ir city with praise and flattery; they
do not see that such toad-eaters(1) are traitors, who sell them for gain.
As for the old men, I know their weakness; they only seek to overwhelm
the accused with their votes.(2) Nor have I forgotten how Cleon treated
me because of my comedy last year;(3) he dragged me before the Senate
and there he uttered endless slanders against me; 'twas a tempest of
abuse, a deluge of lies. Through what a slough of mud he dragged me! I
almost perished. Permit me, therefore, before I speak, to dress in the
manner most likely to draw pity.

f(1) Orators in the pay of the enemy.

f(2) Satire on the Athenians' addiction to law-suits.

f(3) 'The Babylonians.' Cleon had denounced Aristophanes to the Senate for
having scoffed at Athens before strangers, many of whom were present at
the performance. The play is now lost.

CHORUS
What evasions, subterfuges and delays! Hold! here is the sombre
helmet of Pluto with its thick bristling plume; Hieronymus(1) lends it to
you; then open Sisyphus'(2) bag of wiles; but hurry, hurry, pray, for
discussion does not admit of delay.

f(1) A tragic poet; we know next to nothing of him or his works.

f(2) Son of Aeolus, renowned in fable for his robberies, and for the tortures
to which he was put by Pluto. He was cunning enough to break loose out
of hell, but Hermes brought him back again.

DICAEOPOLIS
The time has come for me to manifest my courage, so I will go
and seek Euripides. Ho! slave, slave!

SLAVE
Who's there?

DICAEOPOLIS
Is Euripides at home?

SLAVE
He is and he isn't; understand that, if you have wit for't.

DICAEOPOLIS
How? He is and he isn't!(1)

f(1) This whole scene is directed at Euripides; Aristophanes ridicules the
subtleties of his poetry and the trickeries of his staging, which, according
to him, he only used to attract the less refined among his audience.

SLAVE
Certainly, old man; busy gathering subtle fancies here and
there, his mind is not in the house, but he himself is; perched aloft,
he is composing a tragedy.

DICAEOPOLIS
Oh, Euripides, you are indeed happy to have a slave so quick at
repartee! Now, fellow, call your master.

SLAVE
Impossible!

DICAEOPOLIS
So much the worse. But I will not go. Come, let us knock at the door.
Euripides, my little Euripides, my darling Euripides, listen;
never had man greater right to your pity. It is Dicaeopolis of the