The verb θαλαττοκοπέω is a hapax legomenon in Aristophanes, a coined compound combining θαλαττο- (sea) and -κοπέω (to cut/trim, from κόπτω). Here it functions as a vivid metaphor for 'trimming one's beard to look like a sailor' or 'acting the part of a sea-faring man,' reflecting the specific Athenian anxiety about naval strategy and the visual identity of the demagogues who rose to power on naval platforms. The second verb, πλατυγίζεις, is a rare compound from πλατύς (broad) and γιγνώσκω (to make known/grow), likely meaning 'to spread oneself out' or 'to act pompously/broadly,' creating a parallelism of physical posturing with political posturing that mocks the defendant's (Cleon's) perceived arrogance and self-aggrandizement.