Humanitext Reader

Aristophanes · Wealth §302-382

The Arrival of Blepsidemus and His Suspicions of Theft

Passage 5 of 16 · Greek

Summary

Cario and the chorus complete their playful banter by mimicking Circe and her victims. Chremylus then welcomes the chorus to guard Plutus, but Blepsidemus arrives, suspecting Chremylus of acquiring illicit sudden wealth, and proposes bribing public speakers to cover it up.

§302ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν Κίρκην γε τὴν τὰ φάρμακʼ ἀνακυκῶσαν, §303ἣ τοὺς ἑταίρους τοῦ Φιλωνίδου ποτʼ ἐν Κορίνθῳ §304ἔπεισεν ὡς ὄντας κάπρους §305μεμαγμένον σκῶρ ἐσθίειν, αὐτὴ δʼ ἔματτεν αὐτοῖς, §306μιμήσομαι πάντας τρόπους· §307ὑμεῖς δὲ γρυλίζοντες ὑπὸ φιληδίας §308ἕπεσθε μητρὶ χοῖροι.
And I, mimicking in every way Circè who mixes the drugs, who once in Corinth persuaded the companions of Philonides, as if they were boars, to eat kneaded dung, which she herself kneaded for them, will mimic her in every way; and you, grunting with pleasure, follow your mother like piglets.
§309οὐκοῦν σε τὴν Κίρκην γε τὴν τὰ φάρμακʼ ἀνακυκῶσαν §310καὶ μαγγανεύουσαν μολύνουσάν τε τοὺς ἑταίρους §311λαβόντες ὑπὸ φιληδίας §312τὸν Λαρτίου μιμούμενοι τῶν ὄρχεων κρεμῶμεν, §313μινθώσομέν θʼ ὥσπερ τράγου §314τὴν ῥῖνα· σὺ δʼ Ἀρίστυλλος ὑποχάσκων ἐρεῖς, §315ἕπεσθε μητρὶ χοῖροι. §316ἀλλʼ εἶα νῦν τῶν σκωμμάτων ἀπαλλαγέντες ἤδη §317ὑμεῖς ἐπʼ ἄλλʼ εἶδος τρέπεσθʼ, §318ἐγὼ δʼ ἰὼν ἤδη λάθρᾳ §319βουλήσομαι τοῦ δεσπότου §320λαβών τινʼ ἄρτον καὶ κρέας §321μασώμενος τὸ λοιπὸν οὕτω τῷ κόπῳ ξυνεῖναι.
Therefore, we will seize you, that Circè who mixes the drugs, and uses witchcraft and defiles your companions, and out of pleasure, mimicking the son of Laertes, hang you by the testicles, and plaster with dung, like a goat's, your nose; and you, like Aristyllus, gaping will say, "Follow your mother like piglets." But come now, having already left off these jests, turn yourselves to another style of dance, while I, going now in secret, will wish, from my master, having taken some bread and meat, to chew them and thus henceforth attend to my labor.
§322χαίρειν μὲν ὑμᾶς ἐστιν ὦνδρες δημόται §323ἀρχαῖον ἤδη προσαγορεύειν καὶ σαπρόν· §324ἀσπάζομαι δʼ ὁτιὴ προθύμως ἥκετε §325καὶ συντεταμένως κοὐ κατεβλακευμένως.
To bid you "hail," O fellow-demesmen, is already an old-fashioned and rotten way to address you; but I welcome you because you have come eagerly and with earnest strain, and not sluggishly.
§326ὅπως δέ μοι καὶ τἄλλα συμπαραστάται §327ἔσεσθε καὶ σωτῆρες ὄντως τοῦ θεοῦ.
See to it that you will be my helpers in other things too, and true saviors of the god.
§328θάρρει· βλέπειν γὰρ ἄντικρυς δόξεις μʼ Ἄρη.
Have courage; for you will think that I look straight like Ares.
§329δεινὸν γὰρ εἰ τριωβόλου μὲν οὕνεκα §330ὠστιζόμεσθʼ ἑκάστοτʼ ἐν τἠκκλησίᾳ, §331αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν Πλοῦτον παρείην τῳ λαβεῖν.
For it would be a terrible thing if, for the sake of three obols, we push each other every time in the Assembly, but should allow someone else to take Plutus himself.
§332καὶ μὴν ὁρῶ καὶ Βλεψίδημον τουτονὶ §333προσιόντα· δῆλος δʼ ἐστὶν ὅτι τοῦ πράγματος §334ἀκήκοέν τι τῇ βαδίσει καὶ τῷ τάχει.
And look, I also see this Blepsidemus approaching; and he is clear, from his gait and his speed, that he has heard something of this matter.
§335τί ἂν οὖν τὸ πρᾶγμʼ εἴη;
What indeed can this matter be?
πόθεν καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ §336Χρεμύλος πεπλούτηκʼ ἐξαπίνης;
From where and in what manner has Chremylus suddenly become rich?
οὐ πείθομαι.
I do not believe it.
§337καίτοι λόγος γʼ ἦν νὴ τὸν Ἡρακλέα πολὺς §338ἐπὶ τοῖσι κουρείοισι τῶν καθημένων, §339ὡς ἐξαπίνης ἀνὴρ γεγένηται πλούσιος.
And yet, by Heracles, there was much talk among those sitting in the barber shops, that the man has suddenly become wealthy.
§340ἔστιν δέ μοι τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ θαυμάσιον, ὅπως §341χρηστόν τι πράττων τοὺς φίλους μεταπέμπεται.
But this very thing is a marvel to me, how, when doing well, he sends for his friends.
§342οὔκουν ἐπιχώριόν γε πρᾶγμʼ ἐργάζεται.
He is certainly not doing a customary thing here.
§343ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἀποκρύψας ἐρῶ· νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς §344ὦ Βλεψίδημʼ ἄμεινον ἢ χθὲς πράττομεν, §345ὥστε μετέχειν ἔξεστιν· εἶ γὰρ τῶν φίλων.
Nay, I will speak keeping nothing back; by the gods, O Blepsidemus, we are doing better than yesterday, so that it is possible for you to share in it; for you are one of my friends.
§346γέγονας δʼ ἀληθῶς, ὡς λέγουσι, πλούσιος;
And have you really become rich, as they say?
§347ἔσομαι μὲν οὖν αὐτίκα μάλʼ, ἢν θεὸς θέλῃ.
Indeed I shall be very soon, if God wills.
§348ἔνι γάρ τις ἔνι κίνδυνος ἐν τῷ πράγματι.
For there is, there is indeed some danger in this matter.
§349ποῖός τις;
What sort of danger?
§349bοἷος;
What sort?
§349cλέγʼ ἀνύσας ὅ τι φῄς ποτε.
Tell me quickly whatever you mean.
§350ἢν μὲν κατορθώσωμεν, εὖ πράττειν ἀεί· §351ἢν δὲ σφαλῶμεν, ἐπιτετρῖφθαι τὸ παράπαν.
If we succeed, we shall fare well forever; but if we fail, we shall be utterly ruined.
§352τουτὶ πονηρὸν φαίνεται τὸ φορτίον §353καί μʼ οὐκ ἀρέσκει.
This appears to be a troublesome load and it does not please me.
τό τε γὰρ ἐξαίφνης ἄγαν §354οὕτως ὑπερπλουτεῖν τό τʼ αὖ δεδοικέναι §355πρὸς ἀνδρὸς οὐδὲν ὑγιές ἐστʼ εἰργασμένου.
For to become so exceedingly rich of a sudden, and then on the other hand to be in fear, belongs to a man who has done nothing honest.
§356πῶς οὐδὲν ὑγιές;
How is it not honest?
§356bεἴ τι κεκλοφὼς νὴ Δία §357ἐκεῖθεν ἥκεις ἀργύριον ἢ χρυσίον §358παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ, κἄπειτʼ ἴσως σοι μεταμέλει.
If you, by Zeus, have stolen some silver or gold from there, from the temple of the god, and have come here, and then perhaps you regret it.
§359Ἄπολλον ἀποτρόπαιε μὰ Δίʼ ἐγὼ μὲν οὔ.
Apollo the Averter! By Zeus, not I indeed.
§360παῦσαι φλυαρῶν ὦγάθʼ· οῖδα γὰρ σαφῶς.
Cease talking nonsense, my good man; for I know it clearly.
§361σὺ μηδὲν εἰς ἔμʼ ὑπονόει τοιουτονί.
Do not suspect any such thing of me.
§362φεῦ, §362aὡς οὐδὲν ἀτεχνῶς ὑγιές ἐστιν οὐδενός, §363ἀλλʼ εἰσὶ τοῦ κέρδους ἅπαντες ἥττονες.
Alas, how absolutely nothing is honest in anyone, but all are slaves of gain.
§364οὔ τοι μὰ τὴν Δήμητρʼ ὑγιαίνειν μοι δοκεῖς.
By Demeter, you certainly do not seem to me to be in your right mind.
§365ὡς πολὺ μεθέστηχʼ ὧν πρότερον εἶχεν τρόπων.
How much he has changed from the habits he had before!
§366μελαγχολᾷς ὦνθρωπε νὴ τὸν οὐρανόν.
By heaven, you are mad, fellow!
§367ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τὸ βλέμμʼ αὐτὸ κατὰ χώραν ἔχει, §368ἀλλʼ ἐστὶν ἐπίδηλόν τι πεπανουργηκότι.
Nay, not even his look itself remains steady, but there is a clear sign of someone who has committed a crime.
§369σὺ μὲν οἶδʼ ὃ κρώζεις· ὡς ἐμοῦ τι κεκλοφότος §370ζητεῖς μεταλαβεῖν.
I know what you are croaking about; thinking that I have stolen something, you seek to have a share in it.
§370bμεταλαβεῖν ζητῶ;
Seek to have a share?
τίνος;
In what?
§371τὸ δʼ ἐστὶν οὐ τοιοῦτον ἀλλʼ ἑτέρως ἔχον.
But the matter is not like that, but is otherwise.
§372μῶν οὐ κέκλοφας ἀλλʼ ἥρπακας;
Have you not stolen it, but robbed it?
§372bκακοδαιμονᾷς.
You are possessed by a demon.
§373ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μὴν ἀπεστέρηκάς γʼ οὐδένα;
But surely you have not defrauded anyone?
§374ουʼ δῆτʼ ἔγωγʼ.
Not I, indeed.
§374bὦ Ἡράκλεις, φέρε ποῖ τις ἂν §375τράποιτο;
O Heracles! Come, where can one turn?
τἀληθὲς γὰρ οὐκ ἐθέλει φράσαι.
For he is not willing to tell the truth.
§376κατηγορεῖς γὰρ πρὶν μαθεῖν τὸ πρᾶγμά μου.
For you accuse me before learning my business.
§377ὦ τᾶν ἐγώ τοι τοῦτʼ ἀπὸ σμικροῦ πάνυ §378ἐθέλω διαπρᾶξαι πρὶν πυθέσθαι τὴν πόλιν, §379τὸ στόμʼ ἐπιβύσας κέρμασιν τῶν ῥητόρων.
O my good friend, I wish to settle this for you at a very small cost, before the city finds out, by stopping the mouths of the orators with small coins.
§380καὶ μὴν φίλως γʼ ἄν μοι δοκεῖς νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς §381τρεῖς μνᾶς ἀναλώσας λογίσασθαι δώδεκα.
And yet, by the gods, you seem to me, as a friend, likely to spend three minas and charge me twelve.
§382ὁρῶ τινʼ ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος καθεδούμενον
I see someone going to sit on the speaker's platform...

Notes

  1. 304ὡς ὄντας — The participle ὄντας introduced by the conjunction ὡς agrees with the accusative object τοὺς ἑταίρους, expressing a subjective reason or comparison ('as if they were').
  2. 312τῶν ὄρχεων — Genitive of part or contact with the verb κρεμῶμεν ('let us hang'), indicating the body part by which someone is grasped and hung.
  3. 326ὅπως ... ἔσεσθε — The construction of ὅπως followed by the future indicative (ἔσεσθε) functions as an independent clause with the main imperative verb (like ὅρα 'see to it') omitted, expressing a strong command or exhortation ('see to it that you will be').
  4. 333δῆλος δʼ ἐστὶν ὅτι — A mixed construction where what should be an impersonal expression (δῆλόν ἐστιν ὅτι... 'it is clear that...') is attracted to the subject and becomes personal (δῆλός ἐστι...), yet still introduces the ὅτι clause.
  5. 369ὡς ἐμού τι κεκλοφότος — Genitive absolute construction accompanied by the conjunction ὡς, expressing a subjective assumption or allegation ('thinking/alleging that I have stolen something') on the part of the subject of ζητεῖς.

Cite this passage

Aristophanes, Wealth §302-382. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0019.tlg011.humanitext-grc2:302-382

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