Aristophanes, Plutus (ed. Eugene O'Neill, Jr.)

Cario

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All talk like this, but as soon as they secure my favours and grow rich, their wickedness knows no bounds.

[110] And yet all men are not wicked.

All. There's no exception.

You shall pay for that opinion.

Listen to what happiness there is in store for you, if you but stay with us. I have hope; aye, I have good hope with the god's help [115] to deliver you from that blindness, in fact to restore your sight.

Oh! do nothing of the kind, for I don't wish to recover it.

What's that you say?

This fellow hugs his own misery.

If you were mad enough to cure me, and Zeus [120] heard of it, he would overwhelm me with his anger.

And is he not doing this now by leaving you to grope your wandering way?

I don't know; but I'm horribly afraid of him.

Indeed? Ah! you are the biggest poltroon of all the gods! Why, Zeus with his throne [125] and his lightnings would not be worth an obolus if you recovered your sight, were it but for a few moments.

Impious man, don't talk like that.

Fear nothing! I will prove to you that you are far more powerful and mightier than he.

I mightier than he?

Aye, by heaven! To Cario [130] For instance, what is the basis of the power that Zeus wields over the other gods?

Money; he has so much of it.

And who gives it to him?

This fellow.

If sacrifices are offered to him, is not Plutus their cause?

Undoubtedly, for it's wealth that all demand and clamor most loudly for.

[135] Thus it's Plutus who is the fount of all the honors rendered to Zeus, whose worship he can wither up at the root, if it so pleases him.

And how so?

Not an ox, nor a cake, nor indeed anything at all could be offered, if you did not wish it.

Why?

Why? but what means are there [140] to buy anything if you are not there to give the money? Hence if Zeus should cause you any trouble, you will destroy his power without other help.

So it's because of me that sacrifices are offered to him?

Most assuredly. Whatever is dazzling, beautiful [145] or charming in the eyes of mankind, comes from you. Does not everything depend on wealth?

I myself was bought for a few coins; if I'm a slave, it's only because I was not rich.

And what of the Corinthian whores? [150] If a poor man offers them proposals, they do not listen; but if it be a rich one, instantly they turn their arses to him.

It's the same with the lads; they care not for love, to them money means everything.

[155] You speak of male whores; yet some of them are honest, and it's not money they ask of their patrons.

What then?

A fine horse, a pack of hounds.

Yes, they would blush to ask for money and cleverly disguise their shame.

[160] It is in you that every art, all human inventions, have had their origin; it is through you that one man sits cutting leather in his shop.

That another fashions iron or wood.

That yet another chases the gold he has received from you.

[165] This one steals clothes, by Zeus, and that one is a housebreaker.

That one is a clothes-cleaner.

And the other washes bedding.

That this one is a tanner.

And that other sells onions.

And if the adulterer, caught red-handed, is depilated, it's on account of you.

Oh! great gods! I knew naught of all this!

Cross references from Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache (ed. Ildar Ibraguimov):
434 [b. Dia, durch.]

Cross references from Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache (ed. Ildar Ibraguimov):
497 [Lehre von dem Adverb.]
501 [Dêpou. Dêpouthen. Dêthen. Dêta. Dai. Thên.]

This text is based on the following book(s):
Aristophanes. Wealth. The Complete Greek Drama, vol. 2. Eugene O'Neill, Jr. New York. Random House. 1938.
OCLC: 32280428