Humanitext Reader

Aristophanes · The Frogs §537-616

Accusations of the Hostesses and Another Costume Swap

Passage 7 of 18 · Greek

Summary

The hostesses of the inn mistake Xanthias, disguised as Heracles, for a past non-paying customer and threaten him with legal action. A terrified Dionysus begs Xanthias to resume the disguise, swearing never to take it back, but shortly after, Aeacus appears with officers to arrest him.

§537πρὸς τὸν εὖ πράττοντα τοῖχον §537aμᾶλλον ἢ γεγραμμένην §538εἰκόνʼ ἑστάναι, λαβόνθʼ ἓν §539σχῆμα· τὸ δὲ μεταστρέφεσθαι §539aπρὸς τὸ μαλθακώτερον §540δεξιοῦ πρὸς ἀνδρός ἐστι §540aκαὶ φύσει Θηραμένους.
to the wall that is doing well, rather than like a painted image to stand, having taken one posture; but to turn oneself toward the softer side is characteristic of a clever man and of one who is Theramenes by nature.
§541οὐ γὰρ ἂν γέλοιον ἦν, εἰ §542Ξανθίας μὲν δοῦλος ὢν ἐν §543στρώμασιν Μιλησίοις §543aἀνατετραμμένος κυνῶν ὀρ- §544χηστρίδʼ εἶτʼ ᾔτησεν ἀμίδʼ, ἐγὼ §544aδὲ πρὸς τοῦτον βλέπων §545τοὐρεβίνθου ʼδραττόμην, οὗ- §546τος δʼ ἅτʼ ὢν αὐτὸς πανοῦργος §547εἶδε, κᾆτʼ ἐκ τῆς γνάθου §547aπὺξ πατάξας μοὐξέκοψε §548τοῦ χοροῦ τοὺς προσθίους;
For would it not have been ridiculous, if Xanthias on the one hand, being a slave, on Milesian blankets lying down, should have fondled a dancing-girl and then asked for a chamber-pot, while I on the other hand, looking at him was clutching my pea, and this fellow, since he himself is a rascal, saw it, and then from the jaw having struck me with his fist knocked out my front teeth?
§549Πλαθάνη Πλαθάνη δεῦρʼ ἔλθʼ, ὁ πανοῦργος οὑτοσί,
PLATHANE: Plathane, Plathane, come here!
§550ὃς ἐς τὸ πανδοκεῖον εἰσελθών ποτε §551ἑκκαίδεκʼ ἄρτους κατέφαγʼ ἡμῶν.
This rascal here, who once having entered our inn ate up sixteen of our loaves of bread.
§551bνὴ Δία §552ἐκεῖνος αὐτὸς δῆτα.
HOSTESS: By Zeus, that indeed is the very man.
§552bκακὸν ἥκει τινί.
XANTHIAS: Trouble is coming for someone.
§553καὶ κρέα γε πρὸς τούτοισιν ἀνάβραστʼ εἴκοσιν §554ἀνʼ ἡμιωβολιαῖα.
PLATHANE: And besides those indeed, twenty boiled meats at a half-obol each.
§554bδώσει τις δίκην.
DIONYSUS: Someone will pay the penalty.
§555καὶ τὰ σκόροδα τὰ πολλά.
PLATHANE: And those many garlics.
§555bληρεῖς ὦ γύναι §556κοὐκ οἶσθʼ ὅ τι λέγεις.
DIONYSUS: You are talking nonsense, woman, and you do not know what you are saying.
§556bοὐ μὲν οὖν με προσεδόκας, §557ὁτιὴ κοθόρνους εἶχες, ἂν γνῶναί σʼ ἔτι;
HOSTESS: Oh yes, you didn't expect me, because you had buskins on, to recognize you still?
§558τί δαί;
PLATHANE: What else?
τὸ πολὺ τάριχος οὐκ εἴρηκά πω.
I haven't yet mentioned the huge amount of salted fish.
§559μὰ Δίʼ οὐδὲ τὸν τυρόν γε τὸν χλωρὸν τάλαν, §560ὃν οὗτος αὐτοῖς τοῖς ταλάροις κατήσθιεν
HOSTESS: By Zeus, nor indeed the fresh cheese, you wretch, which this fellow devoured together with the baskets themselves.
§561κἄπειτʼ ἐπειδὴ τἀργύριον ἐπραττόμην, §562ἔβλεψεν ἔς με δριμὺ κἀμυκᾶτό γε.
And then, when I demanded the money, he looked at me fiercely and even roared.
§563τούτου πάνυ τοὔργον· οὗτος ὁ τρόπος πανταχοῦ.
XANTHIAS: Exactly his style; this is his way everywhere.
§564καὶ τὸ ξίφος γʼ ἐσπᾶτο μαίνεσθαι δοκῶν.
PLATHANE: And he drew his sword, pretending to be mad.
§565νὴ Δία τάλαινα.
HOSTESS: By Zeus, how wretched!
§565bνὼ δὲ δεισάσα γέ που §566ἐπὶ τὴν κατήλιφʼ εὐθὺς ἀνεπηδήσαμεν·
And we two, having feared surely, immediately leaped up onto the loft.
§567ὁ δʼ ᾤχετʼ ἐξᾴξας γε τὰς ψιάθους λαβών.
But he rushed out and was gone, having taken the mats.
§568καὶ τοῦτο τούτου τοὔργον.
XANTHIAS: And this too is his style.
§568bἀλλʼ ἐχρῆν τι δρᾶν.
DIONYSUS: But one had to do something.
§569ἴθι δὴ κάλεσον τὸν προστάτην Κλέωνά μοι.
HOSTESS: Go now, call Cleon my patron for me.
§570σὺ δʼ ἔμοιγʼ ἐάνπερ ἐπιτύχῃς Ὑπέρβολον, §571ἵνʼ αὐτὸν ἐπιτρίψωμεν.
PLATHANE: And you for me, if indeed you run into him, Hyperbolus, so that we may crush him.
§571bὦ μιαρὰ φάρυξ, §572ὡς ἡδέως ἄν σου λίθῳ τοὺς γομφίους §573κόπτοιμʼ ἄν, οἷς μου κατέφαγες τὰ φορτία.
HOSTESS: O filthy throat, how gladly with a stone your molars I would knock out, with which you devoured my goods.
§574ἐγὼ δέ γʼ ἐς τὸ βάραθρον ἐμβάλοιμί σε.
PLATHANE: And I indeed would cast you into the pit.
§575ἐγὼ δὲ τὸν λάρυγγʼ ἂν ἐκτέμοιμί σου §576δρέπανον λαβοῦσʼ, ᾧ τὰς χόλικας κατέσπασας.
HOSTESS: And I would cut your throat, having taken a sickle, with which you gulped down my tripe.
§577ἀλλʼ εἶμʼ ἐπὶ τὸν Κλέωνʼ, ὃς αὐτοῦ τήμερον §578ἐκπηνιεῖται ταῦτα προσκαλούμενος.
But I will go to Cleon, who today will wind these things out of him, having summoned him.
§579κάκιστʼ ἀπολοίμην, Ξανθίαν εἰ μὴ φιλῶ.
DIONYSUS: May I perish most miserably, if I do not love Xanthias.
§580οἶδʼ οἶδα τὸν νοῦν· παῦε παῦε τοῦ λόγου.
XANTHIAS: I know, I know your mind; stop, stop this talk.
§581οὐκ ἂν γενοίμην Ἡρακλῆς ἄν.
I would not become Heracles.
§581bμηδαμῶς §582ὦ Ξανθίδιον.
DIONYSUS: By no means, my little Xanthias.
§582bκαὶ πῶς ἂν Ἀλκμήνης ἐγὼ §583υἱὸς γενοίμην δοῦλος ἅμα καὶ θνητὸς ὤν;
XANTHIAS: And how could I, Alcmene's son become, being a slave and mortal at the same time?
§584οἶδʼ οἶδʼ ὅτι θυμοῖ, καὶ δικαίως αὐτὸ δρᾷς· §585κἂν εἴ με τύπτοις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμί σοι.
DIONYSUS: I know, I know that you are angry, and you do this justly; and even if you should beat me, I would not speak against you.
§586ἀλλʼ ἤν σε τοῦ λοιποῦ ποτʼ ἀφέλωμαι χρόνου, §587πρόρριζος αὐτός, ἡ γυνή, τὰ παιδία, §588κάκιστʼ ἀπολοίμην, κἀρχέδημος ὁ γλάμων.
But if I ever take them away from you in the future, may I myself, root and branch, my wife, my children, perish most miserably, and Archedemus the blear-eyed as well.
§589δέχομαι τὸν ὅρκον κἀπὶ τούτοις λαμβάνω.
XANTHIAS: I accept the oath, and on these conditions I take them.
§590νῦν σὸν ἔργον ἔστʼ, ἐπειδὴ §590aτὴν στολὴν εἴληφας ἥνπερ §591εἶχες ἐξ ἀρχῆς πάλιν, §592ἀνανεάζειν §593καὶ βλέπειν αὖθις τὸ δεινόν, §593aτοῦ θεοῦ μεμνημένον §594ᾧπερ εἰκάζεις σεαυτόν.
CHORUS: Now it is your task, since you have taken the garb which you had from the beginning again, to make yourself young again and to look terrible once more, remembering the god whom you liken yourself to.
§594aεἰ δὲ παραληρῶν ἁλώσει §595κἀκβαλεῖς τι μαλθακόν, §595aαὖθις αἴρεσθαί σʼ ἀνάγκη §596ʼσται πάλιν τὰ στρώματα.
But if you are caught talking nonsense and let slip any softness, again to lift up for you necessary will be the blankets once more.
§597οὐ κακῶς ὦνδρες παραινεῖτʼ, §598ἀλλὰ καὐτὸς τυγχάνω ταῦτʼ §598aἄρτι συννοούμενος.
XANTHIAS: You advise not badly, men, but I myself happen these things just now to be thinking.
§599ὅτι μὲν οὖν, ἢν χρηστὸν ᾖ τι, §600ταῦτʼ ἀφαιρεῖσθαι πάλιν πειράσεταί §600aμʼ εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι.
That on the one hand indeed, if there is anything good, he will try to take these away again, I know well.
§601ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἐγὼ παρέξω §601aʼμαυτὸν ἀνδρεῖον τὸ λῆμα §602καὶ βλέποντʼ ὀρίγανον.
But nevertheless I will show myself brave in spirit and looking oregano.
§603δεῖν δʼ ἔοικεν, ὡς ἀκούω §604τῆς θύρας καὶ δὴ ψόφον.
And it seems to be necessary, as I hear indeed the noise of the door.
§605ξυνδεῖτε ταχέως τουτονὶ τὸν κυνοκλόπον, §606ἵνα δῷ δίκην· ἀνύετον.
AEACUS: Bind quickly this dog-thief here, so that he may pay the penalty; hurry up.
§606bἥκει τῳ κακόν.
DIONYSUS: Trouble is coming for someone.
§607οὐκ ἐς κόρακας;
XANTHIAS: Go to the crows!
μὴ πρόσιτον.
Don't approach!
§607bεἶεν, καὶ μάχει;
AEACUS: Indeed, you fight back?
§608ὁ Διτύλας χὠ Σκεβλύας χὠ Παρδόκας §609χωρεῖτε δευρὶ καὶ μάχεσθε τουτῳί.
Ditylas and Sceblyas and Pardocas, come here and fight this fellow.
§610εἶτʼ οὐχὶ δεινὰ ταῦτα, τύπτειν τουτονὶ §611κλέπτοντα πρὸς τἀλλότρια;
DIONYSUS: Then isn't this terrible, that this fellow should strike when stealing other people's property?
§611bμἀλλʼ ὑπερφυᾶ.
AEACUS: Nay, rather, monstrous.
§612σχέτλια μὲν οὖν καὶ δεινά.
XANTHIAS: Outrageous indeed and terrible.
§612bκαὶ μὴν νὴ Δία §613εἰ πώποτʼ ἦλθον δεῦρʼ, ἐθέλω τεθνηκέναι, §614ἢ ʼκλεψα τῶν σῶν ἄξιόν τι καὶ τριχός.
And yet, by Zeus, if I ever came here, I am willing to die, or stole anything of yours worth even a hair.
§615καί σοι ποιήσω πρᾶγμα γενναῖον πάνυ· §616βασάνιζε γὰρ τὸν παῖδα τουτονὶ λαβών,
And I will do for you a very noble thing; for take this slave here and torture him,

Notes

  1. 537πρὸς τὸν εὖ πράττοντα τοῖχον — A metaphorical expression referring to leaning against the ship's wall (τοῖχος) that is faring well when the ship tilts. It describes shifting one's position to the safer side in response to changing political circumstances, satirizing the political inconsistency of Theramenes mentioned below.
  2. 541οὐ γὰρ ἂν γέλοιον ἦν, εἰ... — A counterfactual conditional construction (ἄν + indicative past ἦν, with the protasis introducing εἰ + indicative past ἦν...). It is used rhetorically to mean "Would it not have been ridiculous, if...", describing a hypothetical, highly absurd scenario that did not actually occur.
  3. 548τοῦ χοροῦ τοὺς προσθίους — While literally referring to "front teeth," this phrase also contains a double meaning referring to the "front row (members) of the chorus" in Athenian drama. It conflates having one's front teeth knocked out by a punch to the jaw with disrupting the formation of the chorus.
  4. 565bνὼ δὲ δεισάσα γέ που ἐπὶ τὴν κατήλιφʼ εὐθὺς ἀνεπηδήσαμεν — While the subject pronoun `νώ` (we two) and the participle `δεισάσα` are in the feminine dual (referring to the two landladies), the main verb `ἀνεπηδήσαμεν` is in the first-person plural ("we leaped up"), showing a shift in grammatical agreement from dual to plural.
  5. 578ἐκπηνιεῖται — The future middle of the verb `ἐκπηνίζομαι` (literally, "to wind thread off a spindle"). In a legal context, it metaphorically means to extract hidden facts or strip assets from a defendant ("to wind everything out of him" or "make him disgorge").
  6. 586ἤν σε... ἀφέλωμαι... κάκιστʼ ἀπολοίμην — Instead of a future indicative or imperative, the optative (ἀπολοίμην "may I perish") is used as the apodosis to the conditional clause (ἤν + subjunctive ἀφέλωμαι "if I take away"), expressing a solemn oath accompanied by a strong self-curse.

Cite this passage

Aristophanes, The Frogs §537-616. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg009.humanitext-grc2:537-616

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