Page:Comedies of Aristophanes (Hickie 1853) vol2.djvu/274
650 THE ECCLESIAZUS.E. 633—651.
say, " Give place first, and then watch when I have finished
and allow you to play the second part."
Blep. How then, if we live in this manner, will each be able to distinguish his own sons ?
Prax. But what occasion is there ? for they will consider all those who are older than themselves in age to be their ftithers.
Blep. Therefore they will rightly and properly throttle every old man<r1> one after another through ignorance; for even now, when they know their true father, they throttle him. What then ? when he is unknown, how will they not tlien even dung upon him ?
Prax. But he who is standing by will not permit it. Formerly<r2> they had no concern about other people's fathers, if any one beat them ; whereas now, if any hear a father beaten, being alarmed lest any person should be beating his father, he will oppose those<r3> who do this.
Blep. The rest you say not amiss. But if Epicurus were to come to me, or Leucolophas,<r4> and call me father, this now would be terrible to hear.
Prax. A much more terrible thing, however, than this thing is
Blep. What?
Prax. If Aristyllus^ were to kiss you, saying you were his father.
Blep. He would suffer for it and howl.
Prax. And you would smell of mint. But he was born before the decree was made, so there is no fear lest he kiss you.
Blep. I should indeed have suffered<r6> a terrible thing. But who is to cultivate the land ?
man of rank, as Y^oQopvoq was of Theramenes. In this state of doubt Dindorf has retained the reading of the Ravenna MS.
' " ^Iit Fug und mit Recht von den Alten den ersten den besten." Droyse?i. Cf. Nub. 888. Aves, 1352.
^ " Vordem liess keiner sich's kiimmern, ob ein Anderer Priigel vom Sohne bekam." Droysen.
^ Tvnry . . ro'ig Spu)(nv. For this transition from the singular to the plural, see note on vs. 688, infra.
- " Epicurus and Leucolophas are otherwise unknown." Droysen.
- See Plut. 314. He bore the same character as Ariphrades.
« For this Attic form of the first person, see Kriiger, Gr. Gr. § 30, 6, obs. "In English it must be rendered, 'that would indeed have been intolerable.' Cuvoq has the same meaning in Cuvu TracFeiv, Silvov