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him neither wine nor any harvest at all！ Our terrible slings will
mow down his young olive plants and his vines。 If he is making bricks；
it will rain； and our round hailstones will break the tiles of his
roof。 If he himself marries or any of his relations or friends； we
shall cause rain to fall the whole night long。 Verily； he would prefer
to live in Egypt than to have given this iniquitous verdict。
STREPSIADES （coming out again）
Another four； three； two days； then the eve； then the day； the
fatal day of payment！ I tremble； I quake； I shudder； for it's the
day of the old moon and the new。 Then all my creditors take the
oath； pay their deposits； I swear my downfall and my ruin。 As for
me； I beseech them to be reasonable； to be just； 〃My friend； do not
demand this sum； wait a little for this other and give me time for
this third one。〃 Then they will pretend that at this rate they will
never be repaid； will accuse me of bad faith and will threaten me with
the law。 Well then； let them sue me！ I care nothing for that； if
only Phidippides has learnt to speak fluently。 I am going to find out；
I'll knock at the door of the school。 （He knocks。）。。。。 Ho！ slave；
slave！
SOCRATES （coming out）
Welcome！ Strepsiades！
STREPSIADES
Welcome！ Socrates！ But first take this sack （offers him a sack
of flour）； it is right to reward the master with some present。 And
my son； whom you took off lately； has he learnt this famous reasoning？
Tell me。
SOCRATES
He has learnt it。
STREPSIADES
Wonderful！ Oh！ divine Knavery！
SOCRATES
You will win just as many causes as you choose。
STREPSIADES
Even if I have borrowed before witnesses？
SOCRATES
So much the better； even if there are a thousand of them！
STREPSIADES （bursting into song）
Then I am going to shout with all my might。 〃Woe to the usurers；
woe to their capital and their interest and their compound interest！
You shall play me no more bad turns。 My son is being taught there； his
tongue is being sharpened into a double…edged weapon； he is my
defender； the saviour of my house； the ruin of my foes！ His poor
father was crushed down with misfortune and he delivers him。〃 Go and
call him to me quickly。 Oh！ my child！ my dear little one！ run
forward to your father's voice！
SOCRATES （singing）
Lo； the man himself！
STREPSIADES （singing）
Oh； my friend； my dearest friend！
SOCRATES （singing）
Take your son； and get you gone。
STREPSIADES （as PHIDIPPIDES appears）
Oh； my son！ oh！ oh！ what a pleasure to see your pallor！ You are
ready first to deny and then to contradict； it's as clear as noon。
What a child of your country you are！ How your lips quiver with the
famous； 〃What have you to say now？〃 How well you know； I am certain；
to put on the look of a victim； when it is you who are making both
victims and dupes！ And what a truly Attic glance！ Come； it's for you
to save me； seeing it is you who have ruined me。
PHIDIPPIDES
What is it you fear then？
STREPSIADES
The day of the old and the new。
PHIDIPPIDES
Is there then a day of the old and the new？
STREPSIADES
The day on which they threaten to pay deposit against me。
PHIDIPPIDES
Then so much the worse for those who have deposited！ for it's
not possible for one day to be two。
STREPSIADES
What？
PHIDIPPIDES
Why； undoubtedly； unless a woman can be both old and young at
the same time。
STREPSIADES
But so runs the law。
PHIDIPPIDES
I think the meaning of the law is quite misunderstood。
STREPSIADES
What does it mean？
PHIDIPPIDES
Old Solon loved the people。
STREPSIADES
What has that to do with the old day and the new？
PHIDIPPIDES
He has fixed two days for the summons； the last day of the old
moon and the first day of the new； but the deposits must only be
paid on the first day of the new moon。
STREPSIADES
And why did he also name the last day of the old？
PHIDIPPIDES
So； my dear sir； that the debtors； being there the day before；
might free themselves by mutual agreement； or that else； if not； the
creditor might begin his action on the morning of the new moon。
STREPSIADES
Why then do the magistrates have the deposits paid on the last
of the month and not the next day？
PHIDIPPIDES
I think they do as the gluttons do； who are the first to pounce
upon the dishes。 Being eager to carry off these deposits； they have
them paid in a day too soon。
STREPSIADES
Splendid！ （to the audience） Ah！ you poor brutes； who serve for
food to us clever folk！ You are only down here to swell the number；
true blockheads； sheep for shearing； heap of empty pots！ Hence I
will sing a song of victory for my son and myself。 〃Oh！ happy；
Strepsiades！ what cleverness is thine！ and what a son thou hast here！〃
Thus my friends and my neighbours will say； jealous at seeing me
gain all my suits。 But come in； I wish to regale you first。
（They both go in。 A moment later a creditor arrives； with his
witness。）
PASIAS （to the WITNESS）
A man should never lend a single obolus。 It would be better to put
on a brazen face at the outset than to get entangled in such
matters。 I want to see my money again and I bring you here to…day to
attest the loan。 I am going to make a foe of a neighbour； but； as long
as I live； I do not wish my country to have to blush for me。 Come； I
am going to summon Strepsiades。。。。
STREPSIADES （coming out of his house）
Who is this？
PASIAS
。。。。for the old day and the new。
STREPSIADES （to the WITNESS）
I call you to witness； that he has named two days。 What do you
want of me？
PASIAS
I claim of you the twelve minae； which you borrowed from me to buy
the dapple…grey horse。
STREPSIADES
A horse！ do you hear him？ I； who detest horses； as is well known。
PASIAS
I call Zeus to witness； that you swore by the gods to return
them to me。
STREPSIADES
Because at that time； by Zeus！ Phidippides did not yet know the
irrefutable argument。
PASIAS
Would you deny the debt on that account？
STREPSIADES
If not； what use is his science to me？
PASIAS
Will you dare to swear by the gods that you owe me nothing？
STREPSIADES
By which gods？
PASIAS
By Zeus； Hermes and Posidon！
STREPSIADES
Why； I would give three obols for the pleasure of swearing by
them。
PASIAS
Woe upon you； impudent knave！
STREPSIADES
Oh！ what a fine wine…skin you would make if flayed！
PASIAS
Heaven！ he jeers at me！
STREPSIADES
It would hold six gallons easily。
PASIAS
By great Zeus！ by all the gods！ you shall not scoff at me with
impunity；
STREPSIADES
Ah！ how you amuse me with your gods！ how ridiculous it seems to
a sage to hear Zeus invoked。
PASIAS
Your blasphemies will one day meet their reward。 But； come； will
you repay me my money； yes or no？ Answer me； that I may go。
STREPSIADES
Wait a moment； I am going to give you a distinct answer。 （He
goes indoors and returns immediately with a kneading…trough。）
PASIAS （to the WITNESS）
What do you think he will do？ Do you think he will pay？
STREPSIADES
Where is the man who demands money？ Tell me； what is this？
PASIAS
Him？ Why； he is your kneading…trough。
STREPSIADES
And you dare to demand money of me； when you are so ignorant？ I
will not return an obolus to anyone who says him instead of her for
a kneading…trough。
PASIAS
You will not repay？
STREPSIADES
Not if I know it。 Come； an end to this； pack off as quick as you
can。
PASIAS
I go； but； may I die； if it be not to pay my deposit for a
summons。
（Exit）
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。
S