Hermes's Threat and Trygaeus's Persuasion — Aristophanes, Peace, lines 326–409b, Greek & English

326

μή τι καὶ νυνί γʼ ἔτʼ, ἀλλὰ παῦε παῦʼ ὀρχούμενος.¹

Not at all, not even now; come, stop, stop dancing!

ἢν ἰδοὺ καὶ δὴ πέπαυμαι.

Look, see, indeed we have stopped.

φῄς γε, παύει δʼ οὐδέπω.

You say so, but you are not stopping yet.

ἓν μὲν οὖν τουτί μʼ ἔασον ἑλκύσαι, καὶ μηκέτι.

Then let me just throw this one step, and no more.

τοῦτό νυν, καὶ μηκέτʼ ἄλλο μηδὲν ὀρχήσησθʼ ἔτι.

Just this one then, and dance nothing else anymore.

330

οὐκ ἂν ὀρχησαίμεθʼ, εἴπερ ὠφελήσαιμέν τί σε.

We wouldn’t dance at all, if we could help you in any way.

ἀλλʼ ὁρᾶτʼ οὔπω πέπαυσθε.

But look, you haven’t stopped yet!

τουτογὶ νὴ τὸν Δία

By Zeus, this one indeed,

τὸ σκέλος ῥίψαντες ἤδη λήγομεν τὸ δεξιόν.

having flung our right leg, we are now ceasing.

ἐπιδίδωμι τοῦτό γʼ ὑμῖν ὥστε μὴ λυπεῖν ἔτι.

I grant you this one, so as not to vex me anymore.

ἀλλὰ καὶ τἀριστερόν τοί μʼ ἐστʼ ἀναγκαίως ἔχον.

But the left one also is absolutely necessary for me to move.

335

ἥδομαι γὰρ καὶ γέγηθα καὶ πέπορδα καὶ γελῶ

For I am pleased and rejoiced and break wind and laugh,

μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ γῆρας ἐκδὺς² ἐκφυγὼν τὴν ἀσπίδα.

much more than if I had sloughed off old age and escaped the shield.

μή τι καὶ νυνί γε χαίρετʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἴστε πω σαφῶς·

Do not rejoice at all just yet; for you do not know clearly.

ἀλλʼ ὅταν λάβωμεν αὐτήν, τηνικαῦτα χαίρετε

But when we hold her, then indeed rejoice,

καὶ βοᾶτε καὶ γελᾶτʼ· ἤδη

and shout and laugh; for then at last

340

γὰρ ἐξέσται τόθʼ ὑμῖν

it will be permitted for you

πλεῖν μένειν βινεῖν καθεύδειν,

to sail, to stay, to make love, to sleep,

ἐς πανηγύρεις θεωρεῖν,

to attend public festivals,

ἑστιᾶσθαι κοτταβίζειν,

to feast, to play cottabus,

†συβαρίζειν†

†to live like a Sybarite,†

345

ἰοῦ ἰοῦ κεκραγέναι.

to cry “io, io!”

εἰ γὰρ ἐκγένοιτʼ³ ἰδεῖν ταύτην με τὴν ἡμέραν.

Would that it were permitted for me to see this day!

πολλὰ γὰρ ἀνεσχόμην πράγματά τε καὶ στιβάδας, ἃς

For I have endured many troubles and the straw-beds that

ἔλαχε Φορμίων·

Phormio fell to;

κοὐκέτʼ ἄν μʼ εὕροις δικαστὴν δριμὺν οὐδὲ δύσκολον,

and you would no longer find me a sharp or ill-tempered juror,

350

οὐδὲ τοὺς τρόπους γε δήπου σκληρὸν ὥσπερ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ,

nor tough in my ways at all as before,

ἀλλʼ ἁπαλὸν ἄν μʼ ἴδοις καὶ πολὺ νεώτερον,

but you would see me gentle and much younger,

ἀπαλλαγέντα πραγμάτων.

freed from troubles.

355

καὶ γὰρ ἱκανὸν χρόνον ἀπολλύμεθα καὶ κατατετρίμμεθα πλανώμενοι

For indeed for a sufficient time we have been destroyed and worn out, wandering

ἐς Λύκειον κἀκ Λυκείου ξὺν δορὶ ξὺν ἀσπίδι.

to the Lyceum and from the Lyceum with spear and shield.

ἀλλʼ ὅ τι μάλιστα χαριούμεθα ποιοῦντες, ἄγε

But come, tell us what we can do

360

φράζε· σὲ γὰρ αὐτοκράτορʼ εἵλετʼ ἀγαθή τις ἡμῖν τύχη.

to please you most; for some good fortune has chosen you as our absolute leader.

φέρε δὴ κατίδω ποῖ τοὺς λίθους ἀφέλξομεν.

Come now, let me see where we shall drag away the stones.

ὦ μιαρὲ καὶ τολμηρὲ τί ποιεῖν διανοεῖ;

O rogue and daring wretch, what do you intend to do?

οὐδὲν πονηρόν, ἀλλʼ ὅπερ καὶ Κιλλικῶν.

Nothing bad, but just what Cillicon did.

ἀπόλωλας ὦ κακόδαιμον.

You are destroyed, you unhappy wretch.

οὐκοῦν ἢν λάχω.

Well, if I draw that lot.

365

Ἑρμῆς γὰρ ὢν⁴ κλήρῳ ποιήσεις οἶδʼ ὅτι.

For being Hermes, you will do it by lot, I know well.

ἀπόλωλας, ἐξόλωλας.

You are destroyed, utterly destroyed.

ἐς τίνʼ ἡμέραν;

On what day?

εἰς αὐτίκα μάλʼ.

Right away.

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἠμπόληκά πω,

But I have bought nothing yet,

οὔτʼ ἄλφιτʼ οὔτε τυρόν, ὡς ἀπολούμενος.

neither barley-meal nor cheese, as one who is about to perish.

καὶ μὴν ἐπιτέτριψαί γε.

And yet you have indeed been ruined.

κᾆτα τῷ τρόπῳ

And then in what way,

370

οὐκ ᾐσθόμην ἀγαθὸν τοσουτονὶ λαβών;

since I didn’t feel it, having received so great a benefit?

ἆρʼ οἶσθα θάνατον ὅτι προεῖφʼ ὁ Ζεὺς⁵ ὃς ἂν

Do you not know that Zeus pronounced death for whoever

ταύτην ἀνορύττων εὑρεθῇ;

should be found digging her up?

νῦν ἆρά με

Is it then now

ἅπασʼ ἀνάγκη ʼστʼ ἀποθανεῖν;

an absolute necessity for me to die?

εὖ ἴσθʼ ὅτι.

Know well that it is.

ἐς χοιρίδιόν μοί νυν δάνεισον τρεῖς δραχμάς·

Then lend me three drachmas for a little pig;

375

δεῖ γὰρ μυηθῆναί με πρὶν τεθνηκέναι.

for I must be initiated before I die.

ὦ Ζεῦ κεραυνοβρόντα.

O thunder-crashing Zeus!

μὴ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν

By the gods,

ἡμῶν κατείπῃς, ἀντιβολῶ σε δέσποτα.

do not denounce us, I beseech you, master.

οὐκ ἂν σιωπήσαιμι.

I will not keep silent.

ναὶ πρὸς τῶν κρεῶν,

Yes, by the meat

ἁγὼ προθύμως σοι φέρων ἀφικόμην.

which I eagerly brought and arrived with for you.

380

ἀλλʼ ὦ μέλʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ Διὸς ἀμαλδυνθήσομαι,

But, good fellow, I shall be destroyed by Zeus

εἰ μὴ τετορήσω ταῦτα καὶ λακήσομαι.

unless I shout and cry out these things.

μή νυν λακήσῃς, λίσσομαί σʼ ὦρμῄδιον.

Do not cry out then, I beseech you, dear little Hermes.

εἰπέ μοι, τί πάσχετʼ ὦνδρες; ἕστατʼ ἐκπεπληγμένοι.

Tell me, what is the matter with you, men? You stand astounded.

ὦ πόνηροι μὴ σιωπᾶτʼ· εἰ δὲ μή, λακήσεται.

O wretches, do not be silent; otherwise, he will cry out.

385

μηδαμῶς ὦ δέσποθʼ Ἑρμῆ, μηδαμῶς, μηδαμῶς,

By no means, O master Hermes, by no means, by no means,

εἴ τι κεχαρισμένον χοιρίδιον οἶσθα παρʼ ἐμοῦ γε κατεδηδοκώς,

if you remember eating any pleasing little pig from me,

τοῦτο μὴ φαῦλον νόμιζʼ ἐν τῷδε τῷ νῦν πράγματι.

do not consider this of cheap value in our present business.

οὐκ ἀκούεις οἷα θωπεύουσί σʼ ὦναξ δέσποτα;

Do you not hear how they flatter you, king and master?

390

†μὴ γένῃ παλίγκοτος ἀντιβολοῦσιν ἡμῖν,†

Do not be hostile to us who entreat you,

ὥστε τήνδε μὴ λαβεῖν·

so as to prevent us from taking her;

ἀλλὰ χάρισʼ ὦ φιλανθρωπότατε καὶ μεγαλοδωρότατε δαιμόνων,

but show favor, O most philanthropic and most generous of deities,

395

εἴ τι Πεισάνδρου βδελύττει τοὺς λόφους καὶ τὰς ὀφρῦς.

if you detest the crests and eyebrows of Peisander at all.

καί σε θυσίαισιν ἱεραῖσι προσόδοις τε μεγάλαισι

And we with sacred sacrifices and great processions

διὰ παντὸς ὦ δέσποτʼ ἀγαλοῦμεν ἡμεῖς ἀεί.

will always glorify you continually, O master.

400

ἴθʼ, ἀντιβολῶ σʼ, ἐλέησον αὐτῶν τὴν ὄπα,

Come, I beseech you, pity their voice,

ἐπεί σε καὶ τιμῶσι μᾶλλον ἢ πρὸ τοῦ.

since they also honor you more than before.

κλέπται γάρ εἰσι νῦν γε μᾶλλον ἢ πρὸ τοῦ.

For they are thieves now more than before.

καί σοι φράσω τι πρᾶγμα δεινὸν καὶ μέγα,

And I will tell you a terrible and great matter,

ὃ τοῖς θεοῖς ἅπασιν ἐπιβουλεύεται.

which is being plotted against all the gods.

405

ἴθι δὴ κάτειπʼ· ἴσως γὰρ ἂν πείσαις ἐμέ.

Come then, tell me; for perhaps you might persuade me.

ἡ γὰρ Σελήνη χὠ πανοῦργος Ἥλιος

For the Moon and that rogue Sun,

ὑμῖν ἐπιβουλεύοντε⁶ πολὺν ἤδη χρόνον

plotting against you for a long time now,

τοῖς βαρβάροισι προδίδοτον τὴν Ἑλλάδα.

are betraying Greece to the barbarians.

ἵνα δὴ τί τοῦτο δρᾶτον;

To what end do they do this?

ὁτιὴ νὴ Δία

Because, by Zeus,

Syntax notes6 items

326ὀρχούμενος
Present participle serving as a complement to the verb παῦε. In Greek, verbs of ceasing (such as παύω) are complemented by a participle rather than an infinitive.
336ἐκδὺς
Aorist active participle, parallel with the following ἐκφυγὼν. It is a metaphorical usage meaning "sloughing off old age" like shedding clothes.
346εἰ γὰρ ἐκγένοιτʼ
The particle εἰ γάρ followed by the optative (ἐκγένοιτο) to express a realizable wish. Combined with the infinitive ἰδεῖν, it means "would that it were permitted for me to see..."
365Ἑρμῆς γὰρ ὢν
A causal participle phrase. Since Hermes is the god who presides over lotteries and drawing lots, it humorously attributes the cause: "for since you are Hermes, you will decide it by lot."
371ἆρʼ οἶσθα θάνατον ὅτι προεῖφʼ ὁ Ζεὺς
An anticipatory construction (prolepsis) where θάνατον is pulled forward as the object of the main verb οἶσθα. An element that would normally function as the direct object within the ὅτι clause is extracted to the main clause for emphasis.
407ἐπιβουλεύοντε
Nominative dual present participle. Since it refers to two celestial bodies, the Moon (Σελήνη) and the Sun (Ἥλιος), the dual form is consistently used alongside the verb προδίδοτον in §408.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg005.humanitext-grc2:326-409b