Aristophanes, Plutus
Eugene O'Neill, Jr., Ed.

Blepsidemus
Listen, friend, no doubt the matter can yet be hushed up, before it gets noised abroad, at trifling expense; I will buy the orators' silence.

Chremylus
[380] Aye, you will lay out three minae and, as my friend, you will reckon twelve against me.

Blepsidemus
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 [385] 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 [390] 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!

Blepsidemus
[395] Are you telling the truth?

Chremylus
I am.

Blepsidemus
Swear it by Hestia.

Chremylus
I swear it by Poseidon.

Blepsidemus
The god of the sea?

Chremylus
Yes, and by all the other Poseidons, if 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? [400] 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
[405] 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
[410] 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
[415] 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!