§446βδελυρὸς ψευδῶν συγκολλητὴς §447εὑρησιεπὴς περίτριμμα δικῶν §448κύρβις κρόταλον κίναδος τρύμη §449μάσθλης εἴρων γλοιὸς ἀλαζὼν §450κέντρων μιαρὸς στρόφις ἀργαλέος §451ματιολοιχός·
A loathsome fabricator of lies, a smooth-tongued hack of lawsuits, a law-tablet, a rattle, a fox, a gimlet, a supple strap, a dissembler, a slippery fellow, a boaster, a rogue, a dirty wretch, a wriggler, a troublesome pest, a plate-licker!
If those who meet me call me these things, let them do absolutely whatever they want.
And if they wish, by Demeter, let them make a sausage out of my guts and serve it to the thinkers.
This man indeed possesses a spirit that is not cowardly, but ready.
And know that having learned these things from me, you shall have a fame reaching heaven among mortals.
§461τί πείσομαι;
What shall I experience?
For all time with me, you shall lead the most enviable life of men.
§467bὥστε γέ σου πολλοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖσι θύραις ἀεὶ καθῆσθαι, §470βουλομένους ἀνακοινοῦσθαί τε καὶ ἐς λόγον ἐλθεῖν §471πράγματα κἀντιγραφὰς πολλῶν ταλάντων, §475ἄξια σῇ φρενὶ συμβουλευσομένους μετὰ σοῦ.
So that indeed many will always sit at your doors, wishing to consult you and come to speech with you about matters and lawsuits of many talents, to consult with you on things worthy of your mind.
§476ἀλλʼ ἐγχείρει τὸν πρεσβύτην ὅ τι περ μέλλεις προδιδάσκειν, §477καὶ διακίνει τὸν νοῦν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς γνώμης ἀποπειρῶ.
But begin to teach the old man what you are about to teach first, and stir up his mind, and test his judgment.
§478ἄγε δὴ κάτειπέ μοι σὺ τὸν σαυτοῦ τρόπον, §479ἵνʼ αὐτὸν εἰδὼς ὅστις ἐστὶ μηχανὰς §480ἤδη ʼπὶ τούτοις πρὸς σὲ καινὰς προσφέρω.
Come now, tell me your own character, so that knowing what sort of man you are, I may now bring new devices against you.
§481τί δέ;
What?
τειχομαχεῖν μοι διανοεῖ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν;
By the gods, are you planning to wage a siege against me?
§482οὔκ, ἀλλὰ βραχέα σου πυθέσθαι βούλομαι.
No, but I wish to learn brief things from you.
§483ἦ μνημονικὸς εἶ;
Are you of a good memory?
§483bδύο τρόπω νὴ τὸν Δία·
In two ways, by Zeus!
For if something is owed to me, I am very mindful; but if I owe, wretched me, I am extremely forgetful.
§486ἔνεστι δῆτα μανθάνειν ἐν τῇ φύσει;
Is there indeed a capacity to learn in your nature?
§487λέγειν μὲν οὐκ ἔνεστʼ, ἀποστερεῖν δʼ ἔνι.
To speak is not in me, but to defraud is indeed in me.
§488πῶς οὖν δυνήσει μανθάνειν;
How then will you be able to learn?
§488bἀμέλει καλῶς.
No worry, beautifully!
Come now, so that whenever I throw some clever thing to you about heavenly matters, you will snatch it up immediately.
§491τί δαί;
What?
κυνηδὸν τὴν σοφίαν σιτήσομαι;
Shall I feed on wisdom like a dog?
§492ἄνθρωπος ἀμαθὴς οὑτοσὶ καὶ βάρβαρος.
This man is ignorant and barbarian.
§493δέδοικά σʼ ὦ πρεσβῦτα μὴ πληγῶν δέει.
I fear, old man, lest you have need of blows.
§494φέρʼ ἴδω τί δρᾷς, ἤν τίς σε τύπτῃ;
Come, let me see, what do you do if someone strikes you?
I am struck, then having waited a little, I call witnesses, then again, after pausing for a moment, I go to law.
§497ἴθι νυν κατάθου θοἰμάτιον.
Come now, put down your cloak.
§497bἠδίκηκά τι;
Have I done some wrong?
§498οὔκ, ἀλλὰ γυμνοὺς εἰσιέναι νομίζεται.
No, but it is customary to enter naked.
§499ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ φωράσων ἔγωγʼ εἰσέρχομαι.
But I am not entering to search for stolen goods!
§500κατάθου.
Put it down.
τί ληρεῖς;
Why do you talk nonsense?
If I am diligent and learn eagerly, which of your disciples shall I become like?
§503οὐδὲν διοίσεις Χαιρεφῶντος τὴν φύσιν.
You will differ in no way in nature from Chaerephon.
§504οἴμοι κακοδαίμων ἡμιθνὴς γενήσομαι.
Alas, wretched me! I shall become half-dead.
Will you not stop chattering, and follow me quickly and hasten here?
§506bἐς τὼ χεῖρέ νυν §507δός μοι μελιτοῦτταν πρότερον· ὡς δέδοικʼ ἐγὼ §508εἴσω καταβαίνων ὥσπερ ἐς Τροφωνίου.
Then into my hands give me a honey-cake first; for I fear going down inside as if into the cave of Trophonius.
§509χώρει· τί κυπτάζεις ἔχων περὶ τὴν θύραν;
Go on; why do you keep lingering around the door?
Go indeed rejoicing for the sake of this courage.
§512εὐτυχία γένοιτο τἀνθρώπῳ, §513ὅτι προήκων §514ἐς βαθὺ τῆς ἡλικίας §515νεωτέροις τὴν φύσιν αὑτοῦ §516πράγμασιν χρωτίζεται §517καὶ σοφίαν ἐπασκεῖ.
May good fortune happen to the man, because, having advanced deep into age, he colors his nature with young activities and practices wisdom.
O spectators, I will speak to you freely the truth, by Dionysus who reared me.
§520οὕτω νικήσαιμί τʼ ἐγὼ καὶ νομιζοίμην σοφός, §521ὡς ὑμᾶς ἡγούμενος εἶναι θεατὰς δεξιοὺς §522καὶ ταύτην σοφώτατʼ ἔχειν τῶν ἐμῶν κωμῳδιῶν, §523πρώτους ἠξίωσʼ ἀναγεῦσʼ ὑμᾶς, ἣ παρέσχε μοι §524ἔργον πλεῖστον· εἶτʼ ἀνεχώρουν ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν φορτικῶν §525ἡττηθεὶς οὐκ ἄξιος ὤν·
So may I conquer and be deemed wise, as, holding you to be clever spectators and this to be the wisest of my comedies, I thought you first worthy to taste again this play, which gave me the most labor; then I retired, defeated by vulgar men, although I did not deserve it.
ταῦτʼ οὖν ὑμῖν μέμφομαι §526τοῖς σοφοῖς, ὧν οὕνεκʼ ἐγὼ ταῦτʼ ἐπραγματευόμην.
These things then I blame you for, the wise ones, for whose sake I took these pains.
§527ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὣς ὑμῶν ποθʼ ἑκὼν προδώσω τοὺς δεξιούς.
But not even so will I ever willingly betray the clever among you.
§528ἐξ ὅτου γὰρ ἐνθάδʼ ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν, οἷς ἡδὺ καὶ λέγειν, §529ὁ σώφρων τε χὠ καταπύγων ἄριστʼ ἠκουσάτην, §530κἀγώ, παρθένος γὰρ ἔτʼ ἦν, κοὐκ ἐξῆν πώ μοι τεκεῖν, §531ἐξέθηκα, παῖς δʼ ἑτέρα τις λαβοῦσʼ ἀνείλετο, §532ὑμεῖς δʼ ἐξεθρέψατε γενναίως κἀπαιδεύσατε· §533ἐκ τούτου μοι πιστὰ παρʼ ὑμῖν γνώμης ἔσθʼ ὅρκια.
For ever since here, by men whom it is a pleasure even to speak of, my "Temperate Man" and "Debauchee" were best received, and I—for I was still a virgin and it was not yet permitted for me to give birth— exposed it, and another girl took it up and carried it off, and you reared and educated it generously, from this I have had trustworthy pledges of your judgment.
§534νῦν οὖν Ἠλέκτραν κατʼ ἐκείνην ἥδʼ ἡ κωμῳδία §535ζητοῦσʼ ἦλθʼ, ἤν που ʼπιτύχῃ θεαταῖς οὕτω σοφοῖς· §536γνώσεται γάρ, ἤνπερ ἴδῃ, τἀδελφοῦ τὸν βόστρυχον.
Now therefore, like that Electra, this comedy has come seeking if perchance it may meet with such wise spectators; for she will recognize, if indeed she sees, her brother's lock of hair.