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Line 424

τοὺς ἀλφιταμοιβοὺς τοῖς ἀπόροις τρεῖς χοίνικας

The noun ἀλφιταμοιβοί (literally 'barley-exchangers' or 'barley-distributors') is a hapax legomenon in the extant corpus of Aristophanes, and arguably in the entire surviving corpus of Attic comedy outside this passage. While the compound is transparent (ἀλφιτα- from ἄλφιτα 'barley-meal' + -μοιβός from μοιβῶ 'to exchange/distribute'), its specific technical application here refers to the officials responsible for the state's grain dole (sitōn) to the impoverished citizens (ἀπόροι). The term highlights the bureaucratic reality of the assembly's proposed radical redistribution of property and resources, transforming a general concept of charity into a specific, albeit invented, administrative office within the play's utopian fiction.

Ecclesiazusae. 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)

Ἐκκλησιάζουσαι Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 2. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.) — 434 focus

Χρέμης

ἀλλʼ ἦσαν ἥττους· ὁ δὲ κατεῖχε τῇ βοῇ,

τὰς μὲν γυναῖκας πόλλʼ ἀγαθὰ λέγων, σὲ δὲ
435

πολλὰ κακά.

Βλέπυρος

καὶ τί εἶπε;

Χρέμης

πρῶτον μέν σʼ ἔφη

εἶναι πανοῦργον.

Βλέπυρος

καὶ σέ;

Χρέμης

μή πω τοῦτʼ ἔρῃ.

κἄπειτα κλέπτην.

Βλέπυρος

ἐμὲ μόνον;

Χρέμης

καὶ νὴ Δία

καὶ συκοφάντην.

Βλέπυρος

ἐμὲ μόνον;

Χρέμης

καὶ νὴ Δία

τωνδὶ τὸ πλῆθος.
440

Βλέπυρος

τίς δὲ τοῦτʼ ἄλλως λέγει;

Χρέμης

γυναῖκα δʼ εἶναι πρᾶγμʼ ἔφη νουβυστικὸν

καὶ χρηματοποιόν· κοὔτε τἀπόρρητʼ ἔφη

ἐκ Θεσμοφόροιν ἑκάστοτʼ αὐτὰς ἐκφέρειν,

σὲ δὲ κἀμὲ βουλεύοντε τοῦτο δρᾶν ἀεί.

Βλέπυρος

καὶ νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν τοῦτό γʼ οὐκ ἐψεύσατο.
445

Χρέμης

ἔπειτα συμβάλλειν πρὸς ἀλλήλας ἔφη

ἱμάτια χρυσίʼ ἀργύριον ἐκπώματα

μόνας μόναις, οὐ μαρτύρων ἐναντίον,

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀποφέρειν πάντα κοὐκ ἀποστερεῖν,

ἡμῶν δὲ τοὺς πολλοὺς ἔφασκε τοῦτο δρᾶν.
450

Βλέπυρος

νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ μαρτύρων γʼ ἐναντίον.

Χρέμης

οὐ συκοφαντεῖν, οὐ διώκειν, οὐδὲ τὸν

δῆμον καταλύειν, ἀλλὰ πολλὰ κἀγαθά,

ἕτερά τε πλεῖστα τὰς γυναῖκας ηὐλόγει.

Βλέπυρος

τί δῆτʼ ἔδοξεν;
455

Χρέμης

ἐπιτρέπειν γε τὴν πόλιν

ταύταις. ἐδόκει γὰρ τοῦτο μόνον ἐν τῇ πόλει

οὔπω γεγενῆσθαι.

Βλέπυρος

καὶ δέδοκται;

Χρέμης

φήμʼ ἐγώ.

Βλέπυρος

ἅπαντά τʼ αὐταῖς ἐστι προστεταγμένα

ἃ τοῖσιν ἀστοῖς ἔμελεν;

Χρέμης

οὕτω ταῦτʼ ἔχει.

Βλέπυρος

οὐδʼ ἐς δικαστήριον ἄρʼ εἶμʼ ἀλλʼ ἡ γυνή;
460

Χρέμης

οὐδʼ ἔτι σὺ θρέψεις οὓς ἔχεις ἀλλʼ ἡ γυνή.

Βλέπυρος

οὐδὲ στένειν τὸν ὄρθρον ἔτι πρᾶγμʼ ἆρά μοι;

Χρέμης

μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλὰ ταῖς γυναιξὶ ταῦτʼ ἤδη μέλει·

σὺ δʼ ἀστενακτὶ περδόμενος οἴκοι μενεῖς.

Βλέπυρος

ἐκεῖνο δεινὸν τοῖσιν ἡλίκοισι νῷν,
465

μὴ παραλαβοῦσαι τῆς πόλεως τὰς ἡνίας

ἔπειτʼ ἀναγκάζωσι πρὸς βίαν—

Χρέμης

τί δρᾶν;

Βλέπυρος

κινεῖν ἑαυτάς.

Χρέμης

ἢν δὲ μὴ δυνώμεθα;

Βλέπυρος

ἄριστον οὐ δώσουσι.

Χρέμης

σὺ δέ γε νὴ Δία

δρᾶ ταῦθʼ, ἵνʼ ἀριστᾷς τε καὶ κινῇς ἅμα.
470

Βλέπυρος

τὸ πρὸς βίαν δεινότατον.

Χρέμης

ἀλλʼ εἰ τῇ πόλει

τοῦτο ξυνοίσει, ταῦτα χρὴ πάντʼ ἄνδρα δρᾶν.

Βλέπυρος

λόγος γέ τοί τις ἔστι τῶν γεραιτέρων,

ἀνόηθʼ ὅσʼ ἂν καὶ μῶρα βουλευσώμεθα,

ἅπαντʼ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον ἡμῖν ξυμφέρειν.
475

Χρέμης

καὶ ξυμφέροι γʼ ὦ πότνια Παλλὰς καὶ θεοί.

ἀλλʼ εἶμι· σὺ δʼ ὑγίαινε.

Βλέπυρος

καὶ σύ γʼ ὦ Χρέμης.

Translations (2)

Ecclesiazusae (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Anonymous; 1938 compilation). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 434 focus

Chremes

But they were outnumbered, and the orator shouted louder than they, 435 saying much good of the women and much ill of you.

Blepyrus
Eagerly.

And what did he say?

Chremes

First he said you were a rogue ...

Blepyrus

And you?

Chremes

Wait a minute! ... and a thief ...

Blepyrus

I alone?

Chremes

And an informer.

Blepyrus

I alone?

Chremes

Why, no, by the gods! 440 this whole crowd here.

He points to the audience.

Blepyrus

And who avers the contrary?

Chremes

He maintained that women were both clever and thrifty, that they never divulged the Mysteries of Demeter, while you and I go about babbling incessantly about whatever happens at the Senate.

Blepyrus

445 By Hermes, he was not lying!

Chremes

Then he added that the women lend each other clothes, trinkets of gold and silver, drinking-cups, and not before witnesses too, but all by themselves, and that they return everything with exactitude without ever cheating each other; 450 whereas, according to him, we are ever ready to deny the loans we have effected.

Blepyrus

Yes, by Poseidon, and in spite of witnesses.

Chremes

Again, he said that women were not informers, nor did they bring lawsuits, nor hatch conspiracies; in short, he praised the women in every possible manner.

Blepyrus

455 And what was decided?

Chremes

To confide the direction of affairs to them; it's the one and only innovation that has not yet been tried at Athens .

Blepyrus

And it was voted?

Chremes

Yes.

Blepyrus

And everything that used to be the men's concern has been given over to the women?

Chremes

You express it exactly.

Blepyrus

460 Thus it will be my wife who will go to the courts now in my stead?

Chremes

And it will be she who will keep your children in your place.

Blepyrus

I shall no longer have to tire myself out with work from daybreak onwards?

Chremes

No, 'twill be the women's business, and you can stay at home and amuse yourself with farting the whole day through.

Blepyrus

465 Well, what I fear for us fellows now is, that, holding the reins of government, they will forcibly compel us ...

Chremes

To do what?

Blepyrus

... to lay them.

Chremes

And if we are not able?

Blepyrus

They will give us no dinner.

Chremes

Well then, 470 do your duty; dinner and love-making form a double enjoyment.

Blepyrus

Ah! but I hate compulsion.

Chremes

But if it is for the public good, let us resign ourselves.

Blepyrus

It's an old saying that our absurdest and maddest decrees 475 always somehow turn out for our good.

Chremes

May it be so in this case, oh gods, oh venerable Pallas! But I must be off; so, good-bye to you!

Exit.

Blepyrus

Good-bye, Chremes. He goes back into his 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.) — 434 focus

Chremes: But they were fewer in number; but he was holding them back with his shouting,

Chremes: speaking many good things about the women, but about you

435

Chremes: Many evils.

Blepyrus: And what did he say?

Chremes: 'First, he said to you'

Chremes: to be a rogue.

Blepyrus: And you?

Chremes: Don't say that yet.

Chremes: and then a thief.

Blepyrus: "Only me?"

Chremes: and by Zeus

Chremes: and a sycophant.

Blepyrus: Only me?

Chremes: And by Zeus!

Chremes: the multitude of these.

440

Blepyrus: Who else says this?

Chorus: he said that a woman is a newfangled thing.

Chorus: And a money-maker. And he said that the mysteries were not to be disclosed.

Chorus: that from the Thesmophoria she should take them out each time,

Chorus: you and I, while plotting this, [will do it] always.

Blepyrus: And by Hermes, he did not lie about this.

445

Chremes: 'Then he said that they were coming together with each other.'

Chremes: clothes, gold, silver, drinking vessels.

Chremes: only with only women, not in the presence of witnesses,

Chremes: and to bring all these things and not to deprive them,

Chremes: He said that most of us were doing this.

450

Blepyrus: By Poseidon, witness to the truth!

Chremes: not to slander, not to prosecute, nor the

Chremes: to dissolve the people, but many good things,

Chremes: And he most strongly urged the women on other matters as well.

Blepyrus: So what was decided?

455

Chremes: let the city indeed be ruled.

Chremes: To these. For this seemed to be the only thing in the city

Chremes: Not yet have I become.

Blepyrus: "And it has been decreed?"

Chremes: I am he.

Blepyrus: All these things are ordered to them.

Blepyrus: What concerned the citizens?

Chremes: That is how things stand.

Blepyrus: So am I not going to the lawcourt, but to the woman?

460

Chremes: No longer will you feed those you have, but rather the woman.

Blepyrus: Is it not yet a matter for me to groan at dawn?

Chremes: By Zeus, but these things already concern the women;

Chremes: But you, farting with a moan, will stay at home.

Blepyrus: That is terrible for men of our age,

465

Blepyrus: Not having taken the reins of the city

Blepyrus: Then they will force them by violence—

Chremes: What [shall I] do?

Blepyrus: move yourselves.

Chremes: But what if we are not able?

Blepyrus: They will not give a good meal.

Chremes: But you, by Zeus,

Chremes: Do these things, so that you may dine and move at the same time.

470

Blepyrus: the most terrible thing by force.

Chremes: But if to the city

Chremes: This will happen; a man must do all these things.

Blepyrus: There is indeed a certain argument among the older men,

Blepyrus: You foolish man, whatever silly things we may plan,

Blepyrus: Everything is benefiting us for the better.

475

Chremes: And may Lady Pallas and the gods prosper it.

Chremes: But I am going. But you stay well.

Blepyrus: And you too, Chremes.

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

424. mvp-tlg0019-tlg010-sanjaya-com-eng1-8

Line 424

τοὺς ἀλφιταμοιβοὺς τοῖς ἀπόροις τρεῖς χοίνικας

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 424

Current edition Experimental

Χρέμης ἀλλʼ ἦσαν ἥττους· ὁ δὲ κατεῖχε τῇ βοῇ, τὰς μὲν γυναῖκας πόλλʼ ἀγαθὰ λέγων, σὲ δὲ 435 πολλὰ κακά.

Βλέπυρος καὶ τί εἶπε;

Χρέμης πρῶτον μέν σʼ ἔφη εἶναι πανοῦργον.

Βλέπυρος καὶ σέ;

Χρέμης μή πω τοῦτʼ ἔρῃ. κἄπειτα κλέπτην.

Βλέπυρος ἐμὲ μόνον;

Χρέμης καὶ νὴ Δία καὶ συκοφάντην.

Βλέπυρος ἐμὲ μόνον;

Χρέμης καὶ νὴ Δία τωνδὶ τὸ πλῆθος. 440

Βλέπυρος τίς δὲ τοῦτʼ ἄλλως λέγει;

Βλέπυρος καὶ νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν τοῦτό γʼ οὐκ ἐψεύσατο. 445

Βλέπυρος νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ μαρτύρων γʼ ἐναντίον.

Χρέμης οὐ συκοφαντεῖν, οὐ διώκειν, οὐδὲ τὸν δῆμον καταλύειν, ἀλλὰ πολλὰ κἀγαθά, ἕτερά τε πλεῖστα τὰς γυναῖκας ηὐλόγει.

Βλέπυρος τί δῆτʼ ἔδοξεν; 455

Χρέμης ἐπιτρέπειν γε τὴν πόλιν ταύταις. ἐδόκει γὰρ τοῦτο μόνον ἐν τῇ πόλει οὔπω γεγενῆσθαι.

Βλέπυρος καὶ δέδοκται;

Χρέμης φήμʼ ἐγώ.

Βλέπυρος ἅπαντά τʼ αὐταῖς ἐστι προστεταγμένα ἃ τοῖσιν ἀστοῖς ἔμελεν;

Χρέμης οὕτω ταῦτʼ ἔχει.

Βλέπυρος οὐδʼ ἐς δικαστήριον ἄρʼ εἶμʼ ἀλλʼ ἡ γυνή; 460

Χρέμης οὐδʼ ἔτι σὺ θρέψεις οὓς ἔχεις ἀλλʼ ἡ γυνή.

Βλέπυρος οὐδὲ στένειν τὸν ὄρθρον ἔτι πρᾶγμʼ ἆρά μοι;

Χρέμης μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλὰ ταῖς γυναιξὶ ταῦτʼ ἤδη μέλει· σὺ δʼ ἀστενακτὶ περδόμενος οἴκοι μενεῖς.

Βλέπυρος ἐκεῖνο δεινὸν τοῖσιν ἡλίκοισι νῷν, 465 μὴ παραλαβοῦσαι τῆς πόλεως τὰς ἡνίας ἔπειτʼ ἀναγκάζωσι πρὸς βίαν—

Χρέμης τί δρᾶν;

Βλέπυρος κινεῖν ἑαυτάς.

Χρέμης ἢν δὲ μὴ δυνώμεθα;

Βλέπυρος ἄριστον οὐ δώσουσι.

Χρέμης σὺ δέ γε νὴ Δία δρᾶ ταῦθʼ, ἵνʼ ἀριστᾷς τε καὶ κινῇς ἅμα. 470

Βλέπυρος τὸ πρὸς βίαν δεινότατον.

Χρέμης ἀλλʼ εἰ τῇ πόλει τοῦτο ξυνοίσει, ταῦτα χρὴ πάντʼ ἄνδρα δρᾶν.

Βλέπυρος λόγος γέ τοί τις ἔστι τῶν γεραιτέρων, ἀνόηθʼ ὅσʼ ἂν καὶ μῶρα βουλευσώμεθα, ἅπαντʼ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον ἡμῖν ξυμφέρειν. 475

Χρέμης καὶ ξυμφέροι γʼ ὦ πότνια Παλλὰς καὶ θεοί. ἀλλʼ εἶμι· σὺ δʼ ὑγίαινε.

Βλέπυρος καὶ σύ γʼ ὦ Χρέμης.

Chremes But they were outnumbered, and the orator shouted louder than they, 435 saying much good of the women and much ill of you.

Blepyrus Eagerly. And what did he say?

Chremes First he said you were a rogue ...

Blepyrus And you?

Chremes Wait a minute! ... and a thief ...

Blepyrus I alone?

Chremes And an informer.

Blepyrus I alone?

Chremes Why, no, by the gods! 440 this whole crowd here.

Blepyrus And who avers the contrary?

Chremes He maintained that women were both clever and thrifty, that they never divulged the Mysteries of Demeter, while you and I go about babbling incessantly about whatever happens at the Senate.

Blepyrus 445 By Hermes, he was not lying!

Blepyrus Yes, by Poseidon, and in spite of witnesses.

Chremes Again, he said that women were not informers, nor did they bring lawsuits, nor hatch conspiracies; in short, he praised the women in every possible manner.

Blepyrus 455 And what was decided?

Chremes To confide the direction of affairs to them; it's the one and only innovation that has not yet been tried at Athens .

Blepyrus And it was voted?

Chremes Yes.

Blepyrus And everything that used to be the men's concern has been given over to the women?

Chremes You express it exactly.

Blepyrus 460 Thus it will be my wife who will go to the courts now in my stead?

Chremes And it will be she who will keep your children in your place.

Blepyrus I shall no longer have to tire myself out with work from daybreak onwards?

Chremes No, 'twill be the women's business, and you can stay at home and amuse yourself with farting the whole day through.

Blepyrus 465 Well, what I fear for us fellows now is, that, holding the reins of government, they will forcibly compel us ...

Chremes To do what?

Blepyrus ... to lay them.

Chremes And if we are not able?

Blepyrus They will give us no dinner.

Chremes Well then, 470 do your duty; dinner and love-making form a double enjoyment.

Blepyrus Ah! but I hate compulsion.

Chremes But if it is for the public good, let us resign ourselves.

Blepyrus It's an old saying that our absurdest and maddest decrees 475 always somehow turn out for our good.

Chremes May it be so in this case, oh gods, oh venerable Pallas! But I must be off; so, good-bye to you! Exit.

Blepyrus Good-bye, Chremes. He goes back into his house.

Commentary

Line 424

Stable identifiers

Χρέμης

ἀλλʼ ἦσαν ἥττους· ὁ δὲ κατεῖχε τῇ βοῇ,

τὰς μὲν γυναῖκας πόλλʼ ἀγαθὰ λέγων, σὲ δὲ
435

πολλὰ κακά.

Βλέπυρος

καὶ τί εἶπε;

Χρέμης

πρῶτον μέν σʼ ἔφη

εἶναι πανοῦργον.

Βλέπυρος

καὶ σέ;

Χρέμης

μή πω τοῦτʼ ἔρῃ.

κἄπειτα κλέπτην.

Βλέπυρος

ἐμὲ μόνον;

Χρέμης

καὶ νὴ Δία

καὶ συκοφάντην.

Βλέπυρος

ἐμὲ μόνον;

Χρέμης

καὶ νὴ Δία

τωνδὶ τὸ πλῆθος.
440

Βλέπυρος

τίς δὲ τοῦτʼ ἄλλως λέγει;

Βλέπυρος

καὶ νὴ τὸν Ἑρμῆν τοῦτό γʼ οὐκ ἐψεύσατο.
445

Βλέπυρος

νὴ τὸν Ποσειδῶ μαρτύρων γʼ ἐναντίον.

Χρέμης

οὐ συκοφαντεῖν, οὐ διώκειν, οὐδὲ τὸν

δῆμον καταλύειν, ἀλλὰ πολλὰ κἀγαθά,

ἕτερά τε πλεῖστα τὰς γυναῖκας ηὐλόγει.

Βλέπυρος

τί δῆτʼ ἔδοξεν;
455

Χρέμης

ἐπιτρέπειν γε τὴν πόλιν

ταύταις. ἐδόκει γὰρ τοῦτο μόνον ἐν τῇ πόλει

οὔπω γεγενῆσθαι.

Βλέπυρος

καὶ δέδοκται;

Χρέμης

φήμʼ ἐγώ.

Βλέπυρος

ἅπαντά τʼ αὐταῖς ἐστι προστεταγμένα

ἃ τοῖσιν ἀστοῖς ἔμελεν;

Χρέμης

οὕτω ταῦτʼ ἔχει.

Βλέπυρος

οὐδʼ ἐς δικαστήριον ἄρʼ εἶμʼ ἀλλʼ ἡ γυνή;
460

Χρέμης

οὐδʼ ἔτι σὺ θρέψεις οὓς ἔχεις ἀλλʼ ἡ γυνή.

Βλέπυρος

οὐδὲ στένειν τὸν ὄρθρον ἔτι πρᾶγμʼ ἆρά μοι;

Χρέμης

μὰ Δίʼ ἀλλὰ ταῖς γυναιξὶ ταῦτʼ ἤδη μέλει·

σὺ δʼ ἀστενακτὶ περδόμενος οἴκοι μενεῖς.

Βλέπυρος

ἐκεῖνο δεινὸν τοῖσιν ἡλίκοισι νῷν,
465

μὴ παραλαβοῦσαι τῆς πόλεως τὰς ἡνίας

ἔπειτʼ ἀναγκάζωσι πρὸς βίαν—

Χρέμης

τί δρᾶν;

Βλέπυρος

κινεῖν ἑαυτάς.

Χρέμης

ἢν δὲ μὴ δυνώμεθα;

Βλέπυρος

ἄριστον οὐ δώσουσι.

Χρέμης

σὺ δέ γε νὴ Δία

δρᾶ ταῦθʼ, ἵνʼ ἀριστᾷς τε καὶ κινῇς ἅμα.
470

Βλέπυρος

τὸ πρὸς βίαν δεινότατον.

Χρέμης

ἀλλʼ εἰ τῇ πόλει

τοῦτο ξυνοίσει, ταῦτα χρὴ πάντʼ ἄνδρα δρᾶν.

Βλέπυρος

λόγος γέ τοί τις ἔστι τῶν γεραιτέρων,

ἀνόηθʼ ὅσʼ ἂν καὶ μῶρα βουλευσώμεθα,

ἅπαντʼ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον ἡμῖν ξυμφέρειν.
475

Χρέμης

καὶ ξυμφέροι γʼ ὦ πότνια Παλλὰς καὶ θεοί.

ἀλλʼ εἶμι· σὺ δʼ ὑγίαινε.

Βλέπυρος

καὶ σύ γʼ ὦ Χρέμης.

Chremes

But they were outnumbered, and the orator shouted louder than they, 435 saying much good of the women and much ill of you.

Blepyrus
Eagerly.

And what did he say?

Chremes

First he said you were a rogue ...

Blepyrus

And you?

Chremes

Wait a minute! ... and a thief ...

Blepyrus

I alone?

Chremes

And an informer.

Blepyrus

I alone?

Chremes

Why, no, by the gods! 440 this whole crowd here.

Blepyrus

And who avers the contrary?

Chremes

He maintained that women were both clever and thrifty, that they never divulged the Mysteries of Demeter, while you and I go about babbling incessantly about whatever happens at the Senate.

Blepyrus

445 By Hermes, he was not lying!

Blepyrus

Yes, by Poseidon, and in spite of witnesses.

Chremes

Again, he said that women were not informers, nor did they bring lawsuits, nor hatch conspiracies; in short, he praised the women in every possible manner.

Blepyrus

455 And what was decided?

Chremes

To confide the direction of affairs to them; it's the one and only innovation that has not yet been tried at Athens .

Blepyrus

And it was voted?

Chremes

Yes.

Blepyrus

And everything that used to be the men's concern has been given over to the women?

Chremes

You express it exactly.

Blepyrus

460 Thus it will be my wife who will go to the courts now in my stead?

Chremes

And it will be she who will keep your children in your place.

Blepyrus

I shall no longer have to tire myself out with work from daybreak onwards?

Chremes

No, 'twill be the women's business, and you can stay at home and amuse yourself with farting the whole day through.

Blepyrus

465 Well, what I fear for us fellows now is, that, holding the reins of government, they will forcibly compel us ...

Chremes

To do what?

Blepyrus

... to lay them.

Chremes

And if we are not able?

Blepyrus

They will give us no dinner.

Chremes

Well then, 470 do your duty; dinner and love-making form a double enjoyment.

Blepyrus

Ah! but I hate compulsion.

Chremes

But if it is for the public good, let us resign ourselves.

Blepyrus

It's an old saying that our absurdest and maddest decrees 475 always somehow turn out for our good.

Chremes

May it be so in this case, oh gods, oh venerable Pallas! But I must be off; so, good-bye to you!

Exit.

Blepyrus

Good-bye, Chremes. He goes back into his house.