would you not say him for
Cleonymus?
Aristophanes
SOCRATES. Term the female pigeonnette and the male pigeon.
STREPSIADES. Pigeonnette! hah! by the Air! That's splendid! for that
lesson bring out your kneading-trough and I will fill him with flour to
the brim.
SOCRATES. There you are wrong again; you make _trough_ masculine and it
should be feminine.
STREPSIADES. What? if I say _him_, do I make the _trough_ masculine?
SOCRATES. Assuredly!
would you not say him for Cleonymus?
STREPSIADES. Well?
SOCRATES. Then trough is of the same gender as Cleonymus?
STREPSIADES. Oh! good sir! Cleonymus never had a kneading-trough;[535] he
used a round mortar for the purpose. But come, tell me what I _should_
say?
SOCRATES. For trough you should say _her_ as you would for Sostrate. [536]
STREPSIADES. _Her_?
SOCRATES. In this manner you make it truly female.
