§1135εἴ του δέει γʼ ὧν δυνατός εἰμί σʼ ὠφελεῖν.
If indeed you need any of those things in which I am able to benefit you.
§1136εἴ μοι πορίσας ἄρτον τινʼ εὖ πεπεμμένον §1137δοίης καταφαγεῖν καὶ κρέας νεανικὸν §1138ὧν θύεθʼ ὑμεῖς ἔνδον.
If you, having provided some well-baked bread, would give it to me to devour, and also some fine meat from the things you are sacrificing inside.
§1138bἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐκφορά.
But carrying out is not allowed.
And yet, whenever you stole some vessel of your master, I always made you go unnoticed.
§1141ἐφʼ ᾧ τε μετέχειν καὐτὸς ὦ τοιχωρύχε.
On condition of sharing in it yourself, you housebreaker!
§1142ἧκεν γὰρ ἄν σοι ναστὸς εὖ πεπεμμένος.
For a well-baked cake would have come to you.
§1143ἔπειτα τοῦτόν γʼ αὐτὸς ἂν κατήσθιες.
And then you would have devoured this yourself.
For you did not share equal blows with me, whenever I was caught committing some villainy.
§1146μὴ μνησικακήσῃς, εἰ σὺ Φυλὴν κατέλαβες.
Do not bear a grudge, even if you have seized Phyle.
§1147ἀλλὰ ξύνοικον πρὸς θεῶν δέξασθέ με.
But by the gods, receive me as a housemate.
§1148ἔπειτʼ ἀπολιπὼν τοὺς θεοὺς ἐνθάδε μενεῖς;
And then, abandoning the gods, will you remain here?
§1149τὰ γὰρ παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐστι βελτίω πολύ.
For the things with you are much better.
§1150τί δέ;
What?
ταὐτομολεῖν ἀστεῖον εἶναί σοι δοκεῖ;
Do you think deserting is a fine thing?
§1151πατρὶς γάρ ἐστι πᾶσʼ ἵνʼ ἂν πράττῃ τις εὖ.
For any place where one fares well is a fatherland.
§1152τί δῆτʼ ἂν εἴης ὄφελος ἡμῖν ἐνθάδʼ ὤν;
How then would you be of use to us being here?
§1153παρὰ τὴν θύραν στροφαῖον ἱδρύσασθέ με.
Establish me as God of the Doorpost beside the door.
§1154στροφαῖον;
God of the Doorpost?
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔργον ἔστʼ οὐδὲν στροφῶν.
But there is no need for any turnings of tricks.
§1155ἀλλʼ ἐμπολαῖον.
Then as God of Commerce.
But we are rich; why then must we support Hermes the Retailer?
§1157ἀλλὰ δόλιον τοίνυν.
Well then, as God of Deceit.
§1157bδόλιον;
God of Deceit?
ἥκιστά γε· §1158οὐ γὰρ δόλου νῦν ἔργον, ἀλλʼ ἁπλῶν τρόπων.
Least of all; for now there is no need for deceit, but for simple ways.
§1159ἀλλʼ ἡγεμόνιον.
Then as Leader.
But the god now sees, so we shall have no more need of a leader.
§1161ἐναγώνιος τοίνυν ἔσομαι.
Then I will be God of Games.
τί δῆτʼ ἐρεῖς;
What indeed will you say?
For this is most beneficial for Plutus, to hold musical and athletic contests.
§1164ὡς ἀγαθόν ἐστʼ ἐπωνυμίας πολλὰς ἔχειν·
How good it is to have many surnames!
§1165οὗτος γὰρ ἐξηύρηκεν αὑτῷ βιότιον.
For this fellow has found a livelihood for himself.
No wonder all those who act as judges frequently hasten to be inscribed under many letters.
§1168οὐκοῦν ἐπὶ τούτοις εἰσίω;
Shall I then enter on these conditions?
§1168bκαὶ πλῦνέ γε §1169αὐτὸς προσελθὼν πρὸς τὸ φρέαρ τὰς κοιλίας, §1170ἵνʼ εὐθέως διακονικὸς εἶναι δοκῇς.
Yes, and go yourself to the well and wash the entrails, so that you may immediately seem to be useful for service.
§1171τίς ἂν φράσειε ποῦ ʼστι Χρεμύλος μοι σαφῶς;
Who could tell me clearly where Chremylus is?
§1172τί δʼ ἔστιν ὦ βέλτιστε;
What is the matter, my good sir?
§1172bτί γὰρ ἀλλʼ ἢ κακῶς;
What indeed, if not misery?
For since this Plutus began to see, I am ruined by hunger.
καταφαγεῖν γὰρ οὐκ ἔχω, §1175καὶ ταῦτα τοῦ σωτῆρος ἱερεὺς ὢν Διός.
For I have nothing to devour, and that too though I am a priest of Zeus the Savior.
§1176ἡ δʼ αἰτία τίς ἐστιν ὦ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν;
And what is the cause, by the gods?
§1177θύειν ἔτʼ οὐδεὶς ἀξιοῖ.
No one deems it worthy to sacrifice anymore.
§1177bτίνος οὕνεκα;
For what reason?
§1178ὅτι πάντες εἰσὶ πλούσιοι· καίτοι τότε, §1179ὅτʼ εἶχον οὐδέν, ὁ μὲν ἂν ἥκων ἔμπορος §1180ἔθυσεν ἱερεῖόν τι σωθείς, ὁ δέ τις ἂν §1181δίκην ἀποφυγών, ὁ δʼ ἂν ἐκαλλιερεῖτό τις §1182κἀμέ γʼ ἐκάλει τὸν ἱερέα· νῦν δʼ οὐδὲ εἷς §1183θύει τὸ παράπαν οὐδὲν οὐδʼ εἰσέρχεται, §1184πλὴν ἀποπατησόμενοί γε πλεῖν ἢ μύριοι.
Because all are rich; and yet then, when they had nothing, a merchant would come and sacrifice some victim having been saved, and another having escaped a lawsuit, and someone else would obtain good omens and call me, the priest; but now not a single one sacrifices anything at all, nor enters, except indeed more than ten thousand who come to ease themselves.
§1185οὔκουν τὰ νομιζόμενα σὺ τούτων λαμβάνεις;
Do you not then receive the customary offerings from these?
So I also think of bidding farewell to Zeus the Savior and remaining right here.
§1188θάρρει· καλῶς ἔσται γάρ, ἢν θεὸς θέλῃ.
Be of good courage; for it will be well, if the god wills.
For Zeus the Savior is present here, having come of his own accord.
§1190bπάντʼ ἀγαθὰ τοίνυν λέγεις.
You speak very well then.
§1191ἱδρυσόμεθʼ οὖν αὐτίκα μάλʼ, ἀλλὰ περίμενε §1192τὸν Πλοῦτον, οὗπερ πρότερον ἦν ἱδρυμένος §1193τὸν ὀπισθόδομον ἀεὶ φυλάττων τῆς θεοῦ.
We shall then establish him very shortly, but wait for Plutus, where he was previously established, always guarding the back chamber of the goddess.
But let someone bring out lighted torches here, so that you may lead the way for the god, holding them.
§1196bτὸν Πλοῦτον ἔξω τις κάλει.
Let someone call Plutus outside.
§1197ἐγὼ δὲ τί ποιῶ;
And what am I to do?
§1197bτὰς χύτρας, αἷς τὸν θεὸν §1198ἱδρυσόμεθα, λαβοῦσʼ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς φέρε §1199σεμνῶς· ἔχουσα δʼ ἦλθες αὐτὴ ποικίλα.
Take the pots with which we shall establish the god, and carry them on your head solemnly; and you yourself have come wearing variegated clothes.
§1200ὧν δʼ οὕνεκʼ ἦλθον;
And what about the things for which I came?
§1200bπάντα σοι πεπράξεται.
Everything shall be done for you.
§1201ἥξει γὰρ ὁ νεανίσκος ὡς σʼ εἰς ἑσπέραν.
For the youth shall come to your house in the evening.
But indeed by Zeus, if you pledge to me that he will come to me, I will carry the pots.
§1204καὶ μὴν πολὺ τῶν ἄλλων χυτρῶν τἀναντία §1205αὗται ποιοῦσι· ταῖς μὲν ἄλλαις γὰρ χύτραις §1206ἡ γραῦς ἔπεστʼ ἀνωτάτω, ταύτης δὲ νῦν §1207τῆς γραὸς ἐπιπολῆς ἔπεισιν αἱ χύτραι.
And indeed, these pots do much the opposite of the other pots; for in the other pots the scum is on the very top, but now the pots are on the top of this old woman.