what a
splendid
city!
Aristophanes
Well then, what name can you suggest?
EUELPIDES. Some name borrowed from the clouds, from these lofty regions
in which we dwell--in short, some well-known name.
PISTHETAERUS. Do you like Nephelococcygia? [270]
EPOPS. Oh! capital! truly 'tis a brilliant thought!
EUELPIDES. Is it in Nephelococcygia that all the wealth of Theogenes[271]
and most of Aeschines'[272] is?
PISTHETAERUS. No, 'tis rather the plain of Phlegra,[273] where the gods
withered the pride of the sons of the Earth with their shafts.
EUELPIDES. Oh!
what a splendid city! But what god shall be its patron?
for whom shall we weave the peplus? [274]
PISTHETAERUS. Why not choose Athene Polias? [275]
EUELPIDES. Oh! what a well-ordered town 'twould be to have a female deity
armed from head to foot, while Clisthenes[276] was spinning!
PISTHETAERUS. Who then shall guard the Pelargicon? [277]
EPOPS. One of ourselves, a bird of Persian strain, who is everywhere
proclaimed to be the bravest of all, a true chick of Ares. [278]
EUELPIDES. Oh! noble chick! what a well-chosen god for a rocky home!
EUELPIDES. Some name borrowed from the clouds, from these lofty regions
in which we dwell--in short, some well-known name.
PISTHETAERUS. Do you like Nephelococcygia? [270]
EPOPS. Oh! capital! truly 'tis a brilliant thought!
EUELPIDES. Is it in Nephelococcygia that all the wealth of Theogenes[271]
and most of Aeschines'[272] is?
PISTHETAERUS. No, 'tis rather the plain of Phlegra,[273] where the gods
withered the pride of the sons of the Earth with their shafts.
EUELPIDES. Oh!
what a splendid city! But what god shall be its patron?
for whom shall we weave the peplus? [274]
PISTHETAERUS. Why not choose Athene Polias? [275]
EUELPIDES. Oh! what a well-ordered town 'twould be to have a female deity
armed from head to foot, while Clisthenes[276] was spinning!
PISTHETAERUS. Who then shall guard the Pelargicon? [277]
EPOPS. One of ourselves, a bird of Persian strain, who is everywhere
proclaimed to be the bravest of all, a true chick of Ares. [278]
EUELPIDES. Oh! noble chick! what a well-chosen god for a rocky home!
