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Line 1355

ἐπὴν ὁ πατὴρ ὁ πελαργὸς ἐκπετησίμους

The participle ἐκπετησίμους is a hapax legomenon in Aristophanes, formed from the verb ἐκπετάσσω (to spread out, fly out). Here it functions as a predicative adjective modifying the subject ὁ πατὴρ ὁ πελαργὸς, describing the stork father as being 'ready to fly away' or 'about to take flight.' The construction is syntactically elliptical, lacking an explicit finite verb for the main clause, relying on the context of the dialogue to supply the action of departure or the state of readiness. This rare morphological formation and its specific usage to denote imminent flight in a comedic context regarding storks (central to the play's plot of building a city in the sky) warrant attention.

Birds. 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)

Ὄρνιθες Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 1. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.) — 1337 focus

Πατραλοίας

γενοίμαν αἰετὸς ὑψιπέτας,

ὡς ἀμποταθείην ὑπὲρ ἀτρυγέτου

γλαυκᾶς ἐπʼ οἶδμα λίμνας.

Πισθέταιρος

ἔοικεν οὐ ψευδαγγελήσειν ἅγγελος.
1340

ᾄδων γὰρ ὅδε τις αἰετοὺς προσέρχεται.

Πατραλοίας

αἰβοῖ·

οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν τοῦ πέτεσθαι γλυκύτερον·

ὀρνιθομανῶ γὰρ καὶ πέτομαι καὶ βούλομαι

οἰκεῖν μεθʼ ὑμῶν κἀπιθυμῶ τῶν νόμων.
1345

Πισθέταιρος

ποίων νόμων; πολλοὶ γὰρ ὀρνίθων νόμοι.

Πατραλοίας

πάντων· μάλιστα δʼ ὅτι καλὸν νομίζεται

τὸν πατέρα τοῖς ὄρνισιν ἄγχειν καὶ δάκνειν.

Πισθέταιρος

καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἀνδρεῖόν γε πάνυ νομιζομεν,

ὃς ἂν πεπλήγῃ τὸν πατέρα νεοττὸς ὤν.
1350

Πατραλοίας

διὰ ταῦτα μέντοι δεῦρʼ ἀνοικισθεὶς ἐγὼ

ἄγχειν ἐπιθυμῶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ πάντʼ ἔχειν.

Πισθέταιρος

ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἡμῖν τοῖσιν ὄρνισιν νόμος

παλαιὸς ἐν ταῖς τῶν πελαργῶν κύρβεσιν·

ἐπὴν ὁ πατὴρ ὁ πελαργὸς ἐκπετησίμους
1355

πάντας ποιήσῃ τοὺς πελαργιδέας τρέφων,

δεῖ τοὺς νεοττοὺς τὸν πατέρα πάλιν τρέφειν.

Πατραλοίας

ἀπέλαυσά τἄρα νὴ Δίʼ ἐλθὼν ἐνθαδί,

εἴπερ γέ μοι καὶ τὸν πατέρα βοσκητέον.

Πισθέταιρος

οὐδέν γʼ. ἐπειδήπερ γὰρ ἦλθες ὦ μέλε
1360

εὔνους, πτερώσω σʼ ὥσπερ ὄρνιν ὀρφανόν.

σοὶ δʼ ὦ νεανίσκʼ οὐ κακῶς ὑποθήσομαι,

ἀλλʼ οἷάπερ αὐτὸς ἔμαθον ὅτε παῖς ἦ. σὺ γὰρ

τὸν μὲν πατέρα μὴ τύπτε· ταυτηνδὶ λαβὼν

τὴν πτέρυγα καὶ τουτὶ τὸ πλῆκτρον θἀτέρᾳ,
1365

νομίσας ἀλεκτρυόνος ἔχειν τονδὶ λόφον,

φρούρει στρατεύου μισθοφορῶν σαυτὸν τρέφε,

τὸν πατέρ ἔα ζῆν· ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ μάχιμος εἶ,

ἐς τἀπὶ Θρᾴκης ἀποπέτου κἀκεῖ μάχου.

Πατραλοίας

νὴ τὸν Διόνυσον εὖ γέ μοι δοκεῖς λέγειν,
1370

καὶ πείσομαί σοι.

Πισθέταιρος

νοῦν ἄρʼ ἔξεις νὴ Δία.

Translations (3)

Birds Perseus (Aristophanes. The Complete Greek Drama, Vol. 2. Anonymous, translator. O'Neill, Eugene; Oates, Whitney Jennings, editors. New York: Random House, 1938 (printing).)

No corresponding passage available

Birds (OCR draft) Experimental (Anonymous translation, 1938 compilation; legacy Perseus source migration. Preserved separately from the revised canonical perseus-eng2 at the project owner's request.) — 1337 focus

He hits Manes, who runs away. A young Parricide enters.

Parricide
Singing.

Oh! might I but become an eagle, who soars in the skies! Oh! might I fly above 1340 the azure waves of the barren sea!

Pisthetaerus

Ha! it would seem the news was true; I hear someone coming who talks of wings.

Parricide

Nothing is more charming than to fly; I am bird-mad and fly towards you, for I want 1345 to live with you and to obey your laws.

Pisthetaerus

Which laws? The birds have many laws.

Parricide

All of them; but the one that pleases me most is that among the birds it is considered a fine thing to peck and strangle one's father.

Pisthetaerus

Yes, by Zeus! according to us, 1350 he who dares to strike his father, while still a chick, is a brave fellow.

Parricide

And therefore I want to dwell here, for I want to strangle my father and inherit his wealth.

Pisthetaerus

But we have also an ancient law written in the code of the storks, which runs thus, 1355 “When the stork father has reared his young and has taught them to fly, the young must in their turn support the father.”

Parricide
Petulantly.

It's hardly worth while coming all this distance to be compelled to keep my father!

Pisthetaerus

1360 No, no, young friend, since you have come to us with such willingness, I am going to give you these black wings, as though you were an orphan bird; furthermore, some good advice, that I received myself in infancy. Don't strike your father, but take 1365 these wings in one hand and these spurs in the other; imagine you have a cock's crest on your head and go and mount guard and fight; live on your pay and respect your father's life. You're a gallant fellow! Very well, then! Fly to Thrace and fight.

Parricide

1370 By Bacchus! You're right; I will follow your counsel.

Pisthetaerus

It's acting wisely, by Zeus..

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.) — 1337 focus

Patralois: I wish to become a soaring eagle,

Patroloias: so that I might be overturned over a vineyard that has not yet been trodden.

Patralois: on the grey swelling of the lake.

Pisthetaerus: The messenger seems not to have lied.

1340

Pisthetaerus: For this one here is approaching, singing, eagles.

Patralois: Alas!

Patralians: there is nothing sweeter than flying;

Patroclides: For I am a bird-madman and I fly and I wish to

Patralois: I wish to live with you and to enjoy the laws.

1345

Pisthetaerus: Of what laws? For there are many laws of birds.

Patralois: of all things; especially because it is considered beautiful.

Patraloias: to strangle and bite the bird's father.

Pisthetaerus: And by Zeus, we certainly consider ourselves very manly,

Pisthetaerus: Whoever, while still a chick, strikes his father.

1350

Patroloias: For this reason, however, having been brought here, I

Patralois: I wish to strangle my father and have everything.

Pisthetaerus: But we have a law for the birds.

Pisthetairos: old in the storks' nests;

Pisthetaerus: whenever the father, the stork, flies away

1355

Pisthetaerus: if he feeds them all the storklings,

Pisthetaerus: the chicks must rear their father again.

Patroloias: 'I have certainly enjoyed it, by Zeus, coming here,' said Patroloias.

Patroloias: If indeed I must even feed my father.

Pisthetaerus: Nothing at all. For since you have come, my dear.

1360

Pisthetaerus: I am well-disposed; I will feather you just like an orphaned bird.

Pisthetairos: But to you, young man, I shall not speak badly,

Pisthetaerus: But just as I learned myself when I was a child. For you

Pisthetaerus: do not beat the father; take this one here

Pisthetaerus: 'the wing and also this plectrum with the other,'

1365

Pisthetaerus: thinking that he has this rooster's crest,

Pisthetaerus: Guard! You are a mercenary, feed yourself.

Pisthetaerus: Let your father live; but since you are a warrior,

Pisthetaerus: Fly down to the ground near Thrace and fight there.

Patroclides: By Dionysus, you seem to be speaking well to me,

1370

Patralois: And I will obey you.

Pisthetairos: You will have sense, by Zeus.

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

1355. mvp-tlg0019-tlg006-sanjaya-com-eng1-88

Line 1355

ἐπὴν ὁ πατὴρ ὁ πελαργὸς ἐκπετησίμους

Aristophanes Birds 1355

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 1355

Current edition Experimental

Πατραλοίας

γενοίμαν αἰετὸς ὑψιπέτας,

ὡς ἀμποταθείην ὑπὲρ ἀτρυγέτου

γλαυκᾶς ἐπʼ οἶδμα λίμνας.

Πισθέταιρος

ἔοικεν οὐ ψευδαγγελήσειν ἅγγελος.
1340

ᾄδων γὰρ ὅδε τις αἰετοὺς προσέρχεται.

Πατραλοίας

αἰβοῖ·

οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν τοῦ πέτεσθαι γλυκύτερον·

ὀρνιθομανῶ γὰρ καὶ πέτομαι καὶ βούλομαι

οἰκεῖν μεθʼ ὑμῶν κἀπιθυμῶ τῶν νόμων.
1345

Πισθέταιρος

ποίων νόμων; πολλοὶ γὰρ ὀρνίθων νόμοι.

Πατραλοίας

πάντων· μάλιστα δʼ ὅτι καλὸν νομίζεται

τὸν πατέρα τοῖς ὄρνισιν ἄγχειν καὶ δάκνειν.

Πισθέταιρος

καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἀνδρεῖόν γε πάνυ νομιζομεν,

ὃς ἂν πεπλήγῃ τὸν πατέρα νεοττὸς ὤν.
1350

Πατραλοίας

διὰ ταῦτα μέντοι δεῦρʼ ἀνοικισθεὶς ἐγὼ

ἄγχειν ἐπιθυμῶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ πάντʼ ἔχειν.

Πατραλοίας

ἀπέλαυσά τἄρα νὴ Δίʼ ἐλθὼν ἐνθαδί,

εἴπερ γέ μοι καὶ τὸν πατέρα βοσκητέον.

Πατραλοίας

νὴ τὸν Διόνυσον εὖ γέ μοι δοκεῖς λέγειν,
1370

καὶ πείσομαί σοι.

Πισθέταιρος

νοῦν ἄρʼ ἔξεις νὴ Δία.

Parricide
Singing.

Oh! might I but become an eagle, who soars in the skies! Oh! might I fly above 1340 the azure waves of the barren sea!

Pisthetaerus

Ha! it would seem the news was true; I hear someone coming who talks of wings.

Parricide

Nothing is more charming than to fly; I am bird-mad and fly towards you, for I want 1345 to live with you and to obey your laws.

Pisthetaerus

Which laws? The birds have many laws.

Parricide

All of them; but the one that pleases me most is that among the birds it is considered a fine thing to peck and strangle one's father.

Pisthetaerus

Yes, by Zeus! according to us, 1350 he who dares to strike his father, while still a chick, is a brave fellow.

Parricide

And therefore I want to dwell here, for I want to strangle my father and inherit his wealth.

Pisthetaerus

But we have also an ancient law written in the code of the storks, which runs thus, 1355 “When the stork father has reared his young and has taught them to fly, the young must in their turn support the father.”

Parricide
Petulantly.

It's hardly worth while coming all this distance to be compelled to keep my father!

Parricide

1370 By Bacchus! You're right; I will follow your counsel.

Pisthetaerus

It's acting wisely, by Zeus..

Commentary

Line 1355

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 1355

Current edition Experimental

Πατραλοίας γενοίμαν αἰετὸς ὑψιπέτας, ὡς ἀμποταθείην ὑπὲρ ἀτρυγέτου γλαυκᾶς ἐπʼ οἶδμα λίμνας.

Πισθέταιρος ἔοικεν οὐ ψευδαγγελήσειν ἅγγελος. 1340 ᾄδων γὰρ ὅδε τις αἰετοὺς προσέρχεται.

Πατραλοίας αἰβοῖ· οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν τοῦ πέτεσθαι γλυκύτερον· ὀρνιθομανῶ γὰρ καὶ πέτομαι καὶ βούλομαι οἰκεῖν μεθʼ ὑμῶν κἀπιθυμῶ τῶν νόμων. 1345

Πισθέταιρος ποίων νόμων; πολλοὶ γὰρ ὀρνίθων νόμοι.

Πατραλοίας πάντων· μάλιστα δʼ ὅτι καλὸν νομίζεται τὸν πατέρα τοῖς ὄρνισιν ἄγχειν καὶ δάκνειν.

Πισθέταιρος καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἀνδρεῖόν γε πάνυ νομιζομεν, ὃς ἂν πεπλήγῃ τὸν πατέρα νεοττὸς ὤν. 1350

Πατραλοίας διὰ ταῦτα μέντοι δεῦρʼ ἀνοικισθεὶς ἐγὼ ἄγχειν ἐπιθυμῶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ πάντʼ ἔχειν.

Πατραλοίας ἀπέλαυσά τἄρα νὴ Δίʼ ἐλθὼν ἐνθαδί, εἴπερ γέ μοι καὶ τὸν πατέρα βοσκητέον.

Πατραλοίας νὴ τὸν Διόνυσον εὖ γέ μοι δοκεῖς λέγειν, 1370 καὶ πείσομαί σοι.

Πισθέταιρος νοῦν ἄρʼ ἔξεις νὴ Δία.

Parricide Singing. Oh! might I but become an eagle, who soars in the skies! Oh! might I fly above 1340 the azure waves of the barren sea!

Pisthetaerus Ha! it would seem the news was true; I hear someone coming who talks of wings.

Parricide Nothing is more charming than to fly; I am bird-mad and fly towards you, for I want 1345 to live with you and to obey your laws.

Pisthetaerus Which laws? The birds have many laws.

Parricide All of them; but the one that pleases me most is that among the birds it is considered a fine thing to peck and strangle one's father.

Pisthetaerus Yes, by Zeus! according to us, 1350 he who dares to strike his father, while still a chick, is a brave fellow.

Parricide And therefore I want to dwell here, for I want to strangle my father and inherit his wealth.

Pisthetaerus But we have also an ancient law written in the code of the storks, which runs thus, 1355 “When the stork father has reared his young and has taught them to fly, the young must in their turn support the father.”

Parricide Petulantly. It's hardly worth while coming all this distance to be compelled to keep my father!

Parricide 1370 By Bacchus! You're right; I will follow your counsel.

Pisthetaerus It's acting wisely, by Zeus..

Commentary

Line 1355

Stable identifiers

Πατραλοίας

γενοίμαν αἰετὸς ὑψιπέτας,

ὡς ἀμποταθείην ὑπὲρ ἀτρυγέτου

γλαυκᾶς ἐπʼ οἶδμα λίμνας.

Πισθέταιρος

ἔοικεν οὐ ψευδαγγελήσειν ἅγγελος.
1340

ᾄδων γὰρ ὅδε τις αἰετοὺς προσέρχεται.

Πατραλοίας

αἰβοῖ·

οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν τοῦ πέτεσθαι γλυκύτερον·

ὀρνιθομανῶ γὰρ καὶ πέτομαι καὶ βούλομαι

οἰκεῖν μεθʼ ὑμῶν κἀπιθυμῶ τῶν νόμων.
1345

Πισθέταιρος

ποίων νόμων; πολλοὶ γὰρ ὀρνίθων νόμοι.

Πατραλοίας

πάντων· μάλιστα δʼ ὅτι καλὸν νομίζεται

τὸν πατέρα τοῖς ὄρνισιν ἄγχειν καὶ δάκνειν.

Πισθέταιρος

καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἀνδρεῖόν γε πάνυ νομιζομεν,

ὃς ἂν πεπλήγῃ τὸν πατέρα νεοττὸς ὤν.
1350

Πατραλοίας

διὰ ταῦτα μέντοι δεῦρʼ ἀνοικισθεὶς ἐγὼ

ἄγχειν ἐπιθυμῶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ πάντʼ ἔχειν.

Πατραλοίας

ἀπέλαυσά τἄρα νὴ Δίʼ ἐλθὼν ἐνθαδί,

εἴπερ γέ μοι καὶ τὸν πατέρα βοσκητέον.

Πατραλοίας

νὴ τὸν Διόνυσον εὖ γέ μοι δοκεῖς λέγειν,
1370

καὶ πείσομαί σοι.

Πισθέταιρος

νοῦν ἄρʼ ἔξεις νὴ Δία.

Parricide
Singing.

Oh! might I but become an eagle, who soars in the skies! Oh! might I fly above 1340 the azure waves of the barren sea!

Pisthetaerus

Ha! it would seem the news was true; I hear someone coming who talks of wings.

Parricide

Nothing is more charming than to fly; I am bird-mad and fly towards you, for I want 1345 to live with you and to obey your laws.

Pisthetaerus

Which laws? The birds have many laws.

Parricide

All of them; but the one that pleases me most is that among the birds it is considered a fine thing to peck and strangle one's father.

Pisthetaerus

Yes, by Zeus! according to us, 1350 he who dares to strike his father, while still a chick, is a brave fellow.

Parricide

And therefore I want to dwell here, for I want to strangle my father and inherit his wealth.

Pisthetaerus

But we have also an ancient law written in the code of the storks, which runs thus, 1355 “When the stork father has reared his young and has taught them to fly, the young must in their turn support the father.”

Parricide
Petulantly.

It's hardly worth while coming all this distance to be compelled to keep my father!

Parricide

1370 By Bacchus! You're right; I will follow your counsel.

Pisthetaerus

It's acting wisely, by Zeus..