f(1) Prometheus had stolen the fire from the gods to gratify mankind.
PROMETHEUS I hate the gods, as you know.
PISTHETAERUS Aye, by Zeus, you have always detested them.
PROMETHEUS Towards them I am a veritable Timon;(1) but I must return in
all haste, so give me the umbrella; if Zeus should see me from up there,
he would think I was escorting one of the Canephori.(2)
f(1) A celebrated misanthrope, contemporary to Aristophanes. Hating the
society of men, he had only a single friend, Apimantus, to whom he
was attached, because of their similarity of character; he also liked
Alcibiades, because he foresaw that this young man would be the ruin of
his country.
f(2) The Canephori were young maidens, chosen from the first families
of the city, who carried baskets wreathed with myrtle at the feast of
Athene, while at those of Bacchus and Demeter they appeared with gilded
baskets.--The daughters of 'Metics,' or resident aliens, walked behind
them, carrying an umbrella and a stool.
PISTHETAERUS Wait, take this stool as well.
CHORUS Near by the land of the Sciapodes(1) there is a marsh, from the
borders whereof the odious Socrates evokes the souls of men. Pisander(2)
came one day to see his soul, which he had left there when still alive.
He offered a little victim, a camel,(3) slit his throat and, following
the example of Ulysses, stepped one pace backwards.(4) Then that bat of
a Chaerephon(5) came up from hell to drink the camel's blood.
f(1) According to Ctesias, the Sciapodes were a people who dwelt on the
borders of the Atlantic. Their feet were larger than the rest of their
bodies, and to shield themselves from the sun's rays they held up one of
their feet as an umbrella.--By giving the Socratic philosophers the name
of Sciapodes here Aristophanes wishes to convey that they are walking in
the dark and busying themselves with the greatest nonsense.
f(2) This Pisander was a notorious coward; for this reason the poet
jestingly supposes that he had lost his soul, the seat of courage.
f(3) Considering the shape and height of the camel, (it) can certainly
not be included in the list of SMALL victims, e.g. the sheep and the
goat.
f(4) In the evocation of the dead, Book XI of the Odyssey.
f(5) Chaerephon was given this same title by the Herald earlier in this
comedy.--Aristophanes supposes him to have come from hell because he is
lean and pallid.
POSIDON(1) This is the city of Nephelococcygia, Cloud-cuckoo-town,
whither we come as ambassadors. (TO TRIBALLUS) Hi! what are you up to?
you are throwing your cloak over the left shoulder. Come, fling it quick
over the right! And why, pray, does it draggle in this fashion? Have
you ulcers to hide like Laespodias?(2) Oh! democracy!(3) whither, oh!
whither are you leading us? Is it possible that the gods have chosen
such an envoy?
f(1) Posidon appears on the stage accompanied by Heracles and a
Triballian god.
f(2) An Athenian general.--Neptune is trying to give Triballus some
notions of elegance and good behaviour.
f(3) Aristophanes supposes that democracy is in the ascendant in Olympus
as it is in Athens.
TRIBALLUS Leave me alone.
POSIDON Ugh! the cursed savage! you are by far the most barbarous of all
the gods.--Tell me, Heracles, what are we going to do?
HERACLES I have already told you that I want to strangle the fellow who
has dared to block us in.
POSIDON But, my friend, we are envoys of peace.
HERACLES All the more reason why I wish to strangle him.
PISTHETAERUS Hand me the cheese-grater; bring me the silphium for sauce;
pass me the cheese and watch the coals.(1)
f(1) He is addressing his servant, Manes.
HERACLES Mortal! we who greet you are three gods.
PISTHETAERUS Wait a bit till I have prepared my silphium pickle.