Aristophanes, Wealth, ed. F. W. Hall, ed. William M. Geldart, 901

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Δίκαιος

σὺ φιλόπολις καὶ χρηστός;

Συκοφάντης

ὡς οὐδείς γʼ ἀνήρ.

Δίκαιος

καὶ μὴν ἐπερωτηθεὶς ἀπόκριναί μοι.

Συκοφάντης

τὸ τί;

Δίκαιος

γεωργὸς εἶ;

Συκοφάντης

μελαγχολᾶν μʼ οὕτως οἴει;

Δίκαιος

ἀλλʼ ἔμπορος;

Συκοφάντης

ναί, σκήπτομαί γʼ, ὅταν τύχω.

Δίκαιος

τί δαί; τέχνην τινʼ ἔμαθες;
905

Συκοφάντης

οὐ μὰ τὸν Δία.

Δίκαιος

πῶς οὖν διέζης ἢ πόθεν μηδὲν ποιῶν;

Συκοφάντης

τῶν τῆς πόλεώς εἰμʼ ἐπιμελητὴς πραγμάτων

καὶ τῶν ἰδίων πάντων.

Δίκαιος

σύ; τί μαθών;

Συκοφάντης

βούλομαι.

Δίκαιος

πῶς οὖν ἂν εἴης χρηστὸς ὦ τοιχωρύχε,

εἴ σοι προσῆκον μηδὲν εἶτʼ ἀπεχθάνει;
910

Συκοφάντης

οὐ γὰρ προσήκει τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ μοι πόλιν

εὐεργετεῖν ὦ κέπφε καθʼ ὅσον ἂν σθένω;

Δίκαιος

εὐεργετεῖν οὖν ἐστι τὸ πολυπραγμονεῖν;

Συκοφάντης

τὸ μὲν οὖν βοηθεῖν τοῖς νόμοις τοῖς κειμένοις

καὶ μὴ ʼπιτρέπειν ἐάν τις ἐξαμαρτάνῃ.
915

Δίκαιος

οὔκουν δικαστὰς ἐξεπίτηδες ἡ πόλις

ἄρχειν καθίστησιν;

Συκοφάντης

κατηγορεῖ δὲ τίς;

Δίκαιος

ὁ βουλόμενος.

Συκοφάντης

οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνός εἰμʼ ἐγώ,

ὥστʼ εἰς ἔμʼ ἥκει τῆς πόλεως τὰ πράγματα.

Δίκαιος

νὴ Δία πονηρόν γʼ ἆρα προστάτην ἔχει.
920

ἐκεῖνο δʼ οὐ βούλοιʼ ἄν, ἡσυχίαν ἔχων

ζῆν ἀργός;

Συκοφάντης

ἀλλὰ προβατίου βίον λέγεις,

εἰ μὴ φανεῖται διατριβή τις τῷ βίῳ.

Δίκαιος

οὐδʼ ἂν μεταμάθοις;

Συκοφάντης

οὐδʼ ἂν εἰ δοίης γέ μοι

τὸν Πλοῦτον αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ Βάττου σίλφιον.
925

Δίκαιος

κατάθου ταχέως θοἰμάτιον.

Καρίων

οὗτος, σοὶ λέγει.

Δίκαιος

ἔπειθʼ ὑπόλυσαι.

Καρίων

ταῦτα πάντα σοὶ λέγει.

Συκοφάντης

καὶ μὴν προσελθέτω πρὸς ἔμʼ ὑμῶν ἐνθαδὶ

ὁ βουλόμενος.

Καρίων

οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνός εἰμʼ ἐγώ.

Συκοφάντης

οἴμοι τάλας ἀποδύομαι μεθʼ ἡμέραν.
930

Καρίων

σὺ γὰρ ἀξιοῖς τἀλλότρια πράττων ἐσθίειν.

Συκοφάντης

ὁρᾷς ἃ ποιεῖς; ταῦτʼ ἐγὼ μαρτύρομαι.

Δίκαιος

ἀλλʼ οἴχεται φεύγων ὃν ἦγες μάρτυρα.

Συκοφάντης

οἴμοι περιείλημμαι μόνος.

Καρίων

νυνὶ βοᾷς;

Συκοφάντης

οἴμοι μάλʼ αὖθις.
935

Καρίων

δὸς σύ μοι τὸ τριβώνιον,

ἵνʼ ἀμφιέσω τὸν συκοφάντην τουτονί.

Δίκαιος

μὴ δῆθʼ· ἱερὸν γάρ ἐστι τοῦ Πλούτου πάλαι.

Καρίων

ἔπειτα ποῦ κάλλιον ἀνατεθήσεται

ἢ περὶ πονηρὸν ἄνδρα καὶ τοιχωρύχον;

Πλοῦτον δὲ κοσμεῖν ἱματίοις σεμνοῖς πρέπει.
940

Δίκαιος

τοῖς δʼ ἐμβαδίοις τί χρήσεταί τις; εἰπέ μοι.

Καρίων

καὶ ταῦτα πρὸς τὸ μέτωπον αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα

ὥσπερ κοτίνῳ προσπατταλεύσω τουτῳί.

Συκοφάντης

ἄπειμι· γιγνώσκω γὰρ ἥττων ὢν πολὺ

ὑμῶν· ἐὰν δὲ σύζυγον λάβω τινὰ
945

καὶ σύκινον, τοῦτον τὸν ἰσχυρὸν θεὸν

ἐγὼ ποιήσω τήμερον δοῦναι δίκην,

ὁτιὴ καταλύει περιφανῶς εἶς ὢν μόνος

τὴν δημοκρατίαν, οὔτε τὴν βουλὴν πιθὼν

τὴν τῶν πολιτῶν οὔτε τὴν ἐκκλησίαν.
950

Δίκαιος

καὶ μὴν ἐπειδὴ τὴν πανοπλίαν τὴν ἐμὴν

ἔχων βαδίζεις, ἐς τὸ βαλανεῖον τρέχε·

ἔπειτʼ ἐκεῖ κορυφαῖος ἑστηκὼς θέρου.

κἀγὼ γὰρ εἶχον τὴν στάσιν ταύτην ποτέ.

Καρίων

ἀλλʼ ὁ βαλανεὺς ἕλξει θύραζʼ αὐτὸν λαβὼν
955

τῶν ὀρχιπέδων· ἰδὼν γὰρ αὐτὸν γνώσεται

ὅτι ἔστʼ ἐκείνου τοῦ πονηροῦ κόμματος.

νὼ δʼ εἰσίωμεν, ἵνα προσεύξῃ τὸν θεόν.

Χοροῦ

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.) — 901 focus

Just Man

You an honest man! you a good citizen!

Informer

A better one than any.

Just Man

Ah! well then, answer my questions.

Informer

Concerning what?

Just Man

Are you a husbandman?

Informer

D'ye take me for a fool?

Just Man

A merchant?

Informer

I assume the title, when it serves me.

Just Man

905 Do you ply any trade?

Informer

No, most assuredly not!

Just Man

Then how do you live, if you do nothing?

Informer

I superintend public and private business.

Just Man

You do? And by what right, pray?

Informer

Because it pleases me to do so.

Just Man

Like a thief you sneak yourself in where you have no business. 910 You are hated by all and you claim to be an honest man.

Informer

What, you fool? I have not the right to dedicate myself entirely to my country's service?

Just Man

Is the country served by vile intrigue?

Informer

It is served by watching that the established law is observed — 915 by allowing no one to violate it.

Just Man

That's the duty of the tribunals; they are established to that end.

Informer

And who is the prosecutor before the dicasts?

Just Man

Whoever wishes to be.

Informer

Well then, it is I who choose to be prosecutor; and thus all public affairs fall within my province.

Just Man

920 I pity Athens for being in such vile clutches. But would you not prefer to live quietly and free from all care and anxiety?

Informer

To do nothing is to live an animal's life.

Just Man

Thus you will not change your mode of life?

Informer

No, though they gave me 925 Plutus himself and the silphium of Battus.

Just Man
To the Informer

Come, quick, off with your cloak.

The Informer does not move.

Cario

Hi! friend! it's you they are speaking to.

Just Man

Off with your shoes.

The Informer still remains motionless.

Cario

I say, all this is addressed to you.

Informer
Defiantly

Very well! let one of you come near me, if he dares.

Cario

I dare.

He strips the Informer of his cloak and shoes. The witness runs away.

Informer

930 Alas! I am robbed of my clothes in full daylight.

Cario

That's what comes of meddling with other folk's business and living at their expense.

Informer
Over his shoulder to the departing witness

You see what is happening; I call you to witness.

Just Man
Laughing

Look how the witness whom you brought is taking to his heels.

Informer

Great gods! I am all alone and they assault me.

Cario

Shout away!

Informer

935 Oh! woe, woe is me!

Cario

Give me that old ragged cloak, that I may dress out the informer.

Just Man

No, no; I have dedicated it to Plutus.

Cario

And where would your offering be better bestowed than on the shoulders of a rascal and a thief? 940 To Plutus fine, rich cloaks should be given.

Just Man

And what then shall be done with these shoes? Tell me.

Cario

I will nail them to his brow as gifts are nailed to the trunks of the wild olive.

Informer

I'm off, for you are the strongest, I own. 945 But if I find someone to join me, let him be as weak as he will, I will summon this god, who thinks himself so strong, before the court this very day, and denounce him as manifestly guilty of overturning the democracy by his will alone and without the consent 950 of the Senate or the Assembly.

Just Man

Now that you are rigged out from head to foot with my old clothes, hasten to the bath and stand there in the front row to warm yourself better; that's the place I formerly had.

Cario

955 Ah! the bath-man would grab you by the balls and fling you through the door; he would only need to see you to appraise you at your true value. ... But let us go in, friend, that you may address your thanksgivings 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.) — 901 focus

Dikaios: You are a patriot and a good man?

Sycophant: "As if no man at all."

Dikaios: And indeed, having been asked, answer me.

Sycophant: 'What?'

Dikaios: Are you a farmer?

Sycophant: you think I'm being melancholy like this?

Dikaios: But a merchant?

Sycophant: Yes, I swear, whenever I happen to.

Dikaiopolis: What then? Have you learned some craft?

905

Sycophant: By Zeus, no.

Dikaios: So how did you live, or from where, doing nothing?

Sycophant: I am a caretaker of the affairs of the city.

Sycophant: and of all his own possessions.

Dikaios: You? Having learned what?

Sycophant: I wish.

Dikaiopolis: So how could you be good, you wall-crawler?

Dikaios: If it was fitting for you in no way, then do you hate it?

910

Sycophant: For it is not fitting that I should have my own city.

Sycophant: Shall I do good, O Kephphos, as much as I am able?

Dikaios: Is it then to be doing good to be meddling?

Sycophant: 'Well then, to assist the existing laws'

Sycophant: and not to permit if someone should make a mistake.

915

Dikaios: Does the city not then appoint judges intentionally?

Dikaios: He appoints him to rule?

Sycophant: 'And who is bringing charges?'

Just: the one who wishes.

Sycophant: "Then I am indeed that man,"

Sycophant: So things have come to this point with me concerning the city.

Dikaios: By Zeus, he surely has a villainous master.

920

Dikaios: But that he would not wish, keeping quiet.

Dikaios: to live idle?

Sycophant: but you speak of a sheep's life,

Sycophant: if a certain way of life does not become apparent.

Dikaiopolis: Not even then would you change your mind?

Sycophant: nor even if you were to give [it] to me

Sycophant: 'Plutus himself and the silphium of Battus.'

925

Dikaios: Put it away quickly, the cloak.

Carion: This man is speaking to you.

Dikaios: Then, go and release him.

Carion: He tells you all these things.

Sycophant: Indeed, let him approach me from you all here.

Sycophant: the one who wishes.

Charon: Surely I am that one.

Sycophant: Alas, wretch, I am stripping off by daylight.

930

Carion: for you, by doing other people's work, deserve to eat.

Sycophant: Do you see what you are doing? I bear witness to this.

Dikaios: but he is going away, fleeing the man whom you were leading as a witness.

Sycophant: Alas, I am completely ruined all alone.

Carion: Are you shouting now?

Sycophant: Alas, again!

935

Carion: Give me your cloak,

Chario: so that I may clothe this sycophant.

Dikaios: Not at all; for it has long been sacred to Plutus.

Carion: And then where will it be more beautifully hung up?

Carion: Or is it about a wicked man and a wall-climber?

Carion: It is fitting to dress Plutus in dignified robes.

940

Dikaiopolis: But what use will anyone have for the small steps? Tell me.

Charon: And this right on the forehead at once.

Carion: Just as I will strike this one with a cudgel.

Sycophant: I am going away, for I know that I am far inferior.

Sycophant: of you; but if I should take a wife, anyone

945

Sycophant: and fig-cake, this powerful god

Sycophant: "I will make him pay the penalty today,"

Sycophant: because he destroys openly, being alone.

Sycophant: the democracy, neither persuading the council

Sycophant: 'Neither the assembly of the citizens nor the [assembly of the] people.'

950

Dikaios: And so, since my panoply

Dikaios: Walking, you go; run to the bathhouse.

Dikaios: And then, standing there on top, he is baking.

Dikaios: For I also once had this opinion.

Carion: But the bathman will drag him out, having seized him by the door.

955

Charon: of the testicles; for having seen him, he will recognize him.

Carion: Because he is from that scoundrel's shop.

Carion: But let us go in, so that you may pray to the god.

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Δίκαιος σὺ φιλόπολις καὶ χρηστός;

Συκοφάντης ὡς οὐδείς γʼ ἀνήρ.

Δίκαιος καὶ μὴν ἐπερωτηθεὶς ἀπόκριναί μοι.

Συκοφάντης τὸ τί;

Δίκαιος γεωργὸς εἶ;

Συκοφάντης μελαγχολᾶν μʼ οὕτως οἴει;

Δίκαιος ἀλλʼ ἔμπορος;

Συκοφάντης ναί, σκήπτομαί γʼ, ὅταν τύχω.

Δίκαιος τί δαί; τέχνην τινʼ ἔμαθες; 905

Συκοφάντης οὐ μὰ τὸν Δία.

Δίκαιος πῶς οὖν διέζης ἢ πόθεν μηδὲν ποιῶν;

Συκοφάντης τῶν τῆς πόλεώς εἰμʼ ἐπιμελητὴς πραγμάτων καὶ τῶν ἰδίων πάντων.

Δίκαιος σύ; τί μαθών;

Συκοφάντης βούλομαι.

Δίκαιος πῶς οὖν ἂν εἴης χρηστὸς ὦ τοιχωρύχε, εἴ σοι προσῆκον μηδὲν εἶτʼ ἀπεχθάνει; 910

Συκοφάντης οὐ γὰρ προσήκει τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ μοι πόλιν εὐεργετεῖν ὦ κέπφε καθʼ ὅσον ἂν σθένω;

Δίκαιος εὐεργετεῖν οὖν ἐστι τὸ πολυπραγμονεῖν;

Συκοφάντης τὸ μὲν οὖν βοηθεῖν τοῖς νόμοις τοῖς κειμένοις καὶ μὴ ʼπιτρέπειν ἐάν τις ἐξαμαρτάνῃ. 915

Δίκαιος οὔκουν δικαστὰς ἐξεπίτηδες ἡ πόλις ἄρχειν καθίστησιν;

Συκοφάντης κατηγορεῖ δὲ τίς;

Δίκαιος ὁ βουλόμενος.

Συκοφάντης οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνός εἰμʼ ἐγώ, ὥστʼ εἰς ἔμʼ ἥκει τῆς πόλεως τὰ πράγματα.

Δίκαιος νὴ Δία πονηρόν γʼ ἆρα προστάτην ἔχει. 920 ἐκεῖνο δʼ οὐ βούλοιʼ ἄν, ἡσυχίαν ἔχων ζῆν ἀργός;

Συκοφάντης ἀλλὰ προβατίου βίον λέγεις, εἰ μὴ φανεῖται διατριβή τις τῷ βίῳ.

Δίκαιος οὐδʼ ἂν μεταμάθοις;

Συκοφάντης οὐδʼ ἂν εἰ δοίης γέ μοι τὸν Πλοῦτον αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ Βάττου σίλφιον. 925

Δίκαιος κατάθου ταχέως θοἰμάτιον.

Καρίων οὗτος, σοὶ λέγει.

Δίκαιος ἔπειθʼ ὑπόλυσαι.

Καρίων ταῦτα πάντα σοὶ λέγει.

Συκοφάντης καὶ μὴν προσελθέτω πρὸς ἔμʼ ὑμῶν ἐνθαδὶ ὁ βουλόμενος.

Καρίων οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνός εἰμʼ ἐγώ.

Συκοφάντης οἴμοι τάλας ἀποδύομαι μεθʼ ἡμέραν. 930

Καρίων σὺ γὰρ ἀξιοῖς τἀλλότρια πράττων ἐσθίειν.

Συκοφάντης ὁρᾷς ἃ ποιεῖς; ταῦτʼ ἐγὼ μαρτύρομαι.

Δίκαιος ἀλλʼ οἴχεται φεύγων ὃν ἦγες μάρτυρα.

Συκοφάντης οἴμοι περιείλημμαι μόνος.

Καρίων νυνὶ βοᾷς;

Συκοφάντης οἴμοι μάλʼ αὖθις. 935

Καρίων δὸς σύ μοι τὸ τριβώνιον, ἵνʼ ἀμφιέσω τὸν συκοφάντην τουτονί.

Δίκαιος μὴ δῆθʼ· ἱερὸν γάρ ἐστι τοῦ Πλούτου πάλαι.

Καρίων ἔπειτα ποῦ κάλλιον ἀνατεθήσεται ἢ περὶ πονηρὸν ἄνδρα καὶ τοιχωρύχον; Πλοῦτον δὲ κοσμεῖν ἱματίοις σεμνοῖς πρέπει. 940

Δίκαιος τοῖς δʼ ἐμβαδίοις τί χρήσεταί τις; εἰπέ μοι.

Καρίων καὶ ταῦτα πρὸς τὸ μέτωπον αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα ὥσπερ κοτίνῳ προσπατταλεύσω τουτῳί.

Current edition Perseus

Just Man You an honest man! you a good citizen!

Informer A better one than any.

Just Man Ah! well then, answer my questions.

Informer Concerning what?

Just Man Are you a husbandman?

Informer D'ye take me for a fool?

Just Man A merchant?

Informer I assume the title, when it serves me.

Just Man 905 Do you ply any trade?

Informer No, most assuredly not!

Just Man Then how do you live, if you do nothing?

Informer I superintend public and private business.

Just Man You do? And by what right, pray?

Informer Because it pleases me to do so.

Just Man Like a thief you sneak yourself in where you have no business. 910 You are hated by all and you claim to be an honest man.

Informer What, you fool? I have not the right to dedicate myself entirely to my country's service?

Just Man Is the country served by vile intrigue?

Informer It is served by watching that the established law is observed — 915 by allowing no one to violate it.

Just Man That's the duty of the tribunals; they are established to that end.

Informer And who is the prosecutor before the dicasts?

Just Man Whoever wishes to be.

Informer Well then, it is I who choose to be prosecutor; and thus all public affairs fall within my province.

Just Man 920 I pity Athens for being in such vile clutches. But would you not prefer to live quietly and free from all care and anxiety?

Informer To do nothing is to live an animal's life.

Just Man Thus you will not change your mode of life?

Informer No, though they gave me 925 Plutus himself and the silphium of Battus.

Just Man To the Informer Come, quick, off with your cloak.

Cario Hi! friend! it's you they are speaking to.

Just Man Off with your shoes.

Cario I say, all this is addressed to you.

Informer Defiantly Very well! let one of you come near me, if he dares.

Cario I dare.

Informer 930 Alas! I am robbed of my clothes in full daylight.

Δίκαιος

σὺ φιλόπολις καὶ χρηστός;

Συκοφάντης

ὡς οὐδείς γʼ ἀνήρ.

Δίκαιος

καὶ μὴν ἐπερωτηθεὶς ἀπόκριναί μοι.

Συκοφάντης

τὸ τί;

Δίκαιος

γεωργὸς εἶ;

Συκοφάντης

μελαγχολᾶν μʼ οὕτως οἴει;

Δίκαιος

ἀλλʼ ἔμπορος;

Συκοφάντης

ναί, σκήπτομαί γʼ, ὅταν τύχω.

Δίκαιος

τί δαί; τέχνην τινʼ ἔμαθες;
905

Συκοφάντης

οὐ μὰ τὸν Δία.

Δίκαιος

πῶς οὖν διέζης ἢ πόθεν μηδὲν ποιῶν;

Συκοφάντης

τῶν τῆς πόλεώς εἰμʼ ἐπιμελητὴς πραγμάτων

καὶ τῶν ἰδίων πάντων.

Δίκαιος

σύ; τί μαθών;

Συκοφάντης

βούλομαι.

Δίκαιος

πῶς οὖν ἂν εἴης χρηστὸς ὦ τοιχωρύχε,

εἴ σοι προσῆκον μηδὲν εἶτʼ ἀπεχθάνει;
910

Συκοφάντης

οὐ γὰρ προσήκει τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ μοι πόλιν

εὐεργετεῖν ὦ κέπφε καθʼ ὅσον ἂν σθένω;

Δίκαιος

εὐεργετεῖν οὖν ἐστι τὸ πολυπραγμονεῖν;

Συκοφάντης

τὸ μὲν οὖν βοηθεῖν τοῖς νόμοις τοῖς κειμένοις

καὶ μὴ ʼπιτρέπειν ἐάν τις ἐξαμαρτάνῃ.
915

Δίκαιος

οὔκουν δικαστὰς ἐξεπίτηδες ἡ πόλις

ἄρχειν καθίστησιν;

Συκοφάντης

κατηγορεῖ δὲ τίς;

Δίκαιος

ὁ βουλόμενος.

Συκοφάντης

οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνός εἰμʼ ἐγώ,

ὥστʼ εἰς ἔμʼ ἥκει τῆς πόλεως τὰ πράγματα.

Δίκαιος

νὴ Δία πονηρόν γʼ ἆρα προστάτην ἔχει.
920

ἐκεῖνο δʼ οὐ βούλοιʼ ἄν, ἡσυχίαν ἔχων

ζῆν ἀργός;

Συκοφάντης

ἀλλὰ προβατίου βίον λέγεις,

εἰ μὴ φανεῖται διατριβή τις τῷ βίῳ.

Δίκαιος

οὐδʼ ἂν μεταμάθοις;

Συκοφάντης

οὐδʼ ἂν εἰ δοίης γέ μοι

τὸν Πλοῦτον αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ Βάττου σίλφιον.
925

Δίκαιος

κατάθου ταχέως θοἰμάτιον.

Καρίων

οὗτος, σοὶ λέγει.

Δίκαιος

ἔπειθʼ ὑπόλυσαι.

Καρίων

ταῦτα πάντα σοὶ λέγει.

Συκοφάντης

καὶ μὴν προσελθέτω πρὸς ἔμʼ ὑμῶν ἐνθαδὶ

ὁ βουλόμενος.

Καρίων

οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνός εἰμʼ ἐγώ.

Συκοφάντης

οἴμοι τάλας ἀποδύομαι μεθʼ ἡμέραν.
930

Καρίων

σὺ γὰρ ἀξιοῖς τἀλλότρια πράττων ἐσθίειν.

Συκοφάντης

ὁρᾷς ἃ ποιεῖς; ταῦτʼ ἐγὼ μαρτύρομαι.

Δίκαιος

ἀλλʼ οἴχεται φεύγων ὃν ἦγες μάρτυρα.

Συκοφάντης

οἴμοι περιείλημμαι μόνος.

Καρίων

νυνὶ βοᾷς;

Συκοφάντης

οἴμοι μάλʼ αὖθις.
935

Καρίων

δὸς σύ μοι τὸ τριβώνιον,

ἵνʼ ἀμφιέσω τὸν συκοφάντην τουτονί.

Δίκαιος

μὴ δῆθʼ· ἱερὸν γάρ ἐστι τοῦ Πλούτου πάλαι.

Καρίων

ἔπειτα ποῦ κάλλιον ἀνατεθήσεται

ἢ περὶ πονηρὸν ἄνδρα καὶ τοιχωρύχον;

Πλοῦτον δὲ κοσμεῖν ἱματίοις σεμνοῖς πρέπει.
940

Δίκαιος

τοῖς δʼ ἐμβαδίοις τί χρήσεταί τις; εἰπέ μοι.

Καρίων

καὶ ταῦτα πρὸς τὸ μέτωπον αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα

ὥσπερ κοτίνῳ προσπατταλεύσω τουτῳί.

Just Man

You an honest man! you a good citizen!

Informer

A better one than any.

Just Man

Ah! well then, answer my questions.

Informer

Concerning what?

Just Man

Are you a husbandman?

Informer

D'ye take me for a fool?

Just Man

A merchant?

Informer

I assume the title, when it serves me.

Just Man

905 Do you ply any trade?

Informer

No, most assuredly not!

Just Man

Then how do you live, if you do nothing?

Informer

I superintend public and private business.

Just Man

You do? And by what right, pray?

Informer

Because it pleases me to do so.

Just Man

Like a thief you sneak yourself in where you have no business. 910 You are hated by all and you claim to be an honest man.

Informer

What, you fool? I have not the right to dedicate myself entirely to my country's service?

Just Man

Is the country served by vile intrigue?

Informer

It is served by watching that the established law is observed — 915 by allowing no one to violate it.

Just Man

That's the duty of the tribunals; they are established to that end.

Informer

And who is the prosecutor before the dicasts?

Just Man

Whoever wishes to be.

Informer

Well then, it is I who choose to be prosecutor; and thus all public affairs fall within my province.

Just Man

920 I pity Athens for being in such vile clutches. But would you not prefer to live quietly and free from all care and anxiety?

Informer

To do nothing is to live an animal's life.

Just Man

Thus you will not change your mode of life?

Informer

No, though they gave me 925 Plutus himself and the silphium of Battus.

Just Man
To the Informer

Come, quick, off with your cloak.

Cario

Hi! friend! it's you they are speaking to.

Just Man

Off with your shoes.

Cario

I say, all this is addressed to you.

Informer
Defiantly

Very well! let one of you come near me, if he dares.

Cario

I dare.

Informer

930 Alas! I am robbed of my clothes in full daylight.

Cario

That's what comes of meddling with other folk's business and living at their expense.

Informer
Over his shoulder to the departing witness

You see what is happening; I call you to witness.

Just Man
Laughing

Look how the witness whom you brought is taking to his heels.