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Line 811

γραοσόβαι μιαροὶ τραγομάσχαλοι ἰχθυολῦμαι·

The adjective τραγομάσχαλοι ('goat-axillary' or 'goat-ribbed') is a rare, Aristophanic coinage describing the coarse, hairy underarms of the rustic chorus members, evoking the satyr-like appearance of the 'goat-men' associated with rural festivals and Dionysiac rites. The compound's novelty underscores the grotesque, comic dehumanization of the farmers in this scene.

Peace. 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)

Εἰρήνη Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 1. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.) — 819-921a focus

Τρυγαῖος

ὡς χαλεπὸν ἐλθεῖν ἦν ἄρʼ εὐθὺ τῶν θεῶν.

ἔγωγέ τοι πεπόνηκα κομιδῇ τὼ σκέλει.
820

μικροὶ δʼ ὁρᾶν ἄνωθεν ἦστʼ. ἔμοιγέ τοι

ἀπὸ τοὐρανοῦ ʼφαίνεσθε κακοήθεις πάνυ,

ἐντευθενὶ δὲ πολύ τι κακοηθέστεροι.

Οἰκέτης

ὦ δέσποθʼ ἥκεις;

Τρυγαῖος

ὡς ἐγὼ ʼπυθόμην τινός.

Οἰκέτης

τί δʼ ἔπαθες;
825

Τρυγαῖος

ἤλγουν τὼ σκέλει μακρὰν ὁδὸν

διεληλυθώς.

Οἰκέτης

ἴθι νυν κάτειπέ μοι—

Τρυγαῖος

τὸ τί;

Οἰκέτης

ἄλλον τινʼ εἶδες ἄνδρα κατὰ τὸν ἀέρα

πλανώμενον πλὴν σαυτόν;

Τρυγαῖος

οὔκ, εἰ μή γέ που

ψυχὰς δύʼ ἢ τρεῖς διθυραμβοδιδασκάλων.

Οἰκέτης

τί δʼ ἔδρων;
830

Τρυγαῖος

ξυνελέγοντʼ ἀναβολὰς ποτώμεναι

τὰς ἐνδιαεριαυερινηχέτους τινάς.

Οἰκέτης

οὐκ ἦν ἄρʼ οὐδʼ ἃ λέγουσι, κατὰ τὸν ἀέρα

ὡς ἀστέρες γιγνόμεθʼ, ὅταν τις ἀποθάνῃ;

Τρυγαῖος

μάλιστα.

Οἰκέτης

καὶ τίς ἐστιν ἀστὴρ νῦν ἐκεῖ;

Τρυγαῖος

Ἴων ὁ Χῖος, ὅσπερ ἐποίησεν πάλαι
835

ἐνθάδε τὸν ἀοῖόν ποθʼ· ὡς δʼ ἦλθʼ, εὐθέως

ἀοῖον αὐτὸν πάντες ἐκάλουν ἀστέρα.

Οἰκέτης

τίνες γάρ εἰσʼ οἱ διατρέχοντες ἀστέρες,

οἳ καόμενοι θέουσιν;

Τρυγαῖος

ἀπὸ δείπνου τινὲς

τῶν πλουσίων οὗτοι βαδίζουσʼ ἀστέρων,
840

ἰπνοὺς ἔχοντες, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἰπνοῖσι πῦρ.

ἀλλʼ εἴσαγʼ ὡς τάχιστα ταυτηνὶ λαβών,

καὶ τὴν πύελον κατάκλυζε καὶ θέρμαινʼ ὕδωρ,

στόρνυ τʼ ἐμοὶ καὶ τῇδε κουρίδιον λέχος.

καὶ ταῦτα δράσας ἧκε δεῦρʼ αὖθις πάλιν·
845

ἐγὼ δʼ ἀποδώσω τήνδε τῇ βουλῇ τέως.

Οἰκέτης

πόθεν δʼ ἔλαβες ταύτας;

Τρυγαῖος

ὁπόθεν; ἐκ τοὐρανοῦ.

Οἰκέτης

οὐκ ἂν ἔτι δοίην τῶν θεῶν τριώβολον,

εἰ πορνοβοσκοῦσʼ ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς οἱ βροτοί.

Τρυγαῖος

οὔκ, ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖ ζῶσιν ἀπὸ τούτων τινές.
850

ἄγε νυν ἴωμεν.

Οἰκέτης

εἰπέ μοι, δῶ καταφαγεῖν

ταύτῃ τι;

Τρυγαῖος

μηδέν· οὐ γὰρ ἐθελήσει θαγεῖν

οὔτʼ ἄρτον οὔτε μᾶζαν, εἰωθυῖʼ ἀεὶ

παρὰ τοῖς θεοῖσιν ἀμβροσίαν λείχειν ἄνω.

Οἰκέτης

λείχειν ἄρʼ αὐτῇ κἀνθάδε σκευαστέον.
855

856

Χορός

εὐδαιμονικῶς γʼ ὁ πρεσβύτης,

ὅσα γʼ ὧδʼ ἰδεῖν,

τὰ νῦν τάδε πράττει.

Τρυγαῖος

τί δῆτʼ ἐπειδὰν νυμφίον μʼ ὁρᾶτε λαμπρὸν ὄντα;

Χορός

ζηλωτὸς ἔσει, γέρον,
860

αὖθις νέος ὢν πάλιν,

μύρῳ κατάλειπτος.

Τρυγαῖος

οἶμαι. τί δῆθʼ ὅταν ξυνὼν τῶν τιτθίων ἔχωμαι;

Χορός

εὐδαιμονέστερος φανεῖ τῶν Καρκίνου στροβίλων.

Τρυγαῖος

οὔκουν δικαίως; ὅστις εἰς
865

ὄχημα κανθάρου ʼπιβὰς

ἔσωσα τοὺς Ἕλληνας, ὥστʼ

ἐν τοῖς ἀγροῖσιν αὐτοὺς

ἅπαντας ὄντας ἀσφαλῶς

βινεῖν τε καὶ καθεύδειν.

868

Οἰκέτης

ἡ παῖς λέλουται καὶ τὰ τῆς πυγῆς καλά·

ὁ πλακοῦς πέπεπται, σησαμῆ ξυμπλάττεται.

καὶ τἄλλʼ ἁπαξάπαντα· τοῦ πέους δὲ δεῖ.
870

Τρυγαῖος

ἴθι νυν ἀποδῶμεν τήνδε τὴν Θεωρίαν

ἀνύσαντε τῇ βουλῇ.

Οἰκέτης

τίς αὑτηί;

Τρυγαῖος

τί φῄς;

αὕτη Θεωρία ʼστίν.

Οἰκέτης

ἣν ἡμεῖς ποτε

ἐπαίομεν Βραυρωνάδʼ ὑποπεπωκότες;

Τρυγαῖος

σάφʼ ἴσθι, κἀλήφθη γε μόλις.
875

Οἰκέτης

ὦ δέσποτα

ὅσην ἔχει τὴν πρωκτοπεντετηρίδα.

Τρυγαῖος

εἶεν, τίς ἐσθʼ ὑμῶν δίκαιος, τίς ποτε;

τίς διαφυλάξει τήνδε τῇ βουλῇ λαβών;

οὗτος τί περιγράφεις;

Οἰκέτης

τὸ δεῖνʼ εἰς Ἴσθμια

σκηνὴν ἐμαυτοῦ τῷ πέει καταλαμβάνω.
880

Τρυγαῖος

οὔπω λέγεθʼ ὑμεῖς τίς ὁ φυλάξων. δεῦρο σύ·

καταθήσομαι γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐς μέσους ἄγων.

Οἰκέτης

ἐκεινοσὶ νεύει.

Τρυγαῖος

τίς;

Οἰκέτης

ὅστις; Ἀριφράδης,

ἄγειν παρʼ αὑτὸν ἀντιβολῶν.

Τρυγαῖος

ἀλλʼ ὦ μέλε

τὸν ζωμὸν αὐτῆς προσπεσὼν ἐκλάψεται.
885

ἄγε δὴ σὺ κατάθου πρῶτα τὰ σκεύη χαμαί.

βουλή, πρυτάνεις, ὁρᾶτε τὴν Θεωρίαν.

σκέψασθʼ ὅσʼ ὑμῖν ἀγαθὰ παραδώσω φέρων,

ὥστʼ εὐθέως ἄραντας ὑμᾶς τὼ σκέλει

ταύτης μετέωρα καταγαγεῖν ἀνάρρυσιν.
890

τουτὶ δʼ ὁρᾶτʼ ὀπτάνιον ἡμῖν ὡς καλόν.

Οἰκέτης

διὰ ταῦτα καὶ κεκάπνικʼ ἄρʼ· ἐνταυθοῖ γὰρ οὖν

πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου τὰ λάσανα τῇ βουλῇ ποτʼ ἦν.

Τρυγαῖος

ἔπειτʼ ἀγῶνά γʼ εὐθὺς ἐξέσται ποιεῖν

ταύτην ἔχουσιν αὔριον καλὸν πάνυ,
895

ἐπὶ γῆς παλαίειν, τετραποδηδὸν ἑστάναι,

πλαγίαν καταβάλλειν, ἐς γόνατα κύβδʼ ἑστάναι,

καὶ παγκράτιόν γʼ ὑπαλειψαμένοις νεανικῶς

παίειν ὀρύττειν πὺξ ὁμοῦ καὶ τῷ πέει·

τρίτῃ δὲ μετὰ ταῦθʼ ἱπποδρομίαν ἄξετε,
900

ἵνα δὴ κέλης κέλητα παρακελητιεῖ,

ἅρματα δʼ ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἀνατετραμμένα

φυσῶντα καὶ πνέοντα προσκινήσεται·

ἕτεροι δὲ κείσονταί γʼ ἀπεψωλημένοι

περὶ ταῖσι καμπαῖς ἡνίοχοι πεπτωκότες.
905

ἀλλʼ ὦ πρυτάνεις δέχεσθε τὴν Θεωρίαν.

θέασʼ ὡς προθύμως ὁ πρύτανις παρεδέξατο.

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἂν εἴ τι προῖκα προσαγαγεῖν σʼ ἔδει,

ἀλλʼ ηὗρον ἄν σʼ ὑπέχοντα τὴν ἐκεχειρίαν.

910

Χορός

ἦ χρηστὸς ἀνὴρ πολίτης
910

ἐστὶν ἅπασιν ὅστις

γʼ ἐστὶ τοιοῦτος.

Τρυγαῖος

ὅταν τρυγᾶτʼ, εἴσεσθε πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἷός εἰμι.

Χορός

καὶ νῦν σύ γε δῆλος εἶ·

σωτὴρ γὰρ ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις

γεγένησαι.
915

Τρυγαῖος

φήσεις ἐπειδὰν ἐκπίῃς οἴνου νέου λεπαστήν.

Χορός

καὶ πλήν γε τῶν θεῶν ἀεί σʼ ἡγησόμεσθα πρῶτον.

Τρυγαῖος

πολλῶν γὰρ ὑμῖν ἄξιος

Τρυγαῖος ἁθμονεὺς ἐγώ,

δεινῶν ἀπαλλάξας πόνων
920

τὸν δημότην ὅμιλον,

καὶ τὸν γεωργικὸν λεὼν

Ὑπέρβολόν τε παύσας.

Translations (2)

Peace (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Anonymous; 1938 compilation). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 819 focus

Trygaeus enters, limping painfully, accompanied by Opora and Theoria.

Trygaeus

Ah! it's a rough job getting to the gods! 820 my legs are as good as broken through it. To the audience.How small you were, to be sure, when seen from heaven! you had all the appearance too of being great rascals; but seen close, you look even worse.

Servant
Coming out of Trygaeus' house.

Is that you, master?

Trygaeus

So I've been told.

Servant

825 What has happened to you?

Trygaeus

My legs pain me; it was such a dammed long journey.

Servant

Oh! tell me ...

Trygaeus

What?

Servant

Did you see any other man besides yourself strolling about in heaven?

Trygaeus

No, only the souls of two or three dithyrambic poets.

Servant

830 What were they doing up there?

Trygaeus

They were seeking to catch some lyric exordia as they flew by immersed in the billows of the air.

Servant

Is it true, what they tell us, that men are turned into stars after death?

Trygaeus

Quite true.

Servant

And who is the star over there now?

Trygaeus

835 Ion of Chios . The one who once wrote a poem about the dawn; as soon as he got up there, everyone called him the Morning Star.

Servant

And those stars like sparks, that plough up the air as they dart across the sky?

Trygaeus

They are 840 the rich leaving the feast with a lantern and a light inside it. —But hurry up, show this young girl into my house, pointing to Opora.clean out the bath, heat some water and prepare the nuptial couch for herself and me. 845 When that's done, come back here; meanwhile I am off to present this other one to the Senate.

Servant

But where then did you get these girls?

Trygaeus

Where? why in heaven.

Servant

I would not give more than an obolus for gods who have got to keeping brothels like us mere mortals.

Trygaeus

850 They are not all like that, but there are some up there too who live by this trade.

Servant

Come, that's rich! But tell me, shall I give her something to eat?

Trygaeus

No, for she would touch neither bread nor cake; she is used to licking ambrosia at the table of the gods.

Servant

855 Well, we can give her something to lick down here too. He takes Opora into the house.

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.) — 819 focus

Trygaeus: 'How hard it was, then, to come straight to the gods.'

Trygaeus: Indeed, I have worked my two legs quite hard.

820

Trygaeus: small ones are seeing from above. To me, indeed.

Trygaeus: From heaven you appear most malicious,

Trygaeus: But from here they are far more ill-tempered.

Slave: O master, have you come?

Trygaeus: as I heard from someone.

Servant: But what happened to you?

825

Trygaeus: My legs are aching from the long journey.

Trygaeus: It has passed.

Servant: Go now and tell me—

Trygaeus: What?

Servant: Have you seen another man in the air?

Slave: 'A wandering one, except himself?'

Trygaeus: No, unless perhaps.

Trygaeus: Two or three dithyrambic teachers' souls.

Servant: What then did I do?

830

Trygaeus: while we are gathering together to fly off.

Trygaeus: some of the inhabitants of the air.

Servant: Well, there certainly were not even the things they say, in the air.

Servant: Do we become stars when someone dies?

Trygaeus: Certainly.

Slave: And who is the star there now?

Trygaeus: Ion the Chian, who made [it] long ago.

835

Trygaeus: Here the song once; and when he arrived, immediately

Trygaeus: 'All used to call him a star.'

Servant: for who are the stars that are running about?

Servant: Those who, burning, are running?

Trygaeus: Some [of them] from dinner

Trygaeus: these rich men are walking among the stars,

840

Trygaeus: Take ovens, and put fire in the ovens.

Trygaeus: But bring her in as quickly as possible, taking her by the hand,

Trygaeus: And flood the wash-basin, and heat the water,

Trygaeus: Spread for me and for her a nuptial bed.

Trygaeus: And having done these things, he came here again;

845

Trygaeus: But I will give this back to the Council for the present.

Slave: Where did you get these?

Trygaeus: From where? From the sky.

Servant: I would no longer give a drachma of the gods,

Servant: if you were feeding prostitutes just as we mortals do.

Trygaeus: No, but some even live there from these.

850

Trygaeus: Come now, let us go.

Slave: tell me, where shall I eat?

Servant: Is it here?

Trygaeus: Nothing; for he will not wish to feast.

Trygaeus: neither bread nor barley-cake, as was his custom always

Trygaeus: to lick ambrosia among the gods above.

Servant: Well, must we lick it here as well and prepare it?

855

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

811. mvp-tlg0019-tlg005-sanjaya-com-eng1-24

Line 811

γραοσόβαι μιαροὶ τραγομάσχαλοι ἰχθυολῦμαι·

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 811

Current edition Experimental

Οἰκέτης ὦ δέσποθʼ ἥκεις;

Τρυγαῖος ὡς ἐγὼ ʼπυθόμην τινός.

Οἰκέτης τί δʼ ἔπαθες; 825

Τρυγαῖος ἤλγουν τὼ σκέλει μακρὰν ὁδὸν διεληλυθώς.

Οἰκέτης ἴθι νυν κάτειπέ μοι—

Τρυγαῖος τὸ τί;

Οἰκέτης ἄλλον τινʼ εἶδες ἄνδρα κατὰ τὸν ἀέρα πλανώμενον πλὴν σαυτόν;

Τρυγαῖος οὔκ, εἰ μή γέ που ψυχὰς δύʼ ἢ τρεῖς διθυραμβοδιδασκάλων.

Οἰκέτης τί δʼ ἔδρων; 830

Τρυγαῖος ξυνελέγοντʼ ἀναβολὰς ποτώμεναι τὰς ἐνδιαεριαυερινηχέτους τινάς.

Οἰκέτης οὐκ ἦν ἄρʼ οὐδʼ ἃ λέγουσι, κατὰ τὸν ἀέρα ὡς ἀστέρες γιγνόμεθʼ, ὅταν τις ἀποθάνῃ;

Τρυγαῖος μάλιστα.

Οἰκέτης καὶ τίς ἐστιν ἀστὴρ νῦν ἐκεῖ;

Τρυγαῖος Ἴων ὁ Χῖος, ὅσπερ ἐποίησεν πάλαι 835 ἐνθάδε τὸν ἀοῖόν ποθʼ· ὡς δʼ ἦλθʼ, εὐθέως ἀοῖον αὐτὸν πάντες ἐκάλουν ἀστέρα.

Οἰκέτης τίνες γάρ εἰσʼ οἱ διατρέχοντες ἀστέρες, οἳ καόμενοι θέουσιν;

Οἰκέτης πόθεν δʼ ἔλαβες ταύτας;

Τρυγαῖος ὁπόθεν; ἐκ τοὐρανοῦ.

Οἰκέτης οὐκ ἂν ἔτι δοίην τῶν θεῶν τριώβολον, εἰ πορνοβοσκοῦσʼ ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς οἱ βροτοί.

Τρυγαῖος οὔκ, ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖ ζῶσιν ἀπὸ τούτων τινές. 850 ἄγε νυν ἴωμεν.

Οἰκέτης εἰπέ μοι, δῶ καταφαγεῖν ταύτῃ τι;

Τρυγαῖος μηδέν· οὐ γὰρ ἐθελήσει θαγεῖν οὔτʼ ἄρτον οὔτε μᾶζαν, εἰωθυῖʼ ἀεὶ παρὰ τοῖς θεοῖσιν ἀμβροσίαν λείχειν ἄνω.

Οἰκέτης λείχειν ἄρʼ αὐτῇ κἀνθάδε σκευαστέον. 855

Χορός εὐδαιμονικῶς γʼ ὁ πρεσβύτης, ὅσα γʼ ὧδʼ ἰδεῖν, τὰ νῦν τάδε πράττει.

Τρυγαῖος τί δῆτʼ ἐπειδὰν νυμφίον μʼ ὁρᾶτε λαμπρὸν ὄντα;

Χορός ζηλωτὸς ἔσει, γέρον, 860 αὖθις νέος ὢν πάλιν, μύρῳ κατάλειπτος.

Τρυγαῖος οἶμαι. τί δῆθʼ ὅταν ξυνὼν τῶν τιτθίων ἔχωμαι;

Χορός εὐδαιμονέστερος φανεῖ τῶν Καρκίνου στροβίλων.

Οἰκέτης ἡ παῖς λέλουται καὶ τὰ τῆς πυγῆς καλά· ὁ πλακοῦς πέπεπται, σησαμῆ ξυμπλάττεται. καὶ τἄλλʼ ἁπαξάπαντα· τοῦ πέους δὲ δεῖ. 870

Τρυγαῖος ἴθι νυν ἀποδῶμεν τήνδε τὴν Θεωρίαν ἀνύσαντε τῇ βουλῇ.

Οἰκέτης τίς αὑτηί;

Τρυγαῖος τί φῄς; αὕτη Θεωρία ʼστίν.

Οἰκέτης ἣν ἡμεῖς ποτε ἐπαίομεν Βραυρωνάδʼ ὑποπεπωκότες;

Τρυγαῖος σάφʼ ἴσθι, κἀλήφθη γε μόλις. 875

Οἰκέτης ὦ δέσποτα ὅσην ἔχει τὴν πρωκτοπεντετηρίδα.

Τρυγαῖος εἶεν, τίς ἐσθʼ ὑμῶν δίκαιος, τίς ποτε; τίς διαφυλάξει τήνδε τῇ βουλῇ λαβών; οὗτος τί περιγράφεις;

Οἰκέτης τὸ δεῖνʼ εἰς Ἴσθμια σκηνὴν ἐμαυτοῦ τῷ πέει καταλαμβάνω. 880

Τρυγαῖος οὔπω λέγεθʼ ὑμεῖς τίς ὁ φυλάξων. δεῦρο σύ· καταθήσομαι γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐς μέσους ἄγων.

Οἰκέτης ἐκεινοσὶ νεύει.

Τρυγαῖος τίς;

Οἰκέτης ὅστις; Ἀριφράδης, ἄγειν παρʼ αὑτὸν ἀντιβολῶν.

Οἰκέτης διὰ ταῦτα καὶ κεκάπνικʼ ἄρʼ· ἐνταυθοῖ γὰρ οὖν πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου τὰ λάσανα τῇ βουλῇ ποτʼ ἦν.

Χορός ἦ χρηστὸς ἀνὴρ πολίτης 910 ἐστὶν ἅπασιν ὅστις γʼ ἐστὶ τοιοῦτος.

Τρυγαῖος ὅταν τρυγᾶτʼ, εἴσεσθε πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἷός εἰμι.

Χορός καὶ νῦν σύ γε δῆλος εἶ· σωτὴρ γὰρ ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις γεγένησαι. 915

Τρυγαῖος φήσεις ἐπειδὰν ἐκπίῃς οἴνου νέου λεπαστήν.

Χορός καὶ πλήν γε τῶν θεῶν ἀεί σʼ ἡγησόμεσθα πρῶτον.

Τρυγαῖος πολλῶν γὰρ ὑμῖν ἄξιος Τρυγαῖος ἁθμονεὺς ἐγώ, δεινῶν ἀπαλλάξας πόνων 920 τὸν δημότην ὅμιλον, καὶ τὸν γεωργικὸν λεὼν Ὑπέρβολόν τε παύσας.

Trygaeus Ah! it's a rough job getting to the gods! 820 my legs are as good as broken through it. To the audience.How small you were, to be sure, when seen from heaven! you had all the appearance too of being great rascals; but seen close, you look even worse.

Servant Coming out of Trygaeus' house. Is that you, master?

Trygaeus So I've been told.

Servant 825 What has happened to you?

Trygaeus My legs pain me; it was such a dammed long journey.

Servant Oh! tell me ...

Trygaeus What?

Servant Did you see any other man besides yourself strolling about in heaven?

Trygaeus No, only the souls of two or three dithyrambic poets.

Servant 830 What were they doing up there?

Trygaeus They were seeking to catch some lyric exordia as they flew by immersed in the billows of the air.

Servant Is it true, what they tell us, that men are turned into stars after death?

Trygaeus Quite true.

Servant And who is the star over there now?

Trygaeus 835 Ion of Chios . The one who once wrote a poem about the dawn; as soon as he got up there, everyone called him the Morning Star.

Servant And those stars like sparks, that plough up the air as they dart across the sky?

Servant But where then did you get these girls?

Trygaeus Where? why in heaven.

Servant I would not give more than an obolus for gods who have got to keeping brothels like us mere mortals.

Trygaeus 850 They are not all like that, but there are some up there too who live by this trade.

Servant Come, that's rich! But tell me, shall I give her something to eat?

Trygaeus No, for she would touch neither bread nor cake; she is used to licking ambrosia at the table of the gods.

Servant 855 Well, we can give her something to lick down here too. He takes Opora into the house.

Commentary

Line 811

Stable identifiers

Οἰκέτης

ὦ δέσποθʼ ἥκεις;

Τρυγαῖος

ὡς ἐγὼ ʼπυθόμην τινός.

Οἰκέτης

τί δʼ ἔπαθες;
825

Τρυγαῖος

ἤλγουν τὼ σκέλει μακρὰν ὁδὸν

διεληλυθώς.

Οἰκέτης

ἴθι νυν κάτειπέ μοι—

Τρυγαῖος

τὸ τί;

Οἰκέτης

ἄλλον τινʼ εἶδες ἄνδρα κατὰ τὸν ἀέρα

πλανώμενον πλὴν σαυτόν;

Τρυγαῖος

οὔκ, εἰ μή γέ που

ψυχὰς δύʼ ἢ τρεῖς διθυραμβοδιδασκάλων.

Οἰκέτης

τί δʼ ἔδρων;
830

Τρυγαῖος

ξυνελέγοντʼ ἀναβολὰς ποτώμεναι

τὰς ἐνδιαεριαυερινηχέτους τινάς.

Οἰκέτης

οὐκ ἦν ἄρʼ οὐδʼ ἃ λέγουσι, κατὰ τὸν ἀέρα

ὡς ἀστέρες γιγνόμεθʼ, ὅταν τις ἀποθάνῃ;

Τρυγαῖος

μάλιστα.

Οἰκέτης

καὶ τίς ἐστιν ἀστὴρ νῦν ἐκεῖ;

Τρυγαῖος

Ἴων ὁ Χῖος, ὅσπερ ἐποίησεν πάλαι
835

ἐνθάδε τὸν ἀοῖόν ποθʼ· ὡς δʼ ἦλθʼ, εὐθέως

ἀοῖον αὐτὸν πάντες ἐκάλουν ἀστέρα.

Οἰκέτης

τίνες γάρ εἰσʼ οἱ διατρέχοντες ἀστέρες,

οἳ καόμενοι θέουσιν;

Οἰκέτης

πόθεν δʼ ἔλαβες ταύτας;

Τρυγαῖος

ὁπόθεν; ἐκ τοὐρανοῦ.

Οἰκέτης

οὐκ ἂν ἔτι δοίην τῶν θεῶν τριώβολον,

εἰ πορνοβοσκοῦσʼ ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς οἱ βροτοί.

Τρυγαῖος

οὔκ, ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖ ζῶσιν ἀπὸ τούτων τινές.
850

ἄγε νυν ἴωμεν.

Οἰκέτης

εἰπέ μοι, δῶ καταφαγεῖν

ταύτῃ τι;

Τρυγαῖος

μηδέν· οὐ γὰρ ἐθελήσει θαγεῖν

οὔτʼ ἄρτον οὔτε μᾶζαν, εἰωθυῖʼ ἀεὶ

παρὰ τοῖς θεοῖσιν ἀμβροσίαν λείχειν ἄνω.

Οἰκέτης

λείχειν ἄρʼ αὐτῇ κἀνθάδε σκευαστέον.
855

Χορός

εὐδαιμονικῶς γʼ ὁ πρεσβύτης,

ὅσα γʼ ὧδʼ ἰδεῖν,

τὰ νῦν τάδε πράττει.

Τρυγαῖος

τί δῆτʼ ἐπειδὰν νυμφίον μʼ ὁρᾶτε λαμπρὸν ὄντα;

Χορός

ζηλωτὸς ἔσει, γέρον,
860

αὖθις νέος ὢν πάλιν,

μύρῳ κατάλειπτος.

Τρυγαῖος

οἶμαι. τί δῆθʼ ὅταν ξυνὼν τῶν τιτθίων ἔχωμαι;

Χορός

εὐδαιμονέστερος φανεῖ τῶν Καρκίνου στροβίλων.

Οἰκέτης

ἡ παῖς λέλουται καὶ τὰ τῆς πυγῆς καλά·

ὁ πλακοῦς πέπεπται, σησαμῆ ξυμπλάττεται.

καὶ τἄλλʼ ἁπαξάπαντα· τοῦ πέους δὲ δεῖ.
870

Τρυγαῖος

ἴθι νυν ἀποδῶμεν τήνδε τὴν Θεωρίαν

ἀνύσαντε τῇ βουλῇ.

Οἰκέτης

τίς αὑτηί;

Τρυγαῖος

τί φῄς;

αὕτη Θεωρία ʼστίν.

Οἰκέτης

ἣν ἡμεῖς ποτε

ἐπαίομεν Βραυρωνάδʼ ὑποπεπωκότες;

Τρυγαῖος

σάφʼ ἴσθι, κἀλήφθη γε μόλις.
875

Οἰκέτης

ὦ δέσποτα

ὅσην ἔχει τὴν πρωκτοπεντετηρίδα.

Τρυγαῖος

εἶεν, τίς ἐσθʼ ὑμῶν δίκαιος, τίς ποτε;

τίς διαφυλάξει τήνδε τῇ βουλῇ λαβών;

οὗτος τί περιγράφεις;

Οἰκέτης

τὸ δεῖνʼ εἰς Ἴσθμια

σκηνὴν ἐμαυτοῦ τῷ πέει καταλαμβάνω.
880

Τρυγαῖος

οὔπω λέγεθʼ ὑμεῖς τίς ὁ φυλάξων. δεῦρο σύ·

καταθήσομαι γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐς μέσους ἄγων.

Οἰκέτης

ἐκεινοσὶ νεύει.

Τρυγαῖος

τίς;

Οἰκέτης

ὅστις; Ἀριφράδης,

ἄγειν παρʼ αὑτὸν ἀντιβολῶν.

Οἰκέτης

διὰ ταῦτα καὶ κεκάπνικʼ ἄρʼ· ἐνταυθοῖ γὰρ οὖν

πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου τὰ λάσανα τῇ βουλῇ ποτʼ ἦν.

Χορός

ἦ χρηστὸς ἀνὴρ πολίτης
910

ἐστὶν ἅπασιν ὅστις

γʼ ἐστὶ τοιοῦτος.

Τρυγαῖος

ὅταν τρυγᾶτʼ, εἴσεσθε πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἷός εἰμι.

Χορός

καὶ νῦν σύ γε δῆλος εἶ·

σωτὴρ γὰρ ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις

γεγένησαι.
915

Τρυγαῖος

φήσεις ἐπειδὰν ἐκπίῃς οἴνου νέου λεπαστήν.

Χορός

καὶ πλήν γε τῶν θεῶν ἀεί σʼ ἡγησόμεσθα πρῶτον.

Τρυγαῖος

πολλῶν γὰρ ὑμῖν ἄξιος

Τρυγαῖος ἁθμονεὺς ἐγώ,

δεινῶν ἀπαλλάξας πόνων
920

τὸν δημότην ὅμιλον,

καὶ τὸν γεωργικὸν λεὼν

Ὑπέρβολόν τε παύσας.

Trygaeus

Ah! it's a rough job getting to the gods! 820 my legs are as good as broken through it. To the audience.How small you were, to be sure, when seen from heaven! you had all the appearance too of being great rascals; but seen close, you look even worse.

Servant
Coming out of Trygaeus' house.

Is that you, master?

Trygaeus

So I've been told.

Servant

825 What has happened to you?

Trygaeus

My legs pain me; it was such a dammed long journey.

Servant

Oh! tell me ...

Trygaeus

What?

Servant

Did you see any other man besides yourself strolling about in heaven?

Trygaeus

No, only the souls of two or three dithyrambic poets.

Servant

830 What were they doing up there?

Trygaeus

They were seeking to catch some lyric exordia as they flew by immersed in the billows of the air.

Servant

Is it true, what they tell us, that men are turned into stars after death?

Trygaeus

Quite true.

Servant

And who is the star over there now?

Trygaeus

835 Ion of Chios . The one who once wrote a poem about the dawn; as soon as he got up there, everyone called him the Morning Star.

Servant

And those stars like sparks, that plough up the air as they dart across the sky?

Servant

But where then did you get these girls?

Trygaeus

Where? why in heaven.

Servant

I would not give more than an obolus for gods who have got to keeping brothels like us mere mortals.

Trygaeus

850 They are not all like that, but there are some up there too who live by this trade.

Servant

Come, that's rich! But tell me, shall I give her something to eat?

Trygaeus

No, for she would touch neither bread nor cake; she is used to licking ambrosia at the table of the gods.

Servant

855 Well, we can give her something to lick down here too. He takes Opora into the house.