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Ἑρμῆν παλιγκάπηλον ἡμᾶς δεῖ τρέφειν;

The compound adjective παλιγκάπηλος (paligkápēlos) is a hapax legomenon in Aristophanes, appearing only here in the surviving corpus. It is a rare formation combining παλίν ('again' or 'back') with κάπηλος ('huckster' or 'retailer'), effectively meaning 'a huckster who turns back' or 'a double-dealing merchant.' In this context, Chremylus uses it to describe Hermes not merely as a liar, but as a figure who repeatedly reverses his stance or deals in falsehoods, reflecting the play's central theme of economic instability and the capricious nature of divine favor. The term's novelty here underscores the satirical intensity of the accusation against the god.

Wealth. Aristophanes. . 2026-09-08.

Current edition Experimental

Commentary (Sanjaya, generated; selected passages) (OCR draft) (English) (Source: pnadelofficial/aristophanes-sanjaya, commit c319590c139e5603e71f0699caa0663d823af8ad. Machine-generated source annotations retained; see Sanjaya import audit for coverage and limitations.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Πλοῦτος Perseus (Aristophanes. Aristophanis Comoediae, Vol. 2. Hall, F. W. and Geldart, William M., editors. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.) — 1171 focus

Ἱερεύς

τίς ἂν φράσειε ποῦ ʼστι Χρεμύλος μοι σαφῶς;

Χρεμύλος

τί δʼ ἔστιν ὦ βέλτιστε;

Ἱερεύς

τί γὰρ ἀλλʼ ἢ κακῶς;

ἀφʼ οὗ γὰρ ὁ Πλοῦτος οὗτος ἤρξατο βλέπειν,

ἀπόλωλʼ ὑπὸ λιμοῦ. καταφαγεῖν γὰρ οὐκ ἔχω,

καὶ ταῦτα τοῦ σωτῆρος ἱερεὺς ὢν Διός.
1175

Χρεμύλος

ἡ δʼ αἰτία τίς ἐστιν ὦ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν;

Ἱερεύς

θύειν ἔτʼ οὐδεὶς ἀξιοῖ.

Χρεμύλος

τίνος οὕνεκα;

Ἱερεύς

ὅτι πάντες εἰσὶ πλούσιοι· καίτοι τότε,

ὅτʼ εἶχον οὐδέν, ὁ μὲν ἂν ἥκων ἔμπορος

ἔθυσεν ἱερεῖόν τι σωθείς, ὁ δέ τις ἂν
1180

δίκην ἀποφυγών, ὁ δʼ ἂν ἐκαλλιερεῖτό τις

κἀμέ γʼ ἐκάλει τὸν ἱερέα· νῦν δʼ οὐδὲ εἷς

θύει τὸ παράπαν οὐδὲν οὐδʼ εἰσέρχεται,

πλὴν ἀποπατησόμενοί γε πλεῖν ἢ μύριοι.

Χρεμύλος

οὔκουν τὰ νομιζόμενα σὺ τούτων λαμβάνεις;
1185

Ἱερεύς

τὸν οὖν Δία τὸν σωτῆρα καὐτός μοι δοκῶ

χαίρειν ἐάσας ἐνθάδʼ αὐτοῦ καταμένειν.

Χρεμύλος

θάρρει· καλῶς ἔσται γάρ, ἢν θεὸς θέλῃ.

ὁ Ζεὺς ὁ σωτὴρ γὰρ πάρεστιν ἐνθάδε,

αὐτόματος ἥκων.
1190

Ἱερεύς

πάντʼ ἀγαθὰ τοίνυν λέγεις.

Χρεμύλος

ἱδρυσόμεθʼ οὖν αὐτίκα μάλʼ, ἀλλὰ περίμενε

τὸν Πλοῦτον, οὗπερ πρότερον ἦν ἱδρυμένος

τὸν ὀπισθόδομον ἀεὶ φυλάττων τῆς θεοῦ.

ἀλλʼ ἐκδότω τις δεῦρο δᾷδας ἡμμένας,

ἵνʼ ἔχων προηγῇ τῷ θεῷ σύ.
1195

Ἱερεύς

πάνυ μὲν οὖν

δρᾶν ταῦτα χρή.

Χρεμύλος

τὸν Πλοῦτον ἔξω τις κάλει.

Γραῦς

ἐγὼ δὲ τί ποιῶ;

Χρεμύλος

τὰς χύτρας, αἷς τὸν θεὸν

ἱδρυσόμεθα, λαβοῦσʼ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς φέρε

σεμνῶς· ἔχουσα δʼ ἦλθες αὐτὴ ποικίλα.

Γραῦς

ὧν δʼ οὕνεκʼ ἦλθον;
1200

Χρεμύλος

πάντα σοι πεπράξεται.

ἥξει γὰρ ὁ νεανίσκος ὡς σʼ εἰς ἑσπέραν.

Γραῦς

ἀλλʼ εἴ γε μέντοι νὴ Δίʼ ἐγγυᾷ σύ μοι

ἥξειν ἐκεῖνον ὡς ἔμʼ, οἴσω τὰς χύτρας.

Χρεμύλος

καὶ μὴν πολὺ τῶν ἄλλων χυτρῶν τἀναντία

αὗται ποιοῦσι· ταῖς μὲν ἄλλαις γὰρ χύτραις
1205

ἡ γραῦς ἔπεστʼ ἀνωτάτω, ταύτης δὲ νῦν

τῆς γραὸς ἐπιπολῆς ἔπεισιν αἱ χύτραι.

Χορός

οὐκ ἔτι τοίνυν εἰκὸς μέλλειν οὐδʼ ἡμᾶς, ἀλλʼ ἀναχωρεῖν

ἐς τοὔπισθεν· δεῖ γὰρ κατόπιν τούτων ᾄδοντας ἕπεσθαι.

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.) — 1171 focus

They both enter the house. A Priest of Zeus comes hurrying in.

Priest

Can anyone tell me where Chremylus is?

Chremylus
emerging from the house

What would you with him, friend?

Priest

Much ill. Since Plutus has recovered his sight, I am perishing of starvation; 1175 I, the priest of Zeus the Deliverer, have nothing to eat!

Chremylus

And what is the cause of that, pray?

Priest

No one dreams of offering sacrifices.

Chremylus

Why not?

Priest

Because all men are rich. Ah! when they had nothing, the merchant 1180 who escaped from shipwreck, the accused who was acquitted, all immolated victims; another would sacrifice for the success of some wish and the priest joined in at the feast; but now there is not the smallest victim, not one of the faithful in the temple, but thousands who come there to take a crap.

Chremylus

1185 Why don't you take your share of those offerings?

Priest
ignoring this

Hence I think I too am going to say good-bye to Zeus the Deliverer, and stop here myself.

Chremylus

Be at ease, all will go well, if it so please the god. Zeus the Deliverer is here; 1190 he came of his own accord.

Priest

Ha! that's good news.

He moves toward the door.

Chremylus

Wait a little; we are going to install Plutus presently in the place he formerly occupied behind the Temple of Athena; there he will watch over our treasures for ever. Calling out Let lighted torches be brought to the priest. 1195 Take these and walk in solemn procession in front of the god.

Priest

That's magnificent!

Chremylus

Let Plutus be summoned.

Plutus comes out of the house, followed by the Old Woman.

Old Woman

And I, what am I to do?

Chremylus

Take the pots of vegetables which we are going to offer to the god in honor of his installation and carry them on your head; you just happen luckily to be wearing a beautiful embroidered robe.

Old Woman

1200 And what about the object of my coming?

Chremylus

Everything shall be according to your wish. The young man will be with you this evening.

Old Woman

Oh! if you promise me his visit, I will right willingly carry the pots.

She puts them on her head.

Chremylus

Those are strange pots indeed! 1205 Generally the scum rises to the top of the pots, but here the pots are raised to the top of the old woman.

Plutus begins to march solemnly off the stage; the Old Woman follows him.

Leader of the Chorus

Let us withdraw without more tarrying, and follow the others, singing as we go.

They do so.

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.) — 1171 focus

Priest: Who would tell me clearly where Chremylus is?

Chremylus: What is it, sir?

Priest: For what else but badly?

Priest: for since this Wealth began to see,

Priest: I am ruined by hunger. For I have nothing left to eat,

Priest: And yet, being a priest of the savior Zeus, [you say] this.

1175

Chremylus: And what is the reason, by the gods?

Priest: No one wishes to sacrifice anymore.

Chremylus: For whose sake?

Priest: because everyone is rich; and yet then,

Priest: when I had nothing, the merchant who came...

Priest: He sacrificed a certain victim after being saved, but who would...?

1180

Priest: having escaped punishment, and whoever should be called a priest

Priest: And he used to call me the priest, but now not even one.

Priest: The sacrifice is completely useless, nor does it enter,

Priest: except that more than ten thousand will fart.

Chremylus: Then you don't take these things as is customary?

1185

Priest: So I myself seem to [know] the savior Zeus.

Priest: Let her go, but stay here.

Chremylus: Courage, for it will be well, if the god wills it.

Chremylus: For Zeus the Savior is here.

Chremylus: He came of his own accord.

1190

Priest: All things good, then, you say.

Chremylus: So let us set up shop immediately, but wait a moment.

Chremylus: Wealth, in whose house he was previously established.

Chremylus: always guarding the inner shrine of the goddess.

Chremylus: But let someone bring here the torches that are lit,

Chremylus: so that, having it, you may lead the god ahead.

1195

Priest: By all means, then.

Priest: One must do these things.

Chremylus: Someone is calling Wealth outside.

Old Woman: But what am I to do?

Chremylus: the pots, with which [I intend to cook] the god

Chremylus: We shall establish it; take it and carry it on your head.

Chremylus: gravely; having it, you came yourself with varied things.

Old Woman: For what things did I come?

1200

Chremylus: Everything will happen to you.

Chremylus: For the young man will come to you around evening.

Old Woman: But if, by Zeus, you really promise me

Old Woman: That he will come to me, I will take the pots.

Chremylus: And indeed, the opposite of all the other pots.

Chremylus: These do it, for the other pots

1205

Chremylus: The old woman is on top, and now this one...

Chremylus: The pots are boiling over the surface of the old woman.

Chorus: Then it is no longer reasonable for us either to delay, but to withdraw.

Chorus: To the back, for those singing must follow after these.

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

1156. mvp-tlg0019-tlg011-sanjaya-com-eng1-31

Line 1156

Ἑρμῆν παλιγκάπηλον ἡμᾶς δεῖ τρέφειν;

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Line 1156

Current edition Experimental

Ἱερεύς τίς ἂν φράσειε ποῦ ʼστι Χρεμύλος μοι σαφῶς;

Χρεμύλος τί δʼ ἔστιν ὦ βέλτιστε;

Χρεμύλος ἡ δʼ αἰτία τίς ἐστιν ὦ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν;

Ἱερεύς θύειν ἔτʼ οὐδεὶς ἀξιοῖ.

Χρεμύλος τίνος οὕνεκα;

Χρεμύλος οὔκουν τὰ νομιζόμενα σὺ τούτων λαμβάνεις; 1185

Ἱερεύς τὸν οὖν Δία τὸν σωτῆρα καὐτός μοι δοκῶ χαίρειν ἐάσας ἐνθάδʼ αὐτοῦ καταμένειν.

Χρεμύλος θάρρει· καλῶς ἔσται γάρ, ἢν θεὸς θέλῃ. ὁ Ζεὺς ὁ σωτὴρ γὰρ πάρεστιν ἐνθάδε, αὐτόματος ἥκων. 1190

Ἱερεύς πάντʼ ἀγαθὰ τοίνυν λέγεις.

Ἱερεύς πάνυ μὲν οὖν δρᾶν ταῦτα χρή.

Χρεμύλος τὸν Πλοῦτον ἔξω τις κάλει.

Γραῦς ἐγὼ δὲ τί ποιῶ;

Χρεμύλος τὰς χύτρας, αἷς τὸν θεὸν ἱδρυσόμεθα, λαβοῦσʼ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς φέρε σεμνῶς· ἔχουσα δʼ ἦλθες αὐτὴ ποικίλα.

Γραῦς ὧν δʼ οὕνεκʼ ἦλθον; 1200

Χρεμύλος πάντα σοι πεπράξεται. ἥξει γὰρ ὁ νεανίσκος ὡς σʼ εἰς ἑσπέραν.

Γραῦς ἀλλʼ εἴ γε μέντοι νὴ Δίʼ ἐγγυᾷ σύ μοι ἥξειν ἐκεῖνον ὡς ἔμʼ, οἴσω τὰς χύτρας.

Χορός οὐκ ἔτι τοίνυν εἰκὸς μέλλειν οὐδʼ ἡμᾶς, ἀλλʼ ἀναχωρεῖν ἐς τοὔπισθεν· δεῖ γὰρ κατόπιν τούτων ᾄδοντας ἕπεσθαι.

Priest Can anyone tell me where Chremylus is?

Chremylus emerging from the house What would you with him, friend?

Priest Much ill. Since Plutus has recovered his sight, I am perishing of starvation; 1175 I, the priest of Zeus the Deliverer, have nothing to eat!

Chremylus And what is the cause of that, pray?

Priest No one dreams of offering sacrifices.

Chremylus Why not?

Chremylus 1185 Why don't you take your share of those offerings?

Priest ignoring this Hence I think I too am going to say good-bye to Zeus the Deliverer, and stop here myself.

Chremylus Be at ease, all will go well, if it so please the god. Zeus the Deliverer is here; 1190 he came of his own accord.

Priest Ha! that's good news.

Priest That's magnificent!

Chremylus Let Plutus be summoned.

Old Woman And I, what am I to do?

Chremylus Take the pots of vegetables which we are going to offer to the god in honor of his installation and carry them on your head; you just happen luckily to be wearing a beautiful embroidered robe.

Old Woman 1200 And what about the object of my coming?

Chremylus Everything shall be according to your wish. The young man will be with you this evening.

Old Woman Oh! if you promise me his visit, I will right willingly carry the pots.

Chremylus Those are strange pots indeed! 1205 Generally the scum rises to the top of the pots, but here the pots are raised to the top of the old woman.

Leader of the Chorus Let us withdraw without more tarrying, and follow the others, singing as we go.

Commentary

Line 1156

Stable identifiers

Ἱερεύς

τίς ἂν φράσειε ποῦ ʼστι Χρεμύλος μοι σαφῶς;

Χρεμύλος

τί δʼ ἔστιν ὦ βέλτιστε;

Χρεμύλος

ἡ δʼ αἰτία τίς ἐστιν ὦ πρὸς τῶν θεῶν;

Ἱερεύς

θύειν ἔτʼ οὐδεὶς ἀξιοῖ.

Χρεμύλος

τίνος οὕνεκα;

Χρεμύλος

οὔκουν τὰ νομιζόμενα σὺ τούτων λαμβάνεις;
1185

Ἱερεύς

τὸν οὖν Δία τὸν σωτῆρα καὐτός μοι δοκῶ

χαίρειν ἐάσας ἐνθάδʼ αὐτοῦ καταμένειν.

Χρεμύλος

θάρρει· καλῶς ἔσται γάρ, ἢν θεὸς θέλῃ.

ὁ Ζεὺς ὁ σωτὴρ γὰρ πάρεστιν ἐνθάδε,

αὐτόματος ἥκων.
1190

Ἱερεύς

πάντʼ ἀγαθὰ τοίνυν λέγεις.

Ἱερεύς

πάνυ μὲν οὖν

δρᾶν ταῦτα χρή.

Χρεμύλος

τὸν Πλοῦτον ἔξω τις κάλει.

Γραῦς

ἐγὼ δὲ τί ποιῶ;

Χρεμύλος

τὰς χύτρας, αἷς τὸν θεὸν

ἱδρυσόμεθα, λαβοῦσʼ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς φέρε

σεμνῶς· ἔχουσα δʼ ἦλθες αὐτὴ ποικίλα.

Γραῦς

ὧν δʼ οὕνεκʼ ἦλθον;
1200

Χρεμύλος

πάντα σοι πεπράξεται.

ἥξει γὰρ ὁ νεανίσκος ὡς σʼ εἰς ἑσπέραν.

Γραῦς

ἀλλʼ εἴ γε μέντοι νὴ Δίʼ ἐγγυᾷ σύ μοι

ἥξειν ἐκεῖνον ὡς ἔμʼ, οἴσω τὰς χύτρας.

Χορός

οὐκ ἔτι τοίνυν εἰκὸς μέλλειν οὐδʼ ἡμᾶς, ἀλλʼ ἀναχωρεῖν

ἐς τοὔπισθεν· δεῖ γὰρ κατόπιν τούτων ᾄδοντας ἕπεσθαι.

Priest

Can anyone tell me where Chremylus is?

Chremylus
emerging from the house

What would you with him, friend?

Priest

Much ill. Since Plutus has recovered his sight, I am perishing of starvation; 1175 I, the priest of Zeus the Deliverer, have nothing to eat!

Chremylus

And what is the cause of that, pray?

Priest

No one dreams of offering sacrifices.

Chremylus

Why not?

Chremylus

1185 Why don't you take your share of those offerings?

Priest
ignoring this

Hence I think I too am going to say good-bye to Zeus the Deliverer, and stop here myself.

Chremylus

Be at ease, all will go well, if it so please the god. Zeus the Deliverer is here; 1190 he came of his own accord.

Priest

Ha! that's good news.

Priest

That's magnificent!

Chremylus

Let Plutus be summoned.

Old Woman

And I, what am I to do?

Chremylus

Take the pots of vegetables which we are going to offer to the god in honor of his installation and carry them on your head; you just happen luckily to be wearing a beautiful embroidered robe.

Old Woman

1200 And what about the object of my coming?

Chremylus

Everything shall be according to your wish. The young man will be with you this evening.

Old Woman

Oh! if you promise me his visit, I will right willingly carry the pots.

Chremylus

Those are strange pots indeed! 1205 Generally the scum rises to the top of the pots, but here the pots are raised to the top of the old woman.

Leader of the Chorus

Let us withdraw without more tarrying, and follow the others, singing as we go.