Philocleon
430
Come, my dear companions, wasps with relentless hearts, fly against him, animated with your fury. Sting him in the arse, eyes, and fingers.
430
Come, my dear companions, wasps with relentless hearts, fly against him, animated with your fury. Sting him in the arse, eyes, and fingers.
Bdelycleon
opening the door and trying to shove his struggling father in
Midas, Phryx, Masyntias, here! Come and help. Seize this man and hand him over to no one,
435
otherwise you shall starve to death in chains. Fear nothing, I have often heard the crackling of fig-leaves in the fire.
Midas, Phryx, Masyntias, here! Come and help. Seize this man and hand him over to no one,
435
otherwise you shall starve to death in chains. Fear nothing, I have often heard the crackling of fig-leaves in the fire.
Leader of the Chorus
If you won't let him go, I shall bury this sting in your body.
If you won't let him go, I shall bury this sting in your body.
Philocleon
Oh, Cecrops, mighty hero with the tail of a dragon! Seest thou how these barbarians ill-use me —
440
me, who have many a time made them weep a full bushel of tears?
Oh, Cecrops, mighty hero with the tail of a dragon! Seest thou how these barbarians ill-use me —
440
me, who have many a time made them weep a full bushel of tears?
Leader of the Chorus
Is not old age filled with cruel ills? What violence these two slaves offer to their old master! they have forgotten all bygones, the fur-coats and the jackets and the caps he bought for them;
445
in winter he watched that their feet should not get frozen. And only see them now; there is no gentleness in their look nor any recollection of the slippers of other days.
Is not old age filled with cruel ills? What violence these two slaves offer to their old master! they have forgotten all bygones, the fur-coats and the jackets and the caps he bought for them;
445
in winter he watched that their feet should not get frozen. And only see them now; there is no gentleness in their look nor any recollection of the slippers of other days.
Philocleon
to Xanthias
Will you let me go, you accursed animal? Don't you remember the day when I suprised you stealing the grapes;
450
I tied you to an olive-tree and I cut open your bottom with such vigorous lashes that folks thought you had been raped. Get away, you are ungrateful. But let go of me, and you too, before my son comes up.
Will you let me go, you accursed animal? Don't you remember the day when I suprised you stealing the grapes;
450
I tied you to an olive-tree and I cut open your bottom with such vigorous lashes that folks thought you had been raped. Get away, you are ungrateful. But let go of me, and you too, before my son comes up.
Leader of the Chorus
You shall repay us for all this, and that soon.
455
Tremble at our ferocious glance; you shall taste our just anger.
You shall repay us for all this, and that soon.
455
Tremble at our ferocious glance; you shall taste our just anger.
Bdelycleon
Strike! strike! Xanthias! Drive these wasps away from the house.
Strike! strike! Xanthias! Drive these wasps away from the house.
Xanthias
That's just what I am doing. Blind them with smoke too!
That's just what I am doing. Blind them with smoke too!
Sosias
You will not go? The plague seize you! Will you not clear off? Hit them with your stick!
You will not go? The plague seize you! Will you not clear off? Hit them with your stick!
Xanthias
And you, to smoke them out better, throw Aeschines, the son of Sellartius, on the fire.
as the Chorus retires from the unequal conquest
460
There, we were bound to drive you off sooner or later!
And you, to smoke them out better, throw Aeschines, the son of Sellartius, on the fire.
as the Chorus retires from the unequal conquest
460
There, we were bound to drive you off sooner or later!
Wasps. Aristophanes. ed. Eugene O'Neill, Jr.. New York. 1938.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.