the clouds-第11章
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STREPSIADES
Very well！ It will be so much more loss to add to the twelve
minae。 But truly it makes me sad； for I do pity a poor simpleton who
says him for a kneading…trough
（Another creditor arrives。）
AMYNIAS
Woe！ ah woe is me！
STREPSIADES
Wait！ who is this whining fellow？ Can it be one of the gods of
Carcinus？
AMYNIAS
Do you want to know who I am？ I am a man of misfortune！
STREPSIADES
Get on your way then。
AMYNIAS （in tragic style）
Oh！ cruel god！ Oh Fate； who hast broken the wheels of my
chariot！ Oh； Pallas； thou hast undone me！
STREPSIADES
What ill has Tlepolemus done you？
AMYNIAS
Instead of jeering me； friend； make your son return me the money
he has had of me； I am already unfortunate enough。
STREPSIADES
What money？
AMYNIAS
The money he borrowed of me。
STREPSIADES
You have indeed had misfortune； it seems to me。
AMYNIAS
Yes； by the gods！ I have been thrown from a chariot。
STREPSIADES
Why then drivel as if you had fallen off an ass？
AMYNIAS
Am I drivelling because I demand my money？
STREPSIADES
No； no； you cannot be in your right senses。
AMYNIAS
Why？
STREPSIADES
No doubt your poor wits have had a shake。
AMYNIAS
But by Hermes！ I will sue you at law； if you do not pay me。
STREPSIADES
Just tell me； do you think it is always fresh water that Zeus lets
fall every time it rains； or is ill always the same water that the sun
pumps over the earth？
AMYNIAS
I neither know； nor care。
STREPSIADES
And actually you would claim the right to demand your money；
when you know not an iota of these celestial phenomena？
AMYNIAS
If you are short； pay me the interest anyway。
STREPSIADES
What kind of animal is interest？
AMYNIAS
What？ Does not the sum borrowed go on growing； growing every
month； each day as the time slips by？
STREPSIADES
Well put。 But do you believe there is more water in the sea now
than there was formerly？
AMYNIAS
No； it's just the same quantity。 It cannot increase。
STREPSIADES
Thus； poor fool； the sea； that receives the rivers； never grows；
and yet you would have your money grow？ Get you gone； away with you；
quick！ Slave！ bring me the ox…goad！
AMYNIAS
I have witnesses to this。
STREPSIADES
Come； what are you waiting for？ Will you not budge； old nag！
AMYNIAS
What an insult！
STREPSIADES
Unless you start trotting； I shall catch you and stick this in
your arse； you sorry packhorse！ （AMYNIAS runs off。） Ah！ you start；
do you？ I was about to drive you pretty fast； I tell you…you and
your wheels and your chariot！
（He enters his house。）
CHORUS （singing）
Whither does the passion of evil lead！ here is a perverse old man；
who wants to cheat his creditors； but some mishap； which will speedily
punish this rogue for his shameful schemings； cannot fail to
overtake him from to…day。 For a long time he has been burning to
have his son know how to fight against all justice and right and to
gain even the most iniquitous causes against his adversaries every
one。 I think this wish is going to be fulfilled。 But mayhap； mayhap；
will he soon wish his son were dumb rather！
STREPSIADES （rushing out With PHIDIPPIDES after him）
Oh！ oh！ neighbours； kinsmen； fellow…citizens； help！ help！ to the
rescue； I am being beaten！ Oh！ my head！ oh！ my jaw！ Scoundrel！ Do
you beat your own father？
PHIDIPPIDES （calmly）
Yes； father； I do。
STREPSIADES
See！ he admits he is beating me。
PHIDIPPIDES
Of course I do。
STREPSIADES
You villain； you parricide； you gallows…bird！
PHIDIPPIDES
Go on； repeat your epithets； call me a thousand other names； if it
please you。 The more you curse； the greater my amusement！
STREPSIADES
Oh！ you ditch…arsed cynic！
PHIDIPPIDES
How fragrant the perfume breathed forth in your words。
STREPSIADES
Do you beat your own father？
PHIDIPPIDES
Yes； by Zeus！ and I am going to show you that I do right in
beating you。
STREPSIADES
Oh； wretch！ can it be right to beat a father？
PHIDIPPIDES
I will prove it to you； and you shall own yourself vanquished。
STREPSIADES
Own myself vanquished on a point like this？
PHIDIPPIDES
It's the easiest thing in the world。 Choose whichever of the two
reasonings you like。
STREPSIADES
Of which reasonings？
PHIDIPPIDES
The Stronger and the Weaker。
STREPSIADES
Miserable fellow！ Why； I am the one who had you taught how to
refute what is right。 and now you would persuade me it is right a
son should beat his father。
PHIDIPPIDES
I think I shall convince you so thoroughly that； when you have
heard me； you will not have a word to say。
STREPSIADES
Well； I am curious to hear what you have to say。
CHORUS （singing）
Consider well； old man； how you can best triumph over him。 His
brazenness shows me that he thinks himself sure of his case； he has
some argument which gives him nerve。 Note the confidence in his look！
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
But how did the fight begin？ tell the Chorus； you cannot help
doing that much。
STREPSIADES
I will tell you what was the start of the quarrel。 At the end of
the meal； as you know； I bade him take his lyre and sing me the air of
Simonides； which tells of the fleece of the ram。 He replied bluntly；
that it was stupid； while drinking； to play the lyre and sing； like
a woman when she is grinding barley。
PHIDIPPIDES
Why； by rights I ought to have beaten and kicked you the very
moment you told me to sing I
STREPSIADES
That is just how he spoke to me in the house； furthermore he
added； that Simonides was a detestable poet。 However； I mastered
myself and for a while said nothing。 Then I said to him； 'At least；
take a myrtle branch and recite a passage from Aeschylus to
me。'…'For my own part；' he at once replied； 'I look upon Aeschylus
as the first of poets； for his verses roll superbly； they're nothing
but incoherence； bombast and turgidity。' Yet still I smothered my
wrath and said； 'Then recite one of the famous pieces from the
modern poets。' Then he commenced a piece in which Euripides shows； oh！
horror！ a brother； who violates his own uterine sister。 Then I could
not longer restrain myself； and attacked him with the most injurious
abuse； naturally he retorted； hard words were hurled on both sides；
and finally he sprang at me； broke my bones； bore me to earth；
strangled and started killing me！
PHIDIPPIDES
I was right。 What！ not praise Euripides； the greatest of our
poets？
STREPSIADES
He the greatest of our poets？ Ah！ if I but dared to speak！ but the
blows would rain upon me harder than ever。
PHIDIPPIDES
Undoubtedly and rightly too。
STREPSIADES
Rightly！ Oh！ what impudence！ to me； who brought you up！ when you
could hardly lisp； I guessed what you wanted。 If you said broo；
broo； well； I brought you your milk； if you asked for mam mam； I
gave you bread； and you had no sooner said； caca； than I took you
outside and held you out。 And just now； when you were strangling me； I
shouted； I bellowed that I was about to crap； and you； you
scoundrel； had not the heart to take me outside； so that； though
almost choking； I was compelled to do my crapping right there。
CHORUS （singing）
Young men； your hearts must be panting with impatience。 What is
Phidippides going to say？ If； after such conduct； he proves he has
done well； I would not give an obolus for the hide of old men。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Come； you； who know how to brandish and hurl the keen shafts of
the new science； find a way to convince us； give your language an
appearance of truth。
