Chremylus
An honest lad, indeed! What do you expect?
1005
When poor, he would devour anything; now he is rich, he no longer cares for lentils.
An honest lad, indeed! What do you expect?
1005
When poor, he would devour anything; now he is rich, he no longer cares for lentils.
Old Woman
Formerly he came to me every day.
Formerly he came to me every day.
Chremylus
To see if you were being buried?
To see if you were being buried?
Old Woman
No! he longed to hear the sound of my voice.
No! he longed to hear the sound of my voice.
Chremylus
aside
And to carry off some present.
And to carry off some present.
Old Woman
1010
If I was downcast, he would call me his little duck or his little dove in a most tender manner ...
1010
If I was downcast, he would call me his little duck or his little dove in a most tender manner ...
Chremylus
aside
And then would ask for the money to buy a pair of sandals.
And then would ask for the money to buy a pair of sandals.
Old Woman
When I was at the Mysteries of
Eleusis
in a carriage, someone made eyes at me; he was so jealous
1015
that he beat me the whole of that day.
When I was at the Mysteries of
Eleusis
in a carriage, someone made eyes at me; he was so jealous
1015
that he beat me the whole of that day.
Chremylus
aside
That was because he liked to feed alone.
That was because he liked to feed alone.
Old Woman
He told me I had very beautiful hands.
He told me I had very beautiful hands.
Chremylus
aside
Aye, no doubt, when they handed him twenty drachmae.
Aye, no doubt, when they handed him twenty drachmae.
Old Woman
1020
That my whole body breathed a sweet perfume.
1020
That my whole body breathed a sweet perfume.
Chremylus
aside
Yes, like enough, if you poured him out Thasian wine.
Yes, like enough, if you poured him out Thasian wine.
Old Woman
That my glance was gentle and charming.
That my glance was gentle and charming.
Chremylus
aside
He was no fool. He knew how to drag drachmae from a sex-starved old woman.
He was no fool. He knew how to drag drachmae from a sex-starved old woman.
Old Woman
1025
Ah! the god has done very, very wrong, saying he would support the victims of injustice.
1025
Ah! the god has done very, very wrong, saying he would support the victims of injustice.
Chremylus
Well, what should he do? Speak, and it shall be done.
Well, what should he do? Speak, and it shall be done.
Old Woman
Compel him, whom I have loaded with benefits, to repay them in his turn;
1030
if not, he does not merit the least of the god's favours.
Compel him, whom I have loaded with benefits, to repay them in his turn;
1030
if not, he does not merit the least of the god's favours.
Chremylus
And did he not do this every night?
And did he not do this every night?
Old Woman
He swore he would never leave me, as long as I lived.
He swore he would never leave me, as long as I lived.
Chremylus
Aye, rightly; but he thinks you are no longer alive.
Aye, rightly; but he thinks you are no longer alive.
Old Woman
Ah! friend, I am pining away with grief.
Ah! friend, I am pining away with grief.
Chremylus
aside
1035
You are rotting away, it seems to me.
1035
You are rotting away, it seems to me.
Old Woman
I have grown so thin, I could slip through a ring.
I have grown so thin, I could slip through a ring.
Chremylus
Yes, if it were as large as the hoop of a sieve.
A young man enters, wearing a garland on his head and carrying a torch in his hand.
Yes, if it were as large as the hoop of a sieve.
Old Woman
But here is the youth, the cause of my complaint;
1040
he looks as though he were going to a festival.
But here is the youth, the cause of my complaint;
1040
he looks as though he were going to a festival.
Chremylus
Yes, if his chaplet and his torch are any guides.
Yes, if his chaplet and his torch are any guides.
Youth
To the Old Woman, with cool politeness
Greeting to you.
Greeting to you.
Old Woman
in a puzzled tone
What was that he said?
What was that he said?
Youth
My ancient old dear, you have grown white very quickly, by heaven!
My ancient old dear, you have grown white very quickly, by heaven!
Old Woman
Oh! what an insult!
Oh! what an insult!
Chremylus
1045
It is a long time, then, since he saw you?
1045
It is a long time, then, since he saw you?
Old Woman
A long time? My god! he was with me yesterday.
A long time? My god! he was with me yesterday.
Chremylus
It must be, then, that, unlike other people, he sees more clearly when he's drunk.
It must be, then, that, unlike other people, he sees more clearly when he's drunk.
Old Woman
No, but I have always known him for an insolent fellow.
No, but I have always known him for an insolent fellow.
Youth
1050
Oh! divine Poseidon! Oh, ye gods of old age! what wrinkles she has on her face!
1050
Oh! divine Poseidon! Oh, ye gods of old age! what wrinkles she has on her face!
Wealth. Aristophanes. ed. Eugene O'Neill, Jr.. New York. 1938.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.