Aristophanes Clouds 997

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Clouds. 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)
Νεφέλαι Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 1. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.) — 889-1104 focus
Translations (2)
Clouds Perseus (Aristophanes. The Comedies of Aristophanes, Vol. I. Hickie, William James, translator. Bohn: London, 1853.) — 1000 focus
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.) — 1000 focus

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

997. mvp-tlg0019-tlg003-sanjaya-com-eng1-74

Line 997

μήλῳ βληθεὶς ὑπὸ πορνιδίου τῆς εὐκλείας ἀποθραυσθῇς·
The phrase ὑπὸ πορνιδίου ('by a little whore') is a striking example of Aristophanic grotesque humor and semantic degradation, where the abstract concept of εὐκλείας ('reputation' or 'glory') is personified or associated with a lowly prostitute to depict the fall of the wise man. The construction βληθεὶς ὑπὸ πορνιδίου functions as a causal participle modifying the subject of the optative ἀποθραυσθῇς, suggesting a violent, almost mythological assault where the abstract 'glory' is the agent of the physical 'breaking' (ἀποθραυσθῇς) caused by the mundane and shameful 'little whore'. This specific combination of high abstract noun and low concrete noun, mediated by a violent passive participle, is a hallmark of the play's satirical attack on the Sophists, reducing their intellectual pursuits to a farcical scene of physical and moral corruption.