Philosophical and Literary Miscellany

Poverty Though marked "Pe." (Poverty) in this transcription, these first two lines are traditionally attributed to Blepsidemus as he reacts in fear to her appearance. Perhaps she is a Fury original: "Erinys," the snake-haired deities of vengeance in Greek mythology who pursued criminals. from a tragedy;
at any rate, she has a certain mad and tragic look.
Chremylus But she doesn't have any torches. Blepsidemus Then she’ll pay for it! A common comic threat implying she will be made to weep.
Poverty And who do you think I am? Chremylus An innkeeper,
or a seller of perfume-flasks. For you wouldn't have
screamed so loud if you hadn't been wronged.
Poverty Is that so? Have you not done the most terrible things,
seeking to cast me out from every land?
Chremylus Well, isn't the pit original: "barathron," a deep chasm in Athens where the bodies of executed criminals were thrown. still left for you?
But you should have said who you were right away.
Poverty I am she who will make you both pay the penalty today,
because you seek to make me disappear from here.
Blepsidemus Is it the tavern-keeper from the neighborhood,
the one who is always cheating me on my measurements? original: "kotylai," a standard liquid measure roughly equal to half a pint.
Poverty I am Poverty, who has lived with you for many years.
Blepsidemus Lord Apollo and gods, where can one flee?
Chremylus Hey, what are you doing? You most cowardly beast,
won't you stay? Blepsidemus Not a chance! Chremylus Won't you stay?
Shall two men run away from one single woman?
Poverty These lines are usually Chremylus's warning to his friend. For she is Poverty, you wretch—than whom no living
creature is by nature more violent or destructive.
Poverty And indeed I shall fall upon you— Chremylus By Zeus, not I!
Chremylus And yet I say we shall perform the most terrible deed by far
of all deeds, if we leave the god Referring to the god Wealth (Plutus), who is currently blind and vulnerable.
deserted and flee somewhere,
abandoning the city, and do not fight it out?
Blepsidemus Trusting in what kind of weapons or strength?
For what breastplate, what shield,

does this most foul creature not take as a pawn? A joke implying Poverty is so relentless that her victims have to pawn even their defensive weapons to survive.
Chremylus Take heart; for know that this god alone [Wealth]
could set up a trophy original: "tropaion," a monument erected on a battlefield to mark the turning point of a victory. over her ways.
Poverty Do you two dare even to mutter, you scoundrels, original: "katharmate," a term for social outcasts or ritual scapegoats used to purify a city.
having been caught in the act of doing wrong?
Chremylus And you, you most wretched woman, why do you abuse
us, coming here though you have not been wronged in the least?
Poverty By the gods, do you really think it's nothing
to wrong me, by trying to make Wealth
see again? Chremylus How then are we wronging you in this,
if we provide what is good for all people?
Poverty And what good could you possibly find? Chremylus This:
that we will first cast you out from Greece.
Poverty Cast me out? And what greater evil
could you imagine doing to mankind? Chremylus This:
if we were to forget to do this very thing.
Poverty And indeed, I wish to give you an account concerning this
first of all; and if I show that I alone
am the cause of all good things
for you, and that you live because of me—but if not,
do then whatever seems good to you.
Chremylus Do you dare to say these things, you most foul woman?
Poverty And you, listen and learn; for I think I shall very easily
show that you are mistaken, if you say that
looking at me is an error, and if you say you will make the righteous rich,
and you do not define "the good" in a general way.
Poverty One should not complain or cry out until one learns.
Blepsidemus And who could help crying out at such words from you?