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Line 792

καὶ πῶς σὺ φιλεῖς, ὃς τοῦτον ὁρῶν οἰκοῦντʼ ἐν ταῖς φιδάκναισι

The adjective φιδάκναισι (dative plural) is a hapax legomenon in Aristophanes and extremely rare in the entire corpus of Ancient Greek, occurring only here in the extant texts. While etymologically related to φίδις (snake) or φίδιον, its specific meaning in this context—referring to the 'snaky' or 'woven' reed mats used for bedding or flooring in humble dwellings—is clarified only by the scholia and the immediate context of the character's poverty. The dative plural here functions as a locative, indicating the squalid living conditions of the person being observed, contrasting sharply with the claim of friendship.

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.) — 790 focus

Κλέων

καὶ μὴν εἴ πού τις ἀνὴρ ἐφάνη τῷ δήμῳ μᾶλλον ἀμύνων
790

ἢ μᾶλλον ἐμοῦ σε φιλῶν, ἐθέλω περὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς περιδόσθαι.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

καὶ πῶς σὺ φιλεῖς, ὃς τοῦτον ὁρῶν οἰκοῦντʼ ἐν ταῖς φιδάκναισι

καὶ γυπαρίοις καὶ πυργιδίοις ἔτος ὄγδοον οὐκ ἐλεαίρεις,

ἀλλὰ καθείρξας αὐτὸν βλίττεις; Ἀρχεπτολέμου δὲ φέροντος

τὴν εἰρήνην ἐξεσκέδασας, τὰς πρεσβείας τʼ ἀπελαύνεις
795

ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ῥαθαπυγίζων, αἳ τὰς σπονδὰς προκαλοῦνται.

Κλέων

ἵνα γʼ Ἑλλήνων ἄρξῃ πάντων. ἔστι γὰρ ἐν τοῖς λογίοισιν

ὡς τοῦτον δεῖ ποτʼ ἐν Ἀρκαδίᾳ πεντώβολον ἡλιάσασθαι,

ἢν ἀναμείνῃ· πάντως δʼ αὐτὸν θρέψω γʼὼ καὶ θεραπεύσω,

ἐξευρίσκων εὖ καὶ μιαρῶς ὁπόθεν τὸ τριώβολον ἕξει.
800

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

οὐχ ἵνα γʼ ἄρξῃ μὰ Δίʼ Ἀρκαδίας προνοούμενος, ἀλλʼ ἵνα μᾶλλον

σὺ μὲν ἁρπάζῃς καὶ δωροδοκῇς παρὰ τῶν πόλεων, ὁ δὲ δῆμος

ὑπὸ τοῦ πολέμου καὶ τῆς ὁμίχλης ἃ πανουργεῖς μὴ καθορᾷ σου,

ἀλλʼ ὑπʼ ἀνάγκης ἅμα καὶ χρείας καὶ μισθοῦ πρός σε κεχήνῃ.

ἢν δέ ποτʼ εἰς ἀγρὸν οὗτος ἀπελθὼν εἰρηναῖος διατρίψῃ,
805

καὶ χῖδρα φαγὼν ἀναθαρρήσῃ καὶ στεμφύλῳ ἐς λόγον ἔλθῃ,

γνώσεται οἵων ἀγαθῶν αὐτὸν τῇ μισθοφορᾷ παρεκόπτου·

εἶθʼ ἥξει σοι δριμὺς ἄγροικος κατὰ σοῦ τὴν ψῆφον ἰχνεύων.

ἃ σὺ γιγνώσκων τόνδʼ ἐξαπατᾷς καὶ ὀνειροπολεῖς περὶ σαυτοῦ.

Κλέων

οὔκουν δεινὸν ταυτί σε λέγειν δῆτʼ ἔστʼ ἐμὲ καὶ διαβάλλειν
810

πρὸς Ἀθηναίους καὶ τὸν δῆμον, πεποιηκότα πλείονα χρηστὰ

νὴ τὴν Δήμητρα Θεμιστοκλέους πολλῷ περὶ τὴν πόλιν ἤδη;

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

ὦ πόλις Ἄργους κλύεθʼ οἷα λέγει. σὺ Θεμιστοκλεῖ ἀντιφερίζεις;

ὃς ἐποίησεν τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν μεστὴν εὑρὼν ἐπιχειλῆ,

καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἀριστώσῃ τὸν Πειραιᾶ προσέμαξεν,
815

ἀφελών τʼ οὐδὲν τῶν ἀρχαίων ἰχθῦς καινοὺς παρέθηκεν·

σὺ δʼ Ἀθηναίους ἐζήτησας μικροπολίτας ἀποφῆναι

διατειχίζων καὶ χρησμῳδῶν, ὁ Θεμιστοκλεῖ ἀντιφερίζων.

κἀκεῖνος μὲν φεύγει τὴν γῆν σὺ δʼ Ἀχιλλείων ἀπομάττει.

Κλέων

οὔκουν ταυτὶ δεινὸν ἀκούειν ὦ Δῆμʼ ἐστίν μʼ ὑπὸ τούτου,
820

ὁτιή σε φιλῶ;

Δῆμος

παὖ ὦ οὗτος, καὶ μὴ σκέρβολλε πονηρά.

πολλοῦ δὲ πολύν με χρόνον καὶ νῦν ἐλελήθης ἐγκρυφιάζων.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

μιαρώτατος, ὦ Δημακίδιον, καὶ πλεῖστα πανοῦργα δεδρακώς,

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.) — 790 focus

Cleon

790 > Never had Demos a defender or a friend more devoted than myself; on my head, on my life, I swear it!

Sausage-Seller

You pretend to love him and for eight years you have seen him housed in casks, in crevices and dovecots, where he is blinded with the smoke, and you lock him in without pity; 795 Archeptolemus brought peace and you tore it to ribbons; the envoys who come to propose a truce you drive from the city with kicks in their arses.

Cleon

The purpose of this is that Demos may rule over all the Greeks; for the oracles predict that, if he is patient, he must one day sit as judge in Arcadia at five obols per day. Meanwhile, I will nourish him, 800 look after him and, above all, I will ensure to him his three obols.

Sausage-Seller

No, little you care for his reigning in Arcadia , it's to pillage and impose on the allies at will that you reckon; you wish the war to conceal your rogueries as in a mist, that Demos may see nothing of them, and harassed by cares, may only depend on yourself for his bread. 805 But if ever peace is restored to him, if ever he returns to his lands to comfort himself once more with good cakes, to greet his cherished olives, he will know the blessings you have kept him out of, even though paying him a salary; and, filled with hatred and rage, he will rise, burning with desire to vote against you. You know this only too well; it is for this you rock him to sleep with your lies.

Cleon

810 Is it not shameful, that you should dare thus to calumniate me before Demos, me, to whom Athens , I swear it by Demeter, already owes more than it ever did to Themistocles?

Sausage-Seller
declaiming

Oh! citizens of Argos , do you hear what he says?

to Cleon

You dare to compare yourself to Themistocles, who found our city half empty and left it full to overflowing, 815 who one day gave us the Piraeus for dinner, and added fresh fish to all our usual meals. You, on the contrary, you, who compare yourself with Themistocles, have only sought to reduce our city in size, to shut it within its walls, to chant oracles to us. And Themistocles goes into exile, while you gorge yourself on the most excellent fare

Cleon

820 Oh! Demos! Am I compelled to hear myself thus abused, and merely because I love you?

Demos

Silence! stop your abuse! All too long have I been your dupe.

Sausage-Seller

Ah! my dear little Demos, he is a rogue who has played you many a scurvy trick;

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.) — 790 focus

Cleon: And indeed, if any man has appeared to the people more effectively defending

790

Cleon: Or rather, as I love you more, I am willing to stake my head on it.

Sausage-Seller: And how do you love him, seeing that you see him living in the alleyways?

Sausage-seller: And for eight years you have not pitied the vultures or the little towers,

Sausage-seller: But having locked him up, are you mocking? And Archepolis carrying

Sausage-seller: You have scattered the peace, and you drive away the embassies.

795

Sausage-Seller: I am coming from the city, beating my buttocks, which provoke the truces.

Cleon: so that he may rule over all the Greeks. For he is among the learned.

Cleon: 'How this man must at some time be tried in Arcadia for five drachmas.'

Cleon: If he waits. But I shall surely nurse him and care for him,

Cleon: finding out well and shamelessly from where he will have the three-obol piece.

800

Sausage-seller: Not in order that, by Zeus of Arcadia, you may be in charge while taking care, but rather in order that you may be more so

Ball-seller: you both snatch and take bribes from the cities, but the people

Sausage-Seller: Because of the war and the fog, which you do not see, cunning men plot against you.

Sausage-seller: But I have rushed up to you out of necessity, at the same time out of need and out of payment.

Sausage-seller: if he were to go to a country place and spend some time in a state of peace,

805

Sausage-seller: And after eating a raw onion, he will take courage and come to his senses after chewing a fig,

Sausage-Seller: he will learn what fine rewards he has been depriving himself of from the public service.

Sausage-seller: Then a rough, uncouth fellow will come to you, tracking your vote.

Sausage-Seller: You deceive and dream about yourself, knowing this.

Cleon: Surely it is not terrible, then, that you should say these things and slander me?

810

Cleon: against the Athenians and the people, having done many good things.

Cleon: By Demeter, has Themistocles already done far more for the city?

Sausage-Seller: Oh, City of Argos, listen to what he says. Do you compete with Themistocles?

Sausage-Seller: who, finding our city full to the brim,

Sausage-seller: And besides this, he sharpened his tongue against the Piraeus.

815

Fishmonger: having taken nothing from the old ones, he has offered new fish;

Sausage-Seller: But you sought to get the Athenians to declare themselves small-minded.

Ball-seller: building ramparts and chanting oracles, competing with Themistocles.

Ball-seller: And he is fleeing the land, but you are wiping off the Achilles.

Cleon: But is it not terrible to hear this, O Demos, that I am being treated by this man?

820

Cleon: Do you know that I love you?

Demus: And there you are, you fellow, and don't be a scoundrel.

Demus: And you have long been hiding from me, even now.

Sausage-seller: the most wretched, Demakides, and having done the most wicked things,

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

792. mvp-tlg0019-tlg002-sanjaya-com-eng1-49

Line 792

καὶ πῶς σὺ φιλεῖς, ὃς τοῦτον ὁρῶν οἰκοῦντʼ ἐν ταῖς φιδάκναισι

Aristophanes Knights 792

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 792

Current edition Experimental

Κλέων

καὶ μὴν εἴ πού τις ἀνὴρ ἐφάνη τῷ δήμῳ μᾶλλον ἀμύνων
790

ἢ μᾶλλον ἐμοῦ σε φιλῶν, ἐθέλω περὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς περιδόσθαι.

Κλέων

οὔκουν ταυτὶ δεινὸν ἀκούειν ὦ Δῆμʼ ἐστίν μʼ ὑπὸ τούτου,
820

ὁτιή σε φιλῶ;

Δῆμος

παὖ ὦ οὗτος, καὶ μὴ σκέρβολλε πονηρά.

πολλοῦ δὲ πολύν με χρόνον καὶ νῦν ἐλελήθης ἐγκρυφιάζων.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

μιαρώτατος, ὦ Δημακίδιον, καὶ πλεῖστα πανοῦργα δεδρακώς,

Cleon

790 > Never had Demos a defender or a friend more devoted than myself; on my head, on my life, I swear it!

Cleon

The purpose of this is that Demos may rule over all the Greeks; for the oracles predict that, if he is patient, he must one day sit as judge in Arcadia at five obols per day. Meanwhile, I will nourish him, 800 look after him and, above all, I will ensure to him his three obols.

Cleon

810 Is it not shameful, that you should dare thus to calumniate me before Demos, me, to whom Athens , I swear it by Demeter, already owes more than it ever did to Themistocles?

Cleon

820 Oh! Demos! Am I compelled to hear myself thus abused, and merely because I love you?

Demos

Silence! stop your abuse! All too long have I been your dupe.

Sausage-Seller

Ah! my dear little Demos, he is a rogue who has played you many a scurvy trick;

Commentary

Line 792

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 792

Current edition Experimental

Κλέων καὶ μὴν εἴ πού τις ἀνὴρ ἐφάνη τῷ δήμῳ μᾶλλον ἀμύνων 790 ἢ μᾶλλον ἐμοῦ σε φιλῶν, ἐθέλω περὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς περιδόσθαι.

Κλέων οὔκουν ταυτὶ δεινὸν ἀκούειν ὦ Δῆμʼ ἐστίν μʼ ὑπὸ τούτου, 820 ὁτιή σε φιλῶ;

Δῆμος παὖ ὦ οὗτος, καὶ μὴ σκέρβολλε πονηρά. πολλοῦ δὲ πολύν με χρόνον καὶ νῦν ἐλελήθης ἐγκρυφιάζων.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης μιαρώτατος, ὦ Δημακίδιον, καὶ πλεῖστα πανοῦργα δεδρακώς,

Cleon 790 > Never had Demos a defender or a friend more devoted than myself; on my head, on my life, I swear it!

Cleon The purpose of this is that Demos may rule over all the Greeks; for the oracles predict that, if he is patient, he must one day sit as judge in Arcadia at five obols per day. Meanwhile, I will nourish him, 800 look after him and, above all, I will ensure to him his three obols.

Cleon 810 Is it not shameful, that you should dare thus to calumniate me before Demos, me, to whom Athens , I swear it by Demeter, already owes more than it ever did to Themistocles?

Cleon 820 Oh! Demos! Am I compelled to hear myself thus abused, and merely because I love you?

Demos Silence! stop your abuse! All too long have I been your dupe.

Sausage-Seller Ah! my dear little Demos, he is a rogue who has played you many a scurvy trick;

Commentary

Line 792

Stable identifiers

Κλέων

καὶ μὴν εἴ πού τις ἀνὴρ ἐφάνη τῷ δήμῳ μᾶλλον ἀμύνων
790

ἢ μᾶλλον ἐμοῦ σε φιλῶν, ἐθέλω περὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς περιδόσθαι.

Κλέων

οὔκουν ταυτὶ δεινὸν ἀκούειν ὦ Δῆμʼ ἐστίν μʼ ὑπὸ τούτου,
820

ὁτιή σε φιλῶ;

Δῆμος

παὖ ὦ οὗτος, καὶ μὴ σκέρβολλε πονηρά.

πολλοῦ δὲ πολύν με χρόνον καὶ νῦν ἐλελήθης ἐγκρυφιάζων.

Ἀλλαντοπώλης

μιαρώτατος, ὦ Δημακίδιον, καὶ πλεῖστα πανοῦργα δεδρακώς,

Cleon

790 > Never had Demos a defender or a friend more devoted than myself; on my head, on my life, I swear it!

Cleon

The purpose of this is that Demos may rule over all the Greeks; for the oracles predict that, if he is patient, he must one day sit as judge in Arcadia at five obols per day. Meanwhile, I will nourish him, 800 look after him and, above all, I will ensure to him his three obols.

Cleon

810 Is it not shameful, that you should dare thus to calumniate me before Demos, me, to whom Athens , I swear it by Demeter, already owes more than it ever did to Themistocles?

Cleon

820 Oh! Demos! Am I compelled to hear myself thus abused, and merely because I love you?

Demos

Silence! stop your abuse! All too long have I been your dupe.

Sausage-Seller

Ah! my dear little Demos, he is a rogue who has played you many a scurvy trick;