Humanitext Reader

Aristophanes · Acharnians §264-350

Attack of the Acharnians and the Charcoal Basket Hostage

Passage 4 of 14 · Greek

Summary

While Dicaeopolis is starting the festival with a phallic song, he is suddenly attacked by the elderly Acharnians (the Chorus) who are furious about the peace treaty; however, by taking a charcoal-basket hostage, he forces them to drop their stones and finally secures a chance to defend himself.

§264ξύγκωμε νυκτοπεριπλάνητε §265μοιχὲ παιδεραστά, §266ἕκτῳ σʼ ἔτει προσεῖπον ἐς §267τὸν δῆμον ἐλθὼν ἄσμενος, §268σπονδὰς ποιησάμενος ἐμαυτῷ, §269πραγμάτων τε καὶ μαχῶν §270καὶ Λαμάχων ἀπαλλαγείς.
O revel-companion, night-wanderer, adulterer, pederast, in the sixth year I address you, having gladly come to my deme, having made a treaty for myself, freed from troubles and battles and Lamachuses.
§271πολλῷ γάρ ἐσθʼ ἥδιον, ὦ Φαλῆς Φαλῆς, §272κλέπτουσαν εὑρόνθʼ ὡρικὴν ὑληφόρον §273τὴν Στρυμοδώρου Θρᾷτταν ἐκ τοῦ Φελλέως §274μέσην λαβόντʼ ἄραντα καταβαλόντα
For it is much sweeter, O Phales, Phales, to find a ripe wood-carrying girl stealing, Strymodorus's Thracian maid, from the Phelleus, and to seize her by the waist, lift her up, throw her down, and ravish her.
§275καταγιγαρτίσʼ ὦ §276Φαλῆς Φαλῆς.
O Phales, Phales!
§277ἐὰν μεθʼ ἡμῶν ξυμπίῃς, ἐκ κραιπάλης §278ἕωθεν εἰρήνης ῥοφήσει τρύβλιον· §279ἡ δʼ ἀσπὶς ἐν τῷ φεψάλῳ κρεμήσεται.
If you drink with us, after the hangover, in the morning you shall gulp down a cup of peace; and the shield shall be hung up in the smoky chimney.
§280οὗτος αὐτός ἐστιν, οὗτος.
Chorus: This is the very man, this is he!
§281βάλλε βάλλε βάλλε βάλλε,
Pelt him, pelt him, pelt him, pelt him!
§282παῖε παῖε τὸν μιαρόν.
Strike, strike the villain!
§283οὐ βαλεῖς;
Will you not pelt him?
οὐ βαλεῖς;
Will you not pelt him?
§284Ἡράκλεις τουτὶ τί ἐστι;
Dicaeopolis: Heracles! What is this?
τὴν χύτραν συντρίψετε.
You will smash my pot!
§285σὲ μὲν οὖν καταλεύσομεν ὦ μιαρὰ κεφαλή.
Chorus: No, it is you we will stone to death, you scoundrel!
§286ἀντὶ ποίας αἰτίας ὦχαρνέων γεραίτατοι;
Dicaeopolis: For what reason, O most venerable elders of Acharnae?
§288τοῦτʼ ἐρωτᾷς;
You ask this?
ἀναίσχυντος εἶ καὶ βδελυρὸς §290ὦ προδότα τῆς πατρίδος, ὅστις ἡμῶν μόνος §291σπεισάμενος εἶτα δύνασαι πρὸς ἔμʼ ἀποβλέπειν.
You are shameless and abominable, O traitor to your country, who, having made a treaty alone among us, then dare to look me in the face!
§293ἀντὶ δʼ ὧν ἐσπεισάμην οὐκ ἴστε.
Dicaeopolis: But you do not know the reasons for which I made the treaty.
μἀλλαʼ ἀκούσατε.
No, but listen to me!
§295σοῦ γʼ ἀκούσωμεν;
Chorus: Shall we listen to you?
ἀπολεῖ·
You shall die!
κατά σε χώσομεν τοῖς λίθοις.
We will bury you with stones!
§296μηδαμῶς πρὶν ἄν γʼ ἀκούσητʼ·
Dicaeopolis: By no means, at least not before you have heard me!
ἀλλʼ ἀνάσχεσθʼ ὦγαθοί.
But hold back, good sirs!
§298οὐκ ἀνασχήσομαι·
Chorus: I will not hold back!
μηδὲ λέγε μοι σὺ λόγον·
Do not speak a word to me!
§300ὡς μεμίσηκά σε Κλέωνος ἔτι μᾶλλον, ὃν ἐγὼ §301κατατεμῶ ποθʼ ἱππεῦσι καττύματα.
For I hate you even more than Cleon, whom I will one day cut up into shoe-soles for the Knights.
§302σοῦ δʼ ἐγὼ λόγους λέγοντος οὐκ ἀκούσομαι μακρούς, §303ὅστις ἐσπείσω Λάκωσιν, ἀλλὰ τιμωρήσομαι.
I will not listen to you speaking long speeches, you who made a treaty with the Lacedaemonians, but I will punish you.
§305ὦγαθοὶ τοὺς μὲν Λάκωνας ἐκποδὼν ἐάσατε, §306τῶν δʼ ἐμῶν σπονδῶν ἀκούσατʼ, εἰ καλῶς ἐσπεισάμην.
Dicaeopolis: Good sirs, leave the Lacedaemonians out of it, and listen to my treaty, to see if I made it well.
§307πῶς δέ γʼ ἂν καλῶς λέγοις ἄν, εἴπερ ἐσπείσω γʼ ἅπαξ §308οἷσιν οὔτε βωμὸς οὔτε πίστις οὔθʼ ὅρκος μένει;
Chorus: How could you say "well", if you have indeed once made a treaty with those for whom neither altar, nor trust, nor oath remains?
§309οἶδʼ ἐγὼ καὶ τοὺς Λάκωνας, οἷς ἄγαν ἐγκείμεθα, §310οὐχ ἁπάντων ὄντας ἡμῖν αἰτίους τῶν πραγμάτων.
Dicaeopolis: I know that even the Lacedaemonians, whom we attack so fiercely, are not the cause of all our troubles.
§311οὐχ ἁπάντων ὦ πανοῦργε;
Chorus: Not the cause of all, you scoundrel?
ταῦτα δὴ τολμᾷς λέγειν §312ἐμφανῶς ἤδη πρὸς ἡμᾶς;
Do you dare to say this openly to us now?
εἶτʼ ἐγώ σου φείσομαι;
And then shall I spare you?
§313οὐχ ἁπάντων, οὐχ ἁπάντων·
Dicaeopolis: Not of all, not of all!
ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ λέγων ὁδὶ §314πόλλʼ ἂν ἀποφήναιμʼ ἐκείνους ἔσθʼ ἃ κἀδικουμένους.
Rather, I, speaking here, could show that they were even wronged in many things.
§315τοῦτο τοὔπος δεινὸν ἤδη καὶ ταραξικάρδιον, §316εἰ σὺ τολμήσεις ὑπὲρ τῶν πολεμίων ἡμῖν λέγειν.
Chorus: This word is indeed terrible and heart-shaking, if you dare to speak to us on behalf of our enemies.
§317κἄν γε μὴ λέγω δίκαια μηδὲ τῷ πλήθει δοκῶ, §318ὑπὲρ ἐπιξήνου ʼθελήσω τὴν κεφαλὴν ἔχων λέγειν.
Dicaeopolis: And indeed, if I do not speak what is just, or if I do not satisfy the multitude, I am willing to speak with my head over a chopping-block.
§319εἰπέ μοι τί φειδόμεσθα τῶν λίθων ὦ δημόται §320μὴ οὐ καταξαίνειν τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον ἐς φοινικίδα;
Chorus: Tell me, why do we spare our stones, O fellow-demesmen, so as not to shred this man into a scarlet cloak?
§321οἷον αὖ μέλας τις ὑμῖν θυμάλωψ ἐπέζεσεν.
Dicaeopolis: How a black ember has boiled up in you again!
§322οὐκ ἀκούσεσθʼ;
Will you not listen?
οὐκ ἀκούσεσθʼ ἐτεὸν ὦχαρνηίδαι;
Will you not really listen, O Acharnians?
§323οὐκ ἀκουσόμεσθα δῆτα.
Chorus: We will certainly not listen!
§323bδεινά τἄρα πείσομαι.
Dicaeopolis: Then I shall suffer terrible things.
§324ἐξολοίμην, ἢν ἀκούσω.
Chorus: May I perish if I listen!
§324bμηδαμῶς ὦχαρνικοί.
Dicaeopolis: By no means, O Acharnians!
§325ὡς τεθνήξων ἴσθι νυνί.
Chorus: Know now that you are about to die!
§325bδήξομἄρʼ ὑμᾶς ἐγώ.
Dicaeopolis: Then I will bite you in return!
§326ἀνταποκτενῶ γὰρ ὑμῶν τῶν φίλων τοὺς φιλτάτους· §327ὡς ἔχω γʼ ὑμῶν ὁμήρους, οὓς ἀποσφάξω λαβών.
For I will kill in return the dearest of your friends; since I hold hostages of yours, whom I will take and slaughter.
§328εἰπέ μοι, τί τοῦτʼ ἀπειλεῖ τοὔπος ἄνδρες δημόται §329τοῖς Ἀχαρνικοῖσιν ἡμῖν;
Chorus: Tell me, what does this word threaten, O fellow-demesmen, to us Acharnians?
μῶν ἔχει του παιδίον §330τῶν παρόντων ἔνδον εἵρξας;
Has he perhaps some child of someone present locked up inside?
ἢ ʼπὶ τῷ θρασύνεται;
Or on what does he grow so bold?
§331βάλλετʼ εἰ βούλεσθʼ.
Dicaeopolis: Pelt me if you wish!
ἐγὼ γὰρ τουτονὶ διαφθερῶ.
For I will destroy this one here.
§332εἴσομαι δʼ ὑμῶν τάχʼ ὅστις ἀνθράκων τι κήδεται.
And I shall soon know which of you cares at all for charcoal.
§333ὡς ἀπωλόμεσθʼ.
Chorus: Oh, we are ruined!
ὁ λάρκος δημότης ὅδʼ ἔστʼ ἐμός.
This charcoal-basket is my fellow-demesman!
§334ἀλλὰ μὴ δράσῃς ὃ μέλλεις· μηδαμῶς ὦ μηδαμῶς.
But do not do what you intend; by no means, by no means!
§335ὡς ἀποκτενῶ, κέκραχθʼ·
Dicaeopolis: I will kill it, so scream!
ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ ἀκούσομαι.
For I will not listen.
§336ἀπολεῖς ἄρʼ ὁμήλικα τόνδε φιλανθρακέα;
Chorus: Will you then destroy this charcoal-loving companion of our own age?
§337οὐδʼ ἐμοῦ λέγοντος ὑμεῖς ἀρτίως ἠκούσατε.
Dicaeopolis: Just now when I spoke, you did not listen either.
§338ἀλλὰ γὰρ νῦν λέγʼ, εἴ σοι δοκεῖ, τόν τε Λακεδαιμόνιον §339† αὐτὸν ὅτι τῷ † τρόπῳ σοὐστὶ φίλος· §340ὡς τόδε τὸ λαρκίδιον οὐ προδώσω ποτέ.
Chorus: Well, but now speak, if you wish, and about the Lacedaemonian himself, in what way he is friendly to you; since I will never betray this dear little charcoal-basket.
§341τοὺς λίθους νύν μοι χαμᾶζε πρῶτον ἐξεράσατε.
Dicaeopolis: First, then, pour out the stones onto the ground for me.
§342οὑτοιί σοι χαμαί, καὶ σὺ κατάθου πάλιν τὸ ξίφος.
Chorus: Here they are on the ground for you; and you, put down your sword in turn.
§343ἀλλʼ ὅπως μὴ νʼ τοῖς τρίβωσιν ἐγκάθηνταί που λίθοι.
Dicaeopolis: But see that no stones are still sitting somewhere inside your cloaks.
§344ἐκσέσεισται χαμᾶζʼ· οὐχ ὁρᾷς σειόμενον;
Chorus: It has been shaken out onto the ground; do you not see it shaking?
§345ἀλλὰ μή μοι πρόφασιν, ἀλλὰ κατάθου τὸ βέλος.
Do not make excuses to me, but put down your weapon!
§346ὡς ὅδε γε σειστὸς ἅμα τῇ στροφῇ γίγνεται.
For this cloak of mine is indeed shaken out along with my turning.
§347ἐμέλλετʼ ἄρα πάντως ἀνήσειν τῆς βοῆς,
Dicaeopolis: So you were indeed going to stop your shouting after all!
§348ὀλίγου τʼ ἀπέθανον ἄνθρακες Παρνήθιοι, §349καὶ ταῦτα διὰ τὴν ἀτοπίαν τῶν δημοτῶν.
And the Parnes coals almost died, and that because of the folly of their fellow-demesmen.
§350ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους δὲ τῆς μαρίλης μοι συχνὴν
And from fear, a great deal of coal-dust over me...

Notes

  1. §275καταγιγαρτίσʼ — An elided form of the infinitive καταγιγαρτίσαι (from καταγιγαρτίζω, literally 'to stone-extract', metaphorically 'to ravish'). It serves as the subject infinitive of ἥδιόν ἐστι ('it is sweeter', §271), following the accusative participles λαβόντα, ἄραντα, and καταβαλόντα (which agree with εὑρόντα).
  2. §317κἄν γε μὴ λέγω δίκαια μηδὲ τῷ πλήθει δοκῶ — κἄν (καὶ ἐάν) introduces a future conditional construction with the subjunctives λέγω and δοκῶ (present subjunctive of δοκέω). τῷ πλήθει is a dative of agent or judgment with δοκῶ ('seem good to the multitude', i.e., 'satisfy the assembly').
  3. §320μὴ οὐ καταξαίνειν — An infinitive with the double negative μὴ οὐ following a verb of hindering or hesitating expressed as a question (τί φειδόμεσθα 'why do we spare?'). It expresses the result: 'so as not to card this man into a scarlet cloak (i.e., beat him bloody).'
  4. §347ἐμέλλετʼ ἄρα — The imperfect ἐμέλλετε with the future infinitive ἀνήσειν (from ἀνίημι, 'to let go, cease') and the particle ἄρα expresses a belated realization of what was destined or intended all along: 'So you were indeed going to cease your shouting after all.'

Cite this passage

Aristophanes, Acharnians §264-350. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:264-350

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