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Line 438

ὦ Κέκροψ ἥρως ἄναξ τὰ πρὸς ποδῶν Δρακοντίδη,

The vocative ἄναξ is metrically unusual in this position for the iambic trimeter of the parabasis, where a disyllabic form like κέκροπες would be expected; the hypermetric elision or synizesis required to accommodate ἄναξ as a single metrical unit suggests a deliberate archaizing or emphatic address, possibly invoking the specific ritual tone of the 'Kekropid' invocation found in other tragic and comedic parodies of civic identity.

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.) — 403-525 focus

Χορός

εἰπέ μοι τί μέλλομεν κινεῖν ἐκείνην τὴν χολήν,

ἥνπερ, ἡνίκʼ ἄν τις ἡμῶν ὀργίσῃ τὴν σφηκιάν;

νῦν ἐκεῖνο νῦν ἐκεῖνο
405

τοὐξύθυμον, ᾧ κολαζόμεσθα,

κέντρον †ἐντέτατʼ ὀξύ†.

ἀλλὰ θαἰμάτια βαλόντες ὡς τάχιστα, παιδία,

θεῖτε καὶ βοᾶτε, καὶ Κλέωνι ταῦτʼ ἀγγέλλετε,

καὶ κελεύετʼ αὐτὸν ἥκειν
410

ὡς ἐπʼ ἄνδρα μισόπολιν

ὄντα κἀπολούμενον, ὅτι

τόνδε λόγον ἐσφέρει,

μὴ δικάζειν δίκας.

Βδελυκλέων

ὦγαθοὶ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἀκούσατʼ, ἀλλὰ μὴ κεκράγετε.
415

Χορός

νὴ Δίʼ ἐς τὸν οὐρανόν γʼ.

Βδελυκλέων

ὡς τοῦδʼ ἐγὼ οὐ μεθήσομαι.

Χορός

ταῦτα δῆτʼ οὐ δεινὰ καὶ τυραννίς ἐστιν ἐμφανής;

ὦ πόλις καὶ Θεώρου θεοισεχθρία,

κεἴ τις ἄλλος προέστηκεν ἡμῶν κόλαξ.

420

Ξανθίας

Ἡράκλεις καὶ κέντρʼ ἔχουσιν. οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὦ δέσποτα;
420

Βδελυκλέων

οἷς γʼ ἀπώλεσαν Φίλιππον ἐν δίκῃ τὸν Γοργίου.

Χορός

καὶ σέ γʼ αὐτοῖς ἐξολοῦμεν· ἀλλὰ πᾶς ἐπίστρεφε

δεῦρο κἀξείρας τὸ κέντρον εἶτʼ ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἵεσο,

ξυσταλεὶς εὔτακτος ὀργῆς καὶ μένους ἐμπλήμενος,

ὡς ἂν εὖ εἰδῇ τὸ λοιπὸν σμῆνος οἷον ὤργισεν.
425

Ξανθίας

τοῦτο μέντοι δεινὸν ἤδη νὴ Δίʼ, εἰ μαχούμεθα·

ὡς ἔγωγʼ αὐτῶν ὁρῶν δέδοικα τὰς ἐγκεντρίδας.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἀφίει τὸν ἄνδρʼ· εἰ δὲ μή, φήμʼ ἐγὼ

τὰς χελώνας μακαριεῖν σε τοῦ δέρματος.

430

Φιλοκλέων

εἶά νυν ὦ ξυνδικασταὶ σφῆκες ὀξυκάρδιοι,
430

οἱ μὲν ἐς τὸν πρωκτὸν αὐτῶν ἐσπέτεσθʼ ὠργισμένοι,

οἱ δὲ τὠφθαλμὼ κύκλῳ κεντεῖτε καὶ τοὺς δακτύλους.

Βδελυκλέων

ὦ Μίδα καὶ Φρὺξ βοήθει δεῦρο καὶ Μασιντύα,

καὶ λάβεσθε τουτουὶ καὶ μὴ μεθῆσθε μηδενί·

εἰ δὲ μή, ʼν πέδαις παχείαις οὐδὲν ἀριστήσετε.
435

ὡς ἐγὼ πολλῶν ἀκούσας οἶδα θρίων τὸν ψόφον.

Χορός

εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῦτον μεθήσεις, ἔν τί σοι παγήσεται.

Φιλοκλέων

ὦ Κέκροψ ἥρως ἄναξ τὰ πρὸς ποδῶν Δρακοντίδη,

περιορᾷς οὕτω μʼ ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν βαρβάρων χειρούμενον,

οὓς ἐγὼ ʼδίδαξα κλάειν τέτταρʼ ἐς τὴν χοίνικα;
440

Χορός

εἶτα δῆτʼ οὐ πόλλʼ ἔνεστι δεινὰ τῷ γήρᾳ κακά;

δηλαδή· καὶ νῦν γε τούτω τὸν παλαιὸν δεσπότην

πρὸς βίαν χειροῦσιν, οὐδὲν τῶν πάλαι μεμνημένοι

διφθερῶν κἀξωμίδων, ἃς οὗτος αὐτοῖς ἠμπόλα,

καὶ κυνᾶς· καὶ τοὺς πόδας χειμῶνος ὄντος ὠφέλει,
445

ὥστε μὴ ῥιγῶν ἑκάστοτʼ· ἀλλὰ τούτοις γʼ οὐκ ἔνι

οὐδʼ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν αἰδὼς τῶν παλαιῶν ἐμβάδων.

Φιλοκλέων

οὐκ ἀφήσεις οὐδὲ νυνί μʼ ὦ κάκιστον θηρίον,

οὐδʼ ἀναμνησθεὶς ὅθʼ εὑρὼν τοὺς βότρυς κλέπτοντά σε

προσαγαγὼν πρὸς τὴν ἐλάαν ἐξέδειρʼ εὖ κἀνδρικῶς,
450

ὥστε σε ζηλωτὸν εἶναι; σὺ δʼ ἀχάριστος ἦσθʼ ἄρα.

ἀλλʼ ἄνες με καὶ σὺ καὶ σύ, πρὶν τὸν υἱὸν ἐκδραμεῖν.

Χορός

ἀλλὰ τούτων μὲν τάχʼ ἡμῖν δώσετον καλὴν δίκην,

οὐκέτʼ ἐς μακρὰν ἵνʼ εἰδῆθʼ οἷός ἐστʼ ἀνδρῶν τρόπος

ὀξυθύμων καὶ δικαίων καὶ βλεπόντων κάρδαμα.
455

Βδελυκλέων

παῖε παἶ ὦ Ξανθία τοὺς σφῆκας ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκίας.

Ξανθίας

ἀλλὰ δρῶ τοῦτʼ· ἀλλὰ καὶ σὺ τῦφε πολλῷ τῷ καπνῷ.

Σωσίας

οὐχὶ σοῦσθʼ; οὐκ ἐς κόρακας; οὐκ ἄπιτε; παῖε τῷ ξύλῳ.

Ξανθίας

καὶ σὺ προσθεὶς Αἰσχίνην ἔντυφε τὸν Σελλαρτίου.

ἆρʼ ἐμέλλομέν ποθʼ ὑμᾶς ἀποσοβήσειν τῷ χρόνῳ.
460

461

Βδελυκλέων

ἀλλὰ μὰ Δίʼ οὐ ῥᾳδίως οὕτως ἂν αὐτοὺς διέφυγες,

εἴπερ ἔτυχον τῶν μελῶν τῶν Φιλοκλέους βεβρωκότες.

Χορός

ἆρα δῆτʼ οὐκ αὐτὰ δῆλα

τοῖς πένησιν, ἡ τυραννὶς

†ὡς λάθρᾳ γʼ ἐλάνθανʼ ὑπιοῦσά με,†
465

εἰ σύ γʼ ὦ πόνῳ πόνηρε καὶ κομηταμυνία

τῶν νόμων ἡμᾶς ἀπείργεις ὧν ἔθηκεν ἡ πόλις,

οὔτε τινʼ ἔχων πρόφασιν

οὔτε λόγον εὐτράπελον,

αὐτὸς ἄρχων μόνος;
470

Βδελυκλέων

ἔσθʼ ὅπως ἄνευ μάχης καὶ τῆς κατοξείας βοῆς

ἐς λόγους ἔλθοιμεν ἀλλήλοισι καὶ διαλλαγάς;

Χορός

σοὐς λόγους ὦ μισόδημε καὶ μοναρχίας ἐραστά,

καὶ ξυνὼν Βρασίδᾳ καὶ φορῶν κράσπεδα
475

στεμμάτων τήν θʼ ὑπήνην ἄκουρον τρέφων;

477

Βδελυκλέων

νὴ Δίʼ ἦ μοι κρεῖττον ἐκστῆναι τὸ παράπαν τοῦ πατρὸς

μᾶλλον ἢ κακοῖς τοσούτοις ναυμαχεῖν ὁσημέραι.

Χορός

οὐδὲ μὴν οὐδʼ ἐν σελίνῳ σοὐστὶν οὐδʼ ἐν πηγάνῳ·
480

τοῦτο γὰρ παρεμβαλοῦμεν τῶν τριχοινίκων ἐπῶν.

ἀλλὰ νῦν μὲν οὐδὲν ἀλγεῖς, ἀλλʼ ὅταν ξυνήγορος

ταὐτὰ ταῦτα σου καταντλῇ καὶ ξυνωμότας καλῇ.

Βδελυκλέων

ἆρʼ ἂν ὦ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν ὑμεῖς ἀπαλλαχθεῖτέ μου;

ἢ δέδοκταί μοι δέρεσθαι καὶ δέρειν διʼ ἡμέρας;
485

Χορός

οὐδέποτέ γʼ, οὐχ ἕως ἄν τί μου λοιπὸν ᾖ,

ὅστις ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τυραννίδʼ ὧδʼ ἐστάλης.

488

Βδελυκλέων

ὡς ἅπανθʼ ὑμῖν τυραννίς ἐστι καὶ ξυνωμόται,

ἤν τε μεῖζον ἤν τʼ ἔλαττον πρᾶγμά τις κατηγορῇ,

ἧς ἐγὼ οὐκ ἤκουσα τοὔνομʼ οὐδὲ πεντήκοντʼ ἐτῶν·
490

νῦν δὲ πολλῷ τοῦ ταρίχους ἐστὶν ἀξιωτέρα,

ὥστε καὶ δὴ τοὔνομʼ αὐτῆς ἐν ἀγορᾷ κυλίνδεται.

ἢν μὲν ὠνῆταί τις ὀρφὼς μεμβράδας δὲ μὴ ʼθέλῃ,

εὐθέως εἴρηχʼ ὁ πωλῶν πλησίον τὰς μεμβράδας·

ʼοʼὗτος ὀψωνεῖν ἔοιχʼ ἅνθρωπος ἐπὶ τυραννίδι.ʼ
495

ἢν δὲ γήτειον προσαιτῇ ταῖς ἀφύαις ἥδυσμά τι,

ἡ λαχανόπωλις παραβλέψασά φησι θατέρῳ·

εἰπέ μοι, γήτειον αἰτεῖς· πότερον ἐπὶ τυραννίδι,

ἢ νομίζεις τὰς Ἀθήνας σοὶ φέρειν ἡδύσματα;

Ξανθίας

κἀμέ γʼ ἡ πόρνη χθὲς εἰσελθόντα τῆς μεσημβρίας,
500

ὅτι κελητίσαι ʼκέλευον, ὀξυθυμηθεῖσά μοι

ἤρετʼ εἰ τὴν Ἱππίου καθίσταμαι τυραννίδα.

Βδελυκλέων

ταῦτα γὰρ τούτοις ἀκούειν ἡδἔ, εἰ καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ

τὸν πατέρʼ ὅτι βούλομαι τούτων ἀπαλλαχθέντα τῶν

ὀρθροφοιτοσυκοφαντοδικοταλαιπώρων τρόπων
505

ζῆν βίον γενναῖον ὥσπερ Μόρυχος, αἰτίαν ἔχω

ταῦτα δρᾶν ξυνωμότης ὢν καὶ φρονῶν τυραννικά.

Φιλοκλέων

νὴ Δίʼ ἐν δίκῃ γʼ· ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐδʼ ἂν ὀρνίθων γάλα

ἀντὶ τοῦ βίου λάβοιμʼ ἂν οὗ με νῦν ἀποστερεῖς·

οὐδὲ χαίρω βατίσιν οὐδʼ ἐγχέλεσιν, ἀλλʼ ἥδιον ἄν
510

δικίδιον σμικρὸν φάγοιμʼ ἂν ἐν λοπάδι πεπνιγμένον.

Βδελυκλέων

νὴ Δίʼ εἰθίσθης γὰρ ἥδεσθαι τοιούτοις πράγμασιν·

ἀλλʼ ἐὰν σιγῶν ἀνάσχῃ καὶ μάθῃς ἁγὼ λέγω,

ἀναδιδάξειν οἴομαί σʼ ὡς πάντα ταῦθʼ ἁμαρτάνεις.

Φιλοκλέων

ἐξαμαρτάνω δικάζων;
515

Βδελυκλέων

καταγελώμενος μὲν οὖν

οὐκ ἐπαϊεις ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν, οὓς σὺ μόνον οὐ προσκυνεῖς.

ἀλλὰ δουλεύων λέληθας.

Φιλοκλέων

παῦε δουλείαν λέγων,

ὅστις ἄρχω τῶν ἁπάντων.

Βδελυκλέων

οὐ σύ γʼ, ἀλλʼ ὑπηρετεῖς

οἰόμενος ἄρχειν· ἐπεὶ δίδαξον ἡμᾶς ὦ πάτερ,

ἥτις ἡ τιμή ʼστί σοι καρπουμένῳ τὴν Ἑλλάδα.
520

Φιλοκλέων

πάνυ γε, καὶ τούτοισί γʼ ἐπιτρέψαι ʼθέλω.

Βδελυκλέων

καὶ μὴν ἐγώ.

ἄφετέ νυν ἅπαντες αὐτόν.

Φιλοκλέων

καὶ ξίφος γέ μοι δότε.

ἢν γὰρ ἡττηθῶ λέγων σου, περιπεσοῦμαι τῷ ξίφει.

Βδελυκλέων

εἰπέ μοι, τί δʼ ἤν, τὸ δεῖνα, τῇ διαίτῃ μὴ ʼμμένῃς;

Φιλοκλέων

μηδέποτε πίοιμʼ ἀκράτου μισθὸν ἀγαθοῦ δαίμονος.
525

526

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.) — 430 focus

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.

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.

Leader of the Chorus

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?

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.

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.

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.

Bdelycleon

Strike! strike! Xanthias! Drive these wasps away from the house.

Xanthias

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!

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!

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.) — 430 focus

Philocleon: Come now, fellow jurymen, sharp-hearted wasps,

430

Philocleon: Let them go to their own anus, angry,

Philocleon: But you, go around and jab at the eyes, and [jab] the fingers.

Bdelycléon: Oh Midas and Phryx, come here and help, and Masintys,

Bdelycleon: 'And take hold of this fellow and do not let him go to anyone.'

Bdelycleon: but if not, in thick fetters you will not dine at all.

435

Bdelucleon: As I have heard from many, I know the noise of the wasps.

Chorus: But if you do not release this man, where will a boot stick to you?

Philocleon: O Cecrops, hero, lord of the things near the feet of Draco,

Philocleon: You watch me being handled in this way by barbarian men,

Philocleon: Those whom I taught to weep four into the choinix?

440

Chorus: Then surely there are not many terrible evils for old age?

Chorus: that is; and now indeed, this [one], the old master

Chorus: they handle it by force, remembering nothing of the past.

Chorus: of leather and of ox-hide sandals, which this man bought for them,

Chorus: And the dogs; and the feet are useful even when winter is present,

445

Chorus: So that he does not shiver at every turn, but these men have no power.

Chorus: Nor is there any shame even in the eyes of the old matrons.

Philocleon: Will you not even now let me go, you most wicked beast,

Philocleon: nor when you were reminded, having found the grapes, that you were stealing them?

Philocleon: drawing it towards the olive, he drew it off well and manfully,

450

Philokleon: So you are to be envied? And so you were ungrateful.

Philocleon: But let me go, both of you, before my son runs out.

Chorus: But these men will quickly give us a fine trial,

Chorus: No longer far, so that he may be seen what kind of way of men it is.

Chorus: sharp-witted and just and seeing chard.

455

Bdelycleon: hit, hit, oh Xanthias, the wasps from the house.

Xanthias: But I do that; but you too are blinded by the great smoke.

Sosias: Won't you beat him? Won't you go to the crows? Won't you go away? Strike him with the stick.

Xanthias: and you, adding Aeschines, burn Sellarcius.

Xanthias: Were we ever going to stop you with time?

460

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

438. mvp-tlg0019-tlg004-sanjaya-com-eng1-14

Line 438

ὦ Κέκροψ ἥρως ἄναξ τὰ πρὸς ποδῶν Δρακοντίδη,

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 438

Current edition Experimental

Βδελυκλέων ὦγαθοὶ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἀκούσατʼ, ἀλλὰ μὴ κεκράγετε. 415

Χορός νὴ Δίʼ ἐς τὸν οὐρανόν γʼ.

Βδελυκλέων ὡς τοῦδʼ ἐγὼ οὐ μεθήσομαι.

Χορός ταῦτα δῆτʼ οὐ δεινὰ καὶ τυραννίς ἐστιν ἐμφανής; ὦ πόλις καὶ Θεώρου θεοισεχθρία, κεἴ τις ἄλλος προέστηκεν ἡμῶν κόλαξ.

Ξανθίας Ἡράκλεις καὶ κέντρʼ ἔχουσιν. οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὦ δέσποτα; 420

Βδελυκλέων οἷς γʼ ἀπώλεσαν Φίλιππον ἐν δίκῃ τὸν Γοργίου.

Ξανθίας τοῦτο μέντοι δεινὸν ἤδη νὴ Δίʼ, εἰ μαχούμεθα· ὡς ἔγωγʼ αὐτῶν ὁρῶν δέδοικα τὰς ἐγκεντρίδας.

Χορός ἀλλʼ ἀφίει τὸν ἄνδρʼ· εἰ δὲ μή, φήμʼ ἐγὼ τὰς χελώνας μακαριεῖν σε τοῦ δέρματος.

Χορός εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῦτον μεθήσεις, ἔν τί σοι παγήσεται.

Φιλοκλέων ὦ Κέκροψ ἥρως ἄναξ τὰ πρὸς ποδῶν Δρακοντίδη, περιορᾷς οὕτω μʼ ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν βαρβάρων χειρούμενον, οὓς ἐγὼ ʼδίδαξα κλάειν τέτταρʼ ἐς τὴν χοίνικα; 440

Χορός ἀλλὰ τούτων μὲν τάχʼ ἡμῖν δώσετον καλὴν δίκην, οὐκέτʼ ἐς μακρὰν ἵνʼ εἰδῆθʼ οἷός ἐστʼ ἀνδρῶν τρόπος ὀξυθύμων καὶ δικαίων καὶ βλεπόντων κάρδαμα. 455

Βδελυκλέων παῖε παἶ ὦ Ξανθία τοὺς σφῆκας ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκίας.

Ξανθίας ἀλλὰ δρῶ τοῦτʼ· ἀλλὰ καὶ σὺ τῦφε πολλῷ τῷ καπνῷ.

Σωσίας οὐχὶ σοῦσθʼ; οὐκ ἐς κόρακας; οὐκ ἄπιτε; παῖε τῷ ξύλῳ.

Ξανθίας καὶ σὺ προσθεὶς Αἰσχίνην ἔντυφε τὸν Σελλαρτίου. ἆρʼ ἐμέλλομέν ποθʼ ὑμᾶς ἀποσοβήσειν τῷ χρόνῳ. 460

Βδελυκλέων ἀλλὰ μὰ Δίʼ οὐ ῥᾳδίως οὕτως ἂν αὐτοὺς διέφυγες, εἴπερ ἔτυχον τῶν μελῶν τῶν Φιλοκλέους βεβρωκότες.

Βδελυκλέων ἔσθʼ ὅπως ἄνευ μάχης καὶ τῆς κατοξείας βοῆς ἐς λόγους ἔλθοιμεν ἀλλήλοισι καὶ διαλλαγάς;

Χορός σοὐς λόγους ὦ μισόδημε καὶ μοναρχίας ἐραστά, καὶ ξυνὼν Βρασίδᾳ καὶ φορῶν κράσπεδα 475 στεμμάτων τήν θʼ ὑπήνην ἄκουρον τρέφων;

Βδελυκλέων νὴ Δίʼ ἦ μοι κρεῖττον ἐκστῆναι τὸ παράπαν τοῦ πατρὸς μᾶλλον ἢ κακοῖς τοσούτοις ναυμαχεῖν ὁσημέραι.

Βδελυκλέων ἆρʼ ἂν ὦ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν ὑμεῖς ἀπαλλαχθεῖτέ μου; ἢ δέδοκταί μοι δέρεσθαι καὶ δέρειν διʼ ἡμέρας; 485

Χορός οὐδέποτέ γʼ, οὐχ ἕως ἄν τί μου λοιπὸν ᾖ, ὅστις ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τυραννίδʼ ὧδʼ ἐστάλης.

Ξανθίας κἀμέ γʼ ἡ πόρνη χθὲς εἰσελθόντα τῆς μεσημβρίας, 500 ὅτι κελητίσαι ʼκέλευον, ὀξυθυμηθεῖσά μοι ἤρετʼ εἰ τὴν Ἱππίου καθίσταμαι τυραννίδα.

Βδελυκλέων νὴ Δίʼ εἰθίσθης γὰρ ἥδεσθαι τοιούτοις πράγμασιν· ἀλλʼ ἐὰν σιγῶν ἀνάσχῃ καὶ μάθῃς ἁγὼ λέγω, ἀναδιδάξειν οἴομαί σʼ ὡς πάντα ταῦθʼ ἁμαρτάνεις.

Φιλοκλέων ἐξαμαρτάνω δικάζων; 515

Βδελυκλέων καταγελώμενος μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἐπαϊεις ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν, οὓς σὺ μόνον οὐ προσκυνεῖς. ἀλλὰ δουλεύων λέληθας.

Φιλοκλέων παῦε δουλείαν λέγων, ὅστις ἄρχω τῶν ἁπάντων.

Βδελυκλέων οὐ σύ γʼ, ἀλλʼ ὑπηρετεῖς οἰόμενος ἄρχειν· ἐπεὶ δίδαξον ἡμᾶς ὦ πάτερ, ἥτις ἡ τιμή ʼστί σοι καρπουμένῳ τὴν Ἑλλάδα. 520

Φιλοκλέων πάνυ γε, καὶ τούτοισί γʼ ἐπιτρέψαι ʼθέλω.

Βδελυκλέων καὶ μὴν ἐγώ. ἄφετέ νυν ἅπαντες αὐτόν.

Φιλοκλέων καὶ ξίφος γέ μοι δότε. ἢν γὰρ ἡττηθῶ λέγων σου, περιπεσοῦμαι τῷ ξίφει.

Βδελυκλέων εἰπέ μοι, τί δʼ ἤν, τὸ δεῖνα, τῇ διαίτῃ μὴ ʼμμένῃς;

Φιλοκλέων μηδέποτε πίοιμʼ ἀκράτου μισθὸν ἀγαθοῦ δαίμονος. 525

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.

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.

Leader of the Chorus 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?

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.

Bdelycleon Strike! strike! Xanthias! Drive these wasps away from the house.

Xanthias 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!

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!

Commentary

Line 438

Stable identifiers

Βδελυκλέων

ὦγαθοὶ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἀκούσατʼ, ἀλλὰ μὴ κεκράγετε.
415

Χορός

νὴ Δίʼ ἐς τὸν οὐρανόν γʼ.

Βδελυκλέων

ὡς τοῦδʼ ἐγὼ οὐ μεθήσομαι.

Χορός

ταῦτα δῆτʼ οὐ δεινὰ καὶ τυραννίς ἐστιν ἐμφανής;

ὦ πόλις καὶ Θεώρου θεοισεχθρία,

κεἴ τις ἄλλος προέστηκεν ἡμῶν κόλαξ.

Ξανθίας

Ἡράκλεις καὶ κέντρʼ ἔχουσιν. οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὦ δέσποτα;
420

Βδελυκλέων

οἷς γʼ ἀπώλεσαν Φίλιππον ἐν δίκῃ τὸν Γοργίου.

Ξανθίας

τοῦτο μέντοι δεινὸν ἤδη νὴ Δίʼ, εἰ μαχούμεθα·

ὡς ἔγωγʼ αὐτῶν ὁρῶν δέδοικα τὰς ἐγκεντρίδας.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἀφίει τὸν ἄνδρʼ· εἰ δὲ μή, φήμʼ ἐγὼ

τὰς χελώνας μακαριεῖν σε τοῦ δέρματος.

Χορός

εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῦτον μεθήσεις, ἔν τί σοι παγήσεται.

Φιλοκλέων

ὦ Κέκροψ ἥρως ἄναξ τὰ πρὸς ποδῶν Δρακοντίδη,

περιορᾷς οὕτω μʼ ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν βαρβάρων χειρούμενον,

οὓς ἐγὼ ʼδίδαξα κλάειν τέτταρʼ ἐς τὴν χοίνικα;
440

Χορός

ἀλλὰ τούτων μὲν τάχʼ ἡμῖν δώσετον καλὴν δίκην,

οὐκέτʼ ἐς μακρὰν ἵνʼ εἰδῆθʼ οἷός ἐστʼ ἀνδρῶν τρόπος

ὀξυθύμων καὶ δικαίων καὶ βλεπόντων κάρδαμα.
455

Βδελυκλέων

παῖε παἶ ὦ Ξανθία τοὺς σφῆκας ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκίας.

Ξανθίας

ἀλλὰ δρῶ τοῦτʼ· ἀλλὰ καὶ σὺ τῦφε πολλῷ τῷ καπνῷ.

Σωσίας

οὐχὶ σοῦσθʼ; οὐκ ἐς κόρακας; οὐκ ἄπιτε; παῖε τῷ ξύλῳ.

Ξανθίας

καὶ σὺ προσθεὶς Αἰσχίνην ἔντυφε τὸν Σελλαρτίου.

ἆρʼ ἐμέλλομέν ποθʼ ὑμᾶς ἀποσοβήσειν τῷ χρόνῳ.
460

Βδελυκλέων

ἀλλὰ μὰ Δίʼ οὐ ῥᾳδίως οὕτως ἂν αὐτοὺς διέφυγες,

εἴπερ ἔτυχον τῶν μελῶν τῶν Φιλοκλέους βεβρωκότες.

Βδελυκλέων

ἔσθʼ ὅπως ἄνευ μάχης καὶ τῆς κατοξείας βοῆς

ἐς λόγους ἔλθοιμεν ἀλλήλοισι καὶ διαλλαγάς;

Χορός

σοὐς λόγους ὦ μισόδημε καὶ μοναρχίας ἐραστά,

καὶ ξυνὼν Βρασίδᾳ καὶ φορῶν κράσπεδα
475

στεμμάτων τήν θʼ ὑπήνην ἄκουρον τρέφων;

Βδελυκλέων

νὴ Δίʼ ἦ μοι κρεῖττον ἐκστῆναι τὸ παράπαν τοῦ πατρὸς

μᾶλλον ἢ κακοῖς τοσούτοις ναυμαχεῖν ὁσημέραι.

Βδελυκλέων

ἆρʼ ἂν ὦ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν ὑμεῖς ἀπαλλαχθεῖτέ μου;

ἢ δέδοκταί μοι δέρεσθαι καὶ δέρειν διʼ ἡμέρας;
485

Χορός

οὐδέποτέ γʼ, οὐχ ἕως ἄν τί μου λοιπὸν ᾖ,

ὅστις ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τυραννίδʼ ὧδʼ ἐστάλης.

Ξανθίας

κἀμέ γʼ ἡ πόρνη χθὲς εἰσελθόντα τῆς μεσημβρίας,
500

ὅτι κελητίσαι ʼκέλευον, ὀξυθυμηθεῖσά μοι

ἤρετʼ εἰ τὴν Ἱππίου καθίσταμαι τυραννίδα.

Βδελυκλέων

νὴ Δίʼ εἰθίσθης γὰρ ἥδεσθαι τοιούτοις πράγμασιν·

ἀλλʼ ἐὰν σιγῶν ἀνάσχῃ καὶ μάθῃς ἁγὼ λέγω,

ἀναδιδάξειν οἴομαί σʼ ὡς πάντα ταῦθʼ ἁμαρτάνεις.

Φιλοκλέων

ἐξαμαρτάνω δικάζων;
515

Βδελυκλέων

καταγελώμενος μὲν οὖν

οὐκ ἐπαϊεις ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν, οὓς σὺ μόνον οὐ προσκυνεῖς.

ἀλλὰ δουλεύων λέληθας.

Φιλοκλέων

παῦε δουλείαν λέγων,

ὅστις ἄρχω τῶν ἁπάντων.

Βδελυκλέων

οὐ σύ γʼ, ἀλλʼ ὑπηρετεῖς

οἰόμενος ἄρχειν· ἐπεὶ δίδαξον ἡμᾶς ὦ πάτερ,

ἥτις ἡ τιμή ʼστί σοι καρπουμένῳ τὴν Ἑλλάδα.
520

Φιλοκλέων

πάνυ γε, καὶ τούτοισί γʼ ἐπιτρέψαι ʼθέλω.

Βδελυκλέων

καὶ μὴν ἐγώ.

ἄφετέ νυν ἅπαντες αὐτόν.

Φιλοκλέων

καὶ ξίφος γέ μοι δότε.

ἢν γὰρ ἡττηθῶ λέγων σου, περιπεσοῦμαι τῷ ξίφει.

Βδελυκλέων

εἰπέ μοι, τί δʼ ἤν, τὸ δεῖνα, τῇ διαίτῃ μὴ ʼμμένῃς;

Φιλοκλέων

μηδέποτε πίοιμʼ ἀκράτου μισθὸν ἀγαθοῦ δαίμονος.
525

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.

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.

Leader of the Chorus

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?

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.

Bdelycleon

Strike! strike! Xanthias! Drive these wasps away from the house.

Xanthias

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!

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!