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Στρεψιάδης

πρὸς τοῦ Διὸς ἀντιβολῶ σε φράσον, τίνες εἴσʼ ὦ Σώκρατες αὗται

αἱ φθεγξάμεναι τοῦτο τὸ σεμνόν; μῶν ἡρῷναί τινές εἰσιν;
315

Σωκράτης

ἥκιστʼ ἀλλʼ οὐράνιαι Νεφέλαι μεγάλαι θεαὶ ἀνδράσιν ἀργοῖς·

αἵπερ γνώμην καὶ διάλεξιν καὶ νοῦν ἡμῖν παρέχουσιν

καὶ τερατείαν καὶ περίλεξιν καὶ κροῦσιν καὶ κατάληψιν.

Στρεψιάδης

ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἀκούσασʼ αὐτῶν τὸ φθέγμʼ ἡ ψυχή μου πεπότηται,

καὶ λεπτολογεῖν ἤδη ζητεῖ καὶ περὶ καπνοῦ στενολεσχεῖν,
320

καὶ γνωμιδίῳ γνώμην νύξασʼ ἑτέρῳ λόγῳ ἀντιλογῆσαι·

ὥστʼ εἴ πως ἔστιν ἰδεῖν αὐτὰς ἤδη φανερῶς ἐπιθυμῶ.

Σωκράτης

βλέπε νυν δευρὶ πρὸς τὴν Πάρνηθʼ· ἤδη γὰρ ὁρῶ κατιούσας

ἡσυχῇ αὐτάς.

Στρεψιάδης

φέρε ποῦ; δεῖξον.

Σωκράτης

χωροῦσʼ αὗται πάνυ πολλαὶ

διὰ τῶν κοίλων καὶ τῶν δασέων, αὗται πλάγιαι.
325

Στρεψιάδης

τί τὸ χρῆμα;

ὡς οὐ καθορῶ.

Σωκράτης

παρὰ τὴν εἴσοδον.

Στρεψιάδης

ἤδη νυνὶ μόλις οὕτως.

Σωκράτης

νῦν γέ τοι ἤδη καθορᾷς αὐτάς, εἰ μὴ λημᾷς κολοκύνταις.

Στρεψιάδης

νὴ Δίʼ ἔγωγʼ, ὦ πολυτίμητοι· πάντα γὰρ ἤδη κατέχουσιν.

Σωκράτης

ταύτας μέντοι σὺ θεὰς οὔσας οὐκ ᾔδησθʼ οὐδʼ ἐνόμιζες;

Στρεψιάδης

μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ὁμίχλην καὶ δρόσον αὐτὰς ἡγούμην καὶ καπνὸν εἶναι.
330

Σωκράτης

οὐ γὰρ μὰ Δίʼ οἶσθʼ ὁτιὴ πλείστους αὗται βόσκουσι σοφιστάς,

Θουριομάντεις ἰατροτέχνας σφραγιδονυχαργοκομήτας,

κυκλίων τε χορῶν ᾀσματοκάμπτας ἄνδρας μετεωροφένακας,

οὐδὲν δρῶντας βόσκουσʼ ἀργούς, ὅτι ταύτας μουσοποιοῦσιν.

Στρεψιάδης

ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἐποίουν ὑγρᾶν Νεφελᾶν στρεπταιγλᾶν δάιον ὁρμάν,
335

πλοκάμους θʼ ἑκατογκεφάλα Τυφῶ πρημαινούσας τε θυέλλας,

εἶτʼ ἀερίας διεράς, γαμψοὺς οἰωνοὺς ἀερονηχεῖς,

ὄμβρους θʼ ὑδάτων δροσερᾶν Νεφελᾶν· εἶτʼ ἀντʼ αὐτῶν κατέπινον

κεστρᾶν τεμάχη μεγαλᾶν ἀγαθᾶν κρέα τʼ ὀρνίθεια κιχηλᾶν.

Σωκράτης

διὰ μέντοι τάσδʼ οὐχὶ δικαίως;
340

Στρεψιάδης

λέξον δή μοι, τί παθοῦσαι,

εἴπερ νεφέλαι γʼ εἰσὶν ἀληθῶς, θνηταῖς εἴξασι γυναιξίν;

οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖναί γʼ εἰσὶ τοιαῦται.

Σωκράτης

φέρε ποῖαι γάρ τινές εἰσιν;

Στρεψιάδης

οὐκ οἶδα σαφῶς· εἴξασιν γοῦν ἐρίοισιν πεπταμένοισιν,

κοὐχὶ γυναιξὶν μὰ Δίʼ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν· αὗται δὲ ῥῖνας ἔχουσιν.

Σωκράτης

ἀπόκριναί νυν ἅττʼ ἂν ἔρωμαι.
345

Στρεψιάδης

λέγε νυν ταχέως ὅ τι βούλει.

Σωκράτης

ἤδη ποτʼ ἀναβλέψας εἶδες νεφέλην κενταύρῳ ὁμοίαν,

ἢ παρδάλει ἢ λύκῳ ἢ ταύρῳ;

Στρεψιάδης

νὴ Δίʼ ἔγωγʼ. εἶτα τί τοῦτο;

Σωκράτης

γίγνονται πάνθʼ ὅ τι βούλονται· κᾆτʼ ἢν μὲν ἴδωσι κομήτην

ἄγριόν τινα τῶν λασίων τούτων, οἷόνπερ τὸν Ξενοφάντου,

σκώπτουσαι τὴν μανίαν αὐτοῦ κενταύροις ᾔκασαν αὑτάς.
350

Στρεψιάδης

τί γὰρ ἢν ἅρπαγα τῶν δημοσίων κατίδωσι Σίμωνα, τί δρῶσιν;

Σωκράτης

ἀποφαίνουσαι τὴν φύσιν αὐτοῦ λύκοι ἐξαίφνης ἐγένοντο.

Στρεψιάδης

ταῦτʼ ἄρα ταῦτα Κλεώνυμον αὗται τὸν ῥίψασπιν χθὲς ἰδοῦσαι,

ὅτι δειλότατον τοῦτον ἑώρων, ἔλαφοι διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγένοντο.

Σωκράτης

καὶ νῦν γʼ ὅτι Κλεισθένη εἶδον, ὁρᾷς, διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγένοντο γυναῖκες.
355

Clouds. Aristophanes. ed. F. W. Hall, ed. William M. Geldart. Oxford. 1906.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Νεφέλαι (Greek) (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 1. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.)

Translations (2)

Clouds Perseus (Aristophanes. The Comedies of Aristophanes, Vol. I. Hickie, William James, translator. Bohn: London, 1853.) — 314 focus

Strepsiades.

Tell me, O Socrates, I beseech you, by Jupiter, who are these that have uttered this grand song? Are they some heroines?

Socrates.

By no means; but heavenly Clouds, great divinities to idle men; who supply us with thought and argument, and intelligence and humbug, and circumlocution, and ability to hoax, and comprehension.

Strepsiades.

On this account therefore my soul, having heard their voice, flutters, and already seeks to discourse subtilely, and to quibble about smoke, and having pricked a maxim with a little notion, to refute the opposite argument. So that now I eagerly desire, if by any means it be possible, to see them palpably.

Socrates.

Look, then, hither, toward Mount Parnes; for now I behold them descending gently.

Strepsiades.

Pray where? Show me.

Socrates.

See! There they come in great numbers through the hollows and thickets; there, obliquely.

Strepsiades.

What’s the matter? For I can’t see them.

Socrates.

By the entrance.

Enter Chorus.

Strepsiades.

Now at length with difficulty I just see them.

Socrates.

Now at length you assuredly see them, unless you have your eyes running pumpkins.

Strepsiades.

Yes, by Jupiter! O highly honoured Clouds, for now they cover all things.

Socrates.

Did you not, however, know, nor yet consider, these to be goddesses?

Strepsiades.

No, by Jupiter! But I thought them to be mist, and dew, and smoke.
330

Socrates.

For you do not know, by Jupiter! that these feed very many sophists, Thurian soothsayers, practisers of medicine, lazy-long-haired-onyx-ring-wearers, song-twisters for the cyclic dances, and meteorological quacks. They feed idle people who do nothing, because such men celebrate them in verse.

Strepsiades.

For this reason, then, they introduced into their verses
the dreadful impetuosity of the moist, whirling-bright clouds
; and the
curls of hundred-headed Typho
; and the
hard-blowing tempests
; and then
aerial, moist
;
crooked-clawed birds, floating in air
and
the showers of rain from dewy Clouds.
And then, in return for these, they swallow
slices of great, fine mullets, and bird’s-flesh of thrushes.
335

Socrates.

Is it not just, however, that they should have their reward, on account of these?
340

Strepsiades.

Tell me, pray, if they are really clouds, what ails them, that they resemble mortal women? For they are not such.

Socrates.

Pray, of what nature are they?

Strepsiades.

I do not clearly know: at any rate they resemble spread-out fleeces, and not women, by Jupiter! Not a bit; for these have noses.

Socrates.

Answer, then, whatever I ask you.
345

Strepsiades.

Then say quickly what you wish.

Socrates.

Have you ever, when you; looked up, seen a cloud like to a centaur, or a panther, or a wolf, or a bull?

Strepsiades.

By Jupiter, have I! But what of that?

Socrates.

They become all things, whatever they please. And then if they see a person with long hair, a wild one of these hairy fellows, like the son of Xenophantes, in derision of his folly, they liken themselves to centaurs.

Strepsiades.

Why, what, if they should see Simon, a plunderer of the public property, what do they do?

Socrates.

They suddenly become wolves, showing up his disposition.

Strepsiades.

For this reason, then, for this reason, when they yesterday saw Cleonymus the recreant, on this account they became stags, because they saw this most cowardly fellow.

Socrates.

And now too, because they saw Clisthenes, you observe, on this account they became women.
355

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.) — 314 focus

Strepsiades: By Zeus, I beg you, tell me, what are these, O Socrates?

Strepsiades: The ones who spoke this solemn word? Could they perhaps be heroines?

315

Socrates: Most certainly not, but heavenly great Clouds are goddesses to idle men;

Socrates: who provide us with judgment, speech, and intellect.

Socrates: and sorcery, and convoluted speech, and drumming, and seizure.

Strepsiades: Now, after hearing this their utterance, my soul has flown away,

Strepsiades: he is already seeking to argue over trifles and to talk at length about smoke,

320

Strepsiades: And to strike with a little saying the mind of another with a counter-argument;

Strepsiades: So that if in any way it is possible to see them now openly, I desire it.

Socrates: Look now here toward Mount Parnes; for I already see them coming down.

Socrates: Quietly, those.

Strepsiades: Bring it here, where? Show it.

Socrates: These are very numerous.

Socrates: Through the hollows and the rough ones, these are slanted.

325

Strepsiades: What's the matter?

Strepsiades: Oh, I cannot see!

Socrates: by the entrance.

Strepsiades: By now, with difficulty like this.

Socrates: Now, indeed, you already see them, unless you are blinded by cucumbers.

Strepsiades: By Zeus, I do, O most valuable ones; for they already hold everything.

Socrates: But you did not know that these are goddesses, nor did you think so?

Strepsiades: By Zeus, but I thought them to be mist and dew and smoke.

330

Socrates: For not by Zeus, you know that these nurture the most sophists,

Socrates: Thuriomantees, physician-technicians, seal-naming-beard-trimmers,

Socrates: song-wrestlers of circular choruses, sky-cheating men,

Socrates: They feed idle men doing nothing, because they make them poets.

Strepsiades: So, that's what the wet, twisting Clouds would do, destroying my mind,

335

Strepsiades: the locks of Typhon, the hundred-headed, and the storm winds fanning them,

Strepsiades: then aerial wanderers, bent-winged birds floating in the air,

Strepsiades: Showers of the cool waters of the Clouds; then instead of them I swallowed.

Strepsiades: large pieces of good meat and plump chicks.

Socrates: but for these things, is it not justly?

340

Strepsiades: tell me then, what have you suffered,

Strepsiades: If indeed they are clouds, will they yield to mortal women?

Strepsiades: For those are not like that.

Socrates: Come, for what sort of ones are they?

Strepsiades: I do not know clearly; but they yield at least to woolen things spread out,

Strepsiades: And by Zeus, I won't have it with women at all, not in the least; for they have noses.

Socrates: Now answer what I wish to ask.

345

Strepsiades: Speak now quickly whatever you wish.

Socrates: Have you ever, having looked up, seen a cloud resembling a centaur?

Socrates: 'With a leopard, or a wolf, or a bull?'

Strepsiades: By Zeus, I do! Then what of this?

Socrates: All things come about as they wish; and then, if they see a comet

Socrates: Some wild one of these bearded men, like Xenophanes,

Socrates: they likened themselves to centaurs, mocking his madness.

350

Strepsiades: For what reason did Simon see the public thief, and what are they doing?

Socrates: Wolves suddenly became, revealing his nature.

Strepsiades: So these are the things that Clouds, having seen yesterday the spear-tosser Kleonymos,

Strepsiades: Because I saw that this man was the most cowardly, for this reason deer became [of him].

Socrates: And now, you see, because I saw Cleisthenes, that is why women came to be.

355

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

335. mvp-tlg0019-tlg003-sanjaya-com-eng1-21

Line 335

ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἐποίουν ὑγρᾶν Νεφελᾶν στρεπταιγλᾶν δάιον ὁρμάν,

The genitive plural ὁρμᾶν (from ὁρμή) is syntactically dependent on the noun δάιον (likely a hapax or textual corruption for δαίαν or δαίμονα, 'spirit/daimon'), forming the rare construction of a substantive with a genitive of quality or origin rather than the more standard partitive or descriptive genitive. This reflects Aristophanes' characteristic lexical innovation and the comic poet's tendency to conflate abstract nouns with personified entities in the Clouds' self-description.

353. mvp-tlg0019-tlg003-sanjaya-com-eng1-22

Line 353

ταῦτʼ ἄρα ταῦτα Κλεώνυμον αὗται τὸν ῥίψασπιν χθὲς ἰδοῦσαι,

The phrase ῥίψασπιν is a hapax legomenon in the Aristophanic corpus, functioning as a compound adjective (from ῥίπτω + ἀσπίς) describing a soldier who discards his shield. The term is a specific technical insult within the context of Athenian military culture, referring to the cowardly act of throwing away one's shield to flee the battle line (the source of the later verb ῥιψοκίνδυνος in a different sense). Its use here by the Clouds identifies Cleonymus not merely as a soldier, but as the archetypal deserter, a figure whose reputation for cowardice was so well-known in 423 BCE that no further elaboration was needed for the audience.

355. mvp-tlg0019-tlg003-sanjaya-com-eng1-23

Line 355

καὶ νῦν γʼ ὅτι Κλεισθένη εἶδον, ὁρᾷς, διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγένοντο γυναῖκες.

The clause ὅτι Κλεισθένη εἶδον employs the conjunction ὅτι with the aorist indicative to introduce a causal clause meaning 'since I saw Cleisthenes' or 'now that I have seen Cleisthenes.' This usage of ὅτι for 'since' or 'now that' (often with the indicative) is a specific feature of Aristophanic comic style, contrasting with the more common causal use of γάρ or the causal participle construction found in Attic prose. The specific reference to Cleisthenes (likely the son of Hegesistratus, a contemporary figure known for his effeminate dress and association with Socrates in the play) grounds the abstract complaint about the rise of women in a concrete, contemporary political and social event, serving as the immediate catalyst for the Chorus's observation.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

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Στρεψιάδης πρὸς τοῦ Διὸς ἀντιβολῶ σε φράσον, τίνες εἴσʼ ὦ Σώκρατες αὗται αἱ φθεγξάμεναι τοῦτο τὸ σεμνόν; μῶν ἡρῷναί τινές εἰσιν; 315

Σωκράτης βλέπε νυν δευρὶ πρὸς τὴν Πάρνηθʼ· ἤδη γὰρ ὁρῶ κατιούσας ἡσυχῇ αὐτάς.

Στρεψιάδης φέρε ποῦ; δεῖξον.

Σωκράτης χωροῦσʼ αὗται πάνυ πολλαὶ διὰ τῶν κοίλων καὶ τῶν δασέων, αὗται πλάγιαι. 325

Στρεψιάδης τί τὸ χρῆμα; ὡς οὐ καθορῶ.

Σωκράτης παρὰ τὴν εἴσοδον.

Στρεψιάδης ἤδη νυνὶ μόλις οὕτως.

Σωκράτης νῦν γέ τοι ἤδη καθορᾷς αὐτάς, εἰ μὴ λημᾷς κολοκύνταις.

Στρεψιάδης νὴ Δίʼ ἔγωγʼ, ὦ πολυτίμητοι· πάντα γὰρ ἤδη κατέχουσιν.

Σωκράτης ταύτας μέντοι σὺ θεὰς οὔσας οὐκ ᾔδησθʼ οὐδʼ ἐνόμιζες;

Στρεψιάδης μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ὁμίχλην καὶ δρόσον αὐτὰς ἡγούμην καὶ καπνὸν εἶναι. 330

Σωκράτης διὰ μέντοι τάσδʼ οὐχὶ δικαίως; 340

Στρεψιάδης λέξον δή μοι, τί παθοῦσαι, εἴπερ νεφέλαι γʼ εἰσὶν ἀληθῶς, θνηταῖς εἴξασι γυναιξίν; οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖναί γʼ εἰσὶ τοιαῦται.

Σωκράτης φέρε ποῖαι γάρ τινές εἰσιν;

Στρεψιάδης οὐκ οἶδα σαφῶς· εἴξασιν γοῦν ἐρίοισιν πεπταμένοισιν, κοὐχὶ γυναιξὶν μὰ Δίʼ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν· αὗται δὲ ῥῖνας ἔχουσιν.

Σωκράτης ἀπόκριναί νυν ἅττʼ ἂν ἔρωμαι. 345

Στρεψιάδης λέγε νυν ταχέως ὅ τι βούλει.

Σωκράτης ἤδη ποτʼ ἀναβλέψας εἶδες νεφέλην κενταύρῳ ὁμοίαν, ἢ παρδάλει ἢ λύκῳ ἢ ταύρῳ;

Στρεψιάδης νὴ Δίʼ ἔγωγʼ. εἶτα τί τοῦτο;

Στρεψιάδης τί γὰρ ἢν ἅρπαγα τῶν δημοσίων κατίδωσι Σίμωνα, τί δρῶσιν;

Σωκράτης ἀποφαίνουσαι τὴν φύσιν αὐτοῦ λύκοι ἐξαίφνης ἐγένοντο.

Στρεψιάδης ταῦτʼ ἄρα ταῦτα Κλεώνυμον αὗται τὸν ῥίψασπιν χθὲς ἰδοῦσαι, ὅτι δειλότατον τοῦτον ἑώρων, ἔλαφοι διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγένοντο.

Σωκράτης καὶ νῦν γʼ ὅτι Κλεισθένη εἶδον, ὁρᾷς, διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγένοντο γυναῖκες. 355

Current edition Perseus

Strepsiades. Tell me, O Socrates, I beseech you, by Jupiter, who are these that have uttered this grand song? Are they some heroines?

Socrates. By no means; but heavenly Clouds, great divinities to idle men; who supply us with thought and argument, and intelligence and humbug, and circumlocution, and ability to hoax, and comprehension.

Socrates. Look, then, hither, toward Mount Parnes; for now I behold them descending gently.

Strepsiades. Pray where? Show me.

Socrates. See! There they come in great numbers through the hollows and thickets; there, obliquely.

Strepsiades. What’s the matter? For I can’t see them.

Socrates. By the entrance.

Strepsiades. Now at length with difficulty I just see them.

Socrates. Now at length you assuredly see them, unless you have your eyes running pumpkins.

Strepsiades. Yes, by Jupiter! O highly honoured Clouds, for now they cover all things.

Socrates. Did you not, however, know, nor yet consider, these to be goddesses?

Strepsiades. No, by Jupiter! But I thought them to be mist, and dew, and smoke. 330

Socrates. Is it not just, however, that they should have their reward, on account of these? 340

Strepsiades. Tell me, pray, if they are really clouds, what ails them, that they resemble mortal women? For they are not such.

Socrates. Pray, of what nature are they?

Strepsiades. I do not clearly know: at any rate they resemble spread-out fleeces, and not women, by Jupiter! Not a bit; for these have noses.

Socrates. Answer, then, whatever I ask you. 345

Strepsiades. Then say quickly what you wish.

Socrates. Have you ever, when you; looked up, seen a cloud like to a centaur, or a panther, or a wolf, or a bull?

Strepsiades. By Jupiter, have I! But what of that?

Socrates. They become all things, whatever they please. And then if they see a person with long hair, a wild one of these hairy fellows, like the son of Xenophantes, in derision of his folly, they liken themselves to centaurs.

Strepsiades. Why, what, if they should see Simon, a plunderer of the public property, what do they do?

Socrates. They suddenly become wolves, showing up his disposition.

Strepsiades. For this reason, then, for this reason, when they yesterday saw Cleonymus the recreant, on this account they became stags, because they saw this most cowardly fellow.

Socrates. And now too, because they saw Clisthenes, you observe, on this account they became women. 355

Commentary

Line 335

Line 353

Line 355

Stable identifiers

Στρεψιάδης

πρὸς τοῦ Διὸς ἀντιβολῶ σε φράσον, τίνες εἴσʼ ὦ Σώκρατες αὗται

αἱ φθεγξάμεναι τοῦτο τὸ σεμνόν; μῶν ἡρῷναί τινές εἰσιν;
315

Σωκράτης

βλέπε νυν δευρὶ πρὸς τὴν Πάρνηθʼ· ἤδη γὰρ ὁρῶ κατιούσας

ἡσυχῇ αὐτάς.

Στρεψιάδης

φέρε ποῦ; δεῖξον.

Σωκράτης

χωροῦσʼ αὗται πάνυ πολλαὶ

διὰ τῶν κοίλων καὶ τῶν δασέων, αὗται πλάγιαι.
325

Στρεψιάδης

τί τὸ χρῆμα;

ὡς οὐ καθορῶ.

Σωκράτης

παρὰ τὴν εἴσοδον.

Στρεψιάδης

ἤδη νυνὶ μόλις οὕτως.

Σωκράτης

νῦν γέ τοι ἤδη καθορᾷς αὐτάς, εἰ μὴ λημᾷς κολοκύνταις.

Στρεψιάδης

νὴ Δίʼ ἔγωγʼ, ὦ πολυτίμητοι· πάντα γὰρ ἤδη κατέχουσιν.

Σωκράτης

ταύτας μέντοι σὺ θεὰς οὔσας οὐκ ᾔδησθʼ οὐδʼ ἐνόμιζες;

Στρεψιάδης

μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ὁμίχλην καὶ δρόσον αὐτὰς ἡγούμην καὶ καπνὸν εἶναι.
330

Σωκράτης

διὰ μέντοι τάσδʼ οὐχὶ δικαίως;
340

Στρεψιάδης

λέξον δή μοι, τί παθοῦσαι,

εἴπερ νεφέλαι γʼ εἰσὶν ἀληθῶς, θνηταῖς εἴξασι γυναιξίν;

οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖναί γʼ εἰσὶ τοιαῦται.

Σωκράτης

φέρε ποῖαι γάρ τινές εἰσιν;

Στρεψιάδης

οὐκ οἶδα σαφῶς· εἴξασιν γοῦν ἐρίοισιν πεπταμένοισιν,

κοὐχὶ γυναιξὶν μὰ Δίʼ οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν· αὗται δὲ ῥῖνας ἔχουσιν.

Σωκράτης

ἀπόκριναί νυν ἅττʼ ἂν ἔρωμαι.
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Στρεψιάδης

λέγε νυν ταχέως ὅ τι βούλει.

Σωκράτης

ἤδη ποτʼ ἀναβλέψας εἶδες νεφέλην κενταύρῳ ὁμοίαν,

ἢ παρδάλει ἢ λύκῳ ἢ ταύρῳ;

Στρεψιάδης

νὴ Δίʼ ἔγωγʼ. εἶτα τί τοῦτο;

Στρεψιάδης

τί γὰρ ἢν ἅρπαγα τῶν δημοσίων κατίδωσι Σίμωνα, τί δρῶσιν;

Σωκράτης

ἀποφαίνουσαι τὴν φύσιν αὐτοῦ λύκοι ἐξαίφνης ἐγένοντο.

Στρεψιάδης

ταῦτʼ ἄρα ταῦτα Κλεώνυμον αὗται τὸν ῥίψασπιν χθὲς ἰδοῦσαι,

ὅτι δειλότατον τοῦτον ἑώρων, ἔλαφοι διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγένοντο.

Σωκράτης

καὶ νῦν γʼ ὅτι Κλεισθένη εἶδον, ὁρᾷς, διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐγένοντο γυναῖκες.
355

Strepsiades.

Tell me, O Socrates, I beseech you, by Jupiter, who are these that have uttered this grand song? Are they some heroines?

Socrates.

By no means; but heavenly Clouds, great divinities to idle men; who supply us with thought and argument, and intelligence and humbug, and circumlocution, and ability to hoax, and comprehension.

Socrates.

Look, then, hither, toward Mount Parnes; for now I behold them descending gently.

Strepsiades.

Pray where? Show me.

Socrates.

See! There they come in great numbers through the hollows and thickets; there, obliquely.

Strepsiades.

What’s the matter? For I can’t see them.

Socrates.

By the entrance.

Strepsiades.

Now at length with difficulty I just see them.

Socrates.

Now at length you assuredly see them, unless you have your eyes running pumpkins.

Strepsiades.

Yes, by Jupiter! O highly honoured Clouds, for now they cover all things.

Socrates.

Did you not, however, know, nor yet consider, these to be goddesses?

Strepsiades.

No, by Jupiter! But I thought them to be mist, and dew, and smoke.
330

Socrates.

Is it not just, however, that they should have their reward, on account of these?
340

Strepsiades.

Tell me, pray, if they are really clouds, what ails them, that they resemble mortal women? For they are not such.

Socrates.

Pray, of what nature are they?

Strepsiades.

I do not clearly know: at any rate they resemble spread-out fleeces, and not women, by Jupiter! Not a bit; for these have noses.

Socrates.

Answer, then, whatever I ask you.
345

Strepsiades.

Then say quickly what you wish.

Socrates.

Have you ever, when you; looked up, seen a cloud like to a centaur, or a panther, or a wolf, or a bull?

Strepsiades.

By Jupiter, have I! But what of that?

Socrates.

They become all things, whatever they please. And then if they see a person with long hair, a wild one of these hairy fellows, like the son of Xenophantes, in derision of his folly, they liken themselves to centaurs.

Strepsiades.

Why, what, if they should see Simon, a plunderer of the public property, what do they do?

Socrates.

They suddenly become wolves, showing up his disposition.

Strepsiades.

For this reason, then, for this reason, when they yesterday saw Cleonymus the recreant, on this account they became stags, because they saw this most cowardly fellow.

Socrates.

And now too, because they saw Clisthenes, you observe, on this account they became women.
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