Aristophanes Ecclesiazusae 169

ed. F. W. Hall, ed. William M. Geldart

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Πραξάγορα

ἄπερρε καὶ σὺ καὶ κάθησʼ ἐντευθενί·

αὐτὴ γὰρ ὑμῶν γʼ ἕνεκά μοι λέξειν δοκῶ
170

τονδὶ λαβοῦσα. τοῖς θεοῖς μὲν εὔχομαι

τυχεῖν κατορθώσασα τὰ βεβουλευμένα.

ἐμοὶ δʼ ἴσον μὲν τῆσδε τῆς χώρας μέτα

ὅσονπερ ὑμῖν· ἄχθομαι δὲ καὶ φέρω

τὰ τῆς πόλεως ἅπαντα βαρέως πράγματα.
175

ὁρῶ γὰρ αὐτὴν προστάταισι χρωμένην

ἀεὶ πονηροῖς· κἄν τις ἡμέραν μίαν

χρηστὸς γένηται, δέκα πονηρὸς γίγνεται.

ἐπέτρεψας ἑτέρῳ· πλείονʼ ἔτι δράσει κακά.

χαλεπὸν μὲν οὖν ἄνδρας δυσαρέστους νουθετεῖν,
180

οἳ τοὺς φιλεῖν μὲν βουλομένους δεδοίκατε,

τοὺς δʼ οὐκ ἐθέλοντας ἀντιβολεῖθʼ ἑκάστοτε.

ἐκκλησίαισιν ἦν ὅτʼ οὐκ ἐχρώμεθα

οὐδὲν τὸ παράπαν· ἀλλὰ τόν γʼ Ἀγύρριον

πονηρὸν ἡγούμεσθα· νῦν δὲ χρωμένων
185

ὁ μὲν λαβὼν ἀργύριον ὑπερεπῄνεσεν,

ὁ δʼ οὐ λαβὼν εἶναι θανάτου φήσʼ ἀξίους

τοὺς μισθοφορεῖν ζητοῦντας ἐν τἠκκλησίᾳ.

Γυνὴ Α

νὴ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην εὖ γε ταυταγὶ λέγεις.

Πραξάγορα

τάλαινʼ Ἀφροδίτην ὤμοσας; χαρίεντά γʼ ἂν
190

ἔδρασας, εἰ τοῦτʼ εἶπας ἐν τἠκκλησίᾳ.

Γυνὴ Α

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἂν εἶπον.

Πραξάγορα

μηδʼ ἐθίζου νῦν λέγειν.

τὸ συμμαχικὸν αὖ τοῦθʼ, ὅτʼ ἐσκοπούμεθα,

εἰ μὴ γένοιτʼ, ἀπολεῖν ἔφασκον τὴν πόλιν·

ὅτε δὴ δʼ ἐγένετʼ, ἤχθοντο, τῶν δὲ ῥητόρων
195

ὁ τοῦτʼ ἀναπείσας εὐθὺς ἀποδρὰς ᾤχετο.

ναῦς δεῖ καθέλκειν· τῷ πένητι μὲν δοκεῖ,

τοῖς πλουσίοις δὲ καὶ γεωργοῖς οὐ δοκεῖ.

Κορινθίοις ἄχθεσθε, κἀκεῖνοί γέ σοι·

νῦν εἰσὶ χρηστοί, καὶ σύ νυν χρηστὸς γενοῦ.
200

Ἀργεῖος ἀμαθής, ἀλλʼ Ἱερώνυμος σοφός·

σωτηρία παρέκυψεν, ἀλλʼ ὡρᾴζεται

Θρασύβουλος αὐτὸς οὐχὶ παρακαλούμενος.

Ecclesiazusae. Aristophanes. ed. F. W. Hall, ed. William M. Geldart. Oxford. 1907.

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Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Ἐκκλησιάζουσαι (Greek) (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 2. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.)

Translations (1)

Ecclesiazusae (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Anonymous; 1938 compilation). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 169 focus

Praxagora

Come, withdraw and remain seated in the future. 170 I am going to take this chaplet myself and speak in your name. May the gods grant success to my plans! My country is as dear to me 175 as it is to you, and I groan, I am grieved at all that is happening in it. Scarcely one in ten of those who rule it is honest, and all the others are bad. If you appoint fresh chiefs, they will do still worse. 180 It is hard to correct your peevish humor; you fear those who love you and throw yourselves at the feet of those who betray you. There was a time when we had no assemblies, and then 185 we all thought Agyrrhius a dishonest man; now they are established, he who gets money thinks everything is as it should be, and he who does not, declares all who sell their votes to be worthy of death.

First Woman

By Aphrodite, that is well spoken.

Praxagora

190 Why, wretched woman, you have actually called upon Aphrodite. Oh! what a fine thing it would have been if you had said that in the Assembly!

First Woman

But I would not have done it then.

Praxagora

Well, mind you don't fall into the habit. Resuming the oratorical manner.When we were discussing the alliance, it seemed as though it were all over with Athens if it fell through. 195 No sooner was it made than we were vexed and angry, and the orator who had caused its adoption was compelled to seek safety in flight. Is there talk of equipping a fleet? The poor man says, yes, but the rich citizen and the countryman say, no. You were angered against the Corinthians and they with you; 200 now they are well disposed towards you, be so towards them. As a rule the Argives are dull, but the Argive Hieronymus is a distinguished chief. Herein lies a spark of hope; but Thrasybulus is far from Athens and you do not recall him.