Exit
Interlude of dancing by the Chorus.
Plutus
I adore thee, oh! thou divine sun, and thee I greet, thou city, the beloved of Pallas; be welcome, thou land of Cecrops, which hast received me. Alas!
775
what manner of men I associated with! I blush to think of it. While, on the other hand, I shunned those who deserved my friendship; I knew neither the vices of the ones nor the virtues of the others. A two-fold mistake, and in both cases equally fatal! Ah! what a misfortune was mine! But I want to change everything;
780
and in the future I mean to prove to mankind that, if I gave to the wicked, it was against my will.
I adore thee, oh! thou divine sun, and thee I greet, thou city, the beloved of Pallas; be welcome, thou land of Cecrops, which hast received me. Alas!
775
what manner of men I associated with! I blush to think of it. While, on the other hand, I shunned those who deserved my friendship; I knew neither the vices of the ones nor the virtues of the others. A two-fold mistake, and in both cases equally fatal! Ah! what a misfortune was mine! But I want to change everything;
780
and in the future I mean to prove to mankind that, if I gave to the wicked, it was against my will.
Chremylus
To the wings
Get you gone! Oh! what a lot of friends spring into being when you are fortunate! They dig me with their elbows and bruise my shins
785
to prove their affection. Each one wants to greet me. What a crowd of old fellows thronged round me on the market-place!
Get you gone! Oh! what a lot of friends spring into being when you are fortunate! They dig me with their elbows and bruise my shins
785
to prove their affection. Each one wants to greet me. What a crowd of old fellows thronged round me on the market-place!
Wife
Oh! thou, who art dearest of all to me, and thou too, be welcome! Allow me, Plutus,
790
to shower these gifts of welcome over you in due accord with custom.
Oh! thou, who art dearest of all to me, and thou too, be welcome! Allow me, Plutus,
790
to shower these gifts of welcome over you in due accord with custom.
Plutus
No. This is the first house I enter after having regained my sight; I shall take nothing from it, for it is my place rather to give.
No. This is the first house I enter after having regained my sight; I shall take nothing from it, for it is my place rather to give.
Wife
Do you refuse these gifts?
Do you refuse these gifts?
Plutus
795
I will accept them at your fireside, as custom requires. Besides, we shall thus avoid a ridiculous scene; it is not meet that the poet should throw dried figs and dainties to the spectators; it is a vulgar trick to make them laugh.
795
I will accept them at your fireside, as custom requires. Besides, we shall thus avoid a ridiculous scene; it is not meet that the poet should throw dried figs and dainties to the spectators; it is a vulgar trick to make them laugh.
Wife
800
You are right. Look! yonder's Dexinicus, who was already getting to his feet to catch the figs as they flew past him.
800
You are right. Look! yonder's Dexinicus, who was already getting to his feet to catch the figs as they flew past him.
Wealth. Aristophanes. ed. Eugene O'Neill, Jr.. New York. 1938.
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