Aristophanes
First Episode
Χρεμύλος
χαίρειν μὲν ὑμᾶς ἐστιν ὦνδρες δημόται
ἀρχαῖον ἤδη προσαγορεύειν καὶ σαπρόν·
ἀσπάζομαι δʼ ὁτιὴ προθύμως ἥκετε
325 καὶ συντεταμένως κοὐ κατεβλακευμένως.
ὅπως δέ μοι καὶ τἄλλα συμπαραστάται
ἔσεσθε καὶ σωτῆρες ὄντως τοῦ θεοῦ.
Χορός
θάρρει· βλέπειν γὰρ ἄντικρυς δόξεις μʼ Ἄρη.
δεινὸν γὰρ εἰ τριωβόλου μὲν οὕνεκα
330 ὠστιζόμεσθʼ ἑκάστοτʼ ἐν τἠκκλησίᾳ,
αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν Πλοῦτον παρείην τῳ λαβεῖν.
Χρεμύλος
καὶ μὴν ὁρῶ καὶ Βλεψίδημον τουτονὶ
προσιόντα· δῆλος δʼ ἐστὶν ὅτι τοῦ πράγματος
ἀκήκοέν τι τῇ βαδίσει καὶ τῷ τάχει.
Βλεψίδημος
335 τί ἂν οὖν τὸ πρᾶγμʼ εἴη; πόθεν καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ
Χρεμύλος πεπλούτηκʼ ἐξαπίνης; οὐ πείθομαι.
καίτοι λόγος γʼ ἦν νὴ τὸν Ἡρακλέα πολὺς
ἐπὶ τοῖσι κουρείοισι τῶν καθημένων,
ὡς ἐξαπίνης ἀνὴρ γεγένηται πλούσιος.
340 ἔστιν δέ μοι τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ θαυμάσιον, ὅπως
χρηστόν τι πράττων τοὺς φίλους μεταπέμπεται.
οὔκουν ἐπιχώριόν γε πρᾶγμʼ ἐργάζεται.
Χρεμύλος
ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἀποκρύψας ἐρῶ· νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς
ὦ Βλεψίδημʼ ἄμεινον ἢ χθὲς πράττομεν,
345 ὥστε μετέχειν ἔξεστιν· εἶ γὰρ τῶν φίλων.
Βλεψίδημος
γέγονας δʼ ἀληθῶς, ὡς λέγουσι, πλούσιος;
325–346

But your infirmity; how did that happen? Tell me.

PLUTUS: Zeus inflicted it on me, because of his jealousy of mankind. When I was young, I threatened him that I would only go to the just, the wise, the men of ordered life; to prevent my distinguishing these, he struck me with blindness! so much does he envy the good!

Χρεμύλος
ἔσομαι μὲν οὖν αὐτίκα μάλʼ, ἢν θεὸς θέλῃ.
ἔνι γάρ τις ἔνι κίνδυνος ἐν τῷ πράγματι.
Βλεψίδημος
οἷος;
ποῖός τις;
λέγʼ ἀνύσας ὅ τι φῄς ποτε.
Χρεμύλος
350 ἢν μὲν κατορθώσωμεν, εὖ πράττειν ἀεί·
ἢν δὲ σφαλῶμεν, ἐπιτετρῖφθαι τὸ παράπαν.
Βλεψίδημος
τουτὶ πονηρὸν φαίνεται τὸ φορτίον
καί μʼ οὐκ ἀρέσκει. τό τε γὰρ ἐξαίφνης ἄγαν
οὕτως ὑπερπλουτεῖν τό τʼ αὖ δεδοικέναι
355 πρὸς ἀνδρὸς οὐδὲν ὑγιές ἐστʼ εἰργασμένου.
Χρεμύλος
πῶς οὐδὲν ὑγιές;
εἴ τι κεκλοφὼς νὴ Δία
Βλεψίδημος
ἐκεῖθεν ἥκεις ἀργύριον ἢ χρυσίον
347–357

And yet, 'tis only the upright and just who honour him.

PLUTUS: Quite true.

CHREMYLUS: Therefore, if ever you recovered your sight, you would shun the wicked?

παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ, κἄπειτʼ ἴσως σοι μεταμέλει.
Χρεμύλος
Ἄπολλον ἀποτρόπαιε μὰ Δίʼ ἐγὼ μὲν οὔ.
Βλεψίδημος
360 παῦσαι φλυαρῶν ὦγάθʼ· οῖδα γὰρ σαφῶς.
Χρεμύλος
σὺ μηδὲν εἰς ἔμʼ ὑπονόει τοιουτονί.
Βλεψίδημος
φεῦ,
ὡς οὐδὲν ἀτεχνῶς ὑγιές ἐστιν οὐδενός,
ἀλλʼ εἰσὶ τοῦ κέρδους ἅπαντες ἥττονες.
Χρεμύλος
οὔ τοι μὰ τὴν Δήμητρʼ ὑγιαίνειν μοι δοκεῖς.
Βλεψίδημος
365 ὡς πολὺ μεθέστηχʼ ὧν πρότερον εἶχεν τρόπων.
Χρεμύλος
μελαγχολᾷς ὦνθρωπε νὴ τὸν οὐρανόν.
Βλεψίδημος
ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τὸ βλέμμʼ αὐτὸ κατὰ χώραν ἔχει,
ἀλλʼ ἐστὶν ἐπίδηλόν τι πεπανουργηκότι.
Χρεμύλος
σὺ μὲν οἶδʼ ὃ κρώζεις· ὡς ἐμοῦ τι κεκλοφότος
370 ζητεῖς μεταλαβεῖν.
370 μεταλαβεῖν ζητῶ; τίνος;
τὸ δʼ ἐστὶν οὐ τοιοῦτον ἀλλʼ ἑτέρως ἔχον.
358–371

Undoubtedly.

CHREMYLUS: You would visit the good?

PLUTUS: Assuredly. It is a very long time since I saw them.

CHREMYLUS: That's not astonishing. I, who see clearly, don't see a single one.

Βλεψίδημος
μῶν οὐ κέκλοφας ἀλλʼ ἥρπακας;
372–380

Now let me leave you, for I have told you everything.

CHREMYLUS: No, certainly not! we shall fasten ourselves on to you faster than ever.

κακοδαιμονᾷς.
ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μὴν ἀπεστέρηκάς γʼ οὐδένα;
Χρεμύλος
ουʼ δῆτʼ ἔγωγʼ.
ὦ Ἡράκλεις, φέρε ποῖ τις ἂν
Βλεψίδημος
375 τράποιτο; τἀληθὲς γὰρ οὐκ ἐθέλει φράσαι.
Χρεμύλος
κατηγορεῖς γὰρ πρὶν μαθεῖν τὸ πρᾶγμά μου.
Βλεψίδημος
ὦ τᾶν ἐγώ τοι τοῦτʼ ἀπὸ σμικροῦ πάνυ
ἐθέλω διαπρᾶξαι πρὶν πυθέσθαι τὴν πόλιν,
τὸ στόμʼ ἐπιβύσας κέρμασιν τῶν ῥητόρων.
Χρεμύλος
380 καὶ μὴν φίλως γʼ ἄν μοι δοκεῖς νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς
372–380

Now let me leave you, for I have told you everything.

CHREMYLUS: No, certainly not! we shall fasten ourselves on to you faster than ever.

τρεῖς μνᾶς ἀναλώσας λογίσασθαι δώδεκα.
Βλεψίδημος
ὁρῶ τινʼ ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος καθεδούμενον
ἱκετηρίαν ἔχοντα μετὰ τῶν παιδίων
καὶ τῆς γυναικός, κουʼ διοίσοντʼ ἄντικρυς
385 τῶν Ἡρακλειδῶν οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν τῶν Παμφίλου.
Χρεμύλος
οὒκ ὦ κακόδαιμον, ἀλλὰ τοὺς χρηστοὺς μόνους
ἔγωγε καὶ τοὺς δεξιοὺς καὶ σώφρονας
ἀπαρτὶ πλουτῆσαι ποιήσω.
τί σὺ λέγεις;
Βλεψίδημος
οὕτω πάνυ πολλὰ κέκλοφας;
οἴμοι τῶν κακῶν,
Χρεμύλος
390 ἀπολεῖς.
390 σὺ μὲν οὖν σεαυτόν, ὥς γʼ ἐμοὶ δοκεῖς.
ουʼ δῆτʼ, ἐπεὶ τὸν Πλοῦτον ὦ μόχθηρε σὺ
ἔχω.
381–392

Did I not tell you, you were going to plague me?

CHREMYLUS: Oh! I adjure you, believe what I say and don't leave me; for you will seek in vain for a more honest man than myself.

σὺ Πλοῦτον; ποῖον;
αὐτὸν τὸν θεόν.
Βλεψίδημος
καὶ ποῦ ʼστιν;
393–404

There is only one man more worthy; and that is I.

PLUTUS: All talk like this, but as soon as they secure my favours and grow rich, their wickedness knows no bounds.

ἔνδον.
393–404

There is only one man more worthy; and that is I.

PLUTUS: All talk like this, but as soon as they secure my favours and grow rich, their wickedness knows no bounds.

ποῦ;
393–404

There is only one man more worthy; and that is I.

PLUTUS: All talk like this, but as soon as they secure my favours and grow rich, their wickedness knows no bounds.

παρʼ ἐμοί.
393–404

There is only one man more worthy; and that is I.

PLUTUS: All talk like this, but as soon as they secure my favours and grow rich, their wickedness knows no bounds.

πάνυ.
οὐκ ἐς κόρακας; Πλοῦτος παρὰ σοί;
νὴ τοὺς θεούς.
395 λὲγεις ἀληθῆ;
395 φημί.
395 πρὸς τῆς Ἑστίας;
Χρεμύλος
νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ.
τὸν θαλάττιον λέγεις;
εἰ δʼ ἔστιν ἕτερός τις Ποσειδῶν, τὸν ἕτερον.
Βλεψίδημος
εἶτʼ οὐ διαπέμπεις καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς τοὺς φίλους;
Χρεμύλος
οὐκ ἔστι πω τὰ πράγματʼ ἐν τούτῳ.
τί φῄς;
Βλεψίδημος
400 οὐ τῷ μεταδοῦναι;
400 μὰ Δία. δεῖ γὰρ πρῶτα
400 τί;
Χρεμύλος
βλέψαι ποιῆσαι νώ—
τίνα βλέψαι; φράσον.
τὸν Πλοῦτον ὥσπερ πρότερον ἑνί γέ τῳ τρόπῳ.
Βλεψίδημος
τυφλὸς γὰρ ὄντως ἐστί;
νὴ τὸν οὐρανόν.
οὐκ ἐτὸς ἄρʼ ὡς ἔμʼ ἦλθεν οὐδεπώποτε.
393–404

There is only one man more worthy; and that is I.

PLUTUS: All talk like this, but as soon as they secure my favours and grow rich, their wickedness knows no bounds.

Χρεμύλος
405 ἀλλʼ ἢν θεοὶ θέλωσι, νῦν ἀφίξεται.
Βλεψίδημος
οὔκουν ἰατρὸν εἰσάγειν ἐχρῆν τινά;
Χρεμύλος
τίς δῆτʼ ἰατρός ἐστι νῦν ἐν τῇ πόλει;
οὔτε γὰρ ὁ μισθὸς οὐδὲν ἔστʼ οὔθʼ ἡ τέχνη.
Βλεψίδημος
σκοπῶμεν.
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔστιν.
οὐδ ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ.
Χρεμύλος
410 μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ὅπερ πάλαι παρεσκευαζόμην
ἐγώ, κατακλίνειν αὐτὸν εἰς Ἀσκληπιοῦ
κράτιστόν ἐστι.
πολὺ μὲν οὖν νὴ τοὺς θεούς.
Βλεψίδημος
μή νυν διάτριβʼ ἀλλʼ ἄνυε πράττων ἕν γέ τι.
Χρεμύλος
καὶ δὴ βαδίζω.
σπεῦδέ νυν.
τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ δρῶ.
Πενία
415 ὦ θερμὸν ἔργον κἀνόσιον καὶ παράνομον
τολμῶντε δρᾶν ἀνθρωπαρίω κακοδαίμονε—
ποῖ ποῖ; τί φεύγετον; οὐ μενεῖτον;
Ἡράκλεις.
ἐγὼ γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἐξολῶ κακοὺς κακῶς·
τόλμημα γὰρ τολμᾶτον οὐκ ἀνασχετόν,
420 ἀλλʼ οἷον οὐδεὶς ἄλλος οὐδεπώποτε
οὔτε θεὸς οὔτʼ ἄνθρωπος· ὥστʼ ἀπολώλατον.
Χρεμύλος
σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς; ὠχρὰ μὲν γὰρ εἶναί μοι δοκεῖς.
Βλεψίδημος
ἴσως Ἐρινύς ἐστιν ἐκ τραγῳδίας·
βλέπει γέ τοι μανικόν τι καὶ τραγῳδικόν.
Χρεμύλος
425 ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔχει γὰρ δᾷδας.
425 οὐκοῦν κλαύσεται.
Πενία
ὄιεσθε δʼ εἶναι τίνα με;
405–426

And yet all men are not wicked.

PLUTUS: All. There's no exception.

CARIO: You shall pay for that opinion.

CHREMYLUS: Listen to what happiness there is in store for you, if you but stay with us. I have hope; aye, I have good hope with the god's help to deliver you from that blindness, in fact to restore your sight.

πανδοκεύτριαν
Χρεμύλος
ἢ λεκιθόπωλιν. οὐ γὰρ ἂν τοσουτονὶ
ἀνέκραγες ἡμῖν οὐδὲν ἠδικημένη.
Πενία
ἄληθες; οὐ γὰρ δεινότατα δεδράκατον
430 ζητοῦντες ἐκ πάσης με χώρας ἐκβαλεῖν;
Χρεμύλος
οὔκουν ὑπόλοιπον τὸ βάραθρόν σοι γίγνεται;
ἀλλʼ ἥτις εἶ λέγειν σʼ ἐχρῆν αὐτίκα μάλα.
Πενία
ἣ σφὼ ποιήσω τήμερον δοῦναι δίκην
ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐμὲ ζητεῖτον ἐνθένδʼ ἀφανίσαι.
Βλεψίδημος
435 ἆρʼ ἐστὶν ἡ καπηλὶς ἡκ τῶν γειτόνων,
427–435

Oh! do nothing of the kind, for I don't wish to recover it.

CHREMYLUS: What's that you say?

CARIO: This fellow hugs his own misery.

ἣ ταῖς κοτύλαις ἀεί με διαλυμαίνεται;
Πενία
Πενία μὲν οὖν, ἣ σφῷν ξυνοικῶ πόλλʼ ἔτη.
Βλεψίδημος
ἄναξ Ἄπολλον καὶ θεοί, ποῖ τις φύγῃ;
Χρεμύλος
οὗτος τί δρᾷς; ὦ δειλότατον σὺ θηρίον·
440 οὐ παραμενεῖς;
440 ἥκιστα πάντων.
440 οὐ μενεῖς;
ἀλλʼ ἄνδρε δύο γυναῖκα φεύγομεν μίαν;
Βλεψίδημος
Πενία γάρ ἐστιν ὦ πόνηρʼ, ἧς οὐδαμοῦ
οὐδὲν πέφυκε ζῷον ἐξωλέστερον.
Χρεμύλος
στῆθʼ, ἀντιβολῶ σε, στῆθι.
μὰ Δίʼ ἐγὼ μὲν οὔ.
445 καὶ μὴν λέγω, δεινότατον ἔργον παρὰ πολὺ
ἔργων ἁπάντων ἐργασόμεθʼ, εἰ τὸν θεὸν
ἔρημον ἀπολιπόντε ποι φευξούμεθα
436–447

If you were mad enough to cure me, and Zeus heard of it, he would overwhelm me with his anger.

CHREMYLUS: And is he not doing this now by leaving you to grope your wandering way?

τηνδὶ δεδιότε, μηδὲ διαμαχούμεθα.
Βλεψίδημος
ποίοις ὅπλοισιν ἢ δυνάμει πεποιθότες;
450 ποῖον γὰρ οὐ θώρακα, ποίαν δʼ ἀσπίδα
οὐκ ἐνέχυρον τίθησιν ἡ μιαρωτάτη;
Χρεμύλος
θάρρει· μόνος γὰρ ὁ θεὸς οὗτος οἶδʼ ὅτι
τροπαῖον ἂν στήσαιτο τῶν ταύτης τρόπων.
Πενία
γρύζειν δὲ καὶ τολμᾶτον ὦ καθάρματε,
455 ἐπʼ αὐτοφώρῳ δεινὰ δρῶντʼ εἰλημμένω;
Χρεμύλος
σὺ δʼ ὦ κάκιστʼ ἀπολουμένη τί λοιδορεῖ
ἡμῖν προσελθοῦσʼ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἀδικουμένη;
Πενία
οὐδὲν γὰρ ὦ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν νομίζετε
ἀδικεῖν με τὸν Πλοῦτον ποιεῖν πειρωμένω
460 βλέψαι πάλιν;
460 τί οὖν ἀδικοῦμεν τοῦτό σε,
Χρεμύλος
εἰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποισιν ἐκπορίζομεν
ἀγαθόν;
τί δʼ ἂν ὑμεῖς ἀγαθὸν ἐξεύροιθʼ;
ὅ τι;
σὲ πρῶτον ἐκβαλόντες ἐκ τῆς Ἑλλάδος.
Πενία
ἔμʼ ἐκβαλόντες; καὶ τί ἂν νομίζετον
448–464

I don't know; but I'm horribly afraid of him.

CHREMYLUS: Indeed? Ah! you are the biggest poltroon of all the gods! Why, Zeus with his throne and his lightnings would not be worth an obolus if you recovered your sight, were it but for a few instants.

465 κακὸν ἐργάσασθαι μεῖζον ἀνθρώπους;
465–473

Impious man, don't talk like that.

CHREMYLUS: Fear nothing! I will prove to you that you are far more powerful and mightier than he.

465 ὅ τι;
Χρεμύλος
εἰ τοῦτο δρᾶν μέλλοντες ἐπιλαθοίμεθα.
Πενία
καὶ μὴν περὶ τούτου σφῷν ἐθέλω δοῦναι λόγον
τὸ πρῶτον αὐτοῦ· κἂν μὲν ἀποφήνω μόνην
ἀγαθῶν ἁπάντων οὖσαν αἰτίαν ἐμὲ
470 ὑμῖν διʼ ἐμέ τε ζῶντας ὑμᾶς· εἰ δὲ μή,
ποιεῖτον ἤδη τοῦθʼ ὅ τι ἂν ὑμῖν δοκῇ.
Χρεμύλος
ταυτὶ σὺ τολμᾷς ὦ μιαρωτάτη λέγειν;
Πενία
καὶ σύ γε διδάσκου· πάνυ γὰρ οἶμαι ῥᾳδίως
465–473

Impious man, don't talk like that.

CHREMYLUS: Fear nothing! I will prove to you that you are far more powerful and mightier than he.

ἅπανθʼ ἁμαρτάνοντά σʼ ἀποδείξειν ἐγώ,
475 εἰ τοὺς δικαίους φῂς ποιήσειν πλουσίους.
Χρεμύλος
ὦ τύμπανα καὶ κύφωνες οὐκ ἀρήξετε;
Πενία
οὐ δεῖ σχετλιάζειν καὶ βοᾶν πρὶν ἂν μάθῃς.
Χρεμύλος
καὶ τίς δύναιτʼ ἂν μὴ βοᾶν ἰοὺ ἰοὺ
τοιαῦτʼ ἀκούων;
ὅστις ἐστὶν εὖ φρονῶν.
480 τί δῆτά σοι τίμημʼ ἐπιγράψω τῇ δίκῃ,
ἐὰν ἁλῷς;
ὅ τι σοι δοκεῖ.
καλῶς λέγεις.
Πενία
τὸ γὰρ αὔτʼ, ἐὰν ἡττᾶσθε, καὶ σφὼ δεῖ παθεῖν.
474–482

I mightier than he?

CHREMYLUS: Aye, by heaven! For instance, what is the origin of the power that Zeus wields over the other gods?

Χρεμύλος
ἱκανοὺς νομίζεις δῆτα θανάτους εἴκοσιν;
Βλεψίδημος
ταύτῃ γε· νῷν δὲ δὔ ἀποχρήσουσιν μόνω.
Πενία
485 οὐκ ἂν φθάνοιτον τοῦτο πράττοντʼ, ἢ τί γʼ ἂν
ἔχοι τις ἂν δίκαιον ἀντειπεῖν ἔτι;
483–495

'Tis money; he has so much of it.

CHREMYLUS: And who gives it to him? CARIO (_pointing to Plutus_). This fellow.

CHREMYLUS: If sacrifices are offered to him, is not Plutus their cause?

Βλεψίδημος
παρὰ σοί;
3933–3938

You recall it vainly; your regrets are useless! there'll be no more cake.

HERMES: Ah! the ham I was wont to devour!

The Athenian Society, "The Eleven Comedies" (1912)
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Hall 1907
OCT
Hall & Geldart, OCT, 1907 · 1907
The Editor

Frederick William Hall (1865–1948) was a classical scholar and Fellow of St John's College, Oxford. Together with William Martin Geldart, he produced the Oxford Classical Text of several authors. Hall was a careful editor known for his thorough collation of manuscripts and his conservative approach to textual criticism.

About This Edition

The Hall–Geldart editions in the Oxford Classical Texts series provide reliable critical texts with selective apparatus criticus. The OCT series, established in 1894 as the Scriptorum Classicorum Bibliotheca Oxoniensis, aims to present the best available Greek and Latin texts in a format suitable for both scholarly use and teaching. Each volume provides a clean text with the most significant manuscript variants recorded at the foot of each page.

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