I know someone who will come and seat himself at the foot of the
tribunal, holding a supplicant's bough in his hand and surrounded by

his wife and children, for all the world like the Heraclidae of
Pamphilus.

CHREMYLUS
Not at all, poor fool! But, thanks to me, worthy folk alone

shall be rich henceforth.
BLEPSIDEMUS

What are you saying? Have you then stolen so much as all that?
CHREMYLUS

Oh your insults will be the death of me.
BLEPSIDEMUS

You're the one who is courting death.
CHREMYLUS

Not so, you wretch, since I have Plutus.
BLEPSIDEMUS

You have Plutus? Which one?
CHREMYLUS

The god himself.
BLEPSIDEMUS

And where is he?
CHREMYLUS

There.
BLEPSIDEMUS

Where?
CHREMYLUS

Indoors.
BLEPSIDEMUS

Indoors?
CHREMYLUS

Aye, certainly.
BLEPSIDEMUS

Get you gone! Plutus in your house?
CHREMYLUS

Yes, by the gods I
BLEPSIDEMUS

Are you telling the truth?
CHREMYLUS

I am.
BLEPSIDEMUS

Swear it by Hestia.
CHREMYLUS

I swear it by Posidon.
BLEPSIDEMUS

The god of the sea?
CHREMYLUS

Yes, and by all the other Posidons, such there be.
BLEPSIDEMUS

And you don't send him to us, to your friends?
CHREMYLUS

We've not got to that point yet.
BLEPSIDEMUS

What do you say? Is there no chance of sharing?
CHREMYLUS

Why, no. We must first.
BLEPSIDEMUS

Do what?
CHREMYLUS

...restore him his sight.
BLEPSIDEMUS

Restore whom his sight? Speak!
CHREMYLUS

Plutus. It must be done, no matter how.
BLEPSIDEMUS

Is he then really blind?
CHREMYLUS

Yes, undoubtedly.
BLEPSIDEMUS

I am no longer surprised he never came to me.
CHREMYLUS

If it please the gods, he'll come there now.
BLEPSIDEMUS

Must we not go and seek a physician?
CHREMYLUS

Seek physicians at Athens? Nay! there's no art where there's no
fee.

BLEPSIDEMUS (running his eyes over the audience)
Let's look carefully.

CHREMYLUS (after a thorough survey)
There is not one.

BLEPSIDEMUS
It's a positive fact; I don't know of one.

CHREMYLUS
But I have thought the matter well over, and the best thing is

to make Plutus lie in the Temple of Asclepius.
BLEPSIDEMUS

Unquestionably that's the very best thing. Hurry and lead him away
to the temple.

CHREMYLUS
I am going there.

BLEPSIDEMUS
Then hurry up.

CHREMYLUS
That's just what I am doing.

(They are just leaving when POVERTY comes running in;
she is a picture of squalor and the two men recoil in horror.)

POVERTY
Unwise, perverse, unholy men! What are you daring to do, you

pitiful, wretched mortals? Whither are you flying? Stop! I command it!
BLEPSIDEMUS

Oh! great gods!
POVERTY

My arm shall destroy you, you infamous beings! Such an attempt
is not to be borne; neither man nor god has ever dared the like. You

shall die!
CHREMYLUS

And who are you? Oh! what a ghastly pallor!
BLEPSIDEMUS

Perhaps it's some Erinys, some Fury, from the theatre; there's a
kind of wild tragic look in her eyes.

CHREMYLUS
But she has no torch.

BLEPSIDEMUS
Let's knock her down!

POVERTY
Who do you think I am?

CHREMYLUS
Some wine-shop keeper or egg-woman. Otherwise you would not have

shrieked so loud at us, who have done nothing to you.
POVERTY

Indeed? And have you not done me the most deadlyinjury by seeking
to banish me from every country?

CHREMYLUS
Why, have you not got the Barathrum left? But who are you?

Answer me quickly!
POVERTY

I am one that will punish you this very day for having wanted to
make me disappear from here.

BLEPSIDEMUS
Might it be the tavern-keeper in my neighbourhood, who is always

cheating me in measure?
POVERTY

I am Poverty, who have lived with you for so many years.
BLEPSIDEMUS

Oh! great Apollo! oh, ye gods! whither shall I fly?
(He starts to run away.)

CHREMYLUS
Here! what are you doing! You coward! Are going to leave me here?

BLEPSIDEMUS (still running)
Not I.

CHREMYLUS
Stop then! Are two men to run away from one woman?

BLEPSIDEMUS
But, you wretch, it's Poverty, the most fearfulmonster that

ever drew breath.
CHREMYLUS

Stay where you are, I beg of you.
BLEPSIDEMUS

No no! a thousand times, no!
CHREMYLUS

Could we do anything worse than leave the god in the lurch and fly
before this woman without so much as ever offering to fight?

BLEPSIDEMUS
But what weapons have we? Are we in a condition to show fight?

Where is the breastplate, the buckler, that this wretch has not
pawned?

CHREMYLUS
Be at ease. Plutus will readilytriumph over her threats unaided.

POVERTY
Dare you reply, you scoundrels, you who are caught red-handed at

the most horrible crime?
CHREMYLUS

As for you, you cursed jade, you pursue me with your abuse, though
I have never done you the slightest harm.

POVERTY
Do you think it is doing me no harm to restore Plutus to the use

of his eyes?
CHREMYLUS

Is this doing you harm, that we shower blessings on all men?
POVERTY

And what do you think will ensure their happiness?
CHREMYLUS

Ah! first of all we shall drive you out of Greece.
POVERTY

Drive me out? Could you do mankind a greater harm?
CHREMYLUS

Yes-if I gave up my intention to deliver them from you.
POVERTY

Well, let us discuss this point first. I propose to show that I am
the sole cause of all your blessings, and that your safety depends

on me alone. If I don't succeed, then do what you like to me.
CHREMYLUS

How dare you talk like this, you impudent hussy?
POVERTY

Agree to hear me and I think it will be very easy for me to
prove that you are entirely on the wrong road, when you want to make

the just men wealthy.
BLEPSIDEMUS

Oh! cudgel and rope's end, come to my help!
POVERTY

Why such wrath and these shouts, before you hear my arguments?
BLEPSIDEMUS

But who could listen to such words without exclaiming?
POVERTY

Any man of sense.
CHREMYLUS

But if you lose your case, what punishment will you submit to?
POVERTY

Choose what you will.
CHREMYLUS

That's all right.

• worthy [´wə:ði] a.有价值的；值得的 (初中英语单词)
• stolen [´stəulən] steal 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
• temple [´tempəl] n.庙宇；寺院；太阳穴 (初中英语单词)
• poverty [´pɔvəti] n.贫穷(乏，瘠)；不足 (初中英语单词)
• running [´rʌniŋ] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)
• wretched [´retʃid] a.可怜的；倒霉的 (初中英语单词)
• keeper [´ki:pə] n.管理人；看守；保管人 (初中英语单词)
• otherwise [´ʌðəwaiz] ad.另外 conj.否则 (初中英语单词)
• deadly [´dedli] a.致命的 ad.死一般地 (初中英语单词)
• injury [´indʒəri] n.伤害；毁坏；侮辱 (初中英语单词)
• punish [´pʌniʃ] vt.(惩)罚；痛击；折磨 (初中英语单词)
• fearful [´fiəfəl] a.可怕的；担心的 (初中英语单词)
• monster [´mɔnstə] n.怪物 a.大得异常的 (初中英语单词)
• readily [´redili] ad.乐意地；容易地 (初中英语单词)
• triumph [´traiəmf] n.胜利 vi.得胜，战胜 (初中英语单词)
• horrible [´hɔrəbəl] a.可怕的；恐怖的 (初中英语单词)
• pursue [pə´sju:] v.追赶；追踪；从事 (初中英语单词)
• restore [ri´stɔ:] vt.(使)恢复；修复 (初中英语单词)
• shower [´ʃauə] n.展出者；阵雨；淋浴 (初中英语单词)
• intention [in´tenʃən] n.意图；打算；意义 (初中英语单词)
• punishment [´pʌniʃmənt] n.罚，刑罚 (初中英语单词)
• submit [səb´mit] vt.使服从；使忍受 (初中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
• athens [´æθinz] n.雅典 (高中英语单词)
• thorough [´θʌrə] a.彻底的；详尽的 (高中英语单词)
• positive [´pɔzətiv] a.确定的 (高中英语单词)
• ghastly [´gɑ:stli] a.苍白的；可怕的 (高中英语单词)
• tragic [´trædʒik] a.悲剧的；悲惨的 (高中英语单词)
• banish [´bæniʃ] vt.流放；消除(顾虑等) (高中英语单词)
• offering [´ɔfəriŋ] n.提供；礼物；捐献 (高中英语单词)
• wretch [retʃ] n.不幸的人；卑鄙的人 (英语四级单词)
• daring [´deəriŋ] a.&n.勇敢(的) (英语四级单词)
• holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)
• recoil [ri´kɔil] vi.&n.退缩；弹回 (英语六级单词)
• infamous [´infəməs] a.声名狼藉的 (英语六级单词)
• cudgel [´kʌdʒəl] n.短棍，棒 vt.棒打 (英语六级单词)