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Aristophanes · Wasps §1278-1363

Philocleon's Drunken Rampage and Return with the Flute-Girl

Passage 18 of 20 · Greek

Summary

After the Chorus sings of Automenes' talented sons and the poet's own past struggles, the slave Xanthias enters to report Philocleon's outrageous and violent behavior at the banquet. Soon after, a heavily drunken Philocleon arrives with a flute-girl, attempting to evade his pursuers and his controlling son, Bdelycleon.

§1278τὸν κιφαραοιδότατον, ᾧ χάρις ἐφέσπετο· §1279τὸν δʼ ὑποκριτὴν ἕτερον ἀργαλέον ὡς σοφόν· §1280εἶτʼ Ἀριφράδην πολύ τι θυμοσοφικώτατον, §1281ὅντινά ποτʼ ὤμοσε μαθόντα παρὰ μηδενός, §1282ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ σοφῆς φύσεος αὐτόματον ἐκμαθεῖν §1283γλωττοποιεῖν ἐς τὰ πορνεῖʼ εἰσιόνθʼ ἑκάστοτε.
secondly, the most skilled cithara-player, whom grace accompanied; and the other, an actor, incredibly wise; then Ariphrades, by far the most naturally witty, whom he once swore had learned from no one, but of his own accord from a wise nature had thoroughly learned to practice tongue-techniques, entering the brothels each time.
§1284εἰσί τινες οἵ μʼ ἔλεγον ὡς καταδιηλλάγην, §1285ἡνίκα Κλέων μʼ ὑπετάραττεν ἐπικείμενος §1286† καί με κακίσταις † ἔκνισε· κᾆθʼ ὅτʼ ἀπεδειρόμην, §1287οὑκτὸς ἐγέλων μέγα κεκραγότα θεώμενοι, §1288οὐδὲν ἄρʼ ἐμοῦ μέλον, ὅσον δὲ μόνον εἰδέναι §1289σκωμμάτιον εἴποτέ τι θλιβόμενος ἐκβαλῶ.
There are some who said of me that I had been reconciled, when Cleon was harassing me, pressing hard and tormented me with most wretched abuse; and then when I was being flayed, those outside laughed loudly, watching me shouting aloud, not caring at all about me, but only to know whether, when hard pressed, I would let slip some little joke.
§1290ταῦτα κατιδὼν ὑπό τι μικρὸν ἐπιθήκισα· §1291εἶτα νῦν ἐξηπάτησεν ἡ χάραξ τὴν ἄμπελον.
Perceiving this, I played the ape a little bit; and so now, 'the vine-prop has deceived the vine'.
§1292ἰὼ χελῶναι μακάριαι τοῦ δέρματος, §1293καὶ τρὶς μακάριαι τοῦ ʼπὶ ταῖς πλευραῖς τέγους.
Xanthias: O blessed tortoises for your skin, and thrice blessed for the roof over your ribs!
§1294ὡς εὖ κατηρέψασθε καὶ νουβυστικῶς §1295κεράμῳ τὸ νῶτον ὥστε τὰς πληγὰς στέγειν.
How well and sensibly you roofed over your back with tiling so as to ward off blows!
§1296ἐγὼ δʼ ἀπόλωλα στιζόμενος βακτηρίᾳ.
But I am undone, being branded with a stick.
§1297τί δʼ ἔστιν ὦ παῖ;
Chorus: What is the matter, boy?
παῖδα γάρ, κἂν ᾖ γέρων, §1298καλεῖν δίκαιον ὅστις ἂν πληγὰς λάβῃ.
For it is right to call him 'boy', even if he is old, whoever receives blows.
§1299οὐ γὰρ ὁ γέρων ἀτηρότατον ἄρʼ ἦν κακὸν §1300καὶ τῶν ξυνόντων πολὺ παροινικώτατος;
Xanthias: For wasn't the old man indeed the most destructive nuisance and by far the most drunkenly abusive of those present?
§1301καίτοι παρῆν Ἵππυλλος Ἀντιφῶν Λύκων §1302Λυσίστρατος Θούφραστος οἱ περὶ Φρύνιχον.
And yet, there were present Hippyllus, Antiphon, Lycon, Lysistratus, Thuphrastus, and those around Phrynichus.
§1303τούτων ἁπάντων ἦν ὑβριστότατος μακρῷ.
Of all these, he was by far the most insolent.
§1304εὐθὺς γὰρ ὡς ἐνέπλητο πολλῶν κἀγαθῶν, §1305ἐνήλατʼ ἐσκίρτα ʼπεπόρδει κατεγέλα §1306ὥσπερ καχρύων ὀνίδιον εὐωχημένον
For as soon as he had filled himself with many good things, he leaped up, skipped about, farted, mocked everyone, just like a little donkey well-feasted on roasted barley.
§1307κἄτυπτεν ἐμὲ νεανικῶς παῖ παῖ καλῶν. §1308εἶτʼ αὐτὸν ὡς εἶδʼ ᾔκασεν Λυσίστρατος· §1309ἔοικας ὦ πρεσβῦτα νεοπλούτῳ τρυγὶ §1310κλητῆρί τʼ εἰς ἀχυρμὸν ἀποδεδρακότι. §1311ὁ δʼ ἀνακραγὼν ἀντῄκασʼ αὐτὸν πάρνοπι §1312τὰ θρῖα τοῦ τρίβωνος ἀποβεβληκότι, §1313Σθενέλῳ τε τὰ σκευάρια διακεκαρμένῳ.
And he beat me vigorously, calling out, 'Boy, boy!' Then, when Lysistratus saw him, he compared him: 'You look, old man, like newly-rich dregs, or like a pack-ass that has run away to a heap of chaff.' But he, crying out, compared him in turn to a locust that had lost the leaves of its worn cloak, and to Sthenelus, stripped of his stage-props.
§1314οἱ δʼ ἀνεκρότησαν, πλήν γε Θουφράστου μόνου· §1315οὗτος δὲ διεμύλλαινεν ὡς δὴ δεξιός.
The others clapped, except for Thuphrastus alone; he smirked, as if indeed he were a clever man.
§1316ὁ γέρων δὲ τὸν Θούφραστον ἤρετʼ· ʼεἰπέ μοι, §1317ἐπὶ τῷ κομᾷς καὶ κομψὸς εἶναι προσποιεῖ, §1318κωμῳδολοιχῶν περὶ τὸν εὖ πράττοντʼ ἀεί; ʼ §1319τοιαῦτα περιύβριζεν αὐτοὺς ἐν μέρει, §1320σκώπτων ἀγροίκως καὶ προσέτι λόγους λέγων §1321ἀμαθέστατʼ οὐδὲν εἰκότας τῷ πράγματι.
But the old man asked Thuphrastus: 'Tell me, on what ground do you wear your hair long and pretend to be elegant, parasitizing like a comic flatterer around whoever is doing well?' In such a manner he insulted them in turn, mocking rustically and moreover speaking stories most ignorantly, not at all suited to the matter.
§1322ἔπειτʼ ἐπειδὴ ʼμέθυεν, οἴκαδʼ ἔρχεται §1323τύπτων ἅπαντας, ἤν τις αὐτῷ ξυντύχῃ.
Then, when he was drunk, he came homeward, beating everyone, if anyone met him.
§1324ὁδὶ δὲ καὶ δὴ σφαλλόμενος προσέρχεται.
And look, here he comes stumbling along.
§1325ἀλλʼ ἐκποδὼν ἄπειμι πρὶν πληγὰς λαβεῖν.
But I will get out of the way before I get beaten.
§1326ἄνεχε πάρεχε·
Philocleon: Make way, clear the way!
§1327κλαύσεταί τις τῶν ὄπισθεν §1328ἐπακολουθούντων ἐμοί·
Some of those following behind me will weep!
§1329οἷον, εἰ μὴ ʼρρήσεθʼ, ὑμᾶς §1330ὦ πόνηροι ταυτῃὶ τῇ §1331δᾳδὶ φρυκτοὺς σκευάσω.
For instance, if you don't get lost, you wretches, with this very torch here I will make you into roasted fish!
§1332ἦ μὴν σὺ δώσεις αὔριον τούτων δίκην §1333ἡμῖν ἅπασι, κεἰ σφόδρʼ εἶ νεανίας.
Bystanders: Truly indeed you will pay the penalty tomorrow for these things to all of us, even if you are ever so much a youth.
§1334ἁθρόοι γὰρ ἥξομέν σε προσκαλούμενοι. §1335ἰὴ ἰεῦ, καλούμενοι.
For we will come all together to summon you. Philocleon: Oh, oh, 'summoned'!
§1336ἀρχαῖά γʼ ὑμῶν·
How old-fashioned of you!
ἆρά γʼ ἴσθʼ §1337ὡς οὐδʼ ἀκούων ἀνέχομαι §1338δικῶν;
Do you really know that I cannot even bear to hear of lawsuits?
ἰαιβοῖ, αἰβοῖ.
Bah, ugh!
§1339τάδε μʼ ἀρέσκει· βάλλε κημούς.
This pleases me: cast away the voting-urn funnels!
§1340οὐκ ἄπεισι;
Will you not go away?
ποῦ ʼστιν ἡμῖν §1340aἡλιαστής;
Where is our heliast?
ἐκποδών.
Out of the way!
§1341ἀνάβαινε δεῦρο χρυσομηλολόνθιον, §1342τῇ χειρὶ τουδὶ λαβομένη τοῦ σχοινίου.
Climb up here, my golden cockchafer, taking hold of this rope here with your hand.
§1343ἔχου·
Hold on!
φυλάττου δʼ, ὡς σαπρὸν τὸ σχοινίον· §1344ὅμως γε μέντοι τριβόμενον οὐκ ἄχθεται.
But be careful, as the rope is rotten; yet, nevertheless, it doesn't mind being rubbed.
§1345ὁρᾷς ἐγώ σʼ ὡς δεξιῶς ὑφειλόμην §1346μέλλουσαν ἤδη λεσβιᾶν τοὺς ξυμπότας· §1347ὧν οὕνεκʼ ἀπόδος τῷ πέει τῳδὶ χάριν.
Do you see how cleverly I stole you away, just when you were about to perform Lesbian-style services for the guests; for which things, return a favor to this phallus here.
§1348ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀποδώσεις οὐδʼ ἐφιαλεῖς οἶδʼ ὅτι, §1349ἀλλʼ ἐξαπατήσεις κἀγχανεῖ τούτῳ μέγα· §1350πολλοῖς γὰρ ἤδη χἀτέροις αὔτʼ ἠργάσω.
But you won't return it, nor will you comply, I know that, but you will deceive me and mock this one greatly; for indeed you have already done this to many others too.
§1351ἐὰν γένῃ δὲ μὴ κακὴ νυνὶ γυνή, §1352ἐγώ σʼ ἐπειδὰν οὑμὸς υἱὸς ἀποθάνῃ, §1353λυσάμενος ἕξω παλλακὴν ὦ χοιρίον.
But if you are not a bad girl now, I, as soon as my son dies, will ransom you and keep you as my concubine, O little piggie.
§1354νῦν δʼ οὐ κρατῶ ʼγὼ τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ χρημάτων §1355νέος γάρ εἰμι καὶ φυλάττομαι σφόδρα.
But now, I am not master of my own money; for I am young and guarded strictly.
§1356τὸ γὰρ υἵδιον τηρεῖ με, κἄστι δύσκολον §1357κἄλλως κυμινοπριστοκαρδαμογλύφον.
For my little son keeps watch on me, and he is hard to please, and besides, a cumin-splitting, cardamon-scraping miser.
§1358ταῦτʼ οὖν περί μου δέδοικε μὴ διαφθαρῶ.
Therefore he fears about me, lest I be corrupted.
§1359πατὴρ γὰρ οὐδείς ἐστιν αὐτῷ πλὴν ἐμοῦ.
For he has no other father except me.
§1360ὁδὶ δὲ καὐτὸς ἐπὶ σὲ κἄμʼ ἔοικε θεῖν.
And look, he himself seems to be running after you and me.
§1361ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστα στῆθι τάσδε τὰς δετὰς §1362λαβοῦσʼ, ἵνʼ αὐτὸν τωθάσω νεανικῶς, §1363οἵοις ποθʼ οὗτος ἐμὲ πρὸ τῶν μυστηρίων.
So stand as quickly as possible, taking these torches, so that I may mock him in youthful fashion, with the kinds of jests he once mocked me before the mysteries.

Notes

  1. 1279ἀργαλέον ὡς σοφόν — The adverbial phrase ἀργαλέον ὡς ("dreadfully how / incredibly") functions as an intensifier modifying the adjective σοφόν ("wise"), expressing an extreme degree of cleverness.
  2. 1281ὅντινά ποτʼ ὤμοσε μαθόντα παρὰ μηδενός, ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ σοφῆς φύσεος αὐτόματον ἐκμαθεῖν — The accusative relative pronoun ὅντινα serves as the subject accusative of the infinitive ἐκμαθεῖν in the indirect statement introduced by ὤμοσε ("he swore"). The participle μαθόντα also agrees with ὅντινα in the accusative.
  3. 1288οὐδὲν ἄρʼ ἐμοῦ μέλον, ὅσον δὲ μόνον εἰδέναι — οὐδὲν ἐμοῦ μέλον is an accusative absolute construction using the neuter participle of the impersonal verb μέλει, meaning "not caring at all for me." It is followed by ὅσον ... εἰδέναι, an infinitive of purpose or result ("only so far as to know").
  4. 1292ἰὼ χελῶναι μακάριαι τοῦ δέρματος — The genitive of cause (τοῦ δέρματος and 1293's τοῦ ... τέγους) is used following the exclamatory vocative ἰὼ χελῶναι and the adjective μακάριαι, indicating the reason for envy or blessing ("blessed because of your skin").
  5. 1346μέλλουσαν ἤδη λεσβιᾶν — The present participle μέλλουσαν (accusative feminine singular) modifies the omitted direct object pronoun σʼ (referring to the flute-girl). The infinitive λεσβιᾶν is a vulgar intransitive verb referring to a specific Lesbian-style performance.
  6. 1356τὸ γὰρ υἵδιον — The diminutive form of υἱός ("son") created with the suffix -ιδιον is used here with sarcastic or ironical nuance, referring to his overly restrictive "dear/pesky little son."

Cite this passage

Aristophanes, Wasps §1278-1363. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg004.humanitext-grc2:1278-1363

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