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Line 421

τὰ τοῦ τυφλοῦ Φοίνικος;

The phrase 'τὰ τοῦ τυφλοῦ Φοίνικος' (the things of the blind Phoinikos) alludes to a specific, now lost, comedic scenario or character trait associated with the character Phoinikos in Aristophanes' lost play *The Blind Phoinikos* (or a reference within the extant text to a specific fable or anecdote known to the original audience). While Phoinikos is mentioned elsewhere (e.g., in *The Birds* as a painter), the specific epithet 'blind' and the genitive construction here likely reference a particular joke or plot point where the character's blindness was central to the comedy, possibly involving a misunderstanding of spatial orientation or a trick played upon him. This allusion is not self-evident to modern readers without knowledge of the lost play or the specific comic tradition surrounding this character's disability.

Acharnians. Aristophanes. . 2026-09-08.

Current edition Experimental

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

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Ἀχαρνῆς Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 1. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.) — 490-625 focus

Χορός

τί δράσεις; τί φήσεις; εὖ ἴσθι νυν
490

ἀναίσχυντος ὢν σιδηροῦς τʼ ἀνήρ,

ὅστις παρασχὼν τῇ πόλει τὸν αὐχένα

ἅπασι μέλλεις εἷς λέγειν τἀναντία.

ἁνὴρ οὐ τρέμει τὸ πρᾶγμʼ. εἶά νυν,

ἐπειδήπερ αὐτὸς αἱρεῖ, λέγε.
495

496

Δικαιόπολις

μή μοι φθονήσητʼ ἄνδρες οἱ θεώμενοι,

εἰ πτωχὸς ὢν ἔπειτʼ ἐν Ἀθηναίοις λέγειν

μέλλω περὶ τῆς πόλεως, τρυγῳδίαν ποιῶν.

τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον οἶδε καὶ τρυγῳδία.
500

ἐγὼ δὲ λέξω δεινὰ μὲν δίκαια δέ.

οὐ γάρ με νῦν γε διαβαλεῖ Κλέων ὅτι

ξένων παρόντων τὴν πόλιν κακῶς λέγω.

αὐτοὶ γάρ ἐσμεν οὑπὶ Ληναίῳ τʼ ἀγών,

κοὔπω ξένοι πάρεισιν· οὔτε γὰρ φόροι
505

ἥκουσιν οὔτʼ ἐκ τῶν πόλεων οἱ ξύμμαχοι·

ἀλλʼ ἐσμὲν αὐτοὶ νῦν γε περιεπτισμένοι·

τοὺς γὰρ μετοίκους ἄχυρα τῶν ἀστῶν λέγω.

ἐγὼ δὲ μισῶ μὲν Λακεδαιμονίους σφόδρα,

καὐτοῖς ὁ Ποσειδῶν οὑπὶ Ταινάρῳ θεὸς
510

σείσας ἅπασιν ἐμβάλοι τὰς οἰκίας·

κἀμοὶ γάρ ἐστʼ ἀμπέλια διακεκομμένα.

ἀτὰρ φίλοι γὰρ οἱ παρόντες ἐν λόγῳ,

τί ταῦτα τοὺς Λάκωνας αἰτιώμεθα;

ἡμῶν γὰρ ἄνδρες, κοὐχὶ τὴν πόλιν λέγω,
515

μέμνησθε τοῦθʼ ὅτι οὐχὶ τὴν πόλιν λέγω,

ἀλλʼ ἀνδράρια μοχθηρά, παρακεκομμένα,

ἄτιμα καὶ παράσημα καὶ παράξενα,

ἐσυκοφάντει Μεγαρέων τὰ χλανίσκια·

κεἴ που σίκυον ἴδοιεν ἢ λαγῴδιον
520

ἢ χοιρίδιον ἢ σκόροδον ἢ χόνδρους ἅλας,

ταῦτʼ ἦν Μεγαρικὰ κἀπέπρατʼ αὐθημερόν.

καὶ ταῦτα μὲν δὴ σμικρὰ κἀπιχώρια,

πόρνην δὲ Σιμαίθαν ἰόντες Μεγαράδε

νεανίαι κλέπτουσι μεθυσοκότταβοι·
525

κᾆθʼ οἱ Μεγαρῆς ὀδύναις πεφυσιγγωμένοι

ἀντεξέκλεψαν Ἀσπασίας πόρνα δύο·

κἀντεῦθεν ἀρχὴ τοῦ πολέμου κατερράγη

Ἕλλησι πᾶσιν ἐκ τριῶν λαικαστριῶν.

ἐντεῦθεν ὀργῇ Περικλέης οὑλύμπιος
530

ἤστραπτʼ ἐβρόντα ξυνεκύκα τὴν Ἑλλάδα,

ἐτίθει νόμους ὥσπερ σκόλια γεγραμμένους,

ὡς χρὴ Μεγαρέας μήτε γῇ μήτʼ ἐν ἀγορᾷ

μήτʼ ἐν θαλάττῃ μήτʼ ἐν οὐρανῷ μένειν.

ἐντεῦθεν οἱ Μεγαρῆς, ὅτε δὴ ʼπείνων βάδην,
535

Λακεδαιμονίων ἐδέοντο τὸ ψήφισμʼ ὅπως

μεταστραφείη τὸ διὰ τὰς λαικαστρίας·

κοὐκ ἠθέλομεν ἡμεῖς δεομένων πολλάκις.

κἀντεῦθεν ἤδη πάταγος ἦν τῶν ἀσπίδων.

ἐρεῖ τις, οὐ χρῆν· ἀλλὰ τί ἐχρῆν, εἴπατε.
540
541

φέρʼ εἰ Λακεδαιμονίων τις ἐκπλεύσας σκάφει

ἀπέδοτο φήνας κυνίδιον Σεριφίων,

καθῆσθʼ ἂν ἐν δόμοισιν; ἦ πολλοῦ γε δεῖ·

καὶ κάρτα μέντἂν εὐθέως καθείλκετε

τριακοσίας ναῦς, ἦν δʼ ἂν ἡ πόλις πλέα
545

θορύβου στρατιωτῶν, περὶ τριηράρχου βοῆς,

μισθοῦ διδομένου, παλλαδίων χρυσουμένων,

στοᾶς στεναχούσης, σιτίων μετρουμένων,

ἀσκῶν, τροπωτήρων, κάδους ὠνουμένων,

σκορόδων, ἐλαῶν, κρομμύων ἐν δικτύοις,
550

στεφάνων, τριχίδων, αὐλητρίδων, ὑπωπίων·

τὸ νεώριον δʼ αὖ κωπέων πλατουμένων,

τύλων ψοφούντων, θαλαμιῶν τροπουμένων,

αὐλῶν, κελευστῶν, νιγλάρων, συριγμάτων.

ταῦτʼ οἶδʼ ὅτι ἂν ἐδρᾶτε· τὸν δὲ Τήλεφον
555

οὐκ οἰόμεσθα; νοῦς ἄρʼ ἡμῖν οὐκ ἔνι.

557

Ἡμιχόριον Α

ἄληθες ὦπίτριπτε καί μιαρώτατε;

ταυτὶ σὺ τολμᾷς πτωχὸς ὢν ἡμᾶς λέγειν,

καὶ συκοφάντης εἴ τις ἦν ὠνείδισας;

Ἡμιχόριον Β

νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ καὶ λέγει γʼ ἅπερ λέγει
560

δίκαια πάντα κοὐδὲν αὐτῶν ψεύδεται.

Ἡμιχόριον Α

εἶτʼ εἰ δίκαια, τοῦτον εἰπεῖν αὔτʼ ἐχρῆν;

ἀλλʼ οὔτι χαίρων ταῦτα τολμήσει λέγειν.

Ἡμιχόριον Β

οὗτος σὺ ποῖ θεῖς; οὐ μενεῖς; ὡς εἰ θενεῖς

τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον, αὐτὸς ἀρθήσει τάχα.
565

566

Ἡμιχόριον Α

ἰὼ Λάμαχʼ ὦ βλέπων ἀστραπάς,

βοήθησον ὦ γοργολόφα φανείς,

ἰὼ Λάμαχʼ ὦ φίλʼ ὦ φυλέτα·

εἴτε τις ἔστι ταξίαρχος ἢ στρατηγὸς ἢ

τειχομάχας ἀνήρ, βοηθησάτω
570

τις ἀνύσας. ἐγὼ γὰρ ἔχομαι μέσος.

572

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

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.) — 407 focus

EURIPIDES

I have no time to waste.

DICAEOPOLIS

Very well, have yourself wheeled out here.¹

EURIPIDES

Impossible.

DICAEOPOLIS

Nevertheless...

EURIPIDES

Well, let them roll me out; as to coming down, I have not the time.

DICAEOPOLIS

Euripides....

EURIPIDES

What words strike my ear?

DICAEOPOLIS

You perch aloft to compose tragedies, when you might just as well do them on the ground. I am not astonished at your introducing cripples on the stage.² And why dress in these miserable tragic rags? I do not wonder that your heroes are beggars. But, Euripides, on my knees I beseech you, give me the tatters of some old piece; for I have to treat the Chorus to a long speech, and if I do it ill it is all over with me.

EURIPIDES

What rags do you prefer? Those in which I rigged out Aeneus³ on the stage, that unhappy, miserable old man?

DICAEOPOLIS

No, I want those of some hero still more unfortunate.

EURIPIDES

Of Phoenix, the blind man?

DICAEOPOLIS

No, not of Phoenix, you have another hero more unfortunate than him.

EURIPIDES

Now, what tatters DOES he want? Do you mean those of the beggar Philoctetes?

DICAEOPOLIS

No, of another far more the mendicant.

EURIPIDES

Is it the filthy dress of the lame fellow, Bellerophon?

DICAEOPOLIS

No, 'tis not Bellerophon; he, whom I mean, was not only lame and a beggar, but boastful and a fine speaker.

EURIPIDES

Ah! I know, it is Telephus, the Mysian.

DICAEOPOLIS

Yes, Telephus. Give me his rags, I beg of you.

EURIPIDES

Slave! give him Telephus' tatters; they are on top of the rags of Thyestes and mixed with those of Ino.

SLAVE

Catch hold! here they are.

DICAEOPOLIS

Oh! Zeus, whose eye pierces everywhere and embraces all, permit me to assume the most wretched dress on earth. Euripides, cap your kindness by giving me the little Mysian hat, that goes so well with these tatters. I must to-day have the look of a beggar;
be what I am, but not appear to be
;⁴ the audience will know well who I am, but the Chorus will be fools enough not to, and I shall dupe 'em with my subtle phrases.

EURIPIDES

I will give you the hat; I love the clever tricks of an ingenious brain like yours.

DICAEOPOLIS

Rest happy, and may it befall Telephus as I wish. Ah! I already feel myself filled with quibbles. But I must have a beggar's staff.

EURIPIDES

Here you are, and now get you gone from this porch.

DICAEOPOLIS

Oh, my soul! You see how you are driven from this house, when I still need so many accessories. But let us be pressing, obstinate, importunate. Euripides, give me a little basket with a lamp alight inside.

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.) — 407 focus

Euripides: But I have no time.

Dikaiopolis: But he was surrounded.

Euripides: but it is impossible.

Dicaeopolis: But still.

Euripides: But I will go out to meet him; I have no time to come down.

Dikaiopolis: Euripides,

410

Euripides: Why are you silent?

Dikaiopolis: "You are going up!"

Dicaeopolis: Is it possible to go down? You are not making the right year for lame men.

Dikaiopolis: But what do you have from tragedy, the scraps?

Dikaiopolis: A wretched outfit? You do not look like a beggar.

Dikaiopolis: But I beg you, Euripides, by your knees.

Dikaiopolis: give me a rag from the old drama.

415

Dikaiopolis: for I must speak a long speech to the chorus.

Dikaiopolis: This brings death, if I speak badly.

Euripides: Which straw? Or rather, in which [straw] Oineus here

Euripides: Was the unfortunate old man struggling?

Dikaiopolis: It was not of Oineus, but of one even more wretched.

420

Euripides: 'The things of the blind Phoenician?'

Dikaiopolis: Not from a Phoenician, no;

Dikaiopolis: But there was another, more wretched than Phoinix.

Euripides: Whose, pray, does a man ask for the patches of cloaks?

Euripides: But surely you are speaking of the poor man's Philoctetes' things?

Dikaiopolis: No, but much, much poorer than this one.

425

Euripides: But do you really want the tattered robes?

Euripides: The very thing that this lame fellow Bellerophon had?

Dikaiopolis: Not Bellerophon; but he too was

Dikaiopolis: A lame beggar, arrogant, skillful at speaking.

Euripides: I know a man, Mysian Telephus.

430

Dikaiopolis: Yes, Telephos.

Dikaiopolis: Give me the swaddling-clothes of this man, I beg you.

Euripides: Give him the rags of Telephus, boy.

Euripides: it lies above the rags of the Thyestae.

Euripides: in the middle of Ino's.

Kephisophon: Here, take these.

Dikaiopolis: O Zeus, who sees from above and sees everywhere,

435

Dicaeopolis: to equip myself, like the most wretched man.

Dicaeopolis: Euripides, since you have granted me this favor,

Dikaiopolis: And give me those too, the things that follow the rags.

Dikaiopolis: the Mysian pill-box around the head.

Dikaiopolis: for I must seem to be poor today,

440

Dicaeopolis: to be what I am, but not to seem so.

Dikaiopolis: Let the spectators know who I am.

Dikaiopolis: 'But now the dancers are standing there as fools,'

Dikaiopolis: so that I may trick them with words.

Euripides: I will give it; for with a dense mind I devise subtle schemes.

445

Dikaiopolis: May you prosper, but I am thinking of Telephus.

Dicaeopolis: Well, I am already full of words.

Dikaiopolis: But I do beg for a beggar's staff.

Euripides: Take this and go, weighing out linen.

Dicaeopolis: Oh my soul, for you see how I am being pushed away from the houses,

450

Dikaiopolis: much in need of equipment; so be it now.

Dikaiopolis: a wretched beggar of fat, Euripides.

Dikaiopolis: give me a small basket burned with a lamp.

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

421. mvp-tlg0019-tlg001-sanjaya-com-eng1-10

Line 421

τὰ τοῦ τυφλοῦ Φοίνικος;

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 421

Current edition Experimental

Ἡμιχόριον Α ἄληθες ὦπίτριπτε καί μιαρώτατε; ταυτὶ σὺ τολμᾷς πτωχὸς ὢν ἡμᾶς λέγειν, καὶ συκοφάντης εἴ τις ἦν ὠνείδισας;

Ἡμιχόριον Β νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ καὶ λέγει γʼ ἅπερ λέγει 560 δίκαια πάντα κοὐδὲν αὐτῶν ψεύδεται.

Ἡμιχόριον Α εἶτʼ εἰ δίκαια, τοῦτον εἰπεῖν αὔτʼ ἐχρῆν; ἀλλʼ οὔτι χαίρων ταῦτα τολμήσει λέγειν.

Ἡμιχόριον Β οὗτος σὺ ποῖ θεῖς; οὐ μενεῖς; ὡς εἰ θενεῖς τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον, αὐτὸς ἀρθήσει τάχα. 565

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

EURIPIDES I have no time to waste.

DICAEOPOLIS Very well, have yourself wheeled out here. 1

EURIPIDES Impossible.

DICAEOPOLIS Nevertheless...

EURIPIDES Well, let them roll me out; as to coming down, I have not the time.

DICAEOPOLIS Euripides....

EURIPIDES What words strike my ear?

EURIPIDES What rags do you prefer? Those in which I rigged out Aeneus 3 on the stage, that unhappy, miserable old man?

DICAEOPOLIS No, I want those of some hero still more unfortunate.

EURIPIDES Of Phoenix, the blind man?

DICAEOPOLIS No, not of Phoenix, you have another hero more unfortunate than him.

EURIPIDES Now, what tatters DOES he want? Do you mean those of the beggar Philoctetes?

DICAEOPOLIS No, of another far more the mendicant.

EURIPIDES Is it the filthy dress of the lame fellow, Bellerophon?

DICAEOPOLIS No, 'tis not Bellerophon; he, whom I mean, was not only lame and a beggar, but boastful and a fine speaker.

EURIPIDES Ah! I know, it is Telephus, the Mysian.

DICAEOPOLIS Yes, Telephus. Give me his rags, I beg of you.

EURIPIDES Slave! give him Telephus' tatters; they are on top of the rags of Thyestes and mixed with those of Ino.

SLAVE Catch hold! here they are.

EURIPIDES I will give you the hat; I love the clever tricks of an ingenious brain like yours.

DICAEOPOLIS Rest happy, and may it befall Telephus as I wish. Ah! I already feel myself filled with quibbles. But I must have a beggar's staff.

EURIPIDES Here you are, and now get you gone from this porch.

DICAEOPOLIS Oh, my soul! You see how you are driven from this house, when I still need so many accessories. But let us be pressing, obstinate, importunate. Euripides, give me a little basket with a lamp alight inside.

Commentary

Line 421

Stable identifiers

Ἡμιχόριον Α

ἄληθες ὦπίτριπτε καί μιαρώτατε;

ταυτὶ σὺ τολμᾷς πτωχὸς ὢν ἡμᾶς λέγειν,

καὶ συκοφάντης εἴ τις ἦν ὠνείδισας;

Ἡμιχόριον Β

νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ καὶ λέγει γʼ ἅπερ λέγει
560

δίκαια πάντα κοὐδὲν αὐτῶν ψεύδεται.

Ἡμιχόριον Α

εἶτʼ εἰ δίκαια, τοῦτον εἰπεῖν αὔτʼ ἐχρῆν;

ἀλλʼ οὔτι χαίρων ταῦτα τολμήσει λέγειν.

Ἡμιχόριον Β

οὗτος σὺ ποῖ θεῖς; οὐ μενεῖς; ὡς εἰ θενεῖς

τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον, αὐτὸς ἀρθήσει τάχα.
565

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

EURIPIDES

I have no time to waste.

DICAEOPOLIS

Very well, have yourself wheeled out here.¹

EURIPIDES

Impossible.

DICAEOPOLIS

Nevertheless...

EURIPIDES

Well, let them roll me out; as to coming down, I have not the time.

DICAEOPOLIS

Euripides....

EURIPIDES

What words strike my ear?

EURIPIDES

What rags do you prefer? Those in which I rigged out Aeneus³ on the stage, that unhappy, miserable old man?

DICAEOPOLIS

No, I want those of some hero still more unfortunate.

EURIPIDES

Of Phoenix, the blind man?

DICAEOPOLIS

No, not of Phoenix, you have another hero more unfortunate than him.

EURIPIDES

Now, what tatters DOES he want? Do you mean those of the beggar Philoctetes?

DICAEOPOLIS

No, of another far more the mendicant.

EURIPIDES

Is it the filthy dress of the lame fellow, Bellerophon?

DICAEOPOLIS

No, 'tis not Bellerophon; he, whom I mean, was not only lame and a beggar, but boastful and a fine speaker.

EURIPIDES

Ah! I know, it is Telephus, the Mysian.

DICAEOPOLIS

Yes, Telephus. Give me his rags, I beg of you.

EURIPIDES

Slave! give him Telephus' tatters; they are on top of the rags of Thyestes and mixed with those of Ino.

SLAVE

Catch hold! here they are.

EURIPIDES

I will give you the hat; I love the clever tricks of an ingenious brain like yours.

DICAEOPOLIS

Rest happy, and may it befall Telephus as I wish. Ah! I already feel myself filled with quibbles. But I must have a beggar's staff.

EURIPIDES

Here you are, and now get you gone from this porch.

DICAEOPOLIS

Oh, my soul! You see how you are driven from this house, when I still need so many accessories. But let us be pressing, obstinate, importunate. Euripides, give me a little basket with a lamp alight inside.