again, as of old, even if you did make some mistake,
ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον τὸ πρᾶγμα τῇ πόλει συνοίσεται.
the matter will turn out to the better for the city.
ἀμφί μοι αὖτε Φοῖβʼ ἄναξ
Around me again, Lord Phoebus,
Δήλιε Κυνθίαν ἔχων
Delian, who holdest the Cynthian
ὑψικέρατα πέτραν,
high-peaked rock,
ἥ τʼ Ἐφέσου μάκαιρα πάγχρυσον ἔχεις
And thou, blessed goddess of Ephesus, who hast a golden
οἶκον ἐν ᾧ κόραι σε Λυδῶν μεγάλως σέβουσιν,
temple in which Lydian maidens greatly revere thee;
ἥ τʼ ἐπιχώριος ἡμετέρα θεὸς
and our local goddess,
αἰγίδος ἡνίοχος πολιοῦχος Ἀθάνα,
charioteer of the aegis, protectress of the city, Athena;
Παρνασσίαν θʼ ὃς κατέχων
and thou who holdest the Parnassian
πέτραν σὺν πεύκαις σελαγεῖ
rock, blazes with pine torches,
Βάκχαις Δελφίσιν ἐμπρέπων,
conspicuous among Delphic Bacchanals,
κωμαστὴς Διόνυσος.
reveler Dionysus.
ἡνίχʼ ἡμεῖς δεῦρʼ ἀφορμᾶσθαι παρεσκευάσμεθα,
When we were preparing to set out hither,
ἡ σελήνη συντυχοῦσʼ ἡμῖν ἐπέστειλεν φράσαι,
the moon, having met us, commanded us to tell,
πρῶτα μὲν χαίρειν Ἀθηναίοισι καὶ τοῖς ξυμμάχοις·
first, greetings to the Athenians and their allies;
εἶτα θυμαίνειν ἔφασκε· δεινὰ γὰρ πεπονθέναι
then she declared she was angry; for she had suffered terrible things,
ὠφελοῦσʼ ὑμᾶς ἅπαντας οὐ λόγοις ἀλλʼ ἐμφανῶς.
benefiting you all, not in words, but openly.
πρῶτα μὲν τοῦ μηνὸς ἐς δᾷδʼ οὐκ ἔλαττον ἢ δραχμήν,
First, for a torch not less than a drachma each month,
ὥστε καὶ λέγειν ἅπαντας ἐξιόντας ἑσπέρας,
so that everyone, when going out in the evening, says,
μὴ πρίῃ παῖ δᾷδʼ, ἐπειδὴ φῶς σεληναίας καλόν.
”Boy, don’t buy a torch, since the moonlight is beautiful.”
ἄλλα τʼ εὖ δρᾶν φησιν, ὑμᾶς δʼ οὐκ ἄγειν τὰς ἡμέρας
And she says she does other good things, but you do not keep the days
οὐδὲν ὀρθῶς, ἀλλʼ ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω κυδοιδοπᾶν·
correctly at all, but jumble them upside down;
ὥστʼ ἀπειλεῖν φησιν αὐτῇ τοὺς θεοὺς ἑκάστοτε
so that she says the gods threaten her each time,
ἡνίκʼ ἂν ψευσθῶσι δείπνου κἀπίωσιν οἴκαδε,
whenever they are cheated of their dinner and go back home,
τῆς ἑορτῆς μὴ τυχόντες κατὰ λόγον τῶν ἡμερῶν.
not having met with the feast according to the reckoning of the days.
κᾆθʼ ὅταν θύειν δέῃ, στρεβλοῦτε καὶ δικάζετε·
And then when you ought to sacrifice, you torture and judge.
- 539ἐρυθρὸν ἐξ ἄκρου παχύ
A neuter accusative singular adjective phrase modifying σκυτίον καθειμένον (the dangling leather phallus) in the previous line (538). Literally "red at the tip and thick," it describes the vulgar stage prop that the poet boasts of not using in this comedy.
- 549ὃς μέγιστον ὄντα Κλέωνʼ ἔπαισʼ ἐς τὴν γαστέρα
The relative pronoun ὅς refers back to the first-person subject of line 545 (κἀγὼ... ποιητής, "I, the poet"). The participle phrase μέγιστον ὄντα ("being at his greatest") modifies Cleon (Κλέωνα), emphasizing his powerful status when the poet attacked him.
- 555ἣν Φρύνιχος πάλαι πεποίηχʼ, ἣν τὸ κῆτος ἤσθιεν
Two relative clauses, ἣν... πεποίηχ' ("whom Phrynichus created long ago") and ἣν... ἤσθιεν ("whom the sea-monster was eating"), both modify the same antecedent, γραῦν μεθύσην ("a drunken old woman"). This highlights the poet's criticism that Eupolis plagiarized an already outdated character.
- 576ἠδικημέναι γὰρ ὑμῖν μεμφόμεσθʼ ἐναντίον
The perfect passive participle ἠδικημέναι is nominative feminine plural, referring to the Chorus of Clouds (νεφέλαι). The dative pronoun ὑμῖν is the object of the verb μεμφόμεσθ' ("we complain/find fault with"). The sentence means "For we, having been wronged, complain against you to your face."