The Eleven Comedies, vol 2 | Page 9

that is not addressed to the heliast! Some groan over
their poverty and they exaggerate the truth in order to make their
troubles equal to my own. Others tell us anecdotes or some comic story
from Aesop. Others, again, cut jokes; they fancy I shall be appeased if I
laugh. If we are not even then won over, why, then they drag forward
their young children by the hand, both boys and girls, who prostrate
themselves and whine with one accord, and then the father, trembling
as if before a god, beseeches me not to condemn him out of pity for

them, "If you love the voice of the lamb, have pity on my son's"; and
because I am fond of little sows,[66] I must yield to his daughter's
prayers. Then we relax the heat of our wrath a little for him. Is not this
great power indeed, which allows even wealth to be disdained?
BDELYCLEON. A second point to note, the disdain of wealth. And
now recall to me what are the advantages you enjoy, you, who pretend
to rule over Greece?
PHILOCLEON. Being entrusted with the inspection of the young men,
we have a right to examine their organs. Is Aeagrus[67] accused, he is
not acquitted before he has recited a passage from 'Niobe'[68] and he
chooses the finest. If a flute-player gains his case, he adjusts his
mouth-strap[69] in return and plays us the final air while we are leaving.
A father on his death-bed names some husband for his daughter, who is
his sole heir; but we care little for his will or for the shell so solemnly
placed over the seal;[70] we give the young maiden to him who has
best known how to secure our favour. Name me another duty that is so
important and so irresponsible.
BDELYCLEON. Aye, 'tis a fine privilege, and the only one on which I
can congratulate you; but surely to violate the will is to act badly
towards the heiress.
PHILOCLEON. And if the Senate and the people have trouble in
deciding some important case, it is decreed to send the culprits before
the heliasts; then Euathlus[71] and the illustrious Colaconymus,[72]
who cast away his shield, swear not to betray us and to fight for the
people. Did ever an orator carry the day with his opinion if he had not
first declared that the jury should be dismissed for the day as soon as
they had given their first verdict? We are the only ones whom Cleon,
the great bawler, does not badger. On the contrary, he protects and
caresses us; he keeps off the flies, which is what you have never done
for your father. Theorus, who is a man not less illustrious than
Euphemius,[73] takes the sponge out of the pot and blacks our shoes.
See then what good things you deprive and despoil me of. Pray, is this
obeying or being a slave, as you pretended to be able to prove?

BDELYCLEON. Talk away to your heart's content; you must come to
a stop at last and then you shall see that this grand power only
resembles one of those things that, wash 'em as you will, remain as foul
as ever.
PHILOCLEON. But I am forgetting the most pleasing thing of all.
When I return home with my pay, everyone runs to greet me because of
my money. First my daughter bathes me, anoints my feet, stoops to kiss
me and, while she is calling me "her dearest father," fishes out my
triobolus with her tongue;[74] then my little wife comes to wheedle me
and brings a nice light cake; she sits beside me and entreats me in a
thousand ways, "Do take this now; do have some more." All this
delights me hugely, and I have no need to turn towards you or the
steward to know when it shall please him to serve my dinner, all the
while cursing and grumbling. But if he does not quickly knead my cake,
I have this,[75] which is my defence, my shield against all ills. If you
do not pour me out drink, I have brought this long-eared jar[76] full of
wine. How it brays, when I bend back and bury its neck in my mouth!
What terrible and noisy gurglings, and how I laugh at your wine-skins.
As to power, am I not equal to the king of the gods? If our assembly is
noisy, all say as they pass, "Great gods! the tribunal is rolling out its
thunder!" If I let loose the lightning, the richest, aye, the noblest are
half dead with fright and shit themselves with terror. You yourself are
afraid of me, yea, by Demeter! you are afraid.
BDELYCLEON. May I die if you frighten me.
CHORUS. Never have I heard