The Eleven Comedies, Volume 1. Аристофан

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13

A town in Messina, opposite the little island of Sphacteria; Demosthenes had seized it, and the Spartans had vainly tried to retake it, having even been obliged to leave four hundred soldiers shut up in Sphacteria. Cleon, sent out with additional forces, had forced the Spartans to capitulate and had thus robbed Demosthenes of the glory of the capture. (See Introduction.)

14

Literally, his rump is among the Chaonians ([Greek: chain_o], to gape open), because his anus is distended by pederastic practices; his hands with the Aetolians ([Greek: aite_o], to ask, to beg); his mind with the Clopidians ([Greek: klept_o], to steal).

15

The versions of his death vary. He is said to have taken poison in order to avoid fighting against Athens.

16

A minor god, supposed by the ancients to preside over the life of each man; each empire, each province, each town had its titular Genius. Everyone offered sacrifice to his Genius on each anniversary of his birth with wine, flowers and incense.

17

A hill in Asia Minor, near Smyrna. Homer mentions the wine of Pramnium.

18

The common people, who at Athens were as superstitious as everywhere else, took delight in oracles, especially when they were favourable, and Cleon served them up to suit their taste and to advance his own ambition.

19

Famous seer of Boeotia.

20

Eucrates, who was the leading statesman at Athens after Pericles.

21

Lysicles, who married the courtesan Aspasia.

22

Literally, like Cycloborus, a torrent in Attica.

23

He points to the spectators.

24

The public meals were given in the Prytaneum; to these were admitted those whose services merited that they should be fed at the cost of the State. This distinction depended on the popular vote, and was very often bestowed on demagogues very unworthy of the privilege.

25

Islands of the Aegaean, subject to Athens, which paid considerable tributes.

26

Caria and Chalcedon were at the two extremities of Asia Minor; the former being at the southern, the latter at the northern end of that extensive coast.

27

As though stupidity were an essential of good government.

28

The Athenian citizens were divided into four classes—the Pentacosiomedimni, who possessed five hundred minae; the Knights, who had three hundred and were obliged to maintain a charger (hence their name); the Zeugitae and the Thetes. In Athens, the Knights never had the high consideration and the share in the magistracy which they enjoyed at Rome.

29

It is said that Aristophanes played the part of Cleon himself, as no one dared to assume the role. (See Introduction.)

30

They were two leaders of the knightly order.

31

The famous whirlpool, near Sicily.

32

Eucrates, the oakum-seller, already mentioned, when the object of a riot, took refuge in a mill and there hid himself in a sack of bran.

33

The chief Athenian tribunal only next in dignity to the Areopagus; it generally consisted of two hundred members; it tried civil cases of the greatest importance and some crimes beyond the competence of other courts, e.g. rape, adultery, extortion. The sittings were in the open air, hence the name ([Greek: _Elios], the sun).

34

The Heliasts' salary. (See above.)

35

Tributary to Athens; Olynthus and Potidaea were the chief towns of this important Peninsula.

36

Meaning he frightens him with the menace of judicial prosecution forces him to purchase silence.

37

The strategi were the heads of the military forces.

38

They presided at the Public Assemblies; they were also empowered to try the most important cases.

39

An allusion to Cleon's former calling.

40

A country deme of Attica.

41

Archeptolemus, a resident alien, who lived in Piraeus. He had loaded Athens with gifts and was nevertheless maltreated by Cleon.

42

This was easier than against a citizen because of the inferiority, in which the pride of the Athenian held those born on other soil.

43

When drunk he conceives himself rich and the man to buy up the rich silver mines of Laurium, in south-east Attica.

44

The Chorus throws itself between Cleon and Agoracritus to protect the latter.

45

An iron collar, an instrument of torture and of punishment.

46

A disease among swine.

47

Cleon wanted the Spartans to purchase the prisoners of Sphacteria from him.

48

With piss—the result of his drunken habits.

49

A tragic poet, apparently proverbial for feebleness of style.

50

Beginning of a song of Simonides.

51

A miser.

52

Guests used pieces of bread to wipe their fingers at table.

53

'Dog's head,' a vicious species of ape.

54

They were allowed to remain in the ground throughout the winter so that they might grow tender.

55

An allusion to the pederastic habits ascribed to some of the orators by popular rumour.

56

He imputes the crime to Agoracritus of which he is guilty himself.

57

A town in Thrace and subject to Athens. It therefore paid tribute to the latter. It often happened that the demagogues extracted considerable sums from the tributaries by threats or promises.

58

It was customary in Athens for the plaintiff himself to fix the fine to be paid by the defendant.

59

Athené, the tutelary divinity of Athens.

60

And wife of Pisistratus. Anything belonging to the ancient tyrants was hateful to the Athenians.

61

An allusion to the language used by the democratic orators, who, to be better understood by the people, constantly affected the use of terms belonging to the different trades.

62

He accuses Cleon of collusion with the enemy.

63

Cleon retorts upon his adversary the charge brought against himself. The Boeotians were the allies of Sparta.

64

Allusion to cock-fighting.

65

The tripping metre usually employed in the parabasis.

66

Hitherto Aristophanes had presented his pieces under an assumed name.

67

A comic poet, who had carried off the prize eleven times; not a fragment of his works remains to us.

68

An allusion to the titles of some of his pieces, viz. "the Flute Players, the Birds, the Lydians, the Gnats, the Frogs."

69

The Comic Poet, rival of Aristophanes, several times referred to above.

70

These were the opening lines of poems by Cratinus, often sung at festivities.

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