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Line 938

τὺ δὲ τεᾷ φρενὶ μάθε Πινδάρειον ἔπος —

The phrase Πινδάρειον ἔπος functions as a generic designation for a 'Pindaric verse' or 'epinician ode' rather than a specific citation, yet Aristophanes here alludes specifically to the famous opening of the Second Pythian Ode (1–2), where Pindar urges the soul to 'learn' (μάθε) the nature of the divine. The use of the imperative μάθε with the dative φρενὶ (mind/heart) mirrors Pindar's own didactic tone, but Aristophanes subverts the high seriousness of Pindar's exhortation to the birds by applying it to the absurd project of building Cloudcuckooland. This intertextual play relies on the audience recognizing the specific Pindaric echo of learning from the mind/soul, transforming a moment of lyrical gravity into comic instruction.

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.) — 941 focus

Ποιητής

νομάδεσσι γὰρ ἐν Σκύθαις

ἀλᾶται Στράτων,

ὃς ὑφαντοδόνατον ἔσθος οὐ πέπαται·

ἀκλεὴς δʼ ἔβα σπολὰς ἄνευ χιτῶνος.

ξύνες ὅ τοι λέγω.
945

Πισθέταιρος

ξυνῆχʼ ὅτι βούλει τὸν χιτωνίσκον λαβεῖν.

ἀπόδυθι· δεῖ γὰρ τὸν ποιητὴν ὠφελεῖν.

ἄπελθε τουτονὶ λαβών.

Ποιητής

ἀπέρχομαι,

κἀς τὴν πόλιν γʼ ἐλθὼν ποιήσω τοιαδί·

κλῇσον ὦ χρυσόθρονε τὰν τρομερὰν κρυεράν·
950

νιφόβολα πεδία πολύπορά τʼ ἤλυθον ἀλαλάν.

Πισθέταιρος

νὴ τὸν Δίʼ ἀλλʼ ἤδη πέφευγας ταυταγὶ

τὰ κρυερὰ τονδὶ τὸν χιτωνίσκον λαβών.
955

τουτὶ μὰ Δίʼ ἐγὼ τὸ κακὸν οὐδέποτʼ ἤλπισα,

οὕτω ταχέως τοῦτον πεπύσθαι τὴν πόλιν.

αὖθις σὺ περιχώρει λαβὼν τὴν χέρνιβα.

εὐφημία ʼστω.

Χρησμολόγος

μὴ κατάρξῃ τοῦ τράγου.

Πισθέταιρος

σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς;
960

Χρησμολόγος

ὅστις; χρησμολόγος.

Πισθέταιρος

οἴμωζέ νυν.

Χρησμολόγος

ὦ δαιμόνιε τὰ θεῖα μὴ φαύλως φέρε·

ὡς ἔστι Βάκιδος χρησμὸς ἄντικρυς λέγων

ἐς τὰς Νεφελοκοκκυγίας.

Πισθέταιρος

κὔπειτα πῶς

ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἐχρησμολόγεις σὺ πρὶν ἐμὲ τὴν πόλιν

τήνδʼ οἰκίσαι;
965

Χρησμολόγος

τὸ θεῖον ἐνεπόδιζέ με.

Πισθέταιρος

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν οἷόν ἐστʼ ἀκοῦσαι τῶν ἐπῶν.

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.) — 941 focus

Poet

“Straton wanders among the Scythian nomads, but has no linen garment. He is sad at only wearing an animal's pelt and no tunic.” 945 Do you get what I mean?

Pisthetaerus

I understand that you want me to offer you a tunic. Hi! you To the acolyte. take off yours; we must help the poet. . . . Come, you, take it and get out.

Poet

I am going, and these are the verses that I address to this city: 950 “Phoebus of the golden throne, celebrate this shivery, freezing city; I have travelled through fruitful and snow-covered plains. Tralala! Tralala!” He departs.

Pisthetaerus

What are you chanting us 955 about frosts? Thanks to the tunic, you no longer fear them. Ah! by Zeus! I could not have believed this cursed fellow could so soon have learnt the way to our city. To a slave. Come, take the lustral water and circle the altar. Let all keep silence!

An Oracle-Monger enters.

Oracle-Monger

Let not the goat be sacrificed.

Pisthetaerus

960 Who are you?

Oracle-Monger

Who am I? An oracle-monger.

Pisthetaerus

Get out!

Oracle-Monger

Wretched man, insult not sacred things. For there is an oracle of Bacis, which exactly applies to Nephelococcygia.

Pisthetaerus

Why did you not reveal it to me before 965 I founded my city?

Oracle-Monger

The divine spirit was against it.

Pisthetaerus

Well, I suppose there's nothing to do but hear the terms of the oracle.

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.) — 941 focus

Poet: for among the Scythians, [they are] nomads.

Poet: Stratton wanders about,

Poet: he who has not worn the weaver's robe;

Poet: without a tunic, you have struck a blow without glory.

Poet: Understand what I say to you.

945

Pisthetaerus: Gather together whatever you wish to take the little tunic.

Pisthetaerus: Take off your clothes; for the poet must help.

Pisthetaerus: Go away taking this one.

Poet: I am departing,

Poet: And when I have come to the city, I will do this:

Poet: Open the door, oh golden-throned one, the terrible, shivering one.

950

Poet: We came to snowy fields and very rocky places without shouting.

Pisthetaerus: By Zeus, but you have already fled from these things.

Pisthetairos: having taken the warm, this little tunic.

955

Pisthetaerus: By Zeus, I never expected this evil,

Pisthetaerus: how quickly he learned about the city.

Pisthetaerus: Again, you, go around, having taken the lustral water.

Pisthetaerus: Let there be silence.

Oracle-priest: Do not begin with the goat.

Pisthetaerus: And who are you?

960

Oracle: Who? An oracle.

Pisthetaerus: Oh, woe is me now.

Oracle: Oh man, do not treat divine matters lightly;

Chresmologos: 'As there is an oracle of Bacis, which speaks clearly.'

Prophet: 'To the Cloud-Cuckoo-Land.'

Pisthetaerus: And then how?

Pisthetaerus: You were not giving oracles about these things before me [arrived] in the city.

Pisthetaerus: to settle this?

965

Prophet: The divine hindered me.

Pisthetaerus: But there is no way to hear the verses.

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

938. mvp-tlg0019-tlg006-sanjaya-com-eng1-61

Line 938

τὺ δὲ τεᾷ φρενὶ μάθε Πινδάρειον ἔπος —

Aristophanes Birds 938

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 938

Current edition Experimental

Ποιητής

νομάδεσσι γὰρ ἐν Σκύθαις

ἀλᾶται Στράτων,

ὃς ὑφαντοδόνατον ἔσθος οὐ πέπαται·

ἀκλεὴς δʼ ἔβα σπολὰς ἄνευ χιτῶνος.

ξύνες ὅ τοι λέγω.
945

Πισθέταιρος

ξυνῆχʼ ὅτι βούλει τὸν χιτωνίσκον λαβεῖν.

ἀπόδυθι· δεῖ γὰρ τὸν ποιητὴν ὠφελεῖν.

ἄπελθε τουτονὶ λαβών.

Ποιητής

ἀπέρχομαι,

κἀς τὴν πόλιν γʼ ἐλθὼν ποιήσω τοιαδί·

κλῇσον ὦ χρυσόθρονε τὰν τρομερὰν κρυεράν·
950

νιφόβολα πεδία πολύπορά τʼ ἤλυθον ἀλαλάν.

Χρησμολόγος

μὴ κατάρξῃ τοῦ τράγου.

Πισθέταιρος

σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς;
960

Χρησμολόγος

ὅστις; χρησμολόγος.

Πισθέταιρος

οἴμωζέ νυν.

Χρησμολόγος

ὦ δαιμόνιε τὰ θεῖα μὴ φαύλως φέρε·

ὡς ἔστι Βάκιδος χρησμὸς ἄντικρυς λέγων

ἐς τὰς Νεφελοκοκκυγίας.

Πισθέταιρος

κὔπειτα πῶς

ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἐχρησμολόγεις σὺ πρὶν ἐμὲ τὴν πόλιν

τήνδʼ οἰκίσαι;
965

Χρησμολόγος

τὸ θεῖον ἐνεπόδιζέ με.

Πισθέταιρος

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν οἷόν ἐστʼ ἀκοῦσαι τῶν ἐπῶν.

Poet

“Straton wanders among the Scythian nomads, but has no linen garment. He is sad at only wearing an animal's pelt and no tunic.” 945 Do you get what I mean?

Pisthetaerus

I understand that you want me to offer you a tunic. Hi! you To the acolyte. take off yours; we must help the poet. . . . Come, you, take it and get out.

Poet

I am going, and these are the verses that I address to this city: 950 “Phoebus of the golden throne, celebrate this shivery, freezing city; I have travelled through fruitful and snow-covered plains. Tralala! Tralala!” He departs.

Pisthetaerus

What are you chanting us 955 about frosts? Thanks to the tunic, you no longer fear them. Ah! by Zeus! I could not have believed this cursed fellow could so soon have learnt the way to our city. To a slave. Come, take the lustral water and circle the altar. Let all keep silence!

Oracle-Monger

Let not the goat be sacrificed.

Pisthetaerus

960 Who are you?

Oracle-Monger

Who am I? An oracle-monger.

Pisthetaerus

Get out!

Oracle-Monger

Wretched man, insult not sacred things. For there is an oracle of Bacis, which exactly applies to Nephelococcygia.

Pisthetaerus

Why did you not reveal it to me before 965 I founded my city?

Oracle-Monger

The divine spirit was against it.

Pisthetaerus

Well, I suppose there's nothing to do but hear the terms of the oracle.

Commentary

Line 938

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 938

Current edition Experimental

Ποιητής νομάδεσσι γὰρ ἐν Σκύθαις ἀλᾶται Στράτων, ὃς ὑφαντοδόνατον ἔσθος οὐ πέπαται· ἀκλεὴς δʼ ἔβα σπολὰς ἄνευ χιτῶνος. ξύνες ὅ τοι λέγω. 945

Πισθέταιρος ξυνῆχʼ ὅτι βούλει τὸν χιτωνίσκον λαβεῖν. ἀπόδυθι· δεῖ γὰρ τὸν ποιητὴν ὠφελεῖν. ἄπελθε τουτονὶ λαβών.

Ποιητής ἀπέρχομαι, κἀς τὴν πόλιν γʼ ἐλθὼν ποιήσω τοιαδί· κλῇσον ὦ χρυσόθρονε τὰν τρομερὰν κρυεράν· 950 νιφόβολα πεδία πολύπορά τʼ ἤλυθον ἀλαλάν.

Χρησμολόγος μὴ κατάρξῃ τοῦ τράγου.

Πισθέταιρος σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς; 960

Χρησμολόγος ὅστις; χρησμολόγος.

Πισθέταιρος οἴμωζέ νυν.

Χρησμολόγος ὦ δαιμόνιε τὰ θεῖα μὴ φαύλως φέρε· ὡς ἔστι Βάκιδος χρησμὸς ἄντικρυς λέγων ἐς τὰς Νεφελοκοκκυγίας.

Πισθέταιρος κὔπειτα πῶς ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἐχρησμολόγεις σὺ πρὶν ἐμὲ τὴν πόλιν τήνδʼ οἰκίσαι; 965

Χρησμολόγος τὸ θεῖον ἐνεπόδιζέ με.

Πισθέταιρος ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν οἷόν ἐστʼ ἀκοῦσαι τῶν ἐπῶν.

Poet “Straton wanders among the Scythian nomads, but has no linen garment. He is sad at only wearing an animal's pelt and no tunic.” 945 Do you get what I mean?

Pisthetaerus I understand that you want me to offer you a tunic. Hi! you To the acolyte. take off yours; we must help the poet. . . . Come, you, take it and get out.

Poet I am going, and these are the verses that I address to this city: 950 “Phoebus of the golden throne, celebrate this shivery, freezing city; I have travelled through fruitful and snow-covered plains. Tralala! Tralala!” He departs.

Pisthetaerus What are you chanting us 955 about frosts? Thanks to the tunic, you no longer fear them. Ah! by Zeus! I could not have believed this cursed fellow could so soon have learnt the way to our city. To a slave. Come, take the lustral water and circle the altar. Let all keep silence!

Oracle-Monger Let not the goat be sacrificed.

Pisthetaerus 960 Who are you?

Oracle-Monger Who am I? An oracle-monger.

Pisthetaerus Get out!

Oracle-Monger Wretched man, insult not sacred things. For there is an oracle of Bacis, which exactly applies to Nephelococcygia.

Pisthetaerus Why did you not reveal it to me before 965 I founded my city?

Oracle-Monger The divine spirit was against it.

Pisthetaerus Well, I suppose there's nothing to do but hear the terms of the oracle.

Commentary

Line 938

Stable identifiers

Ποιητής

νομάδεσσι γὰρ ἐν Σκύθαις

ἀλᾶται Στράτων,

ὃς ὑφαντοδόνατον ἔσθος οὐ πέπαται·

ἀκλεὴς δʼ ἔβα σπολὰς ἄνευ χιτῶνος.

ξύνες ὅ τοι λέγω.
945

Πισθέταιρος

ξυνῆχʼ ὅτι βούλει τὸν χιτωνίσκον λαβεῖν.

ἀπόδυθι· δεῖ γὰρ τὸν ποιητὴν ὠφελεῖν.

ἄπελθε τουτονὶ λαβών.

Ποιητής

ἀπέρχομαι,

κἀς τὴν πόλιν γʼ ἐλθὼν ποιήσω τοιαδί·

κλῇσον ὦ χρυσόθρονε τὰν τρομερὰν κρυεράν·
950

νιφόβολα πεδία πολύπορά τʼ ἤλυθον ἀλαλάν.

Χρησμολόγος

μὴ κατάρξῃ τοῦ τράγου.

Πισθέταιρος

σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς;
960

Χρησμολόγος

ὅστις; χρησμολόγος.

Πισθέταιρος

οἴμωζέ νυν.

Χρησμολόγος

ὦ δαιμόνιε τὰ θεῖα μὴ φαύλως φέρε·

ὡς ἔστι Βάκιδος χρησμὸς ἄντικρυς λέγων

ἐς τὰς Νεφελοκοκκυγίας.

Πισθέταιρος

κὔπειτα πῶς

ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἐχρησμολόγεις σὺ πρὶν ἐμὲ τὴν πόλιν

τήνδʼ οἰκίσαι;
965

Χρησμολόγος

τὸ θεῖον ἐνεπόδιζέ με.

Πισθέταιρος

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν οἷόν ἐστʼ ἀκοῦσαι τῶν ἐπῶν.

Poet

“Straton wanders among the Scythian nomads, but has no linen garment. He is sad at only wearing an animal's pelt and no tunic.” 945 Do you get what I mean?

Pisthetaerus

I understand that you want me to offer you a tunic. Hi! you To the acolyte. take off yours; we must help the poet. . . . Come, you, take it and get out.

Poet

I am going, and these are the verses that I address to this city: 950 “Phoebus of the golden throne, celebrate this shivery, freezing city; I have travelled through fruitful and snow-covered plains. Tralala! Tralala!” He departs.

Pisthetaerus

What are you chanting us 955 about frosts? Thanks to the tunic, you no longer fear them. Ah! by Zeus! I could not have believed this cursed fellow could so soon have learnt the way to our city. To a slave. Come, take the lustral water and circle the altar. Let all keep silence!

Oracle-Monger

Let not the goat be sacrificed.

Pisthetaerus

960 Who are you?

Oracle-Monger

Who am I? An oracle-monger.

Pisthetaerus

Get out!

Oracle-Monger

Wretched man, insult not sacred things. For there is an oracle of Bacis, which exactly applies to Nephelococcygia.

Pisthetaerus

Why did you not reveal it to me before 965 I founded my city?

Oracle-Monger

The divine spirit was against it.

Pisthetaerus

Well, I suppose there's nothing to do but hear the terms of the oracle.