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τοῦτʼ ἔδακε τὸν πόρπακα τὸν Κλεωνύμου.
The verb ἔδακε (aorist of δάκνω) is used metaphorically here to mean 'bit' in the sense of 'severely rebuked' or 'galled,' a common metaphorical extension in Attic comedy where verbal attacks are depicted as physical bites. The subject 'this' (τοῦτʼ) refers to the preceding lines of the play where the Paphlagonian (the demagogue) has been subjected to the aggressive rhetoric of the Sausage-Seller. The phrase τὸν πόρπακα functions as a vocative of address, identifying Cleon (son of Cleonymus) by his nickname 'the weaver' (πόρπαξ), a term of abuse implying he is a busybody or meddler, though some scholars argue it may allude to his actual trade or a specific incident in his career. The use of the aorist ἔδακε emphasizes the sudden, sharp, and effective nature of the rebuke, contrasting with the prolonged suffering implied by the present tense.
Knights. Aristophanes. . 2026-09-08.