Aristophanes, Birds, 1436

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Sycophant: O my friend, do not give me advice, but fly!

Pisthetairos: Now, by Zeus, I am speaking to you with wings.

Sycophant: And how could [it be] by words

Sycophant: Will you wing a man?

Pisthetaerus: everyone [with] the speeches

Pisthetaerus: They are taking wing.

Sycophant: All of them?

Pisthetaerus: Have you not heard,

Pisthetaerus: whenever the fathers say each time

1440

Pisthetaerus: Are these for the boys in the barbershops?

Pisthetaerus: Deinias is raising my boy very badly.

Pisthetaerus: Having spoken, he winged himself so that he could ride horses.

Pisthetaerus: but someone says that his own [work] is on tragedy

Pisthetaerus: to have grown wings and to have flown, my mind.

1445

Sycophant: So they are winged by words, then?

Pisthetaerus: I say so.

Pisthetairos: For the mind is uplifted by words.

Pisthetaerus: A man is being lifted up. And so I will do with you.

Pisthetaerus: Having spread my wings, I wish to use kind words.

Pisthetaerus: turn to lawful action.

1450

Sycophant: but I do not wish to.

Pisthetaerus: And what will you do?

Sycophant: I will not disgrace my family.

Sycophant: My life is to be a sycophant.

Sycophant: but with swift and light wings.

Sycophant: a hawk or a kite, as if [it were] regarding the foreigners.

Sycophant: having summoned and then having been summoned here

1455

Sycophant: 'Now I fly back there again.'

Pisthetaerus: I understand.

Pisthetaerus: Thus you speak: so that he may have paid a penalty.

Pisthetaerus: The stranger was here before he arrived.

Sycophant: You learn very well.

Pisthetaerus: And after that, he will sail here, but you fly there.

Pisthetairos: being seized with his money.

1460

Sycophant: You have everything.

Sycophant: The snail ought to differ in no way.

Pisthetaerus: I understand

Pisthetaerus: a snail. And by Zeus, I have one.

Pisthetaerus: Most excellently [like] Corcyrean wings in just such a way.

Sycophant: Alas, wretch, you have a whip.

Pisthetaerus: "Then certainly it will have wings,"

Pisthetaerus: I will make you buzz like a top today.

1465

Sycophant: Alas, wretched me.

Pisthetairos: Weren't you winged from here?

Pisthetaerus: Will you not pour out a libation, you most wretched one, while you are washing?

Pisthetaerus: You will quickly see a bitter deceitful trickery.

Pisthetaerus: Let us go, having taken the wings.

Birds. Aristophanes. . 2026-09-08.

Current edition Experimental

English (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.) — 1436 focus

Συκοφάντης

ὦ δαιμόνιε μὴ νουθέτει μʼ ἀλλὰ πτέρου.

Πισθέταιρος

νῦν τοι λέγων πτερῶ σε.

Συκοφάντης

καὶ πῶς ἂν λόγοις

ἄνδρα πτερώσειας σύ;

Πισθέταιρος

πάντες τοῖς λόγοις

ἀναπτεροῦνται.

Συκοφάντης

πάντες;

Πισθέταιρος

οὐκ ἀκήκοας,

ὅταν λέγωσιν οἱ πατέρες ἑκάστοτε
1440

τοῖς μειρακίοις ἐν τοῖσι κουρείοις ταδί;

δεινῶς γέ μου τὸ μειράκιον Διειτρέφης

λέγων ἀνεπτέρωκεν ὥσθʼ ἱππηλατεῖν.

ὁ δέ τις τὸν αὑτοῦ φησιν ἐπὶ τραγῳδίᾳ

ἀνεπτερῶσθαι καὶ πεποτῆσθαι τὰς φρένας.
1445

Συκοφάντης

λόγοισί τἄρα καὶ πτεροῦνται;

Πισθέταιρος

φήμʼ ἐγώ.

ὑπὸ γὰρ λόγων ὁ νοῦς τε μετεωρίζεται

ἐπαίρεταί τʼ ἄνθρωπος. οὕτω καί σʼ ἐγὼ

ἀναπτερώσας βούλομαι χρηστοῖς λόγοις

τρέψαι πρὸς ἔργον νόμιμον.
1450

Συκοφάντης

ἀλλʼ οὐ βούλομαι.

Πισθέταιρος

τί δαὶ ποιήσεις;

Συκοφάντης

τὸ γένος οὐ καταισχυνῶ.

παππῷος ὁ βίος συκοφαντεῖν ἐστί μοι.

ἀλλὰ πτέρου με ταχέσι καὶ κούφοις πτεροῖς

ἱέρακος ἢ κερχνῇδος, ὡς ἂν τοὺς ξένους

καλεσάμενος κᾆτʼ ἐγκεκληκὼς ἐνθαδὶ
1455

κατʼ αὖ πέτωμαι πάλιν ἐκεῖσε.

Πισθέταιρος

μανθάνω.

ὡδὶ λέγεις· ὅπως ἂν ὠφλήκῃ δίκην

ἐνθάδε πρὶν ἥκειν ὁ ξένος.

Συκοφάντης

πάνυ μανθάνεις.

Πισθέταιρος

κἄπειθʼ ὁ μὲν πλεῖ δεῦρο, σὺ δʼ ἐκεῖσʼ αὖ πέτει

ἁρπασόμενος τὰ χρήματʼ αὐτοῦ.
1460

Συκοφάντης

πάντʼ ἔχεις.

βέμβικος οὐδὲν διαφέρειν δεῖ.

Πισθέταιρος

μανθάνω

βέμβικα· καὶ μὴν ἔστι μοι νὴ τὸν Δία

κάλλιστα Κορκυραῖα τοιαυτὶ πτερά.

Συκοφάντης

οἴμοι τάλας μάστιγʼ ἔχεις.

Πισθέταιρος

πτερὼ μὲν οὖν,

οἷσί σε ποιήσω τήμερον βεμβικιᾶν.
1465

Συκοφάντης

οἴμοι τάλας.

Πισθέταιρος

οὐ πτερυγιεῖς ἐντευθενί;

οὐκ ἀπολιβάξεις ὦ κάκιστʼ ἀπολούμενος;

πικρὰν τάχʼ ὄψει στρεψοδικοπανουργίαν.

ἀπίωμεν ἡμεῖς ξυλλαβόντες τὰ πτερά.

Translations (2)

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.) — 1436 focus

Informer

My friend, I am asking you for wings, not for words.

Pisthetaerus

It's just my words that gives you wings.

Informer

And how can you give a man wings with your words?

Pisthetaerus

They all start this way.

Informer

How?

Pisthetaerus

Have you not often heard 1440 the father say to young men in the barbers' shops, “It's astonishing how Diitrephes' advice has made my son fly to horse-riding.” —“Mine,” says another, “has 1445 flown towards tragic poetry on the wings of his imagination.”

Informer

So that words give wings?

Pisthetaerus

Undoubtedly; words give wings to the mind and make a man soar to heaven. Thus I hope that my wise words will give you wings 1450 to fly to some less degrading trade.

Informer

But I do not want to.

Pisthetaerus

What do you reckon on doing then?

Informer

I won't belie my breeding; from generation to generation we have lived by informing. Quick, therefore, give me quickly some light, swift hawk or kestrel wings, 1455 so that I may summon the islanders, sustain the accusation here, and haste back there again on flying pinions.

Pisthetaerus

I see. In this way the stranger will be condemned even before he appears.

Informer

That's just it.

Pisthetaerus

And while he is on his way here by sea, you will be flying to the islands 1460 to despoil him of his property.

Informer

You've hit it, precisely; I must whirl hither and thither like a perfect humming-top.

Pisthetaerus

I catch the idea. Wait, I've got some fine Corcyraean wings. How do you like them?

Informer

Oh! woe is me! Why, it's a whip!

Pisthetaerus

No, no; these are the wings, 1465 I tell you, that make the top spin.

Informer
As Pisthetaerus lashes him.

Oh! oh! oh!

Pisthetaerus

Take your flight, clear off, you miserable cur, or you will soon see what comes of quibbling and lying. The Informer flees. To his slaves. Come, let us gather up our wings and withdraw. The baskets are taken away.

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Συκοφάντης ὦ δαιμόνιε μὴ νουθέτει μʼ ἀλλὰ πτέρου.

Πισθέταιρος νῦν τοι λέγων πτερῶ σε.

Συκοφάντης καὶ πῶς ἂν λόγοις ἄνδρα πτερώσειας σύ;

Πισθέταιρος πάντες τοῖς λόγοις ἀναπτεροῦνται.

Συκοφάντης πάντες;

Συκοφάντης λόγοισί τἄρα καὶ πτεροῦνται;

Συκοφάντης ἀλλʼ οὐ βούλομαι.

Πισθέταιρος τί δαὶ ποιήσεις;

Πισθέταιρος μανθάνω. ὡδὶ λέγεις· ὅπως ἂν ὠφλήκῃ δίκην ἐνθάδε πρὶν ἥκειν ὁ ξένος.

Συκοφάντης πάνυ μανθάνεις.

Πισθέταιρος κἄπειθʼ ὁ μὲν πλεῖ δεῦρο, σὺ δʼ ἐκεῖσʼ αὖ πέτει ἁρπασόμενος τὰ χρήματʼ αὐτοῦ. 1460

Συκοφάντης πάντʼ ἔχεις. βέμβικος οὐδὲν διαφέρειν δεῖ.

Πισθέταιρος μανθάνω βέμβικα· καὶ μὴν ἔστι μοι νὴ τὸν Δία κάλλιστα Κορκυραῖα τοιαυτὶ πτερά.

Συκοφάντης οἴμοι τάλας μάστιγʼ ἔχεις.

Πισθέταιρος πτερὼ μὲν οὖν, οἷσί σε ποιήσω τήμερον βεμβικιᾶν. 1465

Συκοφάντης οἴμοι τάλας.

Πισθέταιρος οὐ πτερυγιεῖς ἐντευθενί; οὐκ ἀπολιβάξεις ὦ κάκιστʼ ἀπολούμενος; πικρὰν τάχʼ ὄψει στρεψοδικοπανουργίαν. ἀπίωμεν ἡμεῖς ξυλλαβόντες τὰ πτερά.

Informer My friend, I am asking you for wings, not for words.

Pisthetaerus It's just my words that gives you wings.

Informer And how can you give a man wings with your words?

Pisthetaerus They all start this way.

Informer How?

Pisthetaerus Have you not often heard 1440 the father say to young men in the barbers' shops, “It's astonishing how Diitrephes' advice has made my son fly to horse-riding.” —“Mine,” says another, “has 1445 flown towards tragic poetry on the wings of his imagination.”

Informer So that words give wings?

Pisthetaerus Undoubtedly; words give wings to the mind and make a man soar to heaven. Thus I hope that my wise words will give you wings 1450 to fly to some less degrading trade.

Informer But I do not want to.

Pisthetaerus What do you reckon on doing then?

Informer I won't belie my breeding; from generation to generation we have lived by informing. Quick, therefore, give me quickly some light, swift hawk or kestrel wings, 1455 so that I may summon the islanders, sustain the accusation here, and haste back there again on flying pinions.

Pisthetaerus I see. In this way the stranger will be condemned even before he appears.

Informer That's just it.

Pisthetaerus And while he is on his way here by sea, you will be flying to the islands 1460 to despoil him of his property.

Informer You've hit it, precisely; I must whirl hither and thither like a perfect humming-top.

Pisthetaerus I catch the idea. Wait, I've got some fine Corcyraean wings. How do you like them?

Informer Oh! woe is me! Why, it's a whip!

Pisthetaerus No, no; these are the wings, 1465 I tell you, that make the top spin.

Informer As Pisthetaerus lashes him. Oh! oh! oh!

Pisthetaerus Take your flight, clear off, you miserable cur, or you will soon see what comes of quibbling and lying. The Informer flees. To his slaves. Come, let us gather up our wings and withdraw. The baskets are taken away.

Stable identifiers

Συκοφάντης

ὦ δαιμόνιε μὴ νουθέτει μʼ ἀλλὰ πτέρου.

Πισθέταιρος

νῦν τοι λέγων πτερῶ σε.

Συκοφάντης

καὶ πῶς ἂν λόγοις

ἄνδρα πτερώσειας σύ;

Πισθέταιρος

πάντες τοῖς λόγοις

ἀναπτεροῦνται.

Συκοφάντης

πάντες;

Συκοφάντης

λόγοισί τἄρα καὶ πτεροῦνται;

Συκοφάντης

ἀλλʼ οὐ βούλομαι.

Πισθέταιρος

τί δαὶ ποιήσεις;

Πισθέταιρος

μανθάνω.

ὡδὶ λέγεις· ὅπως ἂν ὠφλήκῃ δίκην

ἐνθάδε πρὶν ἥκειν ὁ ξένος.

Συκοφάντης

πάνυ μανθάνεις.

Πισθέταιρος

κἄπειθʼ ὁ μὲν πλεῖ δεῦρο, σὺ δʼ ἐκεῖσʼ αὖ πέτει

ἁρπασόμενος τὰ χρήματʼ αὐτοῦ.
1460

Συκοφάντης

πάντʼ ἔχεις.

βέμβικος οὐδὲν διαφέρειν δεῖ.

Πισθέταιρος

μανθάνω

βέμβικα· καὶ μὴν ἔστι μοι νὴ τὸν Δία

κάλλιστα Κορκυραῖα τοιαυτὶ πτερά.

Συκοφάντης

οἴμοι τάλας μάστιγʼ ἔχεις.

Πισθέταιρος

πτερὼ μὲν οὖν,

οἷσί σε ποιήσω τήμερον βεμβικιᾶν.
1465

Συκοφάντης

οἴμοι τάλας.

Πισθέταιρος

οὐ πτερυγιεῖς ἐντευθενί;

οὐκ ἀπολιβάξεις ὦ κάκιστʼ ἀπολούμενος;

πικρὰν τάχʼ ὄψει στρεψοδικοπανουργίαν.

ἀπίωμεν ἡμεῖς ξυλλαβόντες τὰ πτερά.

Informer

My friend, I am asking you for wings, not for words.

Pisthetaerus

It's just my words that gives you wings.

Informer

And how can you give a man wings with your words?

Pisthetaerus

They all start this way.

Informer

How?

Pisthetaerus

Have you not often heard 1440 the father say to young men in the barbers' shops, “It's astonishing how Diitrephes' advice has made my son fly to horse-riding.” —“Mine,” says another, “has 1445 flown towards tragic poetry on the wings of his imagination.”

Informer

So that words give wings?

Pisthetaerus

Undoubtedly; words give wings to the mind and make a man soar to heaven. Thus I hope that my wise words will give you wings 1450 to fly to some less degrading trade.

Informer

But I do not want to.

Pisthetaerus

What do you reckon on doing then?

Informer

I won't belie my breeding; from generation to generation we have lived by informing. Quick, therefore, give me quickly some light, swift hawk or kestrel wings, 1455 so that I may summon the islanders, sustain the accusation here, and haste back there again on flying pinions.

Pisthetaerus

I see. In this way the stranger will be condemned even before he appears.

Informer

That's just it.

Pisthetaerus

And while he is on his way here by sea, you will be flying to the islands 1460 to despoil him of his property.

Informer

You've hit it, precisely; I must whirl hither and thither like a perfect humming-top.

Pisthetaerus

I catch the idea. Wait, I've got some fine Corcyraean wings. How do you like them?

Informer

Oh! woe is me! Why, it's a whip!

Pisthetaerus

No, no; these are the wings, 1465 I tell you, that make the top spin.

Informer
As Pisthetaerus lashes him.

Oh! oh! oh!

Pisthetaerus

Take your flight, clear off, you miserable cur, or you will soon see what comes of quibbling and lying. The Informer flees. To his slaves. Come, let us gather up our wings and withdraw. The baskets are taken away.