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Καρίων

ὡς ἡδὺ πράττειν ὦνδρές ἐστʼ εὐδαιμόνως,

καὶ ταῦτα μηδὲν ἐξενεγκόντʼ οἴκοθεν.

ἡμῖν γὰρ ἀγαθῶν σωρὸς ἐς τὴν οἰκίαν

ἐπεσπέπαικεν οὐδὲν ἠδικηκόσιν.
805

οὕτω τὸ πλουτεῖν ἐστιν ἡδὺ πρᾶγμα δή.

ἡ μὲν σιπύη μεστή ʼστι λευκῶν ἀλφίτων,

οἱ δʼ ἀμφορῆς οἴνου μέλανος ἀνθοσμίου.

ἅπαντα δʼ ἡμῖν ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου

τὰ σκευάρια πλήρη ʼστίν, ὥστε θαυμάσαι.

τὸ φρέαρ δʼ ἐλαίου μεστόν· αἱ δὲ λήκυθοι
810

μύρου γέμουσι, τὸ δʼ ὑπερῷον ἰσχάδων.

ὀξὶς δὲ πᾶσα καὶ λοπάδιον καὶ χύτρα

χαλκῆ γέγονε· τοὺς δὲ πινακίσκους τοὺς σαπροὺς

τοὺς ἰχθυηροὺς ἀργυροῦς πάρεσθʼ ὁρᾶν.

ὁ δʼ ἰπνὸς γέγονʼ ἡμῖν ἐξαπίνης ἐλεφάντινος.
815

στατῆρσι δʼ οἱ θεράποντες ἀρτιάζομεν

χρυσοῖς· ἀποψώμεσθα δʼ οὐ λίθοις ἔτι,

ἀλλὰ σκοροδίοις ὑπὸ τρυφῆς ἑκάστοτε.

καὶ νῦν ὁ δεσπότης μὲν ἔνδον βουθυτεῖ

ὗν καὶ τράγον καὶ κριὸν ἐστεφανωμένος·
820

ἐμὲ δʼ ἐξέπεμψεν ὁ καπνός. οὐχ οἷός τε γὰρ

ἔνδον μένειν ἦν. ἔδακνε γὰρ τὰ βλέφαρά μου.

Δίκαιος

ἕπου μετʼ ἐμοῦ παιδάριον, ἵνα πρὸς τὸν θεὸν

ἴωμεν.

Καρίων

ἔα τίς ἔσθʼ ὁ προσιὼν οὑτοσί;

Δίκαιος

ἀνὴρ πρότερον μὲν ἄθλιος, νῦν δʼ εὐτυχής.
825

Καρίων

δῆλον ὅτι τῶν χρηστῶν τις, ὡς ἔοικας, εἶ.

Δίκαιος

μάλιστʼ.

Καρίων

ἔπειτα τοῦ δέει;

Δίκαιος

πρὸς τὸν θεὸν

ἥκω· μεγάλων γάρ μοὐστὶν ἀγαθῶν αἴτιος.

ἐγὼ γὰρ ἱκανὴν οὐσίαν παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς

λαβὼν ἐπήρκουν τοῖς δεομένοις τῶν φίλων,
830

εἶναι νομίζων χρήσιμον πρὸς τὸν βίον.

Καρίων

ἦ πού σε ταχέως ἐπέλιπεν τὰ χρήματα.

Δίκαιος

κομιδῇ μὲν οὖν.

Καρίων

οὐκοῦν μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἦσθʼ ἄθλιος.

Δίκαιος

κομιδῇ μὲν οὖν. κἀγὼ μὲν ᾤμην οὓς τέως

εὐηργέτησα δεομένους ἕξειν φίλους
835

ὄντως βεβαίους, εἰ δεηθείην ποτέ·

οἱ δʼ ἐξετρέποντο κοὐκ ἐδόκουν ὁρᾶν μʼ ἔτι.

Καρίων

καὶ κατεγέλων δʼ εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι.

Δίκαιος

κομιδῇ μὲν οὖν·

αὐχμὸς γὰρ ὢν τῶν σκευαρίων μʼ ἀπώλεσεν.

Καρίων

ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ νῦν.
840

Δίκαιος

ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐγὼ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν

προσευξόμενος ἥκω δικαίως ἐνθάδε.

Καρίων

τὸ τριβώνιον δὲ τί δύναται πρὸς τῶν θεῶν,

ὃ φέρει μετὰ σοῦ τὸ παιδάριον τουτί; φράσον.

Δίκαιος

καὶ τοῦτʼ ἀναθήσων ἔρχομαι πρὸς τὸν θεόν.

Καρίων

μῶν οὖν ἐμυήθης δῆτʼ ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ μεγάλα;
845

Δίκαιος

οὐκ ἀλλʼ ἐνερρίγωσʼ ἔτη τριακαίδεκα.

Καρίων

τὰ δʼ ἐμβάδια;

Δίκαιος

καὶ ταῦτα συνεχειμάζετο.

Καρίων

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀναθήσων ἔφερες οὖν;

Δίκαιος

νὴ τὸν Δία.

Καρίων

χαρίεντά γʼ ἥκεις δῶρα τῷ θεῷ φέρων.

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

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

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

Translations (2)

Wealth (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Anonymous; 1938 compilation). Migrated from Perseus legacy XML; source wording and notes retained. See TEI header and migration inventory.) — 802 focus

Interlude of dancing by the Chorus.

Cario

How pleasant it is, friends, to live well, especially when it costs nothing! What a deluge of blessings 805 flood our household, and that too without our having wronged a single soul! [Ah! what a delightful thing is wealth!] The bin is full of white flour and the wine-jars run over with fragnant liquor; all the chests are crammed with gold and silver, it is a sight to see; 810 the tank is full of oil, the phials with perfumes, and the garret with dried figs. Vinegar flasks, plates, stew-pots and all the platters are of brass; our rotten old wooden trenchers for the fish have to-day become dishes of silver; 815 even the thunder-mug is of ivory. We others, the slaves, we play at odd and even with gold pieces, and carry luxury so far that we no longer wipe our arses with stones, but use garlic stalks instead. My master, at this moment, 820 is crowned with flowers and sacrificing a pig, a goat and a ram; it's the smoke that has driven me out, for I could no longer endure it, it hurt my eyes so.

A Just Man enters, followed by a small slave-lad who carries a threadbare cloak and a pair of badly worn sandals.

Just Man

Come, my child, come with me. Let us go and find the god.

Cario

Who's this?

Just Man

825 A man who was once wretched, but now is happy.

Cario

A just man then?

Just Man

That's right.

Cario

Well! what do you want?

Just Man

I come to thank the god for all the blessings he has showered on me. My father had left me a fairly decent fortune, 830 and I helped those of my friends who were in want; it was, to my thinking, the most useful thing I could do with my fortune.

Cario

And you were quickly ruined?

Just Man

Quite.

Cario

And since then you have been living in misery?

Just Man

Quite; I thought 835 I could count, in case of need, upon the friends whose property I had helped, but they turned their backs upon me and pretended not to see me.

Cario

They laughed at you, that's obvious.

Just Man

Quite. With my empty coffers, I had no more friends.

Cario

840 But that's no longer so.

Just Man

My lot has changed, and so I come to the god to make him the acts of gratitude that are his due.

Cario

But why are you bringing this old cloak, which your slave is carrying? Tell me.

Just Man

I wish to dedicate it to the god.

Cario

845 Were you initiated into the Great Mysteries in that cloak?

Just Man

No, but I shivered in it for thirteen years.

Cario

And this footwear?

Just Man

These also are my winter companions.

Cario

And you wish to dedicate them too?

Just Man

Certainly.

Cario

Fine presents to offer to the god!

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.) — 802 focus

Carion: How sweet it is for men to live happily!

Carion: and even taking these things out from home.

Carion: for we have a heap of good things into the house.

Carion: He has not wronged anyone.

805

Charon: So to be rich is a truly pleasant thing, then.

Carion: the jar is full of white barley.

Carion: But the amphorae of black wine of the vintage.

Carion: all [is] for us of silver and gold

Carion: The equipment is full, so that one can marvel.

Carion: but the well is full of oil; but the oil-flasks

810

Carion: They are full of perfume, but the upper room is full of garlic.

Carion: and every sharp thing and a ladle and a cooking-pot.

Carion: it has become bronze; but the rotten little tablets

Carion: Buy the silver fish, that they may be seen.

Carion: But the oven has suddenly become ivory for us.

815

Carion: With staters, the servants will make it up.

Chario: With gold; but we shall not be filled anymore with stones,

Charon: but because of luxury, [he is] constantly with garlic.

Carion: And now indeed the master is sacrificing inside.

Charon: crowned with a sow, a goat, and a ram;

820

Carion: But the smoke drove me out. For I am not able to

Carion: I had to stay inside. For I was gnawing on my eyelids.

Dikaios: Follow me, little boy, so that [we may go] to the god.

Dikaios: Let us go.

Charon: Let him be; who is this man coming here?

Dikaios: a man formerly wretched, but now fortunate.

825

Charon: clearly you are one of the good men, it seems.

Dikaios: Most certainly.

Carion: "And then you are in need?"

Dikaios: to the god

Dikaios: I have come; for I am the cause of great good things.

Dikaios: for I have a sufficient estate from my father.

Dikaios: having taken, I was exhorting the friends who needed [it],

830

Dikaios: believing to be useful for life.

Carion: No wonder your money has soon deserted you.

Dikaiopolis: By all means, then.

Carion: And so afterwards you were wretched.

Dikaios: By all means, then. And I thought that until now...

Dikaios: I have done good to those who were in need, [and] they will have friends.

835

Dikaios: Indeed, I would be steadfast, if I were ever to be asked.

Dikaiopolis: But they were going out of their way and did not seem to see me anymore.

Carion: And indeed I know well that I laughed.

Dikaios: certainly then;

Dikaios: for being dry he ruined me.

Charon: But not now.

840

Dikaios: for these things I [am speaking] to the god

Dikaios: I have come here praying justly.

Carion: But what can the cloak do in the eyes of the gods,

Charon: Who is carrying this little boy with you? Tell me.

Dikaios: And I am coming to offer this as a votive offering to the god.

Carion: Then surely you were initiated into the Greater Mysteries?

845

Dikaios: No, but he has grown thick with hair for thirteen years.

Carion: And what about the sandals?

Dikaios: And this was wintered.

Carion: And so you brought these things to be dedicated as well?

Dikaios: by Zeus.

Carion: charmingly you come, bringing gifts to the god.

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

811. mvp-tlg0019-tlg011-sanjaya-com-eng1-23

Line 811

μύρου γέμουσι, τὸ δʼ ὑπερῷον ἰσχάδων.

The noun ἰσχάδων (genitive plural of ἰσχάς) is a rare and specifically comic term for 'fish' or 'small fry', often implying refuse or cheap food. Its use here creates a stark, grotesque contrast with μύρου (perfume) and highlights the satirical inversion of domestic expectations: the house is filled with the scent of luxury, yet the upper room (the private, intimate space) is stocked with the stench of fish guts or scraps, suggesting a household where appearance is meticulously maintained while reality is squalid.

845. mvp-tlg0019-tlg011-sanjaya-com-eng1-24

Line 845

μῶν οὖν ἐμυήθης δῆτʼ ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ μεγάλα;

The perfect middle indicative ἐμυήθης (from μυέω) is here used in a transferred sense of 'became initiated' or 'was inducted' into a secret, rather than the standard ritual sense of initiation into the Eleusinian or Orphic mysteries. The adverb δῆτʼ adds a tone of incredulous surprise, implying that the speaker finds it astonishing the addressee has undergone such a profound, secret transformation in the very person present. This usage reflects the comedic exploitation of mystery-religion terminology to describe the transformative effect of the god Wealth on the blind man, a recurring motif in the play where 'initiation' parallels the restoration of sight and wealth.

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Δίκαιος ἕπου μετʼ ἐμοῦ παιδάριον, ἵνα πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἴωμεν.

Καρίων ἔα τίς ἔσθʼ ὁ προσιὼν οὑτοσί;

Δίκαιος ἀνὴρ πρότερον μὲν ἄθλιος, νῦν δʼ εὐτυχής. 825

Καρίων δῆλον ὅτι τῶν χρηστῶν τις, ὡς ἔοικας, εἶ.

Δίκαιος μάλιστʼ.

Καρίων ἔπειτα τοῦ δέει;

Καρίων ἦ πού σε ταχέως ἐπέλιπεν τὰ χρήματα.

Δίκαιος κομιδῇ μὲν οὖν.

Καρίων οὐκοῦν μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἦσθʼ ἄθλιος.

Καρίων καὶ κατεγέλων δʼ εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι.

Δίκαιος κομιδῇ μὲν οὖν· αὐχμὸς γὰρ ὢν τῶν σκευαρίων μʼ ἀπώλεσεν.

Καρίων ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ νῦν. 840

Δίκαιος ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐγὼ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν προσευξόμενος ἥκω δικαίως ἐνθάδε.

Καρίων τὸ τριβώνιον δὲ τί δύναται πρὸς τῶν θεῶν, ὃ φέρει μετὰ σοῦ τὸ παιδάριον τουτί; φράσον.

Δίκαιος καὶ τοῦτʼ ἀναθήσων ἔρχομαι πρὸς τὸν θεόν.

Καρίων μῶν οὖν ἐμυήθης δῆτʼ ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ μεγάλα; 845

Δίκαιος οὐκ ἀλλʼ ἐνερρίγωσʼ ἔτη τριακαίδεκα.

Καρίων τὰ δʼ ἐμβάδια;

Δίκαιος καὶ ταῦτα συνεχειμάζετο.

Καρίων καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀναθήσων ἔφερες οὖν;

Δίκαιος νὴ τὸν Δία.

Καρίων χαρίεντά γʼ ἥκεις δῶρα τῷ θεῷ φέρων.

Current edition Perseus

Just Man Come, my child, come with me. Let us go and find the god.

Cario Who's this?

Just Man 825 A man who was once wretched, but now is happy.

Cario A just man then?

Just Man That's right.

Cario Well! what do you want?

Just Man I come to thank the god for all the blessings he has showered on me. My father had left me a fairly decent fortune, 830 and I helped those of my friends who were in want; it was, to my thinking, the most useful thing I could do with my fortune.

Cario And you were quickly ruined?

Just Man Quite.

Cario And since then you have been living in misery?

Just Man Quite; I thought 835 I could count, in case of need, upon the friends whose property I had helped, but they turned their backs upon me and pretended not to see me.

Cario They laughed at you, that's obvious.

Just Man Quite. With my empty coffers, I had no more friends.

Cario 840 But that's no longer so.

Just Man My lot has changed, and so I come to the god to make him the acts of gratitude that are his due.

Cario But why are you bringing this old cloak, which your slave is carrying? Tell me.

Just Man I wish to dedicate it to the god.

Cario 845 Were you initiated into the Great Mysteries in that cloak?

Just Man No, but I shivered in it for thirteen years.

Cario And this footwear?

Just Man These also are my winter companions.

Cario And you wish to dedicate them too?

Just Man Certainly.

Cario Fine presents to offer to the god!

Commentary

Line 811

Line 845

Stable identifiers

Δίκαιος

ἕπου μετʼ ἐμοῦ παιδάριον, ἵνα πρὸς τὸν θεὸν

ἴωμεν.

Καρίων

ἔα τίς ἔσθʼ ὁ προσιὼν οὑτοσί;

Δίκαιος

ἀνὴρ πρότερον μὲν ἄθλιος, νῦν δʼ εὐτυχής.
825

Καρίων

δῆλον ὅτι τῶν χρηστῶν τις, ὡς ἔοικας, εἶ.

Δίκαιος

μάλιστʼ.

Καρίων

ἔπειτα τοῦ δέει;

Καρίων

ἦ πού σε ταχέως ἐπέλιπεν τὰ χρήματα.

Δίκαιος

κομιδῇ μὲν οὖν.

Καρίων

οὐκοῦν μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἦσθʼ ἄθλιος.

Καρίων

καὶ κατεγέλων δʼ εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι.

Δίκαιος

κομιδῇ μὲν οὖν·

αὐχμὸς γὰρ ὢν τῶν σκευαρίων μʼ ἀπώλεσεν.

Καρίων

ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ νῦν.
840

Δίκαιος

ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐγὼ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν

προσευξόμενος ἥκω δικαίως ἐνθάδε.

Καρίων

τὸ τριβώνιον δὲ τί δύναται πρὸς τῶν θεῶν,

ὃ φέρει μετὰ σοῦ τὸ παιδάριον τουτί; φράσον.

Δίκαιος

καὶ τοῦτʼ ἀναθήσων ἔρχομαι πρὸς τὸν θεόν.

Καρίων

μῶν οὖν ἐμυήθης δῆτʼ ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ μεγάλα;
845

Δίκαιος

οὐκ ἀλλʼ ἐνερρίγωσʼ ἔτη τριακαίδεκα.

Καρίων

τὰ δʼ ἐμβάδια;

Δίκαιος

καὶ ταῦτα συνεχειμάζετο.

Καρίων

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀναθήσων ἔφερες οὖν;

Δίκαιος

νὴ τὸν Δία.

Καρίων

χαρίεντά γʼ ἥκεις δῶρα τῷ θεῷ φέρων.

Just Man

Come, my child, come with me. Let us go and find the god.

Cario

Who's this?

Just Man

825 A man who was once wretched, but now is happy.

Cario

A just man then?

Just Man

That's right.

Cario

Well! what do you want?

Just Man

I come to thank the god for all the blessings he has showered on me. My father had left me a fairly decent fortune, 830 and I helped those of my friends who were in want; it was, to my thinking, the most useful thing I could do with my fortune.

Cario

And you were quickly ruined?

Just Man

Quite.

Cario

And since then you have been living in misery?

Just Man

Quite; I thought 835 I could count, in case of need, upon the friends whose property I had helped, but they turned their backs upon me and pretended not to see me.

Cario

They laughed at you, that's obvious.

Just Man

Quite. With my empty coffers, I had no more friends.

Cario

840 But that's no longer so.

Just Man

My lot has changed, and so I come to the god to make him the acts of gratitude that are his due.

Cario

But why are you bringing this old cloak, which your slave is carrying? Tell me.

Just Man

I wish to dedicate it to the god.

Cario

845 Were you initiated into the Great Mysteries in that cloak?

Just Man

No, but I shivered in it for thirteen years.

Cario

And this footwear?

Just Man

These also are my winter companions.

Cario

And you wish to dedicate them too?

Just Man

Certainly.

Cario

Fine presents to offer to the god!