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Line 1201

ὅτʼ Ἐργασίωνος τὰς χάρακας ὑφειλόμην.

The phrase τὰς χάρακας refers to the wooden palisades or fortifications of the workshop (ergasterion) of Ergasios, a specific location in Athens. The verb ὑφειλόμην (aorist passive of ὑφίημι) here carries the technical sense of 'borrowing' or 'taking on a debt' in a commercial context, but the object τὰς χάρακας suggests a physical act of taking possession of or perhaps damaging the structures as a form of security or theft, a detail crucial for understanding the comic exaggeration of the character's financial desperation and the specific legal or social friction regarding property in the workshop district.

Wasps. 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)

Σφῆκες Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 1. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.) — 1265-1291 focus

Χορός

πολλάκις δὴ ʼδοξʼ ἐμαυτῷ δεξειὸς πεφυκέναι
1265

καὶ σκαιὸς οὐδεπώποτε·

ἀλλʼ Ἀμυνίας ὁ Σέλλου μᾶλλον οὑκ τῶν Κρωβύλων,

οὗτος ὅν γʼ ἐγώ ποτʼ εἶδον ἀντὶ μήλου καὶ ῥοᾶς

δειπνοῦντα μετὰ Λεωγόρου·

πεινῇ γὰρ ᾗπερ Ἀντιφῶν·
1270

ἀλλὰ πρεσβεύων γὰρ ἐς Φάρσαλον ᾤχετʼ, εἶτʼ ἐκεῖ

μόνος μόνοις

τοῖς Πενέσταισι ξυνῆν τοῖς

Θετταλῶν, αὐτὸς πενέστης ὢν ἔλαττων οὐδενός.

1275

Χορός

ὦ μακάριʼ Αὐτόμενες ὥς σε μακαρίζομεν,
1275

παῖδας ἐφύτευσας ὅτι χειροτεχνικωτάτους·

πρῶτα μὲν ἅπασι φίλον ἄνδρα τε σοφώτατον,

τὸν κιφαραοιδότατον, ᾧ χάρις ἐφέσπετο·

τὸν δʼ ὑποκριτὴν ἕτερον ἀργαλέον ὡς σοφόν·

εἶτʼ Ἀριφράδην πολύ τι θυμοσοφικώτατον,
1280

ὅντινά ποτʼ ὤμοσε μαθόντα παρὰ μηδενός,

ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ σοφῆς φύσεος αὐτόματον ἐκμαθεῖν

γλωττοποιεῖν ἐς τὰ πορνεῖʼ εἰσιόνθʼ ἑκάστοτε.

1283a

Χορός

Χορός

εἰσί τινες οἵ μʼ ἔλεγον ὡς καταδιηλλάγην,

ἡνίκα Κλέων μʼ ὑπετάραττεν ἐπικείμενος
1285

† καί με κακίσταις † ἔκνισε· κᾆθʼ ὅτʼ ἀπεδειρόμην,

οὑκτὸς ἐγέλων μέγα κεκραγότα θεώμενοι,

οὐδὲν ἄρʼ ἐμοῦ μέλον, ὅσον δὲ μόνον εἰδέναι

σκωμμάτιον εἴποτέ τι θλιβόμενος ἐκβαλῶ.

ταῦτα κατιδὼν ὑπό τι μικρὸν ἐπιθήκισα·
1290

εἶτα νῦν ἐξηπάτησεν ἡ χάραξ τὴν ἄμπελον.

Translations (2)

Wasps (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Anonymous; 1938 compilation). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 1224 focus

Bdelycleon

That we shall see. Suppose me to be Cleon. 1225 I am the first to begin the song of Harmodius, and you take it up: "There never yet was seen in Athens ...

Philocleon

... such a rogue or such a thief."

Bdelycleon

Why, you wretched man, it will be the end of you if you sing that. He will vow your ruin, your destruction, 1230 to chase you out of the country.

Philocleon

Well! then I shall answer his threats with another song:

"With your madness for supreme power, 1235 you will end by overthrowing the city, which even now totters towards ruin."

Bdelycleon

And when Theorus, prone at Cleon's feet, takes his hand and sings,

"Like Admetus, love those who are brave," 1240 what reply will you make him?

Philocleon

I shall sing,

"I know not how to play the fox, nor call myself the friend of both parties."

Bdelycleon

Then comes the turn of Aeschines, the son of Sellus, and a well-trained and clever musician, who will sing,

1245 "Good things and riches for Clitagora and me and eke for the Thessalians!"

Philocleon

"The two of us have squandered a great deal between us."

Bdelycleon

At this game you seem at home. 1250 But come, we will go and dine with Philoctemon. —Slave! slave! place our dinner in a basket; we are going out for a good long drinking bout.

Philocleon

By no means, it is too dangerous; for after drinking, one breaks in doors, one comes to blows, one batters everything. 1255 Anon, when the wine is slept off, one is forced to pay.

Bdelycleon

Not if you are with decent people. Either they undertake to appease the offended person or, better still, you say something witty, you tell some comic story, 1260 perhaps one of those you have yourself heard at table, either in Aesop's style or in that of Sybaris ; everyone laughs and the trouble is ended.

Philocleon

Faith! it's worth while learning many stories then, if you are thus not punished for the ill you do.

Bdelycleon

But come, no more delay!

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.) — 1224 focus

Bdelycleon: I shall know it; for indeed I am Cleon.

Bdelycléon: I sing first of Harmodius; but receive it, you.

1225

Bdelyclēon: No man has ever been born in Athens—

Philocleon: Not so clever, nor a thief.

Bdelycleon: You will do this? He will walk by shouting;

Bdelycleon: For he will say that he will destroy you and ruin you.

Bdelycleon: and to drive out of this land.

1230

Philocleon: But as for me,

Philocleon: If he threatens, by Zeus, I shall sing a different song;

Philocleon: O man, this one who is seeking great power,

Philocleon: You will yet disgrace the city; but she has a leaning.

1235

Bdelycléon: But what when Theorus lies at someone's feet?

Bdelycleon: He sings, taking hold of Kleon's right hand;

Bdelycleon: Having heard Admetus' story, friend, love the good men.

Bdelycles: What crooked thing will you say to this man?

Philocleon: Like a singer, I.

Philocleon: There is no fox-hunting,

1240

Philocleon: Not even to both of them is it pleasing.

Bdelycles: After him, Aeschines son of Sella will receive [him].

Bdelucleon: A wise and musical man, and he will sing.

Bdelucleon: money and violence.

1245

Bdelucleon: And to Cleitagoras and to me.

Bdelycleon: With the Thessalians—

Philocleon: you have certainly strutted about a lot, and I too.

Bdelycleon: this, at least, you certainly understand.

Bdelycleon: How about going to Philoctemon's for dinner?

1250

Bdelucleon: Son, son, prepare the dinner for us, Chryse,

Bdelycleon: so that we may also get drunk from time to time.

Philocleon: Not at all.

Philocleon: Drinking is bad; for it comes from wine.

Philocleon: and to knock at the door and to strike and to throw,

Philocleon: and then pay back the money while still hungover.

1255

Bdelycles: No, unless you mix with good and noble men.

Bdelycléon: For either they have declined the one who has suffered,

Bdelucleon: "Did you speak a witty remark yourself,"

Bdelycleon: Is it an Aesopic joke or a Sybaritic one?

Bdelucleon: [the things] which you learned at the symposium; and then [they led] to laughter.

1260

Bdelycleon: you turned the case, so that, leaving you, he is going away.

Philocleon: So it must be learned, the many of the speeches,

Philocleon: If I pay nothing, if I do anything bad.

Bdelucléon: Come then, let us go; let nothing hold us back.

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

1201. mvp-tlg0019-tlg004-sanjaya-com-eng1-67

Line 1201

ὅτʼ Ἐργασίωνος τὰς χάρακας ὑφειλόμην.

Aristophanes Wasps 1201

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 1201

Current edition Experimental

Χορός

Bdelycleon

That we shall see. Suppose me to be Cleon. 1225 I am the first to begin the song of Harmodius, and you take it up: "There never yet was seen in Athens ...

Philocleon

... such a rogue or such a thief."

Bdelycleon

Why, you wretched man, it will be the end of you if you sing that. He will vow your ruin, your destruction, 1230 to chase you out of the country.

Philocleon

Well! then I shall answer his threats with another song:

"With your madness for supreme power, 1235 you will end by overthrowing the city, which even now totters towards ruin."

Bdelycleon

And when Theorus, prone at Cleon's feet, takes his hand and sings,

"Like Admetus, love those who are brave," 1240 what reply will you make him?

Philocleon

I shall sing,

"I know not how to play the fox, nor call myself the friend of both parties."

Bdelycleon

Then comes the turn of Aeschines, the son of Sellus, and a well-trained and clever musician, who will sing,

1245 "Good things and riches for Clitagora and me and eke for the Thessalians!"

Philocleon

"The two of us have squandered a great deal between us."

Bdelycleon

At this game you seem at home. 1250 But come, we will go and dine with Philoctemon. —Slave! slave! place our dinner in a basket; we are going out for a good long drinking bout.

Philocleon

By no means, it is too dangerous; for after drinking, one breaks in doors, one comes to blows, one batters everything. 1255 Anon, when the wine is slept off, one is forced to pay.

Philocleon

Faith! it's worth while learning many stories then, if you are thus not punished for the ill you do.

Bdelycleon

But come, no more delay!

Commentary

Line 1201

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 1201

Current edition Experimental

Χορός

Bdelycleon That we shall see. Suppose me to be Cleon. 1225 I am the first to begin the song of Harmodius, and you take it up: "There never yet was seen in Athens ...

Philocleon ... such a rogue or such a thief."

Bdelycleon Why, you wretched man, it will be the end of you if you sing that. He will vow your ruin, your destruction, 1230 to chase you out of the country.

Philocleon Well! then I shall answer his threats with another song:

"With your madness for supreme power, 1235 you will end by overthrowing the city, which even now totters towards ruin."

Bdelycleon And when Theorus, prone at Cleon's feet, takes his hand and sings,

"Like Admetus, love those who are brave," 1240 what reply will you make him?

Philocleon I shall sing, "I know not how to play the fox, nor call myself the friend of both parties."

Bdelycleon Then comes the turn of Aeschines, the son of Sellus, and a well-trained and clever musician, who will sing, 1245 "Good things and riches for Clitagora and me and eke for the Thessalians!"

Philocleon "The two of us have squandered a great deal between us."

Bdelycleon At this game you seem at home. 1250 But come, we will go and dine with Philoctemon. —Slave! slave! place our dinner in a basket; we are going out for a good long drinking bout.

Philocleon By no means, it is too dangerous; for after drinking, one breaks in doors, one comes to blows, one batters everything. 1255 Anon, when the wine is slept off, one is forced to pay.

Philocleon Faith! it's worth while learning many stories then, if you are thus not punished for the ill you do.

Bdelycleon But come, no more delay!

Commentary

Line 1201

Stable identifiers

Bdelycleon

That we shall see. Suppose me to be Cleon. 1225 I am the first to begin the song of Harmodius, and you take it up: "There never yet was seen in Athens ...

Philocleon

... such a rogue or such a thief."

Bdelycleon

Why, you wretched man, it will be the end of you if you sing that. He will vow your ruin, your destruction, 1230 to chase you out of the country.

Philocleon

Well! then I shall answer his threats with another song:

Bdelycleon

And when Theorus, prone at Cleon's feet, takes his hand and sings,

Philocleon

I shall sing,

"I know not how to play the fox, nor call myself the friend of both parties."

Bdelycleon

Then comes the turn of Aeschines, the son of Sellus, and a well-trained and clever musician, who will sing,

1245 "Good things and riches for Clitagora and me and eke for the Thessalians!"

Philocleon

"The two of us have squandered a great deal between us."

Bdelycleon

At this game you seem at home. 1250 But come, we will go and dine with Philoctemon. —Slave! slave! place our dinner in a basket; we are going out for a good long drinking bout.

Philocleon

By no means, it is too dangerous; for after drinking, one breaks in doors, one comes to blows, one batters everything. 1255 Anon, when the wine is slept off, one is forced to pay.

Philocleon

Faith! it's worth while learning many stories then, if you are thus not punished for the ill you do.

Bdelycleon

But come, no more delay!