[302]
Corresponding
to our month of April.
Aristophanes
It is as though he said, "Well known
throughout all England and at Croydon. "
[295] Thales was no less famous as a geometrician than he was as a sage.
[296] Officers of Athens, whose duty was to protect strangers who came on
political or other business, and see to their interests generally.
[297] He addresses the inspector thus because of the royal and
magnificent manners he assumes.
[298] Magistrates appointed to inspect the tributary towns.
[299] A much-despised citizen, already mentioned. He ironically supposes
him invested with the powers of an Archon, which ordinarily were
entrusted only to men of good repute.
[300] A Persian satrap. --An allusion to certain orators, who, bribed with
Asiatic gold, had often defended the interests of the foe in the Public
Assembly.
[301] A Macedonian people in the peninsula of Chalcidice. This name is
chosen because of its similarity to the Greek word [Greek:
olophuresthai], _to groan_. It is from another verb, [Greek: ototuzein],
meaning the same thing, that Pisthetaerus coins the name of Ototyxians,
i. e. groaners, because he is about to beat the dealer. --The
mother-country had the right to impose any law it chose upon its
colonies.
[302] Corresponding to our month of April.
[303] Which the inspector had brought with him for the purpose of
inaugurating the assemblies of the people or some tribunal.
[304] So that the sacrifices might no longer be interrupted.
[305] A disciple of Democrites; he passed over from superstition to
atheism. The injustice and perversity of mankind led him to deny the
existence of the gods, to lay bare the mysteries and to break the idols.
The Athenians had put a price on his head, so he left Greece and perished
soon afterwards in a storm at sea.
[306] By this jest Aristophanes means to imply that tyranny is dead, and
that no one aspires to despotic power, though this silly accusation was
constantly being raised by the demagogues and always favourably received
by the populace.
[307] A poulterer. --Strouthian, used in joke to designate him, as if from
the name of his 'deme,' is derived from [Greek: strouthos], _a sparrow_.
The birds' foe is thus grotesquely furnished with an ornithological
surname.
[308] From Aphrodite (Venus), to whom he had awarded the apple, prize of
beauty, in the contest of the "goddesses three. "
[309] Laurium was an Athenian deme at the extremity of the Attic
peninsula containing valuable silver mines, the revenues of which were
largely employed in the maintenance of the fleet and payment of the
crews. The "owls of Laurium," of course, mean pieces of money; the
Athenian coinage was stamped with a representation of an owl, the bird of
Athene.
[310] A pun impossible to keep in English, on the two meanings of the
word [Greek: aetos], which signifies both an eagle and the gable of a
house or pediment of a temple.
[311] That is, birds' crops, into which they could stow away plenty of
good things.
[312] The Ancients appear to have placed metal discs over statues
standing in the open air, to save them from injury from the weather, etc.
throughout all England and at Croydon. "
[295] Thales was no less famous as a geometrician than he was as a sage.
[296] Officers of Athens, whose duty was to protect strangers who came on
political or other business, and see to their interests generally.
[297] He addresses the inspector thus because of the royal and
magnificent manners he assumes.
[298] Magistrates appointed to inspect the tributary towns.
[299] A much-despised citizen, already mentioned. He ironically supposes
him invested with the powers of an Archon, which ordinarily were
entrusted only to men of good repute.
[300] A Persian satrap. --An allusion to certain orators, who, bribed with
Asiatic gold, had often defended the interests of the foe in the Public
Assembly.
[301] A Macedonian people in the peninsula of Chalcidice. This name is
chosen because of its similarity to the Greek word [Greek:
olophuresthai], _to groan_. It is from another verb, [Greek: ototuzein],
meaning the same thing, that Pisthetaerus coins the name of Ototyxians,
i. e. groaners, because he is about to beat the dealer. --The
mother-country had the right to impose any law it chose upon its
colonies.
[302] Corresponding to our month of April.
[303] Which the inspector had brought with him for the purpose of
inaugurating the assemblies of the people or some tribunal.
[304] So that the sacrifices might no longer be interrupted.
[305] A disciple of Democrites; he passed over from superstition to
atheism. The injustice and perversity of mankind led him to deny the
existence of the gods, to lay bare the mysteries and to break the idols.
The Athenians had put a price on his head, so he left Greece and perished
soon afterwards in a storm at sea.
[306] By this jest Aristophanes means to imply that tyranny is dead, and
that no one aspires to despotic power, though this silly accusation was
constantly being raised by the demagogues and always favourably received
by the populace.
[307] A poulterer. --Strouthian, used in joke to designate him, as if from
the name of his 'deme,' is derived from [Greek: strouthos], _a sparrow_.
The birds' foe is thus grotesquely furnished with an ornithological
surname.
[308] From Aphrodite (Venus), to whom he had awarded the apple, prize of
beauty, in the contest of the "goddesses three. "
[309] Laurium was an Athenian deme at the extremity of the Attic
peninsula containing valuable silver mines, the revenues of which were
largely employed in the maintenance of the fleet and payment of the
crews. The "owls of Laurium," of course, mean pieces of money; the
Athenian coinage was stamped with a representation of an owl, the bird of
Athene.
[310] A pun impossible to keep in English, on the two meanings of the
word [Greek: aetos], which signifies both an eagle and the gable of a
house or pediment of a temple.
[311] That is, birds' crops, into which they could stow away plenty of
good things.
[312] The Ancients appear to have placed metal discs over statues
standing in the open air, to save them from injury from the weather, etc.
