However, I
mastered
myself
and for a while said nothing.
and for a while said nothing.
Aristophanes
Well, I am curious to hear what you have to say.
CHORUS. Consider well, old man, how you can best triumph over him. His
brazenness shows me that he thinks himself sure of his case; he has some
argument which gives him nerve. Note the confidence in his look! But how
did the fight begin? tell the Chorus; you cannot help doing that much.
STREPSIADES. I will tell you what was the start of the quarrel. At the
end of the meal you wot of, I bade him take his lyre and sing me the air
of Simonides, which tells of the fleece of the ram. [571] He replied
bluntly, that it was stupid, while drinking, to play the lyre and sing,
like a woman when she is grinding barley.
PHIDIPPIDES. Why, by rights I ought to have beaten and kicked you the
very moment you told me to sing!
STREPSIADES. That is just how he spoke to me in the house, furthermore he
added, that Simonides was a detestable poet.
However, I mastered myself
and for a while said nothing. Then I said to him, 'At least, take a
myrtle branch and recite a passage from Aeschylus to me. '--'For my own
part,' he at once replied, 'I look upon Aeschylus as the first of poets,
for his verses roll superbly; 'tis nothing but incoherence, bombast and
turgidness. ' Yet still I smothered my wrath and said, 'Then recite one of
the famous pieces from the modern poets. ' Then he commenced a piece in
which Euripides shows, oh! horror! a brother, who violates his own
uterine sister. [572] Then I could no longer restrain myself, and attacked
him with the most injurious abuse; naturally he retorted; hard words were
hurled on both sides, and finally he sprang at me, broke my bones, bore
me to earth, strangled and started killing me!
PHIDIPPIDES. I was right. What! not praise Euripides, the greatest of our
poets!
STREPSIADES. He the greatest of our poets! Ah! if I but dared to speak!
CHORUS. Consider well, old man, how you can best triumph over him. His
brazenness shows me that he thinks himself sure of his case; he has some
argument which gives him nerve. Note the confidence in his look! But how
did the fight begin? tell the Chorus; you cannot help doing that much.
STREPSIADES. I will tell you what was the start of the quarrel. At the
end of the meal you wot of, I bade him take his lyre and sing me the air
of Simonides, which tells of the fleece of the ram. [571] He replied
bluntly, that it was stupid, while drinking, to play the lyre and sing,
like a woman when she is grinding barley.
PHIDIPPIDES. Why, by rights I ought to have beaten and kicked you the
very moment you told me to sing!
STREPSIADES. That is just how he spoke to me in the house, furthermore he
added, that Simonides was a detestable poet.
However, I mastered myself
and for a while said nothing. Then I said to him, 'At least, take a
myrtle branch and recite a passage from Aeschylus to me. '--'For my own
part,' he at once replied, 'I look upon Aeschylus as the first of poets,
for his verses roll superbly; 'tis nothing but incoherence, bombast and
turgidness. ' Yet still I smothered my wrath and said, 'Then recite one of
the famous pieces from the modern poets. ' Then he commenced a piece in
which Euripides shows, oh! horror! a brother, who violates his own
uterine sister. [572] Then I could no longer restrain myself, and attacked
him with the most injurious abuse; naturally he retorted; hard words were
hurled on both sides, and finally he sprang at me, broke my bones, bore
me to earth, strangled and started killing me!
PHIDIPPIDES. I was right. What! not praise Euripides, the greatest of our
poets!
STREPSIADES. He the greatest of our poets! Ah! if I but dared to speak!
