Wife
Oh! don't throw anything at my head.
Oh! don't throw anything at my head.
Cario
Not even the happiness that has come to you?
Not even the happiness that has come to you?
Wife
No, no, nothing ... to annoy me.
No, no, nothing ... to annoy me.
Cario
Having arrived near to the temple with our patient, then so unfortunate,
655
but now at the apex of happiness, of blessedness, we first led him down to the sea to purify him.
Having arrived near to the temple with our patient, then so unfortunate,
655
but now at the apex of happiness, of blessedness, we first led him down to the sea to purify him.
Wife
Ah! what a singular pleasure for an old man to bathe in the cold sea-water!
Ah! what a singular pleasure for an old man to bathe in the cold sea-water!
Cario
in the manner of the tragic messenger
Then we repaired to the temple of the god.
660
Once the wafers and the various offerings had been consecrated upon the altar, and the cake of wheaten-meal had been handed over to the devouring Hephaestus, we made Plutus lie on a couch according to the rite, and each of us prepared himself a bed of leaves.
Then we repaired to the temple of the god.
660
Once the wafers and the various offerings had been consecrated upon the altar, and the cake of wheaten-meal had been handed over to the devouring Hephaestus, we made Plutus lie on a couch according to the rite, and each of us prepared himself a bed of leaves.
Wife
Had any other folk come to beseech the deity?
Had any other folk come to beseech the deity?
Cario
665
Yes. Firstly, Neoclides, who is blind, but steals much better than those who see clearly; then many others attacked by complaints of all kinds. The lights were put out and
670
the priest enjoined us to sleep, especially recommending us to keep silent should we hear any noise. There we were all lying down quite quietly. I could not sleep; I was thinking of a certain stew-pan full of pap placed close to an old woman and just behind her head.
675
I had a furious longing to slip towards that side. But just as I was lifting my head, I noticed the priest, who was sweeping off both the cakes and the figs on the sacred table; then he made the round of the altars
680
and sanctified the cakes that remained, by stowing them away in a bag. I therefore resolved to follow such a pious example and made straight for the pap.
665
Yes. Firstly, Neoclides, who is blind, but steals much better than those who see clearly; then many others attacked by complaints of all kinds. The lights were put out and
670
the priest enjoined us to sleep, especially recommending us to keep silent should we hear any noise. There we were all lying down quite quietly. I could not sleep; I was thinking of a certain stew-pan full of pap placed close to an old woman and just behind her head.
675
I had a furious longing to slip towards that side. But just as I was lifting my head, I noticed the priest, who was sweeping off both the cakes and the figs on the sacred table; then he made the round of the altars
680
and sanctified the cakes that remained, by stowing them away in a bag. I therefore resolved to follow such a pious example and made straight for the pap.
Wife
You rogue! and had you no fear of the god?
You rogue! and had you no fear of the god?
Cario
685
Aye, indeed! I feared that the god with his crown on his head might have been near the stew-pan before me. I said to myself, “Like priest, like god.” On hearing the noise I made, the old woman put out her hand, but I hissed
690
and bit it, just as a sacred serpent might have done. Quick she drew back her hand, slipped down into the bed with her head beneath the coverlets and never moved again; only she let flee a fart in her fear which stank worse than a weasel. As for myself, I swallowed a goodly portion of the pap
695
and, having made a good feed, went back to bed.
685
Aye, indeed! I feared that the god with his crown on his head might have been near the stew-pan before me. I said to myself, “Like priest, like god.” On hearing the noise I made, the old woman put out her hand, but I hissed
690
and bit it, just as a sacred serpent might have done. Quick she drew back her hand, slipped down into the bed with her head beneath the coverlets and never moved again; only she let flee a fart in her fear which stank worse than a weasel. As for myself, I swallowed a goodly portion of the pap
695
and, having made a good feed, went back to bed.
Wealth. Aristophanes. ed. Eugene O'Neill, Jr.. New York. 1938.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.