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Line 1185

ἐς τὰς τριήρεις ἐντερόνειαν ἡ θεός·

The verb ἐντερόνειαν (aorist subjunctive of ἐντεροῦμαι) is a rare hapax in Aristophanes, derived from ἔντερον ('intestine'). While the verb generally means 'to be sick' or 'to have an upset stomach,' here it is used with the preposition ἐς ('into') and the accusative plural τριήρεις ('triremes'). This construction is syntactically peculiar; the goddess (likely Athena or a personification of the fleet's spirit, though the context suggests a personification of the triremes themselves or the state's naval power) is being described as entering the triremes 'to be sick' or 'to cause sickness within them.' This likely refers to the plague or the general malaise affecting the Athenian fleet, a metaphorical personification where the disease is personified as a goddess entering the ships. The use of the subjunctive suggests a purpose or result clause, but the syntax is compressed, typical of Aristophanic comedy where grammatical regularity is often sacrificed for immediate visual or auditory impact.

Knights. 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)

Ἱππῆς Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 1. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.) — 1191 focus

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

παρʼ ἐμοῦ δʼ ὅλον γε τὸν πλακοῦντα τουτονί.

Κλέων

ἀλλʼ οὐ λαγῷʼ ἕξεις ὁπόθεν δῷς, ἀλλʼ ἐγώ.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

οἴμοι, πόθεν λαγῷά μοι γενήσεται;

ὦ θυμὲ νυνὶ βωμολόχον ἔξευρέ τι.

Κλέων

ὁρᾷς τάδʼ ὦ κακόδαιμον;
1195

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

ὀλίγον μοι μέλει·

ἐκεινοιὶ γὰρ ὡς ἔμʼ ἔρχονταί τινες

πρέσβεις ἔχοντες ἀργυρίου βαλλάντια.

Κλέων

ποῦ ποῦ;

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

τί δέ σοι τοῦτʼ; οὐκ ἐάσεις τοὺς ξένους;

ὦ Δημίδιον ὁρᾷς τὰ λαγῷʼ ἅ σοι φέρω;

Κλέων

οἴμοι τάλας ἀδίκως γε τἄμʼ ὑφήρπασας.
1200

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ καὶ σὺ γὰρ τοὺς ἐκ Πύλου.

Δῆμος

εἴπʼ, ἀντιβολῶ, πῶς ἐπενόησας ἁρπάσαι;

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

τὸ μὲν νόημα τῆς θεοῦ, τὸ δὲ κλέμμʼ ἐμόν.

Κλέων

ἐγὼ δʼ ἐκινδύνευσʼ, ἐγὼ δʼ ὤπτησά γε.

Δῆμος

ἄπιθʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἀλλὰ τοῦ παραθέντος ἡ χάρις.
1205

Κλέων

οἴμοι κακοδαίμων, ὑπεραναιδευθήσομαι.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

τί οὐ διακρίνεις Δῆμʼ ὁπότερός ἐστι νῷν

ἀνὴρ ἀμείνων περὶ σὲ καὶ τὴν γαστέρα;

Δῆμος

τῷ δῆτʼ ἂν ὑμᾶς χρησάμενος τεκμηρίῳ

δόξαιμι κρίνειν τοῖς θεαταῖσιν σοφῶς;
1210

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

ἐγὼ φράσω σοι. τὴν ἐμὴν κίστην ἰὼν

ξύλλαβε σιωπῇ καὶ βασάνισον ἅττʼ ἔνι,

καὶ τὴν Παφλαγόνος· κἀμέλει κρινεῖς καλῶς.

Δῆμος

φέρʼ ἴδω τί οὖν ἔνεστιν;

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

οὐχ ὁρᾷς κενὴν

ὦ παππίδιον; ἅπαντα γάρ σοι παρεφόρουν.
1215

Δῆμος

αὕτη μὲν ἡ κίστη τὰ τοῦ Δήμου φρονεῖ.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

βάδιζέ νυν καὶ δεῦρο πρὸς τὴν Παφλαγόνος.

ὁρᾷς τάδʼ;

Δῆμος

οἴμοι τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὅσων πλέα.

ὅσον τὸ χρῆμα τοῦ πλακοῦντος ἀπέθετο·

ἐμοὶ δʼ ἔδωκεν ἀποτεμὼν τυννουτονί.
1220

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

τοιαῦτα μέντοι καὶ πρότερόν σʼ ἠργάζετο·

σοὶ μὲν προσεδίδου μικρὸν ὧν ἐλάμβανεν,

αὐτὸς δʼ ἑαυτῷ παρετίθει τὰ μείζονα.

Δῆμος

ὦ μιαρὲ κλέπτων δή με ταῦτʼ ἐξηπάτας;

ἐγὼ δέ τυ ἐστεφάνιξα κἀδωρησάμαν.
1225

Κλέων

ἐγὼ δʼ ἔκλεπτον ἐπʼ ἀγαθῷ γε τῇ πόλει.

Δῆμος

κατάθου ταχέως τὸν στέφανον, ἵνʼ ἐγὼ τουτῳὶ

αὐτὸν περιθῶ.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

κατάθου ταχέως μαστιγία.

Κλέων

οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεί μοι χρησμός ἐστι Πυθικὸς

φράζων ὑφʼ οὗ †δεήσει μʼ† ἡττᾶσθαι μόνου.
1230

Translations (2)

Knights (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Anonymous; 1938 compilation). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 1191 focus

Sausage-Seller

But I offer you an entire cake.

Cleon

But you cannot offer him stewed hare as I do.

Sausage-Seller
aside

Ah! great gods! stewed hare! where shall I find it? Oh! brain of mine, devise some trick!

Cleon
showing him the hare

1195 Do you see this, you rogue?

Sausage-Seller
pretending to look afar

A fig for that! Here are some people coming to seek me. They are envoys, bearing sacks bulging with money.

Cleon
Hearing money mentioned Cleon turns his head, and the Sausage-Seller seizes the opportunity to snatch away the stewed hare.

Where, where, I say?

Sausage-Seller

Bah! What's that to you? Will you not even now let the strangers alone? Dear Demos, do you see this stewed hare which I bring you?

Cleon

1200 Ah! rascal! you have shamelessly robbed me.

Sausage-Seller

You have robbed too, you robbed the Laconians at Pylos .

Demos

Please tell me, how did you get the idea to filch it from him?

Sausage-Seller

The idea comes from the goddess; the theft is all my own.

Cleon

And I had taken such trouble to catch this hare and I was the one who had it cooked.

Demos
to Cleon

1205 Get you gone! My thanks are only for him who served it.

Cleon

Ah! wretch! you have beaten me in impudence!

Sausage-Seller

Well then, Demos, say now, who has treated you best, you and your stomach? Decide!

Demos

How 1210 shall I act here so that the spectators shall approve my judgment?

Sausage-Seller

I will tell you. Without saying anything, go and rummage through my basket, and then through the Paphlagonian's, and see what is in them; that's the best way to judge.

Demos

Let us see then, what is there in yours?

Sausage-Seller

Why, it's empty, 1215 dear little father; I have brought everything to you.

Demos

This is a basket devoted to the people.

Sausage-Seller

Now hunt through the Paphlagonian's. Pause, as Demos does so Well?

Demos

Oh! what a lot of good things! Why it's quite full! Oh! what a huge great part of this cake he kept for himself! 1220 He had only cut off the least little tiny piece for me.

Sausage-Seller

But this is what he has always done. Of everything he took, he only gave you the crumbs, and kept the bulk.

Demos
to Cleon

Oh! rascal! was this the way you robbed me? 1225 And I was loading you with chaplets and gifts!

Cleon

I robbed for the public weal.

Demos
to Cleon

Give me back that crown; I shall give it to him.

Sausage-Seller

Return it quick, quick, you gallows-bird.

Cleon

No, for the Pythian oracle 1230 has revealed to me the name of him who shall overthrow me.

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.) — 1191 focus

Sausage-seller: but the whole of this cake is from me.

Cleon: But you will not have a hare from which to give, but I will.

Sausage-Seller: Alas, where will hares come to me?

Pulley: O fellow, now invent something for a buffoon.

Cleon: Do you see these things, you wretched man?

1195

Ball-seller: It matters little to me.

Sausage-seller: For some men are coming towards me like that.

Ball seller: ambassadors carrying bags of silver.

Cleon: Where, where?

Sausage-Seller: What is this to you? Will you not let the strangers [go]?

Hare-seller: Oh Demidion, do you see the hares I am bringing you?

Cleon: Alas, wretch, you have violently snatched away my things unjustly.

1200

Sausage-Seller: By Poseidon, and indeed you are from Pylos too.

Demos: Speak, I beg you, how did you contrive to snatch?

Sausage-Seller: The goddess's plan, but my cleverness.

Cleon: But I took a risk, and I certainly roasted it.

Demus: Go away; for it is not [to me] but to the one who placed it that the favor belongs.

1205

Cleon: Alas, wretch, I shall be utterly shameless.

Sausage-Seller: Why do you not distinguish which Demos we have?

Sausage-seller: a man better than you and your belly?

Demos: With what proof, then, could I make use of you?

Demus: Should I appear to judge wisely for the spectators?

1210

Sausage-seller: I will tell you. Go to my chest.

Sausage-seller: Seize him in silence and torture him for what is inside.

Sausage-seller: And the one from Paphlagonia; and indeed you will judge well.

Demos: Come, let me see what is going on.

Sausage-seller: Don't you see [it is] empty?

Allan-toseller: Oh little dog? For I used to carry everything for you.

1215

Demos: This chest thinks the thoughts of the Demos.

Sausage-seller: Now walk and come here to the house of the Paphlagonian.

Sausage-Seller: Do you see these things?

Demos: Alas for the good men, how many there are!

Demus: He put aside as much money as the price of the cake.

Demos: And he gave me a tongue-cutting.

1220

Sausage-seller: But I used to do the same to you before as well.

Sausage-Seller: he was giving you a little of what he was taking,

Sausage-seller: But he himself was setting before himself the larger portions.

Demos: O filthy one, did you steal these things from me and deceive me?

Demos: But I crowned you and gave you a gift.

1225

Cleon: But I stole for the city's good, indeed.

Demos: Put down the crown quickly, so that I [may do something] with this man

Demos: Let him be whistled off.

Sausage-seller: Put it down quickly, you whipper!

Cleon: No, certainly not, since I have a Pythian oracle.

Cleon: Tell me by whom I will be forced to be defeated, alone.

1230

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

1185. mvp-tlg0019-tlg002-sanjaya-com-eng1-95

Line 1185

ἐς τὰς τριήρεις ἐντερόνειαν ἡ θεός·

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 1185

Current edition Experimental

Ἀλλαντοπώλης παρʼ ἐμοῦ δʼ ὅλον γε τὸν πλακοῦντα τουτονί.

Κλέων ἀλλʼ οὐ λαγῷʼ ἕξεις ὁπόθεν δῷς, ἀλλʼ ἐγώ.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης οἴμοι, πόθεν λαγῷά μοι γενήσεται; ὦ θυμὲ νυνὶ βωμολόχον ἔξευρέ τι.

Κλέων ὁρᾷς τάδʼ ὦ κακόδαιμον; 1195

Ἀλλαντοπώλης ὀλίγον μοι μέλει· ἐκεινοιὶ γὰρ ὡς ἔμʼ ἔρχονταί τινες πρέσβεις ἔχοντες ἀργυρίου βαλλάντια.

Κλέων ποῦ ποῦ;

Ἀλλαντοπώλης τί δέ σοι τοῦτʼ; οὐκ ἐάσεις τοὺς ξένους; ὦ Δημίδιον ὁρᾷς τὰ λαγῷʼ ἅ σοι φέρω;

Κλέων οἴμοι τάλας ἀδίκως γε τἄμʼ ὑφήρπασας. 1200

Ἀλλαντοπώλης νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ καὶ σὺ γὰρ τοὺς ἐκ Πύλου.

Δῆμος εἴπʼ, ἀντιβολῶ, πῶς ἐπενόησας ἁρπάσαι;

Ἀλλαντοπώλης τὸ μὲν νόημα τῆς θεοῦ, τὸ δὲ κλέμμʼ ἐμόν.

Κλέων ἐγὼ δʼ ἐκινδύνευσʼ, ἐγὼ δʼ ὤπτησά γε.

Δῆμος ἄπιθʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἀλλὰ τοῦ παραθέντος ἡ χάρις. 1205

Κλέων οἴμοι κακοδαίμων, ὑπεραναιδευθήσομαι.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης τί οὐ διακρίνεις Δῆμʼ ὁπότερός ἐστι νῷν ἀνὴρ ἀμείνων περὶ σὲ καὶ τὴν γαστέρα;

Δῆμος τῷ δῆτʼ ἂν ὑμᾶς χρησάμενος τεκμηρίῳ δόξαιμι κρίνειν τοῖς θεαταῖσιν σοφῶς; 1210

Ἀλλαντοπώλης ἐγὼ φράσω σοι. τὴν ἐμὴν κίστην ἰὼν ξύλλαβε σιωπῇ καὶ βασάνισον ἅττʼ ἔνι, καὶ τὴν Παφλαγόνος· κἀμέλει κρινεῖς καλῶς.

Δῆμος φέρʼ ἴδω τί οὖν ἔνεστιν;

Ἀλλαντοπώλης οὐχ ὁρᾷς κενὴν ὦ παππίδιον; ἅπαντα γάρ σοι παρεφόρουν. 1215

Δῆμος αὕτη μὲν ἡ κίστη τὰ τοῦ Δήμου φρονεῖ.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης βάδιζέ νυν καὶ δεῦρο πρὸς τὴν Παφλαγόνος. ὁρᾷς τάδʼ;

Δῆμος οἴμοι τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὅσων πλέα. ὅσον τὸ χρῆμα τοῦ πλακοῦντος ἀπέθετο· ἐμοὶ δʼ ἔδωκεν ἀποτεμὼν τυννουτονί. 1220

Ἀλλαντοπώλης τοιαῦτα μέντοι καὶ πρότερόν σʼ ἠργάζετο· σοὶ μὲν προσεδίδου μικρὸν ὧν ἐλάμβανεν, αὐτὸς δʼ ἑαυτῷ παρετίθει τὰ μείζονα.

Δῆμος ὦ μιαρὲ κλέπτων δή με ταῦτʼ ἐξηπάτας; ἐγὼ δέ τυ ἐστεφάνιξα κἀδωρησάμαν. 1225

Κλέων ἐγὼ δʼ ἔκλεπτον ἐπʼ ἀγαθῷ γε τῇ πόλει.

Δῆμος κατάθου ταχέως τὸν στέφανον, ἵνʼ ἐγὼ τουτῳὶ αὐτὸν περιθῶ.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης κατάθου ταχέως μαστιγία.

Κλέων οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεί μοι χρησμός ἐστι Πυθικὸς φράζων ὑφʼ οὗ †δεήσει μʼ† ἡττᾶσθαι μόνου. 1230

Sausage-Seller But I offer you an entire cake.

Cleon But you cannot offer him stewed hare as I do.

Sausage-Seller aside Ah! great gods! stewed hare! where shall I find it? Oh! brain of mine, devise some trick!

Cleon showing him the hare 1195 Do you see this, you rogue?

Sausage-Seller pretending to look afar A fig for that! Here are some people coming to seek me. They are envoys, bearing sacks bulging with money.

Cleon Hearing money mentioned Cleon turns his head, and the Sausage-Seller seizes the opportunity to snatch away the stewed hare. Where, where, I say?

Sausage-Seller Bah! What's that to you? Will you not even now let the strangers alone? Dear Demos, do you see this stewed hare which I bring you?

Cleon 1200 Ah! rascal! you have shamelessly robbed me.

Sausage-Seller You have robbed too, you robbed the Laconians at Pylos .

Demos Please tell me, how did you get the idea to filch it from him?

Sausage-Seller The idea comes from the goddess; the theft is all my own.

Cleon And I had taken such trouble to catch this hare and I was the one who had it cooked.

Demos to Cleon 1205 Get you gone! My thanks are only for him who served it.

Cleon Ah! wretch! you have beaten me in impudence!

Sausage-Seller Well then, Demos, say now, who has treated you best, you and your stomach? Decide!

Demos How 1210 shall I act here so that the spectators shall approve my judgment?

Sausage-Seller I will tell you. Without saying anything, go and rummage through my basket, and then through the Paphlagonian's, and see what is in them; that's the best way to judge.

Demos Let us see then, what is there in yours?

Sausage-Seller Why, it's empty, 1215 dear little father; I have brought everything to you.

Demos This is a basket devoted to the people.

Sausage-Seller Now hunt through the Paphlagonian's. Pause, as Demos does so Well?

Demos Oh! what a lot of good things! Why it's quite full! Oh! what a huge great part of this cake he kept for himself! 1220 He had only cut off the least little tiny piece for me.

Sausage-Seller But this is what he has always done. Of everything he took, he only gave you the crumbs, and kept the bulk.

Demos to Cleon Oh! rascal! was this the way you robbed me? 1225 And I was loading you with chaplets and gifts!

Cleon I robbed for the public weal.

Demos to Cleon Give me back that crown; I shall give it to him.

Sausage-Seller Return it quick, quick, you gallows-bird.

Cleon No, for the Pythian oracle 1230 has revealed to me the name of him who shall overthrow me.

Commentary

Line 1185

Stable identifiers

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

παρʼ ἐμοῦ δʼ ὅλον γε τὸν πλακοῦντα τουτονί.

Κλέων

ἀλλʼ οὐ λαγῷʼ ἕξεις ὁπόθεν δῷς, ἀλλʼ ἐγώ.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

οἴμοι, πόθεν λαγῷά μοι γενήσεται;

ὦ θυμὲ νυνὶ βωμολόχον ἔξευρέ τι.

Κλέων

ὁρᾷς τάδʼ ὦ κακόδαιμον;
1195

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

ὀλίγον μοι μέλει·

ἐκεινοιὶ γὰρ ὡς ἔμʼ ἔρχονταί τινες

πρέσβεις ἔχοντες ἀργυρίου βαλλάντια.

Κλέων

ποῦ ποῦ;

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

τί δέ σοι τοῦτʼ; οὐκ ἐάσεις τοὺς ξένους;

ὦ Δημίδιον ὁρᾷς τὰ λαγῷʼ ἅ σοι φέρω;

Κλέων

οἴμοι τάλας ἀδίκως γε τἄμʼ ὑφήρπασας.
1200

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ καὶ σὺ γὰρ τοὺς ἐκ Πύλου.

Δῆμος

εἴπʼ, ἀντιβολῶ, πῶς ἐπενόησας ἁρπάσαι;

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

τὸ μὲν νόημα τῆς θεοῦ, τὸ δὲ κλέμμʼ ἐμόν.

Κλέων

ἐγὼ δʼ ἐκινδύνευσʼ, ἐγὼ δʼ ὤπτησά γε.

Δῆμος

ἄπιθʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἀλλὰ τοῦ παραθέντος ἡ χάρις.
1205

Κλέων

οἴμοι κακοδαίμων, ὑπεραναιδευθήσομαι.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

τί οὐ διακρίνεις Δῆμʼ ὁπότερός ἐστι νῷν

ἀνὴρ ἀμείνων περὶ σὲ καὶ τὴν γαστέρα;

Δῆμος

τῷ δῆτʼ ἂν ὑμᾶς χρησάμενος τεκμηρίῳ

δόξαιμι κρίνειν τοῖς θεαταῖσιν σοφῶς;
1210

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

ἐγὼ φράσω σοι. τὴν ἐμὴν κίστην ἰὼν

ξύλλαβε σιωπῇ καὶ βασάνισον ἅττʼ ἔνι,

καὶ τὴν Παφλαγόνος· κἀμέλει κρινεῖς καλῶς.

Δῆμος

φέρʼ ἴδω τί οὖν ἔνεστιν;

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

οὐχ ὁρᾷς κενὴν

ὦ παππίδιον; ἅπαντα γάρ σοι παρεφόρουν.
1215

Δῆμος

αὕτη μὲν ἡ κίστη τὰ τοῦ Δήμου φρονεῖ.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

βάδιζέ νυν καὶ δεῦρο πρὸς τὴν Παφλαγόνος.

ὁρᾷς τάδʼ;

Δῆμος

οἴμοι τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὅσων πλέα.

ὅσον τὸ χρῆμα τοῦ πλακοῦντος ἀπέθετο·

ἐμοὶ δʼ ἔδωκεν ἀποτεμὼν τυννουτονί.
1220

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

τοιαῦτα μέντοι καὶ πρότερόν σʼ ἠργάζετο·

σοὶ μὲν προσεδίδου μικρὸν ὧν ἐλάμβανεν,

αὐτὸς δʼ ἑαυτῷ παρετίθει τὰ μείζονα.

Δῆμος

ὦ μιαρὲ κλέπτων δή με ταῦτʼ ἐξηπάτας;

ἐγὼ δέ τυ ἐστεφάνιξα κἀδωρησάμαν.
1225

Κλέων

ἐγὼ δʼ ἔκλεπτον ἐπʼ ἀγαθῷ γε τῇ πόλει.

Δῆμος

κατάθου ταχέως τὸν στέφανον, ἵνʼ ἐγὼ τουτῳὶ

αὐτὸν περιθῶ.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

κατάθου ταχέως μαστιγία.

Κλέων

οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεί μοι χρησμός ἐστι Πυθικὸς

φράζων ὑφʼ οὗ †δεήσει μʼ† ἡττᾶσθαι μόνου.
1230

Sausage-Seller

But I offer you an entire cake.

Cleon

But you cannot offer him stewed hare as I do.

Sausage-Seller
aside

Ah! great gods! stewed hare! where shall I find it? Oh! brain of mine, devise some trick!

Cleon
showing him the hare

1195 Do you see this, you rogue?

Sausage-Seller
pretending to look afar

A fig for that! Here are some people coming to seek me. They are envoys, bearing sacks bulging with money.

Cleon
Hearing money mentioned Cleon turns his head, and the Sausage-Seller seizes the opportunity to snatch away the stewed hare.

Where, where, I say?

Sausage-Seller

Bah! What's that to you? Will you not even now let the strangers alone? Dear Demos, do you see this stewed hare which I bring you?

Cleon

1200 Ah! rascal! you have shamelessly robbed me.

Sausage-Seller

You have robbed too, you robbed the Laconians at Pylos .

Demos

Please tell me, how did you get the idea to filch it from him?

Sausage-Seller

The idea comes from the goddess; the theft is all my own.

Cleon

And I had taken such trouble to catch this hare and I was the one who had it cooked.

Demos
to Cleon

1205 Get you gone! My thanks are only for him who served it.

Cleon

Ah! wretch! you have beaten me in impudence!

Sausage-Seller

Well then, Demos, say now, who has treated you best, you and your stomach? Decide!

Demos

How 1210 shall I act here so that the spectators shall approve my judgment?

Sausage-Seller

I will tell you. Without saying anything, go and rummage through my basket, and then through the Paphlagonian's, and see what is in them; that's the best way to judge.

Demos

Let us see then, what is there in yours?

Sausage-Seller

Why, it's empty, 1215 dear little father; I have brought everything to you.

Demos

This is a basket devoted to the people.

Sausage-Seller

Now hunt through the Paphlagonian's. Pause, as Demos does so Well?

Demos

Oh! what a lot of good things! Why it's quite full! Oh! what a huge great part of this cake he kept for himself! 1220 He had only cut off the least little tiny piece for me.

Sausage-Seller

But this is what he has always done. Of everything he took, he only gave you the crumbs, and kept the bulk.

Demos
to Cleon

Oh! rascal! was this the way you robbed me? 1225 And I was loading you with chaplets and gifts!

Cleon

I robbed for the public weal.

Demos
to Cleon

Give me back that crown; I shall give it to him.

Sausage-Seller

Return it quick, quick, you gallows-bird.

Cleon

No, for the Pythian oracle 1230 has revealed to me the name of him who shall overthrow me.