[314] Driven in from the country parts by the
Lacedaemonian
invaders.
Aristophanes
They had suffered more than
any other people from the war. (_See_ 'The Acharnians. ')
[305] Meaning, look chiefly to your fleet. This was the counsel that
Themistocles frequently gave the Athenians.
[306] A metaphor referring to the abundant vintages that peace would
assure.
[307] The goddess of fruits.
[308] Aristophanes personifies under this name the sacred ceremonies in
general which peace would allow to be celebrated with due pomp. Opora and
Theoria come on the stage in the wake of Peace, clothed and decked out as
courtesans.
[309] Aristophanes has already shown us the husbandmen and workers in
peaceful trades pulling at the rope to extricate Peace, while the
armourers hindered them by pulling the other way.
[310] An allusion to Lamachus' shield.
[311] Having been commissioned to execute a statue of Athene, Phidias was
accused of having stolen part of the gold given him out of the public
treasury for its decoration. Rewarded for his work by calumny and
banishment, he resolved to make a finer statue than his Athene, and
executed one for the temple of Elis, that of the Olympian Zeus, which was
considered one of the wonders of the world.
[312] He had issued a decree, which forbade the admission of any Megarian
on Attic soil, and also all trade with that people. The Megarians, who
obtained all their provisions from Athens, were thus almost reduced to
starvation.
[313] That is, the vineyards were ravaged from the very outset of the
war, and this increased the animosity.
[314] Driven in from the country parts by the Lacedaemonian invaders.
[315] The demagogues, who distributed the slender dole given to the poor,
and by that means exercised undue power over them.
[316] Meaning, the side of the Spartans.
[317] Cleon.
[318] It was Hermes who conducted the souls of the dead down to the lower
regions.
[319] The Spartans had thrice offered to make peace after the Pylos
disaster.
[320] i. e. dominated by Cleon.
[321] There is a pun here, that cannot be rendered, between [Greek:
apobolimaios], which means, _one who throws away his weapons_, and
[Greek: upobolimaios], which signifies, _a supposititious child_.
[322] Simonides was very avaricious, and sold his pen to the highest
bidder. It seems that Sophocles had also started writing for gain.
[323] i. e. he would recoil from no risk to turn an honest penny.
[324] A comic poet as well known for his love of wine as for his
writings; he died in 431 B.
any other people from the war. (_See_ 'The Acharnians. ')
[305] Meaning, look chiefly to your fleet. This was the counsel that
Themistocles frequently gave the Athenians.
[306] A metaphor referring to the abundant vintages that peace would
assure.
[307] The goddess of fruits.
[308] Aristophanes personifies under this name the sacred ceremonies in
general which peace would allow to be celebrated with due pomp. Opora and
Theoria come on the stage in the wake of Peace, clothed and decked out as
courtesans.
[309] Aristophanes has already shown us the husbandmen and workers in
peaceful trades pulling at the rope to extricate Peace, while the
armourers hindered them by pulling the other way.
[310] An allusion to Lamachus' shield.
[311] Having been commissioned to execute a statue of Athene, Phidias was
accused of having stolen part of the gold given him out of the public
treasury for its decoration. Rewarded for his work by calumny and
banishment, he resolved to make a finer statue than his Athene, and
executed one for the temple of Elis, that of the Olympian Zeus, which was
considered one of the wonders of the world.
[312] He had issued a decree, which forbade the admission of any Megarian
on Attic soil, and also all trade with that people. The Megarians, who
obtained all their provisions from Athens, were thus almost reduced to
starvation.
[313] That is, the vineyards were ravaged from the very outset of the
war, and this increased the animosity.
[314] Driven in from the country parts by the Lacedaemonian invaders.
[315] The demagogues, who distributed the slender dole given to the poor,
and by that means exercised undue power over them.
[316] Meaning, the side of the Spartans.
[317] Cleon.
[318] It was Hermes who conducted the souls of the dead down to the lower
regions.
[319] The Spartans had thrice offered to make peace after the Pylos
disaster.
[320] i. e. dominated by Cleon.
[321] There is a pun here, that cannot be rendered, between [Greek:
apobolimaios], which means, _one who throws away his weapons_, and
[Greek: upobolimaios], which signifies, _a supposititious child_.
[322] Simonides was very avaricious, and sold his pen to the highest
bidder. It seems that Sophocles had also started writing for gain.
[323] i. e. he would recoil from no risk to turn an honest penny.
[324] A comic poet as well known for his love of wine as for his
writings; he died in 431 B.
