Philosophical and Literary Miscellany

This manuscript spread shows Aristophanes' "Plutus" (lines 197–250). A "Vaticana" library stamp and a shelfmark stamp are visible on the left page, indicating its provenance in the Vatican Library collection.

...or he says that life is not worth living.
For in this matter, everything seems plentiful.
Wealth Except for one thing alone, I am afraid. Chremylus Tell me, about what?
Wealth How I might hold the power which you say I
possess, and become the master of it.
Chremylus By Zeus! But everyone says that
most cautious original: "eulabestaton"
Wealth is the most cowardly thing there is. Wealth Not at all! But some
housebreaker slandered me. For once, having broken in,
he could find nothing to take inside the house,
finding everything locked up tight.
Then he called my foresight "cowardice."
Chremylus Well, don't let that trouble you now; as long as you show yourself
to be a willing man in these affairs,
I will show that you have sight sharper than Lynceus. Lynceus was a mythological hero and Argonaut famous for his superhuman vision, said to be able to see through trees and stone.
Wealth How then will you be able to do this, being a mortal?
Chremylus I have a good hope based on what
Apollo referred to here as "Phoebus" himself told me, shaking the Pythian laurel.
Wealth So he too is aware of these things? Chremylus So he says.
Wealth See to it! Chremylus Don't worry at all, my good man.
For I—know this well—even if I must die for it,
I myself will accomplish these things. Carion And I too, if you wish.
Chremylus And many others will be allies to us both—
all those who are just, yet have no barley-meal. A staple food for the poor; its lack signifies extreme poverty.
Wealth Oh dear! You have named some wretched allies for us.
Chremylus Not if they become wealthy again from the start.
But you, go quickly running, and call
your fellow-farmers with your running; you will likely find them

struggling in the fields;
so that each one, being present here,
may share an equal portion of this Wealth.
Carion I am going right now. But as for this little piece of meat,
let someone from inside take it and carry it in.
Chremylus That will be my concern; but for now, you run.
And you, O Wealth, mightiest of all divinities,
come inside here with me. For this
is the house which you must today
make full of money, both justly and unjustly.
Wealth But I am distressed entering—by the gods—
into another person's house.
For I have never enjoyed any good from it.
For if I happen to enter the house of a miser,
he immediately buries me deep under the earth.
And if some good man, a friend, comes to him
asking to receive some small bit of silver,
he denies ever having seen me.
But if, on the other hand, I happen to enter the house of a madman
devoted to prostitutes and dice,
I am thrown out naked at the door in a moment of time.
Chremylus Because you have never happened upon a moderate man.
But I am always of this character:
I rejoice in saving like no other man,
and again in spending, whenever there is need for it.
But let us go in. For I want you to see
both my wife and my only son,