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Λάμαχος

πόθεν βοῆς ἤκουσα πολεμιστηρίας;

ποῖ χρὴ βοηθεῖν; ποῖ κυδοιμὸν ἐμβαλεῖν;

τίς Γοργόνʼ ἐξήγειρεν ἐκ τοῦ σάγματος;

Δικαιόπολις

ὦ Λάμαχʼ ἥρως, τῶν λόφων καὶ τῶν λόχων.
575

Ἡμιχόριον Α

ὦ Λάμαχʼ, οὐ γὰρ οὗτος ἅνθρωπος πάλαι

ἅπασαν ἡμῶν τὴν πόλιν κακορροθεῖ;

Λάμαχος

οὗτος σὺ τολμᾷς πτωχὸς ὢν λέγειν τάδε;

Δικαιόπολις

ὦ Λάμαχʼ ἥρως, ἀλλὰ συγγνώμην ἔχε,

εἰ πτωχὸς ὢν εἶπόν τι κἀστωμυλάμην.

Λάμαχος

τί δʼ εἶπας ἡμᾶς; οὐκ ἐρεῖς;
580

Δικαιόπολις

οὐκ οἶδά πω·

ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους γὰρ τῶν ὅπλων εἰλιγγιῶ.

ἀλλʼ ἀντιβολῶ σʼ ἀπένεγκέ μου τὴν μορμόνα.

Λάμαχος

ἰδού.

Δικαιόπολις

παράθες νυν ὑπτίαν αὐτὴν ἐμοί.

Λάμαχος

κεῖται.

Δικαιόπολις

φέρε νυν ἀπὸ τοῦ κράνους μοι τὸ πτερόν.

Λάμαχος

τουτὶ πτίλον σοι.
585

Δικαιόπολις

τῆς κεφαλῆς νύν μου λαβοῦ,

ἵνʼ ἐξεμέσω· βδελύττομαι γὰρ τοὺς λόφους.

Λάμαχος

οὗτος τί δράσεις; τῷ πτίλῳ μέλλεις ἐμεῖν;

πτίλον γάρ ἐστιν—

Δικαιόπολις

εἰπέ μοι τίνος ποτὲ

ὄρνιθός ἐστιν; ἆρα κομπολακύθου;

Λάμαχος

οἴμʼ ὡς τεθνήξεις.
590

Δικαιόπολις

μηδαμῶς ὦ Λάμαχε·

οὐ γὰρ κατʼ ἰσχύν ἐστιν· εἰ δʼ ἰσχυρὸς εἶ,

τί μʼ οὐκ ἀπεψώλησας; εὔοπλος γὰρ εἶ.

Λάμαχος

ταυτὶ λέγεις σὺ τὸν στρατηγὸν πτωχὸς ὤν;

Δικαιόπολις

ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι πτωχός;

Λάμαχος

ἀλλὰ τίς γὰρ εἶ;

Δικαιόπολις

ὅστις; πολίτης χρηστός, οὐ σπουδαρχίδης,
595

ἀλλʼ ἐξ ὅτου περ ὁ πόλεμος, στρατωνίδης,

σὺ δʼ ἐξ ὅτου περ ὁ πόλεμος, μισθαρχίδης.

Λάμαχος

ἐχειροτόνησαν γάρ με —

Δικαιόπολις

κόκκυγές γε τρεῖς.

ταῦτʼ οὖν ἐγὼ βδελυττόμενος ἐσπεισάμην,

ὁρῶν πολιοὺς μὲν ἄνδρας ἐν ταῖς τάξεσιν,
600

νεανίας δʼ οἵους σὺ διαδεδρακότας,

τοὺς μὲν ἐπὶ Θρᾴκης μισθοφοροῦντας τρεῖς δραχμάς,

Τεισαμενοφαινίππους Πανουργιππαρχίδας,

ἑτέρους δὲ παρὰ Χάρητι τοὺς δʼ ἐν Χάοσιν,

Γερητοθεοδώρους Διομειαλαζόνας,
605

τοὺς δʼ ἐν Καμαρίνῃ κἀν Γέλα κἀν Καταγέλᾳ.

Λάμαχος

ἐχειροτονήθησαν γάρ.

Δικαιόπολις

αἴτιον δὲ τί

ὑμᾶς μὲν ἀεὶ μισθοφορεῖν ἁμῃγέπῃ,

τωνδὶ δὲ μηδένʼ; ἐτεὸν ὦ Μαριλάδη

ἤδη πεπρέσβευκας σὺ πολιὸς ὢν † ἓν ἢ; †
610

ἀνένευσε· καίτοι γʼ ἐστὶ σώφρων κἀργάτης.

τί δαὶ Δράκυλλος ἢ Εὐφορίδης ἢ Πρινίδης;

εἶδέν τις ὑμῶν τἀκβάτανʼ ἢ τοὺς Χάονας;

οὔ φασιν. ἀλλʼ ὁ Κοισύρας καὶ Λάμαχος,

οἷς ὑπʼ ἐράνου τε καὶ χρεῶν πρώην ποτέ,
615

ὥσπερ ἀπόνιπτρον ἐκχέοντες ἑσπέρας,

ἅπαντες ἐξίστω παρῄνουν οἱ φίλοι.

Λάμαχος

ὦ δημοκρατία ταῦτα δῆτʼ ἀνασχετά;

Δικαιόπολις

οὐ δῆτʼ ἐὰν μὴ μισθοφορῇ γε Λάμαχος.

Λάμαχος

ἀλλʼ οὖν ἐγὼ μὲν πᾶσι Πελοποννησίοις
620

ἀεὶ πολεμήσω καὶ ταράξω πανταχῇ

καὶ ναυσὶ καὶ πεζοῖσι κατὰ τὸ καρτερόν.

Δικαιόπολις

ἐγὼ δὲ κηρύττω γε Πελοποννησίοις

ἅπασι καὶ Μεγαρεῦσι καὶ Βοιωτίοις

πωλεῖν ἀγοράζειν πρὸς ἐμέ, Λαμάχῳ δὲ μή.
625

Acharnians. Aristophanes. ed. F. W. Hall, ed. William M. Geldart. Oxford. 1906.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Ἀχαρνῆς (Greek) (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 1. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.)

Translations (2)

Acharnians (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Anonymous; Liveright, 192?). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 572 focus

LAMACHUS

Whence comes this cry of battle? where must I bring my aid? where must I sow dread? who wants me to uncase my dreadful Gorgon's head?¹

DICAEOPOLIS

Oh, Lamachus, great hero! Your plumes and your cohorts terrify me.

CHORUS

This man, Lamachus, incessantly abuses Athens .

LAMACHUS

You are but a mendicant and you dare to use language of this sort?

DICAEOPOLIS

Oh, brave Lamachus, forgive a beggar who speaks at hazard.

LAMACHUS

But what have you said? Let us hear.

DICAEOPOLIS

I know nothing about it; the sight of weapons makes me dizzy. Oh! I adjure you, take that fearful Gorgon somewhat farther away.

LAMACHUS

There.

DICAEOPOLIS

Now place it face downwards on the ground.

LAMACHUS

It is done.

DICAEOPOLIS

Give me a plume out of your helmet.

LAMACHUS

Here is a feather.

DICAEOPOLIS

And hold my head while I vomit; the plumes have turned my stomach.

LAMACHUS

Hah! what are you proposing to do? do you want to make yourself vomit with this feather?

DICAEOPOLIS

Is it a feather? what bird's? a braggart's?

LAMACHUS

Ah! ah! I will rip you open.

DICAEOPOLIS

No, no, Lamachus! Violence is out of place here! But as you are so strong, why did you not circumcise me? You have all the tools you want for the operation there.

LAMACHUS

A beggar dares thus address a general!

DICAEOPOLIS

How? Am I a beggar?

LAMACHUS

What are you then?

DICAEOPOLIS

Who am I? A good citizen, not ambitious; a soldier, who has fought well since the outbreak of the war, whereas you are but a vile mercenary.

LAMACHUS

They elected me...

DICAEOPOLIS

Yes, three cuckoos did!² If I have concluded peace, 'twas disgust that drove me; for I see men with hoary heads in the ranks and young fellows of your age shirking service. Some are in Thrace getting an allowance of three drachmae, such fellows as Tisamenophoenippus and Panurgipparchides. The others are with Chares or in Chaonia, men like Geretotheodorus and Diomialazon; there are some of the same kidney, too, at Camarina and at Gela ,³ the laughing-stock of all and sundry.

LAMACHUS

They were elected.

DICAEOPOLIS

And why do you always receive your pay, when none of these others ever gets any? Speak, Marilades, you have grey hair; well then, have you ever been entrusted with a mission? See! he shakes his head. Yet he is an active as well as a prudent man. And you, Dracyllus, Euphorides or Prinides, have you knowledge of Ecbatana or Chaonia? You say no, do you not? Such offices are good for the son of Caesyra⁴ and Lamachus, who, but yesterday ruined with debt, never pay their shot, and whom all their friends avoid as foot passengers dodge the folks who empty their slops out of window.

LAMACHUS

Oh! in freedom's name! are such exaggerations to be borne?

DICAEOPOLIS

Lamachus is well content; no doubt he is well paid, you know.

LAMACHUS

But I propose always to war with the Peloponnesians, both at sea, on land and everywhere to make them tremble, and trounce them soundly.

DICAEOPOLIS

For my own part, I make proclamation to all Peloponnesians, Megarians and Boeotians, that to them my markets are open; but I debar Lamachus from entering them.

English (Sanjaya, generated; selected passages) (OCR draft) Experimental (Source: pnadelofficial/aristophanes-sanjaya, commit c319590c139e5603e71f0699caa0663d823af8ad. Machine-generated source annotations retained; see Sanjaya import audit for coverage and limitations.) — 572 focus

Lamachus: From where did I hear a warlike shout?

Lamachus: Where must one come to the aid? Where must one throw in the confusion?

Lamachus: Who stirred up Gorgo from the sack?

Dikaiopolis: Oh hero Lamachus, of the hills and of the ambushes.

575

Half-chorus A: O Lamachus, for this man is not a human being long ago.

Half-Chorus A: Does he slander our entire city?

Lamachus: You, being poor, dare to say these things?

Dikaiopolis: O hero Laches, but please forgive me,

Dikaiopolis: if, being poor, I said something and swore an oath.

Lamachus: What did you say about us? You will not tell?

580

Dikaiopolis: I do not know yet.

Dicaeopolis: For I am reeling from the fear of the weapons.

Dikaiopolis: But I implore you, carry my little lamb away for me.

Lamachus: Look here.

Dikaiopolis: Put her down on her back here for me now.

Lamachus: He is lying dead.

Dicaeopolis: Bring me now the feather from the helmet.

Lamachus: this is a little shirt for you.

585

Dikaiopolis: Now take my head,

Dikaiopolis: in order that I may vomit; for I detest the mounds.

Lamachus: What will you do to this? Are you going to fight me with the helmet?

Lamachus: for it is a feather-bed—

Dikaiopolis: Tell me, whose is it, then?

Dikaiopolis: Is it a bird? A boastful one?

Lamachus: Alas, how you will die!

590

Dikaiopolis: By no means, Laches.

Dikaiopolis: For it is not by strength; but if you are strong,

Dikaiopolis: Why haven't you spat on me? For you are well-armed.

Lamachus: Are you saying these things, poor man, about the general?

Dikaiopolis: for am I a beggar?

Lamachus: But who are you, then?

Dikaiopolis: Who? A good citizen, not a demagogue,

595

Dikaiopolis: but from whatever time the war began, soldier,

Dicaeopolis: But you, since the war began, are a mercenary.

Lamachus: For they have voted for me —

Dikaiopolis: three cuckoos, indeed.

Dicaeopolis: Therefore, since I detest these things, I have drunk them,

Dicaeopolis: seeing men who are grey-haired indeed in the ranks,

600

Dikaiopolis: 'young men such as you have done,'

Dikaiopolis: the men hired for Thrace, three drachmas,

Dikaiopolis: Taisamenophainippos Panourgipparchildas,

Dikaiopolis: some with Charis, others with Chaos,

Dikaiopolis: Geretodōrous, Diomeialazonas,

605

Dikaiopolis: But the ones in Kamarina, and in Gela, and in Katagela.

Lamachus: For they were elected.

Dikaiopolis: but what is the reason?

Dicaeopolis: You, however, are always serving as mercenaries in a mixed crowd,

Dicaeopolis: Not one of these, then? It is true, Marilades.

Dicaeopolis: You have already been an envoy, you being grey-haired, one or two?

610

Dikaiopolis: he nodded. And yet he is a sensible man and a worker.

Dikaiopolis: What then, Drakyllos or Euphorides or Prinides?

Dicaeopolis: Has one of you seen the baggage, or the Chaones?

Dikaiopolis: They do not say so. But the Coisyran and Laches,

Dikaiopolis: on which, recently at one time, through a contribution and of debts,

615

Dikaiopolis: like a dish-rinse pouring out in the evening,

Dikaiopolis: All my friends were urging me to flee.

Lamachus: O democracy, these things are surely unbearable?

Dikaiopolis: No, certainly not, if Lamachus does not get paid.

Lamachus: but nevertheless I, for my part, to all the Peloponnesians

620

Lamachus: I will always fight and cause confusion everywhere.

Lamachus: with ships and foot soldiers according to the standard.

Dikaiopolis: But I proclaim to the Peloponnesians!

Dicaeopolis: to everyone, both to the Megarians and to the Boeotians.

Dikaiopolis: Sell and buy from me, but not from Lamachus.

625

Commentary

Commentary (Sanjaya, generated; selected passages) (OCR draft) (Source: pnadelofficial/aristophanes-sanjaya, commit c319590c139e5603e71f0699caa0663d823af8ad. Machine-generated source annotations retained; see Sanjaya import audit for coverage and limitations.) focus

587. mvp-tlg0019-tlg001-sanjaya-com-eng1-19

Line 587

οὗτος τί δράσεις; τῷ πτίλῳ μέλλεις ἐμεῖν;

The verb ἐμεῖν is the aorist infinitive of ἔμειναι (to remain, stay), a form found in Attic prose and tragedy but rare in Old Comedy, where the contracted future ἐμείνω or the present ἔμειν is more typical. Here, the use of the aorist infinitive with μέλλεις creates a periphrastic future construction ('are you going to stay?') that emphasizes the immediacy of the action, contrasting with the more common periphrastic futures in Aristophanes. This syntactic choice may reflect the speaker's urgency or the colloquial register of the dialogue.

610. mvp-tlg0019-tlg001-sanjaya-com-eng1-20

Line 610

ἤδη πεπρέσβευκας σὺ πολιὸς ὢν † ἓν ἢ; †

The phrase ἓν ἢ (one or?) is a textual crux. The manuscript tradition offers no clear reading here; editors have proposed various conjectures to resolve the sense. The most widely accepted emendation, following the logic of the dialogue (where the character Dicaeopolis is being taunted about his age and diplomatic failures), is to read ἓν ἢν (one, was it?) or to supply a verb like ἦν, interpreting the particle ἢ as introducing an alternative question or a rhetorical hesitation. Alternatively, some editors suggest the text should read ἓν ἢν (one thing, or?) implying a specific count of embassies. The absence of a verb in the received text creates a syntactic gap that requires editorial intervention to make the sentence coherent as a question about the number of times he has served as an envoy.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Λάμαχος πόθεν βοῆς ἤκουσα πολεμιστηρίας; ποῖ χρὴ βοηθεῖν; ποῖ κυδοιμὸν ἐμβαλεῖν; τίς Γοργόνʼ ἐξήγειρεν ἐκ τοῦ σάγματος;

Δικαιόπολις ὦ Λάμαχʼ ἥρως, τῶν λόφων καὶ τῶν λόχων. 575

Ἡμιχόριον Α ὦ Λάμαχʼ, οὐ γὰρ οὗτος ἅνθρωπος πάλαι ἅπασαν ἡμῶν τὴν πόλιν κακορροθεῖ;

Λάμαχος οὗτος σὺ τολμᾷς πτωχὸς ὢν λέγειν τάδε;

Δικαιόπολις ὦ Λάμαχʼ ἥρως, ἀλλὰ συγγνώμην ἔχε, εἰ πτωχὸς ὢν εἶπόν τι κἀστωμυλάμην.

Λάμαχος τί δʼ εἶπας ἡμᾶς; οὐκ ἐρεῖς; 580

Δικαιόπολις οὐκ οἶδά πω· ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους γὰρ τῶν ὅπλων εἰλιγγιῶ. ἀλλʼ ἀντιβολῶ σʼ ἀπένεγκέ μου τὴν μορμόνα.

Λάμαχος ἰδού.

Δικαιόπολις παράθες νυν ὑπτίαν αὐτὴν ἐμοί.

Λάμαχος κεῖται.

Δικαιόπολις φέρε νυν ἀπὸ τοῦ κράνους μοι τὸ πτερόν.

Λάμαχος τουτὶ πτίλον σοι. 585

Δικαιόπολις τῆς κεφαλῆς νύν μου λαβοῦ, ἵνʼ ἐξεμέσω· βδελύττομαι γὰρ τοὺς λόφους.

Λάμαχος οὗτος τί δράσεις; τῷ πτίλῳ μέλλεις ἐμεῖν; πτίλον γάρ ἐστιν—

Δικαιόπολις εἰπέ μοι τίνος ποτὲ ὄρνιθός ἐστιν; ἆρα κομπολακύθου;

Λάμαχος οἴμʼ ὡς τεθνήξεις. 590

Δικαιόπολις μηδαμῶς ὦ Λάμαχε· οὐ γὰρ κατʼ ἰσχύν ἐστιν· εἰ δʼ ἰσχυρὸς εἶ, τί μʼ οὐκ ἀπεψώλησας; εὔοπλος γὰρ εἶ.

Λάμαχος ταυτὶ λέγεις σὺ τὸν στρατηγὸν πτωχὸς ὤν;

Δικαιόπολις ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι πτωχός;

Λάμαχος ἀλλὰ τίς γὰρ εἶ;

Δικαιόπολις ὅστις; πολίτης χρηστός, οὐ σπουδαρχίδης, 595 ἀλλʼ ἐξ ὅτου περ ὁ πόλεμος, στρατωνίδης, σὺ δʼ ἐξ ὅτου περ ὁ πόλεμος, μισθαρχίδης.

Λάμαχος ἐχειροτόνησαν γάρ με —

Λάμαχος ἐχειροτονήθησαν γάρ.

Λάμαχος ὦ δημοκρατία ταῦτα δῆτʼ ἀνασχετά;

Δικαιόπολις οὐ δῆτʼ ἐὰν μὴ μισθοφορῇ γε Λάμαχος.

Λάμαχος ἀλλʼ οὖν ἐγὼ μὲν πᾶσι Πελοποννησίοις 620 ἀεὶ πολεμήσω καὶ ταράξω πανταχῇ καὶ ναυσὶ καὶ πεζοῖσι κατὰ τὸ καρτερόν.

Δικαιόπολις ἐγὼ δὲ κηρύττω γε Πελοποννησίοις ἅπασι καὶ Μεγαρεῦσι καὶ Βοιωτίοις πωλεῖν ἀγοράζειν πρὸς ἐμέ, Λαμάχῳ δὲ μή. 625

Current edition Perseus

LAMACHUS Whence comes this cry of battle? where must I bring my aid? where must I sow dread? who wants me to uncase my dreadful Gorgon's head? 1

DICAEOPOLIS Oh, Lamachus, great hero! Your plumes and your cohorts terrify me.

CHORUS This man, Lamachus, incessantly abuses Athens .

LAMACHUS You are but a mendicant and you dare to use language of this sort?

DICAEOPOLIS Oh, brave Lamachus, forgive a beggar who speaks at hazard.

LAMACHUS But what have you said? Let us hear.

DICAEOPOLIS I know nothing about it; the sight of weapons makes me dizzy. Oh! I adjure you, take that fearful Gorgon somewhat farther away.

LAMACHUS There.

DICAEOPOLIS Now place it face downwards on the ground.

LAMACHUS It is done.

DICAEOPOLIS Give me a plume out of your helmet.

LAMACHUS Here is a feather.

DICAEOPOLIS And hold my head while I vomit; the plumes have turned my stomach.

LAMACHUS Hah! what are you proposing to do? do you want to make yourself vomit with this feather?

DICAEOPOLIS Is it a feather? what bird's? a braggart's?

LAMACHUS Ah! ah! I will rip you open.

DICAEOPOLIS No, no, Lamachus! Violence is out of place here! But as you are so strong, why did you not circumcise me? You have all the tools you want for the operation there.

LAMACHUS A beggar dares thus address a general!

DICAEOPOLIS How? Am I a beggar?

LAMACHUS What are you then?

DICAEOPOLIS Who am I? A good citizen, not ambitious; a soldier, who has fought well since the outbreak of the war, whereas you are but a vile mercenary.

LAMACHUS They elected me...

LAMACHUS They were elected.

LAMACHUS Oh! in freedom's name! are such exaggerations to be borne?

DICAEOPOLIS Lamachus is well content; no doubt he is well paid, you know.

LAMACHUS But I propose always to war with the Peloponnesians, both at sea, on land and everywhere to make them tremble, and trounce them soundly.

DICAEOPOLIS For my own part, I make proclamation to all Peloponnesians, Megarians and Boeotians, that to them my markets are open; but I debar Lamachus from entering them.

Commentary

Line 587

Line 610

Stable identifiers

Λάμαχος

πόθεν βοῆς ἤκουσα πολεμιστηρίας;

ποῖ χρὴ βοηθεῖν; ποῖ κυδοιμὸν ἐμβαλεῖν;

τίς Γοργόνʼ ἐξήγειρεν ἐκ τοῦ σάγματος;

Δικαιόπολις

ὦ Λάμαχʼ ἥρως, τῶν λόφων καὶ τῶν λόχων.
575

Ἡμιχόριον Α

ὦ Λάμαχʼ, οὐ γὰρ οὗτος ἅνθρωπος πάλαι

ἅπασαν ἡμῶν τὴν πόλιν κακορροθεῖ;

Λάμαχος

οὗτος σὺ τολμᾷς πτωχὸς ὢν λέγειν τάδε;

Δικαιόπολις

ὦ Λάμαχʼ ἥρως, ἀλλὰ συγγνώμην ἔχε,

εἰ πτωχὸς ὢν εἶπόν τι κἀστωμυλάμην.

Λάμαχος

τί δʼ εἶπας ἡμᾶς; οὐκ ἐρεῖς;
580

Δικαιόπολις

οὐκ οἶδά πω·

ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους γὰρ τῶν ὅπλων εἰλιγγιῶ.

ἀλλʼ ἀντιβολῶ σʼ ἀπένεγκέ μου τὴν μορμόνα.

Λάμαχος

ἰδού.

Δικαιόπολις

παράθες νυν ὑπτίαν αὐτὴν ἐμοί.

Λάμαχος

κεῖται.

Δικαιόπολις

φέρε νυν ἀπὸ τοῦ κράνους μοι τὸ πτερόν.

Λάμαχος

τουτὶ πτίλον σοι.
585

Δικαιόπολις

τῆς κεφαλῆς νύν μου λαβοῦ,

ἵνʼ ἐξεμέσω· βδελύττομαι γὰρ τοὺς λόφους.

Λάμαχος

οὗτος τί δράσεις; τῷ πτίλῳ μέλλεις ἐμεῖν;

πτίλον γάρ ἐστιν—

Δικαιόπολις

εἰπέ μοι τίνος ποτὲ

ὄρνιθός ἐστιν; ἆρα κομπολακύθου;

Λάμαχος

οἴμʼ ὡς τεθνήξεις.
590

Δικαιόπολις

μηδαμῶς ὦ Λάμαχε·

οὐ γὰρ κατʼ ἰσχύν ἐστιν· εἰ δʼ ἰσχυρὸς εἶ,

τί μʼ οὐκ ἀπεψώλησας; εὔοπλος γὰρ εἶ.

Λάμαχος

ταυτὶ λέγεις σὺ τὸν στρατηγὸν πτωχὸς ὤν;

Δικαιόπολις

ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι πτωχός;

Λάμαχος

ἀλλὰ τίς γὰρ εἶ;

Δικαιόπολις

ὅστις; πολίτης χρηστός, οὐ σπουδαρχίδης,
595

ἀλλʼ ἐξ ὅτου περ ὁ πόλεμος, στρατωνίδης,

σὺ δʼ ἐξ ὅτου περ ὁ πόλεμος, μισθαρχίδης.

Λάμαχος

ἐχειροτόνησαν γάρ με —

Λάμαχος

ἐχειροτονήθησαν γάρ.

Λάμαχος

ὦ δημοκρατία ταῦτα δῆτʼ ἀνασχετά;

Δικαιόπολις

οὐ δῆτʼ ἐὰν μὴ μισθοφορῇ γε Λάμαχος.

Λάμαχος

ἀλλʼ οὖν ἐγὼ μὲν πᾶσι Πελοποννησίοις
620

ἀεὶ πολεμήσω καὶ ταράξω πανταχῇ

καὶ ναυσὶ καὶ πεζοῖσι κατὰ τὸ καρτερόν.

Δικαιόπολις

ἐγὼ δὲ κηρύττω γε Πελοποννησίοις

ἅπασι καὶ Μεγαρεῦσι καὶ Βοιωτίοις

πωλεῖν ἀγοράζειν πρὸς ἐμέ, Λαμάχῳ δὲ μή.
625

LAMACHUS

Whence comes this cry of battle? where must I bring my aid? where must I sow dread? who wants me to uncase my dreadful Gorgon's head?¹

DICAEOPOLIS

Oh, Lamachus, great hero! Your plumes and your cohorts terrify me.

CHORUS

This man, Lamachus, incessantly abuses Athens .

LAMACHUS

You are but a mendicant and you dare to use language of this sort?

DICAEOPOLIS

Oh, brave Lamachus, forgive a beggar who speaks at hazard.

LAMACHUS

But what have you said? Let us hear.

DICAEOPOLIS

I know nothing about it; the sight of weapons makes me dizzy. Oh! I adjure you, take that fearful Gorgon somewhat farther away.

LAMACHUS

There.

DICAEOPOLIS

Now place it face downwards on the ground.

LAMACHUS

It is done.

DICAEOPOLIS

Give me a plume out of your helmet.

LAMACHUS

Here is a feather.

DICAEOPOLIS

And hold my head while I vomit; the plumes have turned my stomach.

LAMACHUS

Hah! what are you proposing to do? do you want to make yourself vomit with this feather?

DICAEOPOLIS

Is it a feather? what bird's? a braggart's?

LAMACHUS

Ah! ah! I will rip you open.

DICAEOPOLIS

No, no, Lamachus! Violence is out of place here! But as you are so strong, why did you not circumcise me? You have all the tools you want for the operation there.

LAMACHUS

A beggar dares thus address a general!

DICAEOPOLIS

How? Am I a beggar?

LAMACHUS

What are you then?

DICAEOPOLIS

Who am I? A good citizen, not ambitious; a soldier, who has fought well since the outbreak of the war, whereas you are but a vile mercenary.

LAMACHUS

They elected me...

LAMACHUS

They were elected.

LAMACHUS

Oh! in freedom's name! are such exaggerations to be borne?

DICAEOPOLIS

Lamachus is well content; no doubt he is well paid, you know.

LAMACHUS

But I propose always to war with the Peloponnesians, both at sea, on land and everywhere to make them tremble, and trounce them soundly.

DICAEOPOLIS

For my own part, I make proclamation to all Peloponnesians, Megarians and Boeotians, that to them my markets are open; but I debar Lamachus from entering them.